1.3. POWER4 architecture advantages

The POWER4™ system is a new generation of high-performance 64-bit microprocessors and associated subsystems especially designed for server and supercomputing applications

Following are highlights of the many architectural advantages offered by POWER4:

• Numerous technologies are incorporated into the POWER4, to create a high-performance, highly scalable chip design to power pSeries systems.

• The POWER4 processor utilizes the IBM advanced semiconductor, Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI), and packaging technology.

• Copper interconnects provide less resistance than aluminum, which permits the use of smaller circuits with reduced latency for faster propagation of electrical signals.

• Reduced resistance and heat output make it possible to shrink electronic devices even further, while increasing clock speed and performance.

• Included in the POWER4 architecture are functions which are logically referred to as pervasive functions. These include trace and debug facilities used for First Failure Data Capture (FFDC), Built-In Self Test (BIST) facilities, performance monitoring unit, and interface to the Service Processor (SP) used to control the overall system, power-on Reset (POR) sequencing logic, and error detection and logging circuitry.