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Each of the leading microprocessor manufacturers has announced the availability of one or more 64-bit desktop processors, but differences exist in architectural design, fabrication, support, and intended use of each processor. This article looks at the critical issues in a few of IBM's 64-bit POWER designs, covering 32-bit compatibility, power management, processor bus design, and the manufacturing process.

When people talk about 64-bit computing, it's not always clear what they mean. Most often, they mean some combination of register width, bus width, or address space. For the purposes of this article, it means a processor with 64-bit registers and 64-bit addressing.

Frank Lloyd Wright once said, "Architecture is the triumph of human imagination over materials, methods, and men." Like building design, microprocessor design involves imagination and creativity, makes use of different materials and processes, and should bear in mind the intended use of the design. Decisions made during the design process have a great impact on the ultimate "form and function" of the resultant composition.

So what are the critical considerations in the design of a 64-bit processor? It is important to note here that this discussion focuses on 64-bit computing in the desktop, entry-level server, and embedded markets. Sixty-four-bit computing in the high-end server environment has been well established for several years, and is outside the vantage point of this article. The IBM® POWER4™ and POWER5™ processors fall into this category, and are outside the scope of this discussion. Success in the desktop, embedded, and small-scale server environment depends on a combination of performance, power, compatibility with existing 32-bit code, and middleware support. Some of the design factors affecting these elements are:

- Architecture design (for example, pipeline, register sets)

- Performance of 32-bit software

- Silicon manufacturing

- Power management

- System interface speed (bus architecture)

- "Understanding 64-bit PowerPC architecture: Critical considerations in 64-bit microprocessor design," Cathleen Shamieh, IBM Consultant, October 19, 2004

File URL here (HTML) http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/library/pa-microdesign/

Post Date: March 22, 2005 at 1:40 PM CST; 1940 GMT