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One of the principal barriers historically confronting PC OEMs and IHVs has been a general lack of performance tuning tools designed to accelerate their hardware development efforts. For the most part, development tools for performance analysis and design optimization are typically developed internally by OEMs and IHVs themselves. In order to accelerate new platform technology adoption and optimize platform performance, Intel is sharing the results of its R&D efforts and making available a new line of development tools, previously used internally by Intel engineers and architects, to the broad PC industry.
IPEAK tools were first announced at Intel Developer Forum last September. IPEAK tools are aimed to help ease technology adoption and platform performance tuning for PC OEMs and Independent Hardware Vendors (IHVs). As the first offerings of their kind in the industry, the IPEAK tools help shorten product time-to-market cycles when adopting new platform technologies and standards. The tools also provide automated testing solutions that reduce the time spent on testing during the system validation process.
The IPEAK offerings include the Graphics Toolkit, the Power Management Toolkit, and the IPEAK Storage Toolkit:
- IPEAK Power Management Toolkit currently consists of one tool—the Power Management Analysis Tool (PMAT)—developed to help PC OEMs and IHVs incorporate the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) power management initiative into their product design and system integration processes. It also helps to qualify power management functionality, quantify power consumption and test the behavior of applications that incorporate Global System Power Management functionality.
- IPEAK Storage Toolkit consists of four tools—RankDisk, AnalyzeDisk, Win32 Tracking Kit, and AnalyzeTrace—developed to help vendors identify optimal storage performance at low cost in product designs. In addition, these tools help PC OEMs and IHVs to select the best possible performance storage products at the same price point.
- IPEAK Graphics Toolkit includes two sets of tools. The Graphics Performance Toolkit provides a better understanding of the performance issues and limitations related to graphics hardware and applications. And the Baseline AGP System Evaluation Suite (BASE) is a system integration and validation tool that provides the capability to test and evaluate AGP system-level functionality and utilization.
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The IPEAK tools make it easier for OEMs and IHVs to understand performance issues and limitations that can be addressed in the design process to optimize product performance. For example, IHVs can use these tools to detect any performance pitfalls and make corrections while in the pre-production stage, thus lowering the risk of accruing additional costs and delays in their product shipment schedules.
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In addition to the benefits they provide for manufacturers, the IPEAK toolkits will help Information Technology (IT) managers to evaluate and select products with increased performance when engaged in system integration activities, or when making decisions related to hardware configuration. Equally significant, the tools benefit users by ensuring that the PCs they purchase have been configured in ways that optimize their performance, functionality and reliability. End users will be able to fully realize the performance capabilities of new processors, including the Pentium® II processor, combined with new platform technologies.
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Intel announced the availability of IPEAK tool products at Intel Developer Forum on February 18th. PC OEMs and IHVs can order the IPEAK tools now by calling 1-800- 538-3373 ext. 301 or 1-503-727-7897. The 3 available IPEAK tools are Storage Toolkit, IPMAT (Intel Power Management Analysis Tool), and IBASES (Intel Baseline AGP System Evaluation Suite). The introductory price offers are $799 for Storage Toolkit, $799 for IPMAT and $499 for IBASES. Act now and take advantage of the introductory offer!
The IPEAK training seminars at February Intel Developer Forum have been very successful. We offered training in both hand-on and university lecture style. During the training seminars, tool architects presented all the features and functionality of the IPEAK tools in details. The methodologies behind the tools, the correct way to interpret the results, and ways to tune products for better performance and validate your products quickly had also been discussed. The responses from the attendees were overwhelmingly positive. We are looking forward to next Intel Developer Forum to provide such training seminars to get our customers up on speed with the IPEAK tools.
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The IPEAK Graphics Performance Toolkit is scheduled for product release in Q2 '98. For those customers who are interested in trying out the current beta version of the tool, please go to IPEAK website for more information.
Intel will continue our effort in providing training to our IPEAK tools customers. We are planning to offer training workshops in May. Stay tuned for more details on schedule.
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For more details on the IPEAK tools, please check out the IPEAK web site.
Read the Top Story, "Introducing Intel Platform Performance Tools," by Matt Gordon—Intel IHV Ingredient Marketing Manager—in Issue 2 of Platform Solutions.
For more information on Power Management technologies, please visit the Instantly Available PC technology page in Platform Solutions .
For more information on Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) technology, please visit the AGP technology page in Platform Solutions .
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* Legal Information © 1998 Intel Corporation
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