Intel cranks up data speeds

Intel has promised to introduce technology that will provide faster access to networked services including online stores, messaging and web-based storage.

The newly developed I/O Acceleration Technology will be unveiled next week at Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco. Tests indicate that the technology delivers a speed increase of up to 30 per cent for communications between networked clients and servers.

The system tackles the problem of slow response times of networked applications despite gains in processor and networking speeds.

"You have Gigabit Ethernet on the network, but applications haven't been responding faster in the light of that," said Stephen Chenoweth, marketing manager for the project at Intel's Digital Enterprise Group.

The technology uses a combination of techniques in the processor and chipset such as data copying, parallel processing of data and commands, and direct memory access in the network controller.

Intel would not discuss when the technology will be available for end users, but said that it would give additional details at the Developer Forum.

The spring edition of Intel's Forum kicks off on 1 March in San Francisco. The chip giant uses the event to inform hardware and software developers about future technologies the company expects to implement.