SPEC Resumes Global Collaboration with Companies on U.S. BIS Entity List
Standard Performance Evaluation Corp. (SPEC), a renowned leader in computing benchmarks, has made a significant announcement today. SPEC’s International Standards Group (ISG) has successfully advocated for changes in U.S. export policies, allowing companies on the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Entity List to participate in creating computing energy efficiency standards. This move marks a pivotal moment in the global standards industry, bringing together industry, academia, and research entities from all corners of the world to collaborate on future benchmark standards.
A few years ago, the U.S. government imposed restrictions on collaboration with companies on the BIS Entity List to ensure the safe deployment of 5G technology. However, these restrictions inadvertently hindered the development of global standards. SPEC’s Suite for Energy Efficient Technologies (SERT) was classified as a restricted technology, preventing SPEC from continuing its standards development work with members on the Entity List.
Harmonized standards play a crucial role in ensuring consistent design and regulatory compliance, leading to substantial cost savings for manufacturers to meet benchmark requirements worldwide. SPEC President David Reiner emphasized the importance of allowing all stakeholders, including those on the Entity List, to participate in the standardization process to avoid fragmentation and promote global harmonization.
SPEC undertook a series of advocacy efforts to address these challenges. In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s BIS, SPEC pushed for changes in regulations to facilitate the participation of Entity List companies in standards development activities. As a result of these efforts, BIS revised its regulations in late 2022, allowing entities on the Entity List to engage in the development of SPEC SERT Suite within the SPEC ISG Server Efficiency Committee.
The return of excluded members is vital for advancing global standardized benchmarks and applying them to energy efficiency regulations worldwide. Various government regulations, such as China National Institute of Standardization, EU Lot9 Ecodesign, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and the U.S. EPA Energy Star, have adopted SPEC SERT suites to promote sustainable technology development and reduce carbon emissions.
The SPEC ISG Server Committee is currently working on the next-generation energy efficiency rating tool, SERT 3 Suite. This innovative tool incorporates a modular architecture that streamlines the integration of benchmark harnesses and interfaces, reducing development time and supporting new technologies seamlessly. Industry leaders such as Ampere, AMD, Dell, HPE, IBM, Intel, IEIT, Microsoft, Nvidia, and the University of Würzburg are actively contributing to this initiative.
Klaus-Dieter Lange, Chair of SPEC ISG, expressed optimism about the collaboration with the U.S. Department of Commerce and welcomed innovative companies to participate in the development of the SPEC SERT Suite. This collaborative effort aims to help governments and businesses achieve sustainable development goals and reduce carbon emissions effectively.
SPEC, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to establishing standardized benchmarks and tools for evaluating performance in computing systems. With over 120 leading members worldwide, SPEC continues to drive innovation and excellence in the industry.
For more information, please contact:
Brigit Valencia
Phone: 360.597.4516
Email: brigit@compel-pr.com
Images are available upon request.
SPEC® and SERT® are trademarks of the Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation. All other product and company names mentioned may be trademarks of their respective owners.
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