Wednesday, November 23rd 2022
Intel Finally Reveals its Software Defined Silicon as Intel On Demand
Back in September 2021, reports about Intel working on something called SDSi or software defined silicon, started to appear. Now, over a year later, the company has finally launched its SDSi products under the Intel On Demand branding. Back then, we speculated about what features Intel would put behind a paywall and although we were somewhat off track, Intel has put some specific "instructions" behind the paywall on the supported Xeon processors. Specifically, some CPUs will have Quick Assist, Dynamic Load Balancer and Data Streaming Accelerator available as an On Demand feature. Additionally, Intel is also putting its Software Guard Extensions and In-Memory Analytics Accelerator behind the same pay wall.
It appears that these features will be offered as-a-service offering from some of Intel's service partners, but there's also a "one-time activation of select CPU accelerators and security features" according to the Intel On Demand website. It's unclear which Xeon SKUs will get Intel On Demand, but according to The Register, it'll be the upcoming Sapphire Rapids based Xeon processors which should be the first parts affected. Intel has listed partners like HP, Lenovo and SuperMicro, among others, that are involved with the Intel On Demand program. It will still be possible to buy next gen Xeon CPUs that are fully feature enabled like today, but it's unclear if the Intel On Demand Xeon SKUs will offer some kind of cost benefits to companies that don't need the additional features that are behind the paywall.
Sources:
Intel, The Register
It appears that these features will be offered as-a-service offering from some of Intel's service partners, but there's also a "one-time activation of select CPU accelerators and security features" according to the Intel On Demand website. It's unclear which Xeon SKUs will get Intel On Demand, but according to The Register, it'll be the upcoming Sapphire Rapids based Xeon processors which should be the first parts affected. Intel has listed partners like HP, Lenovo and SuperMicro, among others, that are involved with the Intel On Demand program. It will still be possible to buy next gen Xeon CPUs that are fully feature enabled like today, but it's unclear if the Intel On Demand Xeon SKUs will offer some kind of cost benefits to companies that don't need the additional features that are behind the paywall.
34 Comments on Intel Finally Reveals its Software Defined Silicon as Intel On Demand
Software upgraded hardware is exactly the same, a fools errand.
So just at the 20k per wafer point, now is the time I'm amused and baffled in equal measure.
I thought Intel to big to fail, now I think they're downfall inevitable if this is the grade of innovation and idea they have.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Upgrade_Service
When the big guys move to in house silicon (as they are already doing) this assholes will learn. Good getting them back after they port their applications to their own architectures. It's not even like this is a future problem, this is happening right fucking now on the major players like Amazon, Microsoft, Google or Alibaba.I think this a different much worse step. Laser cut can be to re-use deffective stuff (not always, but at least some), this is just trying to squeeze the customer. Disgusting.They'll learn their lesson when customers move to other products (like AMD which currently has better solutions anyway, or their own silicon), only then it will be too late.
Certainly the potential for this to be misused and being anti-consumer is high, but I don't necessarily see unlockable CPU features as a bad thing on their own.
I can't see this coming to consumer SKU though.
Performance As Shitty Service. (it already screams it: PASS)
I don't buy that some parts were "defective" and completely non-functional; lower quality and requiring higher voltages, perhaps.
My point here is that CPU features are already getting permanently disabled ("fused off") for purely marketing reasons/product segmentation while being physically present on the silicon or possible. So why not give users the chance to use them again?
Want to sell me products, sell me products, once. Want me to subscribe for your product there better be a new one in my mailbox every year with meaningfull improvements and a free replacements any time I need it.
The whole pitch for this is "imagine that you only need some specific instructions sets for a limited time" but that's complete bullshit and just looking at some of the headline features planned to be put under the model these are things the datacenter will run constantly, not to mention a lot of servers do 1 or 2 things constantly until they die, they're not changing tasks/instruction sets.
This is just a dirty way to enter the recurring revenue model wallstreet has come to love, but that hardly makes any sense on a company that mostly sells phisical goods.
On the other hand, I would welcome permanently unlockable CPU features, since right now we already have permanently locked features.
CPU Piracy on the far distant horison
some one will hack the crypto activation code Probably with a Firmware update
Intel will respond by Takedown action and disable said Cpu's via online action/backdoors
then they will Retro disable these features on sold units and only restore functions for a further fee.
The thing that the "ideologists" behind these product launches forget is that, as old as "pre-fitted to unlock later" method exists, so do the backup/troubleshoot/backdoor tools that eventually become keygens and in the case of games...that is as old as activation keys exist. The only real hurdle is the activation validity against an authorization server, if that mechanism does not have an exception rule.
i can totally see them going that way :laugh:
well i would go "hey! my 5030 is as much as good as your 5090, if i paid ... but i don't want, but it still could be ... SUCKER!"