ThunderX2
ThunderX2
Developer	Cavium
Manufacturer	TSMC
Type	Microprocessors
Introduction	May 30, 2016 (announced) May 7, 2018 (launch)
ISA	ARMv8
µarch	ThunderX2, Vulcan
Word size	64 bit 8 octets 16 nibbles
Process	14 nm 0.014 μm 1.4e-5 mm , 16 nm 0.016 μm 1.6e-5 mm
Technology	CMOS
Clock	2,500 MHz-1,600 MHz
Succession
←
ThunderX

ThunderX2 is a family of 64-bit multi-core ARM server microprocessors introduced by Cavium in early 2018 succeeding the original ThunderX line.

Overview

The ThunderX2 was designed to succeed the original ThunderX family. Cavium first announced the ThunderX2 back in May 30 2016 with models based on their own second-generation microarchitecture with models up to 54 cores. Cavium eventually scrapped their own design and in late 2016 they acquired the Vulcan design from Broadcom which has designed a server microprocessor but has given up on the project for reasons not well understood. In early 2018, Cavium announced that their ThunderX2 processors (now based on Vulcan) have reached general availability.

Models

Vulcan

The first parts of the ThunderX2 family that made it to general availability are based on the Vulcan microarchitecture. Those parts are different from Cavium's original ThunderX2 design which started sampling in 2016. Originally designed by Broadcom, those parts have much higher performance and a slightly different set of features. All parts have the following features in common.

• Mem: Up to 2 TiB of quad/hexa/octa- channel DDR4 2666 MT/s memory
  • Up to 4 TiB in dual-socket configuration
• ISA: ARMv8, 128-bit SVE
• I/O: x48, x56 PCIe Gen 3 Lanes

See also

• Qualcomm's Centriq
• Intel's Xeon Platinum, Gold, and Silver