Intel Debuts 'Infrastructure Processing Unit' as Part of Broader XPU Strategy
To boost the performance of busy CPUs hosted by cloud service providers, Intel Corp. has launched a new line of Infrastructure Processing Units (IPUs) that take over some of a CPU’s overhead to let it do more processing for revenue-generating tasks.
The IPUs are described by Intel as programmable networking devices that are designed and built to relieve CPUs of some of their responsibilities, like how a GPU frees CPUs up from graphics processing needs.
Created to help hyperscale customers reduce CPU overhead, the first of the new FPGA-based IPU platforms are already shipping and are being used by multiple cloud service providers, while an additional ASIC-based IPU designs are still under development and testing, according to the company. Early customers using the IPUs include Microsoft, Baidu, JD.com and VMware.
The IPUs were announced June 14 (Monday) by Intel at the Six Five Summit, which is being held through June 18 by Futurum Research and Moor Insights & Strategy.
