European cloud provider Scaleway has made a groundbreaking entry into the cloud server market with its launch of the world’s first range of RISC-V servers. This move represents Scaleway’s commitment to technological independence while addressing the market’s increasing demand for sovereignty over semiconductor production.
RISC-V, an open instruction set architecture developed at the University of California, Berkeley, has the potential to revolutionize the semiconductor industry. Despite being a new architecture, RISC-V has already proven its high performance capabilities, positioning it as a viable alternative to established architectures like x86 and ARM.
The RISC-V servers offered by Scaleway boast Alibaba’s T-Head TH1520 SoC, 16GB RAM, and 128GB eMMC storage. These Elastic Metal RV1 servers, priced at a budget-friendly €15.99 per month (or €0.042 per hour), come equipped with a 100 Mbit/s Ethernet network card and include public IPv4 and IPv6 addresses. Customers can choose to run their servers on Debian, Ubuntu, or Alpine Linux.
Damien Lucas, CEO at Scaleway, expressed excitement about the launch, stating, “We’re delighted to be the first to offer RISC-V servers in the cloud, opening up new opportunities for our customers to meet growing demands for sovereignty, efficiency, and sustainability. This innovation is a further step towards our vision of an independent and competitive European cloud.”
These servers not only offer high density, with a single 52U rack capable of housing up to 672 EM-RV1s, but also boast impressive energy efficiency, consuming between 0.96W and 1.9W per 1.8GHz core. Scaleway took great care in designing these servers, employing a combination of laser-cut chassis, 3D-printed blades, and hand-soldered components.
While this launch marks Scaleway’s reentry into the foray of innovative server offerings, it also presents potential challenges. The decision to incorporate eMMC storage may impact performance and longevity, considering its slower speeds and lower reliability compared to other storage types like SSDs.
Scaleway’s introduction of RISC-V servers showcases the company’s dedication to pushing boundaries and exploring new possibilities in the cloud server market. With this move, Scaleway aims to provide its customers with enhanced performance and greater flexibility, setting a new standard for cloud computing.
FAQ:
1. What is Scaleway’s groundbreaking entry into the cloud server market?
Scaleway has launched the world’s first range of RISC-V servers, which represent their commitment to technological independence and addressing the demand for sovereignty over semiconductor production.
2. What is RISC-V?
RISC-V is an open instruction set architecture developed at the University of California, Berkeley. It has the potential to revolutionize the semiconductor industry and is a viable alternative to established architectures like x86 and ARM.
3. What are the specifications of Scaleway’s RISC-V servers?
The servers offered by Scaleway include Alibaba’s T-Head TH1520 SoC, 16GB RAM, and 128GB eMMC storage. They are priced at €15.99 per month (or €0.042 per hour) and come with a 100 Mbit/s Ethernet network card and public IPv4 and IPv6 addresses. Customers can choose to run their servers on Debian, Ubuntu, or Alpine Linux.
4. What are the benefits of Scaleway’s RISC-V servers?
These servers offer high density, with a single 52U rack capable of housing up to 672 EM-RV1s. They also have impressive energy efficiency, consuming between 0.96W and 1.9W per 1.8GHz core.
5. What challenges does Scaleway’s launch of RISC-V servers present?
The decision to incorporate eMMC storage may impact performance and longevity, as it has slower speeds and lower reliability compared to other storage types like SSDs.
6. What is Scaleway aiming to achieve with its introduction of RISC-V servers?
Scaleway aims to provide customers with enhanced performance and greater flexibility, setting a new standard for cloud computing.
Definitions:
– RISC-V: An open instruction set architecture developed at the University of California, Berkeley.
– SoC: System-on-a-Chip, an integrated circuit that contains all components of a computer or electronic system.
– RAM: Random Access Memory, a type of computer memory that stores data being used by a computer program.
– eMMC: Embedded MultiMediaCard, a type of non-volatile storage commonly used in smartphones and tablets.
– IPv4: Internet Protocol version 4, a protocol that assigns unique addresses to devices connected to the internet.
– IPv6: Internet Protocol version 6, an updated version of IPv4 that provides a larger address space.
Suggested related links:
– Scaleway: Official website of Scaleway, the European cloud provider.
– riscv.org: Official website of the RISC-V Foundation, providing information about the RISC-V architecture.
– berkeley.edu: Official website of the University of California, Berkeley, where RISC-V was developed.
The source of the article is from the blog jomfruland.net