AMD Ryzen PRO Family Announced With On-Chip Memory And Virtualization Encryption Engine – Hot Hardware

In this case, AMD's Rzyen PRO desktop chips are tweaked versions of the company's consumer-based Ryzen processors, with the PRO parts taking aim at Intel's vPro lineup. What really makes the PRO processors stand out from regular Ryzen chips is the focus on integrated security and encryption features. We will get to those features in a moment, but first let's take a look at the full lineup.

What enterprise customers should take away from this is that AMD is providing a full range of solutions based on use case and budget. And not to dwell on the Ryzen 3 PRO, but its worth noting that Intel does not make any vPro-enabled Core i3 processors. With that in mind, AMD is poised to capitalize in a market segment that Intel essentially oversteps.

AMD also backs its Ryzen PRO processors with a 36-month warranty. That is three times as long as the consumer variants, which come with a 12-month backing. So not only are business clients buying processors cut from the highest yields, they're also getting an extended warranty from AMD.

For management duties, Ryzen PRO platforms support DASH (Desktop and Mobile Architecture for System Hardware). This is essentially a remote management protocol, one that has been supported by AMD for several years.

AMD has a white paper (PDF) that explains its memory encryption, but what it boils down to is a powerful architectural feature that allows for main memory encryption for an operating system or hypervisor. In this way, customers are protected against physical hardware attacks, and in some cases they're even protected from rogue administrators. And the importance of memory encryption can't be overstated for NVDIMMs, which store data even when powered down.

Ryzen PRO also incorporates Secure Encrypted Virtualization (SEV) support. This integrates main memory encryption capabilities with the existing AMD-V virtualization architecture to support encrypted virtual machines. How this benefits clients is that it keeps them protected both from physical threats and other virtual machines, or even the hypervisor itself. With malware strains such as WannaCry demonstrating the ability to worm their way through networks, this is a big deal for customers.

"Today marks another important step in our journey to bring innovation and excitement back to the PC industry: the launch of our Ryzen PRO desktop CPUs that will bring disruptive levels of performance to the premium commercial market," said Jim Anderson, senior vice president and general manager, Computing and Graphics Group, AMD. "Offering a significant leap in generational performance, leadership multi-threaded performance, and the first-ever 8-core,16-thread CPU for commercial-grade PCs, Ryzen PRO provides a portfolio of technology choices that meet the evolving needs of businesses today and tomorrow."

AMD says that commercial client desktops with Ryzen PRO inside will start shipping to businesses in the second half of this year, followed by a Ryzen PRO mobile launch in the first half of 2018.

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AMD Ryzen PRO Family Announced With On-Chip Memory And Virtualization Encryption Engine - Hot Hardware