Azul chips to go 48-core next year

Azul Systems is to double the number of cores in its processors, and may license them for blades

Azul Systems plans to integrate 48 cores on its second-generation Vega chip, expected next year in the startup firm’s virtual-machine accelerator appliances.

The first-generation Vega processor has 24 cores but the firm expects to double that using its fabrication partner TSMC’s 90nm process to squeeze in 812 million transistors per chip. Systems will be able to house a total of 768 cores.

Azul chief technology officer Scott Sellers said he expected more than double system performance thanks to other improvements such as faster clock speeds and new instructions.

Sellers said Azul was considering licensing its technology to other firms in a move that could see it powering blades.