Press Release
22 Industry Leaders Join Arapahoe Work Group as Key DevelopersOn Track to Deliver Draft Specification to PCI-SIG in 2002INTEL DEVELOPER FORUM, SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 29, 2001 - The Arapahoe Work Group, consisting of promoter companies Compaq, Dell, IBM, Intel and Microsoft Corp., and the PCI-SIG, a non-profit special interest group, today announced that 22 industry leaders have joined the Arapahoe Work Group as key developers. New members include 3Com, 3DLabs, Adaptec, Agilent, Altera, AMD, ASUSTeK, ATI, Emulex, Foxconn, LSI Logic, Molex, NEC, NVIDIA, Phoenix, Radisys, SMSC, ServerWorks, SiS, Tektronix, TI and Xilinx. Together they will develop a third-generation I/O specification that will connect computing subsystems and I/O peripheral components at high-bandwidth speeds. "To have support and commitment from these key industry leaders from critical segments of the market is a testament to the technology's acceptance and viability," said Roger Tipley, president and chairman of the PCI-SIG. "It also affirms PCI-SIG's decision to adopt serial-based I/O as an extension of the PCI technology roadmap. We expect it to integrate well with existing PCI technologies over the next several years." The Arapahoe Work Group will deliver a draft 1.0 specification to the PCI-SIG in the first quarter of 2002, with final specification approval anticipated around mid-2002. A preliminary third-generation interconnect specification has been developed by the promoter companies and is currently under review by participating key developer companies. Upon completion of the draft 1.0 specification by the Arapahoe Work Group, it will be transferred to the PCI-SIG members for final review, and then released to the industry at large. Products based on third-generation I/O architecture are expected to begin emerging in the marketplace in the second half of 2003. "ATI's decision to participate as a key developer in the 3GIO initiative continues a long tradition of active involvement in the development of next-generation, industry-standard technologies," said Rick Bergman, senior vice president of marketing & general manager, Desktop Business, ATI Technologies Inc. "As the pioneer and industry leader in the development of industry-standard 2D and 3D graphics technologies, our participation will ensure our customers' current investments are protected, chiefly through our efforts to ensure continued compatibility of existing graphics products with future industry specifications." "NVIDIA's endorsement of the Arapahoe Work Group is a natural progression of our leadership and innovation in driving industry standards," said Dan Vivoli, vice president of marketing at NVIDIA. "NVIDIA looks forward to helping to define the spec of a new architecture, which offers a new interconnect to address bandwidth demands of increasingly powerful systems such as desktop PCs, mobile, servers and embedded communications." "Today's PCI/PCI-X has served the computer industry well for many years" commented Raju Vegesna, president and CEO of ServerWorks Corporation, a Broadcom Company. "As semiconductor technology advances, the ever increasing demand for server I/O bandwidth can be addressed using a new serial standard and 3GIO is the perfect solution. ServerWorks will actively promote 3GIO in key PCI-SIG working groups and in our future products." "As the leading supplier of Advanced I/O products for desktop and mobile computers, Standard Microsystems Corporation is pleased that we have been selected to play a leading role in developing system solutions utilizing this important technology," said Robert Hollingsworth, senior vice president for SMSC. "3GIO will provide exciting possibilities for continued evolution of the PC platform and create great opportunities for SMSC to enhance our I/O products with higher performance, communication-rich capabilities." About the New ArchitectureThe third-generation I/O architecture will be designed as a highly flexible, reliable, serial I/O architecture that will scale to the theoretical limits of copper. It will comprehend the needs of multiple markets segments such as desktop, mobile, server, communications and embedded applications and remain compatible with the existing PCI programming model. Earlier this month, the PCI-SIG and the founding members of the Arapahoe Work Group formed a working relationship to define the third-generation serial I/O interconnect architecture, code-named 3GIO. The Arapahoe Work Group promoters chose the PCI-SIG as the preferred industry body to promote and support the third-generation I/O architecture as an open architecture and an extension of PCI, thereby extending the viability of the PCI standard well into the future. Further information on the third-generation I/O draft specification is available on the PCI-SIG Web site at www.pcisig.com. About CompaqFounded in 1982, Compaq Computer Corporation ("Compaq") is a leading global provider of enterprise technology and solutions. Compaq designs, develops, manufactures and markets hardware, software, solutions and services, including industry-leading enterprise computing solutions, fault-tolerant business-critical solutions, communication products, and desktop and portable personal computers that are sold in more than 200 countries. Information on Compaq and its products and services is available at www.compaq.com. About DellDell Computer Corporation is the world's No. 1 computer systems company and is a premier provider of products and services required for customers to build their information-technology and Internet infrastructures. The company's revenue for the past four quarters totaled $32.6 billion. Dell ranks No. 48 on the Fortune 500, No. 154 on the Fortune Global 500 and No. 7 on the Fortune Global "most admired" lists of companies. Dell, through its direct business model, designs, manufactures and customizes products and services to customer requirements, and offers an extensive selection of software and peripherals. Information on Dell and its products can be obtained on the World Wide Web at www.dell.com. About IBMIBM is the world's largest information technology company, with 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. In the 20 years since announcing the first PC in August 1981, IBM has actively participated in the continued development and evolution of PC architecture and standards. For more information on IBM, please visit www.ibm.com. About IntelIntel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom. About Microsoft Corp.Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software - any time, any place and on any device. For more information on Microsoft and its products please visit www.microsoft.com. About the PCI-SIGFormed in June 1992, PCI-SIG is the industry organization that owns and manages the PCI Local Bus specification. More than 970 industry-leading companies are active PCI-SIG members. The PCI-SIG maintains the specification of this industry-wide standard. The organization is chartered to support new requirements while preserving backward compatibility for all PCI revisions. For more information visit the PCI-SIG web site at http://www.pcisig.com. ### All trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. |
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