System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 Service Pack 1 Management Pack for Operations Manager 2007

System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 Service Pack 1 Management Pack for Operations Manager 2007

Brief Description

This Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager Service Pack 1 (MDM SP1) 2008 Management Pack provides proactive monitoring of your Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 SP1 environment.

Overview

Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager Service Pack 1 2008 Management Pack for Operations Manager 2007 provides proactive monitoring of your Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 SP1 environment. This management pack includes:

• Detection and monitoring of all MDM SP1 servers and dependent services
• The alert-driven state
• Performance and backlog monitoring and configuration

Before you install the MDM SP1 management pack, read the MDM Management Pack Guide document, which includes instructions for properly deploying and configuring the management pack. 
Feature Summary 
The System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 SP1 (MDM SP1) Management Pack for Operations Manager 2007 provides capabilities for MDM SP1 monitoring, including the following:

• Collection of events from MDM Device Management Server, MDM Enrollment Server, MDM Gateway Server, and MDM Self Service Portal.
• Health state monitoring and alerting for MDM service errors requiring administrative intervention.
• Collection of MDM performance counters from MDM Device Management Server, MDM Enrollment Server, MDM Gateway Server, and MDM Self Service Portal.
• Events indicating service outages.
• Alerts indicating configuration and data source connectivity issues.
• Verification that all dependent services are functioning properly.

Release History

• 12/15/2008 - Version 1.0.2430.0, Subsequent release of the Management Pack for MDM SP1
• 6/30/2008 - Version 1.0.2300.0, Original release of the English version of the Management Pack

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=10ef0cd1-345d-48a0-934d-f1a42ebd0f98&DisplayLang=en

Branch Office Infrastructure Solutions v3.0 Retail Vertical Solutions Guide

Brief Description

Need help deploying IT in Retail Stores - this guide helps you design IT infrastructure for your Retail Stores

Overview

Microsoft recognizes that supporting a retail store chain can be challenging task. The Branch Office Infrastructure Solutions v3 Retail Solutions Guide helps you with architectural guidance in planning for a robust, agile and cost effective infrastructure for deploying IT services to retail stores. The Retail Vertical Solutions Guide describes how to use a Windows infrastructure to support a geographically distributed retail store solution. To help you achieve this goal, this guide provides additional design steps and recommendations that are specific to retail businesses; these steps and recommendations build upon the Branch Office Infrastructure Solution Services Design Guides

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=43d25194-d49d-4edd-8088-abc5903824f8&DisplayLang=en

TS Session Broker Load Balancing Step-By-Step Guide

Brief Description

Step-by-step procedures for installing and configuring Terminal Services Session Broker (TS Session Broker) and TS Session Broker Load Balancing.

Overview

Terminal Services Session Broker (TS Session Broker) is a role service in Windows Server 2008 that enables you to load balance sessions in a terminal server farm, and allows a user to reconnect to an existing session in a load-balanced terminal server farm. This step-by-step guide describes how to configure the new TS Session Broker Load Balancing feature.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=1b3551ba-aef4-4772-90d4-dde08f62c6c3&DisplayLang=en

DNS in Small Networks Step-by-Step Guide

Brief Description

This article explains how to deploy the DNS Server role in a network containing a single Active Directory domain controller.

Overview

This guide helps you implement Domain Name System (DNS) on the Windows Server 2008 operating system in a small network. Windows Server 2008 uses DNS to translate computer names to network addresses. An Active Directory domain controller can act as a DNS server that registers the names and addresses of computers in the domain and then provides the network address of a member computer when the domain controller receives a query with the name of the computer. This guide explains how to set up DNS on a simple network that consists of a single domain.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=ec1fd9db-dbc4-4e80-8e95-6f63920fe805&DisplayLang=en

Windows Deployment Services Step-by-Step Guide

Brief Description

This guide contains step-by-step guidance for how to use the Windows® Deployment Services role in Windows Server® 2008. This guide does not pertain to the Windows Deployment Services Update for Windows Server 2003.

