Exegy is integrating its field programmable gate array (FPGA) hardware with Intel microprocessors to support low-latency services that can benefit from both technologies. The company has early engineering samples of boxes containing both FPGAs and microprocessors, and says release dates depend on Intel’s final integration schedule.
Intel’s roadmap towards more tightly integrated FPGA and traditional microprocessor technologies results from its 2015 acquisition of FPGA specialist Altera. It is now working with other providers such as Exegy to develop future products.
David Taylor, chief technology officer at Exegy, explains: “FPGA technology provides excellent performance where speed is required across high volumes of data. Microprocessors provide different benefits, such as fast access to memory. By combining the technologies in one box it is possible to provide more flexible systems operating more effectively and quickly.”
Taylor suggests the end results of the integration could include Exegy handing off data to trading applications using microprocessors. Combined systems could also reduce tick to trade latency and improve time to market. He expects the cost of integrated solutions to be based on the cost of high end microprocessors and FPGA cards, and suggests they will not carry a high premium.
This technology development builds on a significant increase of feed handlers provided by Exegy over the past six months. These include 24 new feed handlers for direct market data feeds and 30 updates to existing feed handlers. The drivers behind the introduction of these feed handlers include the January 2018 go-live of Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (MiFID II) in Europe and growing demand for Exegy market data system applications in Asia-Pacific and fixed income markets. Taylor expects the next growth wave to deliver more feed handlers for foreign exchange markets.
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