Project Catapult - Microsoft Research

Project Catapult is the code name for a Microsoft Research (MSR) enterprise-level initiative that is transforming cloud computing by augmenting CPUs with an interconnected and configurable compute layer composed of programmable silicon. We are living in an era where information grows exponentially and creates the need for massive computing power to process that information. At the same time, advances in silicon fabrication technology are approaching theoretical limits, and Moore's Law has run its course. Chip performance improvements no longer keep pace with the needs of cutting-edge, computationally expensive workloads like software-defined networking (SDN) and artificial intelligence (AI). To create a faster, more intelligent cloud that keeps up with growing appetites for computing power, datacenters need to add other processors distinctly suited for critical workloads.