"Sometime in 2012, around two years from now, the Sunnyvale, California-based chip designer will launch a completely new server platform currently known as G42/G44. The next-generation platform will continue to utilize Bulldozer micro-architecture initially, but microprocessors will absorb I/O functionality of chipsets, thus, further simplifying the server platforms. Obviously, there still will be external I/O controllers, but there will be no more central hub in servers. Around the same timeframe AMD also plans to release GPUs seriously optimized for server needs. Around 2013 - 2014 the world's second largest maker of chips will introduce the so-called Bulldozer NG micro-architecture (Bulldozer 2) and new processors on its base. The first Bulldozer NG-powered chips will be compatible with G42/G44 infrastructure.

The most revolutionary change of AMD's server platform will take place in 2014 - 2015 - 2016 when the company introduces microprocessors with integrated Bulldozer x86 cores, high-speed stream processing units and input/output functionality. Later on the company will also switch from Bulldozer NG cores to a future micro-architecture, which can be called post-Bulldozer NG.

At present it is nearly impossible to predict any details about the mid-term or long-term microprocessors. Moreover, even AMD's conceptual roadmap does not provide any actual promises, commitments or details, but just indicates one important direction that AMD heads to: the fusion of multi-core x86 chips with many-core graphics chips. To fulfill the plan, AMD will need to do a lot of work in terms of low-latency/high-speed internal interconnections within chips as well as massively reduce power consumption of all types of compute engines. When does AMD reach its holy grail? Nobody knows for sure, even AMD."

Source: Xbit Labs