In the rapidly evolving landscape of data center infrastructure, the decision to deploy AMD processors over Arm-based alternatives has become a focal point for many organizations. This choice is influenced by several critical factors, including feature parity with cloud offerings, software support, licensing complexities, and the overarching need for seamless integration within hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
The hybrid multi-cloud model has gained significant traction, allowing organizations to balance on-premises infrastructure with cloud services to optimize costs and scalability. However, achieving feature parity between on-premises systems and cloud offerings presents challenges, particularly when considering processor architectures.
Major cloud providers have developed proprietary Arm-based processors—such as Amazon's Graviton series, Google's Axion, and Microsoft's Cobalt—to enhance performance and energy efficiency within their data centers. While these custom chips offer advantages in their respective cloud environments, they are not available for on-premises deployment, creating a disparity for organizations aiming to replicate cloud configurations in their own data centers.
In contrast, AMD's x86 processors, like the EPYC series, are widely available for both cloud and on-premises deployments. This availability ensures that organizations can achieve a consistent infrastructure across environments, facilitating smoother workload migration and management. The uniformity provided by AMD's processors helps mitigate the complexities associated with maintaining different architectures across hybrid cloud setups.
Conversely, while Arm-based processors have made significant strides, particularly in cloud-native applications, they still face challenges in the broader enterprise software landscape. Many legacy applications and licensed software packages are not natively compatible with Arm architecture, necessitating additional development efforts for porting and optimization. This requirement can lead to increased costs and extended deployment timelines, factors that organizations must weigh when considering Arm-based solutions.
For example, deploying software licensed per core on an Arm-based system with numerous low-power cores may lead to inflated licensing expenses. In contrast, AMD's high-performance cores can deliver superior performance per core, optimizing licensing costs and overall system efficiency.
Additionally, AMD's processors offer competitive energy efficiency, a crucial factor as data centers strive to reduce operational costs and environmental impact. The combination of high performance and energy efficiency positions AMD as a compelling choice for organizations seeking to optimize their infrastructure.
While Arm-based processors are projected to account for 21.1% of global server shipments in 2025, they still face challenges in achieving widespread adoption in enterprise data centers. The combination of software compatibility issues, licensing complexities, and the need for seamless integration within existing infrastructures continues to favor x86 architectures.
As the data center landscape continues to evolve, organizations must carefully evaluate their infrastructure choices, considering not only current performance and cost metrics but also long-term compatibility and scalability. AMD's x86 processors offer a balanced solution that addresses these considerations, providing a robust foundation for modern data center deployments.
Source: ServeTheHome Deploying AMD Instead of Arm in our Infrastructure 2025 Here is Why
Feature Parity with Cloud Offerings
The hybrid multi-cloud model has gained significant traction, allowing organizations to balance on-premises infrastructure with cloud services to optimize costs and scalability. However, achieving feature parity between on-premises systems and cloud offerings presents challenges, particularly when considering processor architectures.Major cloud providers have developed proprietary Arm-based processors—such as Amazon's Graviton series, Google's Axion, and Microsoft's Cobalt—to enhance performance and energy efficiency within their data centers. While these custom chips offer advantages in their respective cloud environments, they are not available for on-premises deployment, creating a disparity for organizations aiming to replicate cloud configurations in their own data centers.
In contrast, AMD's x86 processors, like the EPYC series, are widely available for both cloud and on-premises deployments. This availability ensures that organizations can achieve a consistent infrastructure across environments, facilitating smoother workload migration and management. The uniformity provided by AMD's processors helps mitigate the complexities associated with maintaining different architectures across hybrid cloud setups.
Software Support
The software ecosystem is a pivotal consideration when selecting a processor architecture. The x86 architecture, dominated by AMD and Intel, has a long-standing presence in enterprise environments, resulting in extensive software compatibility and support. Most enterprise applications are optimized for x86, ensuring reliable performance and stability.Conversely, while Arm-based processors have made significant strides, particularly in cloud-native applications, they still face challenges in the broader enterprise software landscape. Many legacy applications and licensed software packages are not natively compatible with Arm architecture, necessitating additional development efforts for porting and optimization. This requirement can lead to increased costs and extended deployment timelines, factors that organizations must weigh when considering Arm-based solutions.
Licensing Complexities
Licensing models further complicate the adoption of Arm-based processors in enterprise settings. Many software vendors license their products on a per-core basis, a model that aligns well with the high-performance cores of x86 processors. Arm-based processors often feature a higher number of lower-performance cores, which can result in higher licensing costs without a corresponding increase in performance.For example, deploying software licensed per core on an Arm-based system with numerous low-power cores may lead to inflated licensing expenses. In contrast, AMD's high-performance cores can deliver superior performance per core, optimizing licensing costs and overall system efficiency.
Performance and Energy Efficiency
Performance and energy efficiency are critical metrics in data center operations. AMD's EPYC processors have demonstrated significant advancements in both areas. Independent testing has shown that AMD EPYC 9004-based instances in AWS deliver approximately 25% better performance compared to similarly configured instances based on the latest Graviton4 Arm-based platform.Additionally, AMD's processors offer competitive energy efficiency, a crucial factor as data centers strive to reduce operational costs and environmental impact. The combination of high performance and energy efficiency positions AMD as a compelling choice for organizations seeking to optimize their infrastructure.
Market Dynamics and Future Outlook
The data center processor market is experiencing a shift, with AMD gaining significant market share. As of mid-2025, AMD's share in the x86 server market has reached 40%, up from nearly zero in 2018. This growth is attributed to AMD's strategic decisions, including partnerships with leading semiconductor manufacturers and a focus on delivering high-performance, energy-efficient processors.While Arm-based processors are projected to account for 21.1% of global server shipments in 2025, they still face challenges in achieving widespread adoption in enterprise data centers. The combination of software compatibility issues, licensing complexities, and the need for seamless integration within existing infrastructures continues to favor x86 architectures.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the decision to deploy AMD processors over Arm-based alternatives in data center infrastructure is influenced by several interrelated factors. The availability of AMD's processors for both cloud and on-premises deployments ensures feature parity and simplifies hybrid cloud integration. The extensive software support for x86 architectures reduces the need for costly and time-consuming application porting. Additionally, favorable licensing models and competitive performance and energy efficiency metrics further solidify AMD's position as a preferred choice for organizations aiming to optimize their data center operations.As the data center landscape continues to evolve, organizations must carefully evaluate their infrastructure choices, considering not only current performance and cost metrics but also long-term compatibility and scalability. AMD's x86 processors offer a balanced solution that addresses these considerations, providing a robust foundation for modern data center deployments.
Source: ServeTheHome Deploying AMD Instead of Arm in our Infrastructure 2025 Here is Why