Overview

This guide contains step-by-step guidance for how to use the Windows® Deployment Services role in Windows Server® 2008. This guide does not pertain to the Windows Deployment Services Update for Windows Server 2003. For more information about the update, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=66145. Also note that this guide focuses on the functionality of the complete installation of Windows Deployment Services (Deployment Server role service). For more information about the Transport Server role service, see “Using Transport Server” at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=115298.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=14ca18b1-b433-4f62-8586-b0a2096460eb&DisplayLang=en

Infrastructure Development, Operations & Maintenance

Infrastructure Development, Operations & Maintenance

Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 SP1 Resource Kit Tools - Client Tools

Brief Description

System Center Mobile Device Manager (MDM) 2008 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Client Tools provides tools to help administrators troubleshoot connections and monitor device synchronization for Windows Mobile devices as part of an MDM system.

Overview

MDM Client Tools provides tools to help administrators troubleshoot connections and monitor device synchronization for Windows Mobile devices as part of an MDM system. The following are tools included in this download:

• MDM Connect Now Tool 
• MDM VPN Diagnostics Tool 
• MDM Managed Device Status Viewer

MDM Connect Now Tool enables users of Windows Mobile 6.1 managed devices to download new software updates queued since the managed device last synchronized with the MDM system. The tool initiates a session between MDM Device Management Server and a managed device. Once the tool establishes a connection, new software updates are downloaded to the managed device. 
MDM VPN Diagnostics Tool helps users diagnose VPN issues between the MDM and the devices it manages. The tool allows users to see the VPN configuration and status on the managed Windows Mobile device and to diagnose any VPN-related problems. The tool also allows the managed device user to collect device logs and send them to a diagnostics team for further analysis. 
MDM Managed Device Status Viewer is a troubleshooting tool that enables managed device users to browse through values of Open Mobile Alliance Device Management (OMA DM) management objects, device synchronization information, and a list of all managed programs installed on the managed device. 
To learn about additional MDM tools, see System Center Mobile Device Manager Resource Kit Tools. 
MDM Client Tools Release History 
4/1/2008 – Initial release, Version 1.0 
5/1/2008 – Minor release, Version 1.01 
5/14/2008 – Updated, Version 1.1 
12/15/2008 – Updated, Version 2.0

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=61691925-07c8-4d29-bf11-9df43aedae94&DisplayLang=en

Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 SP1 Resource Kit Tools - Best Practices Analyzer

Brief Description

Best Practices Analyzer Tool for System Center Mobile Device Manager (MDM) 2008 Service Pack 1 (SP1) helps you analyze a group of servers to determine if the prerequisites and best practices are met for MDM deployment.

Overview

Best Practices Analyzer (BPA) Tool for MDM 2008 SP1 helps you to analyze the prerequisites for MDM setup and deployment. Because each MDM server component has different prerequisites, the tool helps you to plan and build a successful deployment environment by assessing each server's readiness for MDM before you run MDM Setup. 
In addition to analyzing each server's individual readiness, BPA Tool helps you to verify the firewall configuration that MDM requires between servers running MDM Device Management Server and servers running MDM Gateway Server. 
Finally, after you deploy MDM, you can run a post-deployment scan to help make sure your installation works properly and follows MDM best practices. 
To learn about additional MDM tools, see System Center Mobile Device Manager Resource Kit Tools. 
MDM 2008 SP1 Best Practices Analyzer Tool Release History 
4/1/2008 – Initial release, Version 1.0 
5/14/2008 – Updated, Version 1.1 
12/15/2008 - Updated, Version 2.0

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=e233f84f-9d96-4b33-80b1-fd563c4fb241&DisplayLang=en

Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 SP1 Resource Kit Tools - Server Tools

Brief Description

System Center Mobile Device Manager (MDM) 2008 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Server Tools provides tools to help administrators manage deployment and cleanup tasks in an MDM system.

Overview

MDM Server Tools includes a set of tools to help administrators configure, deploy, and manage System Center Mobile Device Manager (MDM) 2008 and its components. 
The following are tools included in this download:

• MDM Certificate Tool 
• MDM Bulk Pre-Enrollment Tool 
• MDM Cleanup Tool 
• MDM Device Enrollment Cleanup Tool 
• MDM Application Hash Code Tool 
• MDM Device Records Synchronization Tool 
• MDM Additional Group Policies 
• MDM Group Policy Models 
• MDM Blocked Device Cleanup Tool 
• MDM Security Configuration Wizard Templates 
• MDM Active Directory Upgrade Helper 
• MDM Set-MDMInstance Cmdlet 
• MDM Gateway Bootstrapping Tool 
• MDM Active Directory Configuration Tool (ADConfig) for MDM 2008

