Cell server systems ship as chip partners extend deal

As the first evaluation versions of powerful Cell based servers begin shipping to potential corporate customers, the three companies behind the development of the chip have extended their partnership by a further five years.

US-based Mercury Computer Systems has begun shipping evaluation versions of a system which contains a number of Cell-based server boards and a controller board based on Intel's Xeon or IBM's Power processors.

The system, for which pricing has yet to be unveiled, is aimed at applications such as "medical imaging, industrial inspection, aerospace and defence, seismic processing and telecommunications" - but according to one developer GamesIndustry.biz spoke to today, similar systems could find applications in development studios before long.

"One of the problems with working on the PS3 or the 360 is that the PCs you use to design assets are really holding you back right now - obviously the PC will catch up, but in the meantime we've been talking about whether Cell workstations could help to smooth the path," commented the developer, who declined to be named as he is working on an as-yet unannounced PS3 project.

The Mercury systems aren't aimed at that market - but Sony and IBM have previously talked about the potential for Cell-based workstations aimed at the digital media markets, encompassing both the videogames and the movie and television post-production sectors.

Meanwhile, Sony, IBM and Toshiba - the three companies which spearheaded the development of Cell - have announced that they are to extend their chip development partnership by five years.

The three companies plan to continue development of the Cell technology, and will focus in the next five years on the creation of next-generation processors based on 32-nanometre processes - which will yield faster chips than is possible on the current 90- and 65-nanometre processes used by Cell.