Intel has not yet launched its new server processor platform Romley and may delay the launch for about a quarter until February-March 2012, causing worries among Taiwan-based vendors that expected business opportunities from replacement servers in the first quarter of 2012 may be delayed, according to Taiwan-based supply chain makers.
Intel originally planned to launch the new Romley platform in the fourth quarter of 2011, but with rumors the platform will be delayed circulating in the IT market, company CEO Paul Otellini, in July, made a clarification that the platform will be released as scheduled. However, as late November approaches, the sources pointed out that they still have not seen Intel release the platform.
Commenting on the rumors, Intel responded that "The Intel Xeon processor E5 family is currently in production and we expect public availability, along with systems based on the processor family, in early 2012."
However, the company added that "Intel started shipping the Intel Xeon processor E5 family to a small number of cloud and HPC customers in September, with broad availability planned in the first half of 2012."
The sources pointed out that Intel currently has 70-80% share in the x86-based server market, but its current second-generation server platform, Jasper Forest, launched in early 2010, close to two years ago, and so several enterprises are already prepared to upgrade their systems triggering a replacement trend for servers, network-attached storage (NAS) and switch devices.
As Intel may not start mass shipments of Romley until the first quarter of 2012, while floods in Thailand have caused a shortage of hard drives, players in the server supply chain expect their first-quarter 2012 performance to be weak.
However, demand will have a chance to turn strong in the second quarter of 2012 with hard drive supply also expected to be fully restored by March 2012, at the earliest.
Paul Otellini, Intel CEO
Photo: Digitimes file photo
Article translated by Joseph Tsai
