Intel will reduce the Ethernet controllers product line
In addition to the familiar CPU and its supporting chipset, Intel also has a huge product line of network cards, the most in the industry, with a wide range of models, covering the server and client markets. Probably because the entire network card product line is too bloated, and the supply chain is facing various long-term shortages, Intel recently began to streamline its network card product line. Since last week, Intel has launched a plan to stop the production of dozens of network card chips and their products, and the number of models will be significantly reduced after one year.
It is reported that Intel is accelerating the EOL plan for network card chips and its products to consolidate and maintain related supplies. Some network cards may be affected by its chip EOL plan. According to CRN, Intel’s action involves more than 30 products, including the widely used GbE I211-AT and 10GbE X550-AT, which can often be seen in data centers, workstations, and desktops. The deadline for orders for these products is January 22 or April 22, 2022. Intel will ship them before the end of April or October, and some of them may still be shipped in 2023.
Intel said that the current global demand is increasing, but production capacity is limited, coupled with the widespread shortage of raw materials in the supply chain, these factors have restricted the supply of Intel’s network card product line. In addition, Intel’s partners tend to use Intel’s products in their solutions, and they are willing to wait for it even if the supply is temporarily unavailable. This affects some systems based on Intel’s high-end CPUs due to waiting for the network card chip, which will hurt Intel’s financial performance.
Measures such as changing the combination of product lines, reducing models, and replacing them with new models are indeed a solution. A few years ago, Intel discontinued many CPUs that were not completely obsolete and concentrated production on the supply of high-performance Core series and Xeon series with 14nm process, which is similar in logic.
