Partner Spotlight: Intel

Ten years ago, Intel® commercially launched Thunderbolt technology in collaboration with Apple, changing forever the way consumers look at input/output on their computers and devices. However, Thunderbolt™ is only one in a long list of innovations from a company whose name is synonymous with “CPU”.

Intel was founded in 1968 by Gordon Moore and Robert Noyce. Yes, that would be the same Gordon Moore of “Moore’s law”. Noyce is best known outside of Intel as being key in the invention of the integrated circuit. The word “Intel” is a blend of the words “integrated” and “electronics”.

Early on, Intel developed SRAM and DRAM memory ICs before launching the world’s first commercially available microprocessor chip, the Intel 4004, in 1971. Memory ICs were the bulk of Intel’s business until the early 1980s when the personal computer market started to take off and Intel microprocessors were used in many of the PCs.

With first the 386 and then 486 processors, both innovations across processor markets, Intel entered the 1990s as the clear worldwide leader in computer processor development and production. From there it was successive technological and commercial achievements with the Pentium®, Pentium Pro and Pentium II all during the 1990s. Along with the rapid evolution of both consumer and enterprise platforms, Celeron® and Xeon® processors also appeared at this time.

Intel’s momentum and trajectory from this period continue to this day. Along the way, they introduced the mainstay Core™ X-series processor family, refined multicore processor technology and worked with Apple to create Thunderbolt connectivity technology, among many other things.

ATTO and Intel have teamed together on many occasions over the years, beginning with Intel’s certification of ATTO SAS HBAs and RAID cards. ATTO was right there at the beginning of Thunderbolt with ATTO ThunderLink® and ATTO ThunderStream® as our first offerings in what grew into a comprehensive line of Thunderbolt-enabled products. The relationship between Intel’s Thunderbolt team and ATTO has been close ever since. The line of ATTO ThunderLink Thunderbolt adapters is stronger and more powerful than ever and we have a solution for any situation and need.

We look forward to continuing our partnership with Intel, whether it is powering Thunderbolt connectivity for content creation professionals or in the server room providing system architects high-performance connectivity to the world’s fastest enterprise platforms.

See all ATTO ThunderLink Thunderbolt adapters.

See all ATTO SAS HBAs.