Chinese CPU developer reveals new semi-custom Xeon ‘Cascade Lake’ processor

(Image credit: Montage)

Montage Technology, a Chinese semiconductor IP company, has announced its 2nd Generation Jintide processors based on Intel’s Xeon CPU with some security-related customizations. 

The new processor features more cores than the previous-generation model and runs at a substantially higher frequency, boasting 26 cores with simultaneous multithreading technology running at up to 3.20GHz as well as integrate 35.75MB of last level cache (1.375MB per core).

The 2nd Generation Jintide CPU is based on Intel’s 2nd Generation Xeon Scalable processor featuring the Cascade Lake microarchitecture and therefore supports Intel’s deep learning (DL) boost technology (the AVX512VNNI instruction).

Semi-custom Xeons for China

The key difference between Montage’s Jintide processor platform and Intel’s Xeon Scalable platform is support for hardware-based security enhancements on the platform level, including PrC (Pre-check) and DSC (Dynamic Security Check) technologies. To realize advantages of Montage’s Jintide, server makers have to use Montage’s HSDIMM (Hybrid Security Dual Inline Memory Module) available exclusively from the company.

DSC technology was originally developed by Tsinghua University. The method relies on a special security check engine that tracks CPU behavior, does memory tracing, and performs I/O tracing. In addition, the engine can offload certain cryptography workloads (using Chinese algorithms) using built-in or external hardware.  

Montage’s Jintide processors are exclusively available in China. Montage has reportedly demonstrated several server models running Montage’s 2nd Generation Jintide CPUs. It is not clear when the new machines are set to be available, but it is logical to expect adopters of 1st Generation Jintide platforms to adopt their successors because of considerably higher performance and additional deep learning capabilities.

Source: cnTechPost

Anton Shilov is the News Editor at AnandTech, Inc. For more than four years, he has been writing for magazines and websites such as AnandTech, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, Kit Guru, EE Times, Tech & Learning, EE Times Asia, Design & Reuse.