MDM Certificate Tool helps administrators to request certificates for MDM components. Administrators can also set access control lists (ACLs) on certificates, place requested certificates in a specific folder, and invalidate Global Certification Manager (GCM) certificates.
MDM Bulk Pre-Enrollment Tool enables administrators to pre-enroll groups of Windows Mobile 6.1 devices into MDM. Bulk pre-enrollment can be simpler and more efficient than pre-enrolling a large number of devices individually. 
MDM Cleanup Tool enables administrators to completely uninstall MDM from servers when other removal options have not fully removed MDM components and settings. 
MDM Device Enrollment Cleanup Tool is a PowerShell script–based tool that helps administrators remove from Active Directory and the MDM databases devices that are older or are no longer needed. 
MDM Applications Hash Code Tool allows administrators to create an XML file for use with a Group Policy object (GPO) to allow or help prevent an application from running on managed devices. 
MDM Device Records Synchronization Tool synchronizes device records maintained in the MDM AdminServices database with managed device information in Active Directory. 
MDM Additional Group Policies includes ADM templates for the following Group Policy settings:

• Synchronize Sent Items folder during Exchange Active Sync 
• Do not automatically run auto-run applications when a storage card is inserted 
• Wireless WAN (WWAN) connection profile used for Mobile VPN 
• Allow failover to the default WWAN connection configured for Mobile VPN

MDM Group Policy Models provides Group Policy settings configured to appropriately set up managed devices for three common roles. The models provided are the following: single purpose model, restricted connection model, and minimum recommended model. 
MDM Blocked Device Cleanup Tool removes wiped managed devices from the list of blocked managed devices maintained by MDM Gateway Server. 
MDM Security Configuration Wizard Templates includes three SCW templates that you can apply to MDM servers to help enhance security by disabling functionality that is not required for the servers. 
MDM Active Directory Upgrade Helper helps you detect the Active Directory directory service objects and templates, and also generates a report with details and actions that you can perform to assist you in upgrading MDM. 
MDM Set-MDMInstance Cmdlet helps administrators configure several settings - such as database server name, enrollment server name, and port number for MDM servers - that are maintained as an Active Directory service connection point (SCP). 
MDM Gateway Bootstrapping Tool automates the steps to deploy required certificates and certificate chain on the server where you plan to install MDM Gateway Server. 
MDM Active Directory Configuration Tool (ADConfig) for MDM 2008 is a tool that you use to configure Active Directory for MDM 2008. MDM 2008 Service Pack 1 (SP1) includes an updated version that is not backwards compatible with MDM 2008. 
To learn about additional MDM tools, see System Center Mobile Device Manager Resource Kit Tools. 
MDM Server Tools Release History 
4/1/2008 – Initial release, Version 1.0 
5/1/2008 – Minor release, Version 1.01 
5/14/2008 – Updated, Version 1.1 
12/15/2008 – Updated, Version 2.0

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0433b453-15a5-48ae-a343-6a1053f46251&DisplayLang=en

Intel Officially Launches Core i7 Processors

Intel Officially Launches Core i7 Processors

Intel Corporation introduced its most advanced desktop processor ever, the Intel Core i7 processor. The Core i7 processor is the first member of a new family of Nehalem processor designs and is the most sophisticated ever built, with new technologies that boost performance on demand and maximize data throughput. The Core i7 processor speeds video editing, immersive games and other popular Internet and computer activities by up to 40 percent without increasing power consumption.

Intel's unique Turbo Boost Technology accelerates performance to match a computer user's needs and workloads. Through a sophisticated on-die power control unit and using new "power gate" transistors based on Intel's advanced 45 nanometer, high-k metal gate manufacturing process, Turbo Boost automatically adjusts the clock speed of one or more of the four individual processing cores for single- and multi-threaded applications to boost performance, without increasing power consumption. The Core i7 also has the latest Intel power-saving technologies, allowing desktops to go into sleep states formerly reserved for Intel-based notebooks.

The Core i7 processor more than doubles the memory bandwidth of previous Intel "Extreme" platforms, speeding the transfer of computer bits and bites in and out of the processor with Intel Quickpath Technology. Designed with Intel's Hyper-Threading Technology, the processor also allows multiple computing threads to run simultaneously, effectively enabling it to do two things at once. As a result, the Core i7 quad-core processor delivers 8-threaded performance.

