# Episode 81: Chatting With AMD's Forrest Norrod EVP Datacenter Solutions about Buying ZT Systems

- Show: [The Circuit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit)
- Published: 2024-08-26
- Length: 34m
- Episode: 82
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-08-26-episode-81-chatting-with-amds-forrest-norrod-evp-datacenter-solutions-about-buyi
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/fa6d0fa6

## Summary

Forrest Norrod, AMD's EVP of Datacenter Solutions, explains the strategic acquisition of ZT Systems to integrate high-level system design with AMD's EPYC CPUs and Instinct GPUs. Norrod details how ZT's expertise in designing customized infrastructure for hyperscalers like Microsoft and AWS allows AMD to optimize silicon and system design concurrently, accelerating time-to-market for AI servers. The hosts discuss the financial strategy of divesting ZT's manufacturing assets to focus on design, the competitive implications of AMD's open ecosystem versus Nvidia's closed stack, and the shifting dynamics of hyperscaler in-house design trends.

## Chapters

- [0:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-08-26-episode-81-chatting-with-amds-forrest-norrod-evp-datacenter-solutions-about-buyi#t=3) Introduction: Forrest Norrod and ZT Systems Overview
- [3:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-08-26-episode-81-chatting-with-amds-forrest-norrod-evp-datacenter-solutions-about-buyi#t=204) Strategic Rationale: Integrating ZT Design with AMD Silicon
- [7:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-08-26-episode-81-chatting-with-amds-forrest-norrod-evp-datacenter-solutions-about-buyi#t=441) Design Timelines: The Shift to 3-4 Year Concurrent Engineering
- [10:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-08-26-episode-81-chatting-with-amds-forrest-norrod-evp-datacenter-solutions-about-buyi#t=610) Divesting Manufacturing Assets to Focus on Design
- [14:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-08-26-episode-81-chatting-with-amds-forrest-norrod-evp-datacenter-solutions-about-buyi#t=869) Speed to Market and Competitive Advantage in AI
- [18:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-08-26-episode-81-chatting-with-amds-forrest-norrod-evp-datacenter-solutions-about-buyi#t=1080) Hyperscaler In-House Design and Open Ecosystem Strategy
- [23:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-08-26-episode-81-chatting-with-amds-forrest-norrod-evp-datacenter-solutions-about-buyi#t=1416) Hosts' Analysis: Roadmap Visibility and M&A Dynamics

## Topics

- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises

## Mentioned

- AMD (company)
- ZT Systems (company)
- Microsoft (company)
- AWS (company)
- EPYC (product)
- Instinct (product)
- MI 300 (product)
- Nvidia (company)
- Intel (company)
- Dell (company)
- HPE (company)
- Lenovo (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Ep. 43 | Mark Papermaster: The EE and Exec Behind Apple, IBM, Cisco, and AMD's Success](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2022-04-12-ep-43-mark-papermaster-the-ee-and-exec-behind-apple-ibm-cisco-and-amds-success) (Moore's Lobby)
- [2020 Mega-Merger #3 | An AI Ecosystem (Almost) from Scratch](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2020-10-30-2020-mega-merger-3-an-ai-ecosystem-almost-from-scratch) (EE Times Current)
- [The State of Multi-Die: Insights and Customer Requirements](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2025-11-07-the-state-of-multi-die-insights-and-customer-requirements) (EE Times Current)
- [Interview: AMD CTO Papermaster | Interview: Imagination CEO Black | Where to Invest in 2020](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2020-01-24-interview-amd-cto-papermaster-interview-imagination-ceo-black-where-to-invest-in) (EE Times Current)
- [How Much is Enough for Hyperscale Companies?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2019-07-26-how-much-is-enough-for-hyperscale-companies) (EE Times Current)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-08-26-episode-81-chatting-with-amds-forrest-norrod-evp-datacenter-solutions-about-buyi. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Circuit.