Intel’s Optane technology is shipping in the form of storage now, but consumers will have to wait until next year to purchase the Optane memory modules. Optane tech is a new class of non-volatile memory and storage based on 3D Xpoint, which was developed jointly by Micron and the chip making giant, according to PC World.
Both Optane products based on 3D Xpoint
Intel’s first Optane products, which were announced at CES this month, are low-capacity SSDs that fit into PCs’ storage slots. The Optane memory DIMMs is not the same. They are intended to replace DRAM in PCs and servers. The DIMMs will fit into DDR4 slots.
Intel has begun shipping the first Optane DIMMs for testing and is hoping to launch the final products next year. Optane SSDs performed ten times faster than traditional SSDs in the demonstration. PC makers said that bootup, applications and game play are all quicker with Optane SSDs, notes PC World.
Not much is known about the Optane memory DIMMs, but Intel has shipped the units for testing out to enterprise hardware makers. The chip maker said the Optane memory can be 10 times denser than DRAM. Also it has floated the notion that Optane could unite memory and storage. For instance, a single Optane unit could serve as both DRAM and storage, notes PC World.
On Thursday during the earnings call, CEO Brain Krzanich said that 3D Xpoint is the base technology of both types of Optane products and is a bridge between storage and memory. Krzanich said Optane is a “differential technology” that could change server and PC architectures.
Intel hires Cisco veteran as new VP of channel sales
In other Intel news, the company has hired Ricardo Moreno as a new vice president of channel sales. Moreno, a 16-year Cisco channel veteran, will be the new VP of Intel’s sales and marketing group and general manager of Intel’s Partner Program Organization.
According to the company, Moreno will not only be in charge of strengthening the focus on investments across Intel’s go-to-market strategy but also channel resources and training strategies from a global perspective.
Todd Garrigues, director of reseller channels and North American marketing, said, “It’s a strong statement from Intel to add another executive on that level to focus on the partner infrastructure, tools and resources that we bring to market to support our channels worldwide.”
