Intel And Industry Leaders Complete Draft Of Interoperability Guide For IA-64 Platform

Guide Promoters Intel, Compaq, HP, IBM, NEC and Siemens Will Work Together to Enable Broad Solutions for IA-64

HILLSBORO, Ore., June 2, 1999 - Intel Corporation and leading hardware and software vendors have begun industry review of interoperability guidelines for Intel's IA-64 computing platform architecture, the companies announced today. The Developer's Interface Guide, or DIG64, will accelerate the availability of IA-64 system solutions by addressing compatibility of hardware- and system-level software and related development efforts. As a result the guide will help reduce time to market for IA-64 based solutions, eliminate the need for redundant porting to several software vendors' products and minimize IT qualification efforts. The first IA-64-based solutions beginning with the Merced processor are expected to be available in mid-2000.

"With DIG64, Intel, Compaq, HP, IBM, NEC, Siemens and other companies have taken a key step to ensure the efficient development of reliable, compatible IA-64 solutions meeting the high standards of IT departments," said Lauri Minas, Intel server platform tools operations manager. "By participating in this industry effort, vendors can take early action to address the transition to new technologies on the IA-64 architecture."

DIG64 establishes common industry guidelines to ensure that IA-64 systems have stable interfaces, reducing the need for re-qualification of each new system developed. Once complete, the guide will accelerate the availability of mission-critical solutions on IA-64 servers by helping vendors reduce time-to-market and by enabling concurrent development of software and hardware solutions. Guideline promoters and contributors include 3Com, Adaptec, American Megatrends, Bull, Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel, Interphase, LSI Logic, Mylex, NEC, Oracle, QLogic, Phoenix Technologies, Siemens, SCO, Sun's Solaris software, and VA Linux Systems.

The DIG64 guide will enable vendors to rapidly achieve efficient design processes that help them optimize their product development resources, reduce design rework and lower development costs. This industry forum is unique, as it is the first of its kind that has convened to define system interfaces for a new hardware platform to enable broad, rapid development of IA-64 solutions.

The draft interoperability guidelines are available for review online, at the DIG64 Web site, for any vendor who signs a DIG64 adopter's agreement. More information on becoming a DIG64 adopter can be found at the site, at developer.intel.com/go/dev_guides.

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