Qualcomm and AMD have announced an agreement to work together on streamlining Qualcomm’s FastConnect system for AMD Ryzen processor-based computing platforms. Using FastConnect’s platform, the two companies intend to bring Wi-Fi management capabilities to IT administrators through AMD PRO processors, the company’s suite of enterprise technologies.
Wi-Fi 6 and 6E connectivity come to business laptops
Through the use of Qualcomm’s FastConnect 6900, next generation business laptops powered by AMD Ryzen processors will feature Wi-Fi 6 and 6E connectivity, along with increased wireless capabilities enabled when using Windows 11. The intention behind the optimization of this hardware is to boost video conferencing efficiency, reduce latency within video calls and increase connection effectiveness. With many industries moving to hybrid and remote work setups, this upgraded network efficiency will be key for organizations with out of office employees.
“Out-of-band Wi-Fi remote management is an important tool for enterprise IT managers to diagnose and fix issues, even when the operating system is not running,” said Jason Banta, CVP and General Manager of OEM client computing at AMD. “AMD Ryzen PRO 6000 Series processors with FastConnect 6900 enable next generation business laptops to have the processing and connectivity tools needed to perform in modern environments, offering professional-strength remote manageability for users in the new, hybrid workplace.”
SEE: Best remote desktop software 2022 (TechRepublic)
Microsoft PCs to integrate enhanced Wi-Fi tech
The announcement also includes a notice that the two companies are partnering with Microsoft to bring the technology to Windows 11 PCs, such as the Lenovo ThinkPad Z Series and HP EliteBook 805 Series. The devices enabled for this technology will be able to harness Wi-Fi Dual Station through Qualcomm’s 4-Stream Dual Band Simultaneous. According to the announcement by the two companies, multiple Wi-Fi bands outperform traditional single band connections and will lead to better performance for hybrid and remote employees as the paradigm shift in how and where work is completed continues to change.
For enterprise IT administrators, the AMD Manageability Processor 1 now available in Ryzen PRO 6000 systems is a technology that allows for remote management of AMD commercial platforms. This gives admins the ability to manage devices by pairing the processor with the FastConnect 6900, enabling remote management of 32 or more profiles. This increased capability will allow those in IT management roles to keep tabs on multiple employees simultaneously and wirelessly.
“Our collaboration with AMD reflects Qualcomm Technologies commitment to the mobile computing space. By optimizing FastConnect 6900 for platforms powered by AMD Ryzen 6000 Series processors, we’re bringing secure Wi-Fi remote management to AMD enterprise customers,” said Dino Bekis, vice president and general manager of mobile compute and connectivity at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “This represents the first step in our relationship to bring superior wireless connectivity to the AMD mobile computing roadmap.”
It is unknown at this time when this technology will become widely available.
