It looks like AMD is starting the rumored acquisition spree with the impending purchase of SeaMicro. According to the Wall Street Journal (no link because it is paywalled and inaccessible, apologies), and confirmed by SemiAccurate sources, the server chip maker is acquiring the server maker.

As you might recall, SeaMicro makes the most innovative, dense, and power efficient servers out there for certain markets. Up until very recently, these boxes used Intel Atom chips, but recently added Xeons to the mix. Either way, SeaMicro packs a ton of cores in to a small space with unmatched efficiency. If the problem is suited to a shared-nothing cluster, it is hard to do better.

What was until last week a showcase for Intel technology and server direction, is now an AMD property. It now signals AMD’s direction on future server technology, and plays perfectly in the spaces where AMD was the strongest. For the very near future.

In any case, this is a win/win for AMD and SeaMicro. AMD gets the technology and a foot in the door to the fastest growing server market out there, and SeaMicro investors get a lot of cash. Unfortunately, SeaMicro workers may have to drive another exit up the 101 to get to work, but that is far from the end of the world. Intel however just got their baby stolen from the crib, and that has got to hurt.S|A