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AMD Set To Unleash “Pacifica” Emulator

AMD says it will release later this month SimNow, a free AMD64 simulator that will let developers work with the company’s next-generation processor technologies, including AMD’s virtualization technology, codenamed “Pacifica,” today.

SimNow emulates single- and dual-core AMD Athlon64 and AMD Opteron systems. It will enable developers to write software in advance of new processors shipping.

With SimNow's release, AMD executives are trying to set the conditions to have a rich commercial and embedded software ecosystem in place when the future versions of the AMD technologies ship.

AMD released the complete specification of its “Pacifica” chip-level virtualization technology for its 64-bit processors in late May. Set to ship in the first half of 2006, “Pacifica” was developed to extend AMD64 technology with its Direct Connect Architecture to enhance virtualization for clients and servers.

Pacifica is designed to make it easier for AMD’s 64-bit CPUs to run multiple operating systems simultaneously. Direct competitor Intel is also racing to fill that need with its own virtualization technology, known as VT.

SimNow code is scheduled to be available for download by August 22.

About the Author

Stuart J. Johnston has covered technology, especially Microsoft, since February 1988 for InfoWorld, Computerworld, Information Week, and PC World, as well as for Enterprise Developer, XML & Web Services, and .NET magazines.