The Intel Core i7 processor also offers improved performance for 3D games - over 40 percent faster than previous Intel high-performance processors on both the 3DMark Vantage CPU physics and AI tests, popular industry computer benchmarks that measure gaming performance. The Extreme Edition uses 8 threads to run games with advanced artificial intelligence and physics to make games act and feel real.

The Intel Core i7 processors and Intel X58 Express Chipset-based Intel Desktop Board DX58SO Extreme Series are for sale immediately from several computer manufacturers online and in retail stores, as well as a boxed retail product via channel online sales.

The Core i7 processor is the first member of the Intel Nehalem microarchitecture family; server and mobile product versions will be in production later. Each Core i7 processor features an 8 MB level 3 cache and three channels of DDR3-1066 memory. Intel's top performance processor, the Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition, also removes overspeed protection, allowing to further increase the chip's speed.

Product information and pricing:

Processor	Intel Core i7-965 Extreme Edition	Intel Core i7-940	Intel Core i7-920
Clock Speed (GHz)	3.20	2.93	2.66
Price	$999	$562	$284
QPI Speed (GT/sec)	6.4	4.8	4.8
Cache	8 MB
Memory Speed Support	DDR3-1066
TDP	130W
Processor Generation	New Intel Core Microarchitecture (Nehalem) 45nm

Source: Intel Corporation

Interesting Downloads for Week Ending 12-19-2008....

Infrastructure Development, Operations & Maintenance

· Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 SP1 Resource Kit Tools - Client Tools

· Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 SP1 Resource Kit Tools - Best Practices Analyzer

· Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 SP1 Resource Kit Tools - Server Tools

· System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 SP1 Resource Kit Tools - Reporting Services

· System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 SP1 MSDN

· System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 SP1 Evaluation Edition

· Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 SP1 Resource Kit - Password Reset Client

· System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 Service Pack 1 Management Pack for Operations Manager 2007

· Branch Office Infrastructure Solutions v3.0 Retail Vertical Solutions Guide

· TS Session Broker Load Balancing Step-By-Step Guide

· DNS in Small Networks Step-by-Step Guide

· Windows Deployment Services Step-by-Step Guide

· Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Step-by-Step Guide - Deploying Firewall Policies

· TS Gateway Step-By-Step Guide

· TS RemoteApp Step-by-Step Guide

· AD RMS Deployment in a Multiple Forest Environment Step-by-Step Guide

· Windows Server DNS 2000/2003/2008 Management Pack for Operations Manager 2007

· Windows Server 2003/2008 Group Policy Management Pack for Operations Manager 2007

· Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Calendar Connector for Lotus Notes

· Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Migration Wizard for Lotus Notes

· System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 Service Pack 1 (32bit)

· System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 Service Pack 1 (64bit)

· System Center Essentials 2007 Operations Guide

· Systems Center Operations Manager 2007 SP1 Documentation

· Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 Hotfix KB 957465

· Microsoft Office Communicator 2005 Hotfix KB 949280

· Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 KB959596

Solutions & Solution Development

· Unity Application Block 1.2 for Silverlight - December 2008

· WHDC White Papers and Documentation

· Microsoft Office File Formats Documentation

· Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services Add-in for Microsoft SharePoint Technologies

· Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Data Mining Add-ins for Microsoft Office 2007

· Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition Service Pack 3

· Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition Toolkit Service Pack 3

· Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio Express Service Pack 3

· Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition with Advanced Services Service Pack 3

· Microsoft Semblio SDK

· Microsoft SQL Server Protocol Documentation

· Feature Pack for Microsoft SQL Server 2005 - December 2008

· Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 3

· SharePoint Products and Technologies Protocol Documentation

· Microsoft Office Standards Documentation

· Office Protocol Documentation

· Microsoft Office Accounting 2008 Transaction Migration Update

· Microsoft Office Accounting 2008 Connector

· SQL Server 2005 Books Online (December 2008)

· Microsoft Code Analysis Tool .NET (CAT.NET) v1 CTP - 64 bit

· SAP Documents

· Windows CE101 Training Course Materials

· Business Productivity Infrastructure Optimization (BPIO) University 2009 Instructor-led Training Collateral for Unified Communications (UC) Track

· Business Productivity Infrastructure Optimization (BPIO) University 2009 Instructor-led Training Collateral for Enterprise Project Management (EPM) Track

