Multi-Core Processors Outpacing Key Business Software

Multi-Core Processors Outpacing Key Business Software
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The relentless doubling of cores per microprocessor chip will result in servers with far more horsepower than software can use, says Gartner

The relentless doubling of cores per microprocessor chip will drive total processor counts in upcoming generations of servers well beyond levels for which key business software has been engineered, a market research firm said Wednesday.

Technologies that will be affected by this evolution include operating systems, middleware, virtualization tools, and other applications, Gartner said. As a result, companies and other organizations will be faced with "difficult decisions, hurried migrations to new versions and performance challenges."

"Looking at the specifications for these software products, it is clear that many will be challenged to support the hardware configurations possible today and those that will be accelerating in the future," Gartner analyst Carl Claunch said in a statement. "The impact is akin to putting a Ferrari engine in a go-cart; the power may be there, but design mismatches severely limit the ability to exploit it."