Tentative
Unification in Server I/O Architecture Battle
R.A. Krause
- September 3rd, 1999
Event
Summary
The Next Generation
I/O (NGIO) and Future I/O (FIO) groups announced on August 31st, 1999, that
they intend to merge their specifications into one, to be used by server and
peripheral vendors throughout the industry. The unified architecture will be
called System I/O. (NGIO includes Intel, Dell, Sun, Hitachi, NEC and Siemens;
FIO was founded by Compaq Computer Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co. and IBM.)
Market
Impact
With the development
of very fast and powerful CPUs, I/O has become the biggest bottleneck in system
performance. Each group was trying to create the standard which would alleviate
this bottleneck for the consumer (and gain control of this critical architectural
area), and the uncertainty created by the conflict provided no benefit to the
consumer. Assuming the unification is completed (>90% probability), this means
that a standard I/O architecture will reduce the conflict and FUD (fear, uncertainty,
and doubt) regarding which architecture is better. While unification often results
in a watering-down of the architectures, we believe System I/O will be better
than either of the non-unified architectures (80% probability).
Judging from
the PCI and USB architectures, Intel will be the controlling influence, although
it will end up making concessions on some of the architectural features. Assuming
Intel is the key player, this helps consolidate the server market under Intel's
unofficial "control". Long-term, this will most likely reduce the variation
across vendors, leading to even greater control by Intel.
User
Recommendations
There is no
immediate impact on consumers, only on the vendors whose designers/architects
may have started planning for either NGIO or FIO. However, for the longer term,
the consumer for whom I/O architecture matters will have a more clearly-defined
choice (as in, no choice). While this provides stability in that the consumer
doesn't risk "betting on the wrong horse", those customers who want choices
won't have them.