· Business Productivity Infrastructure Optimization (BPIO) University 2009 Instructor-led Training Collateral for Collaboration Track

· Business Productivity Infrastructure Optimization (BPIO) University 2009 Instructor-led Training Collateral for Enterprise Search Track

· Business Productivity Infrastructure Optimization (BPIO) University 2009 Instructor-led Training Collateral for Business Intelligence

· Business Productivity Infrastructure Optimization (BPIO) University 2009 Instructor-led Training Collateral - Fundamentals

· Business Productivity Infrastructure Optimization (BPIO) University 2009 Instructor-led Training Collateral for Enterprise Content Management (ECM) Track

· List Web Part for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0

· Microsoft Small Basic

· Microsoft Application Request Routing for IIS 7 Release Candidate (x86)

· Microsoft Application Request Routing for IIS 7 Release Candidate (x64)

· Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Family Update for Windows Vista x64, and Windows Server 2008 x64

· Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Family Update for Windows Vista x86, and Windows Server 2008 x86

· Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Family Update for Windows XP x64, and Windows Server 2003 x64

· Microsoft Code Analysis Tool .NET (CAT.NET) v1 CTP - 32 bit

· Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Family Update for Windows Server 2008 IA64

· Microsoft Commerce Server 2009 - December 2008 Community Technology Preview - DVD ISO Image File

· WS-Dev Remote Extensions for Windows 7 Beta Documentation - English

· Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Family Update for Windows XP x86, and Windows Server 2003 x86

· Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Service pack 1 (Full Package)

· Microsoft Whale Communications Intelligent Application Gateway 2007 Service Pack 2

· Intelligent Application Gateway 2007 Virtual Machine Trial Version (Registration Required)

· What's New for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009

· Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 Installation Guide

· Architecture and Design Datasheet

· Microsoft Exchange Server MAPI Client and Collaboration Data Objects 1.2.1

· Collaboration Data Objects, version 1.2.1

· Silverlight 2 DataGrid December 2008 Release

· Microsoft Exchange Server MAPI Client and Collaboration Data Objects 1.2.1

· Application Life Cycle Management Build Management Jumpstart Datasheet

· Application Compatibility Remediation Services Datasheet

· Microsoft Report Viewer Add-on for Visual Web Developer 2008 Express Edition

· Deep Zoom Composer

· Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Family Update for Windows Server 2003 IA64

Security, Policy & Compliance

· Microsoft Anti-Cross Site Scripting Library V3.0 Beta

· Using Microsoft Windows IPSec to Help Secure an Internal Corporate Network Server

· AD RMS Templates Deployment Step-by-Step Guide

· Network Policy Server (NPS) Operations Guide

· AD RMS Deployment with Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 Step-by-Step Guide

· Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Step-by-Step Guide - Deploying Firewall Policies

· AD RMS Licensing-only Cluster Deployment Step-by-Step Guide

· AD RMS Decommissioning Step-by-Step Guide.doc

· AD RMS with AD FS Identity Federation Step-by-Step Guide

· AD RMS Deployment in an Extranet Step-by-Step Guide

· AD RMS Step-by-Step Guide

· Identity Lifecycle Manager "2" RC Release

Other

· Microsoft Office Outlook Connector 12.1

· EMEA case studies - English

· Microsoft Pre-Split and Post-Split Closing Stock Prices

· Case Study Softedge Systems

· Microsoft HealthVault Connection Center Beta 2 for Windows Vista

· Microsoft HealthVault Connection Center Beta 2 for Windows XP

· Zune Client software, version 3.1

· 508

· Implementation for Microsoft Dynamics Datasheet

· SLP Services Getting Started User Guide

· SLPS Product Fact Sheet

Early bird catches the sample

Early bird catches the sample


THE DUAL-CORE brother to Intel’s Atom lives and breathes as we speak. The Guru of 3D somehow landed an engineering sample from ECS and had some time to run basic benchmarks on the CPU. If you thought the original Atom was slow, then this one's only half as slow.

