Intel System Design Technologies Release level:  RTM How System Design Technologies Remove Roadblocks to Performance The evolution of the processor and PC platform has created widespread user expectations for higher performance without parallel increases in cost. The Intel Architecture Labs is chartered with identifying and removing these technical roadblocks to enable our customers to develop cost-effective system designs. With potential system design roadblocks removed, vendors are able to develop the needed ingredients for OEMs to deliver cost-effective high-performance PCs. EMI: suppression, not containment Clocks on the Front Side Bus (FSB), SDRAM motherboard and Back Side Bus (BSB) are principal EMI generators in Pentium® II processor PCs. With the new FCC "open box" regulations, merely containing EMI is inadequate. For future high performance systems EMI must be suppressed. Suppression techniques include complementary clocks, SECC shielding inside Pentium® II processor S.E.C. covers and spread-spectrum clocking (SSC). Intel has released notes on "SSC and It's Timing Impacts" and "AGP Interface Architectures and Motherboard Design with SSC" to assist developers in the use of SSC. Intel also has guidelines for implementing the 100MHz SDRAM clock buffer. Interconnect technology System performance enhancements, such as AGP, continue to drive increases in the system bus. See the "100 MHz Bus Interconnect Design" article in this month's Platform Solutions. AGP2X ,100 MHz SDRAM Memory Bus Routing, and 100 MHz FSB guidelines are all available from Intel. OEMs should also drive their tool vendors to simplify their implementation challenges by providing 3D simulation tools. Intel has a paper "Designing 100 MHz Interconnects" that describes the benefits of such tools. For more information and regular updates: Frequently visit the System Design Technologies page of Platform Solutions. Read the Top Story, "System Design Technologies Remove Roadblocks to Performance," by Martin Rausch - Manager, Electrical Platform Technologies-in Issue 6 of Platform Solutions. Visit the Pentium® II processor application notes page.

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