Nvidia's Enthusiast System Architecture (ESA)

@ 2007/11/06
Nvidia has developed a new specification intended to make your computer system much smarter. According to their press release, Enthusiast System Architecture (ESA) is "a new standard for real-time monitoring & controlling PC chassis, power supplies, & water cooling peripherals." Let's take a look at some of the basics...

http://www.bigbruin.com/2007/nvidiaesa_1

Now most folks probably don't need or even want to monitor every little system variable from the comfort of their desktop. But enthusiasts aren't most folks; we baby our PCs, taking great care to carefully tweak their configurations to deliver an uncanny blend of silence, stability, and performance. We want as much information about and control of our hardware as possible, which is why Nvidia has drafted an Enthusiast System Architecture (ESA) specification that aims to standardize hardware monitoring and control over system components. Join us as we explore the ESA spec and the potential it holds.

http://techreport.com/articles.x/13530

On the whole, I think Nvidia should be commended for drafting the Enthusiast System Architecture specification, as I believe the industry can benefit from an open standard for hardware monitoring and control, but I still have my concerns. While ESA sounds great in theory, the problem is that the only thing being certified is the protocol and that information is being sent to the host PC.

What it doesn’t do is guarantee that the information being sent to the host PC is correct. For example, your power supply could be reporting incorrect voltages or load while your water cooler is reporting the wrong liquid temperature or flow rate. The current draft of the specification means that you wouldn’t be able to determine whether the information you’re actually being presented with is accurate.

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/200...ture_preview/1

NVIDIA has just introduced a new open-industry standard for real-time monitoring and control of PC power supplies, chassis and water cooling systems, dubbed ESA, short for Enthusiast System Architecture. The company hopes ESA will be adopted across the industry and a new wave of ESA compliant hardware than can be monitored and controlled via a standard interface will ensue. Head on over to the site for the full scoop…

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