The Atom 330 clocks at 1.6GHz, but with two of everything, two cores, two caches and draws just 8w. The FSB is still 533MHz (and so is the memory controller), though bears and the same weak FPU as its single-core predecessor. Naturally you get two cores, plus two logical cores do make things go along a bit faster…

ECS had little room for movement, considering this is a DTX-sized motherboard with a 945GC chipset. One DIMM slot, no PCIe expansion slots… uhm… nothing much really. But the slimmed-down system does what it needs to do at just 55 watts under load. That’s quite an accomplishment but on a desktop a user might be happier getting their 780G+4850e fix…

We wonder, though, what’ll happen to the netbook market once the Atom 330 hits the market in force? Kinda makes you wonder why you’d buy a kneetop right now and not wait for the 330 which, by all indications, costs about the same?

Intel to showcase Widget Channel Internet TV platform at CES

Intel to showcase Widget Channel Internet TV platform at CES

Another tech heavyweight is jumping into the battle over bringing the Internet to the living room. Intel will be showing off its new Widget Channel platform, which combines the new Media Processor CE 3100 with a software framework for displaying widgets of information on your TV, at next month’s CES event.

Intel is targeting its solution at device makers, rather than producing any set-top boxes itself. The new chips include high-definition video processing functions as well as enough horsepower to display multiple widgets on your set at the same time you’re watching TV (as shown in the image above). Intel and Yahoo have worked on a widget platform that will allow viewers to stream weather reports, sports scores, Flickr galleries, and the like, along with anything third parties can develop using the Widget Channel API.

The new platform was displayed a few months ago at the Intel Developers Forum, where it was shown off with the help of Gigabyte’s Media Processor CE 3100 box. Since then, Intel has been mum on any other device makers or TV manufacturers that plan to offer Widget Channel products in the future. That will change next month in Vegas, where the company says it will unveil prototype Widget Channel devices. I’ll submit a full report after I take a first-hand look at CES.

Intel has developed silicon-based photoelectric detectors that could cut the cost of fiber-optic communications to a fraction of their current value

Photodetectors — used in a range of applications, such as fiber-optic communications, image sensors, datacenter interconnects and optical drives — have been significantly more expensive than a copper-based equivalent.

According to Mario Paniccia, Intel fellow and director of Intel's photonics lab, this is due to the high cost of rare transition metals used in the optical devices.

"[Photonics] is today a technology predominately made with what we call exotic materials — indium phosphide, gallium arsenide, lithium molybdate — which involves expensive processing, very low volumes and, more importantly, very complex packaging and hand assembly," Paniccia said.

However, Intel claims to have found a way to create photodetectors using cheap silicon doped with a small layer of the element germanium, drastically reducing cost.

"Just to put it into context, a commercial [photodetector] that is used in telecoms typically sells for $200 to $300," Paniccia said. "We're talking devices that are probably an order or two in magnitude lower in cost." This prediction makes Intel's devices between 10 and 100 times cheaper than current photodetectors.

This lower cost opens up many applications, including making fiber to the home a great deal more accessible for consumers. The chief operating officer of Australian telecoms firm Tesltra, Greg Winn, recently explained this to ZDNet sister site ZDNet.com.au.

"If you run fiber, you need a device that breaks it down to the inside wiring, to the copper, and those devices are maybe a few hundred dollars," Winn said. "We do that today, but it's not economic to do it unless you're guaranteed the uptake of the services that the fiber requires."

In addition to lowering cost, Intel's new photodetectors have the advantage of being more sensitive, which may further reduce the price of fiber-optic communications. Paniccia said that, due to the increased sensitivity of the devices, they can transmit over a longer distance, or over the same distance with lower-power lasers.

The photodetectors, which are between 30 and 50 microns in size, work by multiplying the optical signals they receive. Photodetectors work by capturing a photon (a quantized particle of light) that comes in and is absorbed by a material, which then converts a photon into electrical energy (an electron).

In Paniccia's avalanche photodetector, the electrical energy produced is amplified by a "multiplication layer", which uses ionization to turn one photon into as many as 100 electrons. Those electrons then get separated by applying a voltage, which produces a current, similar to a solar cell.

Paniccia's team is currently able to demonstrate devices with speeds of up to 40Gbps, with as much as three times more performance (gain) than today's best detectors. However, the team has also been able to demonstrate devices with up to 200Gbps throughput.

"Now we have actually shown a device that far out performs anything in indium phosphide," he said. The device can be optimized for speed (Gbps), or efficiency over distance (meters per watt).

The work of Paniccia and his colleagues has been published in the journal Nature Photonics, and was conducted in conjunction with Darpa, Numonyx, the University of Virginia, and the University of California.