According to The Information, Google has passed a key milestone in developing its ARM-based server processors to compete with Amazon in the cloud market. The project aims to catch up with Amazon, which successfully transferred its Amazon Web Services cloud infrastructure to special ARM chips four years ago.
The advantage of ARM processors in server infrastructure is cost-effectiveness, as they are more powerful than x86 architecture chips and less energy-intensive. Google aims to replicate Amazon’s success in building server CPUs with its ARM-based processors. Google’s processors, known as Maple and Cypress, are in development, with the first chip already shipped for a test batch and the second to be shipped in Q2.
The company hopes that creating its CPUs will help reduce costs and increase independence from third-party vendors. So far, Google has decided to extend the life of servers and network equipment from four to six years and reduce server purchases to save money. The latest solutions from Intel and AMD did not satisfy Google regarding the total cost of ownership.
Google has experience developing chips, including TPU AI accelerators and Argos video encoders. Maple and Cypress are expected to enter mass production in 2024, with their appearance in Google Cloud in 2025.
