Intel has released a game-changer called the Intel Xeon Scalable Processor, and it truly is the next step forward in server processor evolution.
Here’s what you need to know: The Intel Scalable Processor family offers better per-core performance, higher socket-level performance, 1.5x more memory and PCIe bandwidth, more workload acceleration, greater agility, and new security features. Overall, this revolutionary platform is meant to simply be all-around bigger and better than previous chip architectures and perfectly suited for the diverse and demanding workloads of the enterprise and data center markets.
Branding Reboot for the Xeon Family
With the advent of the Xeon Scalable Processor family, Intel is introducing a major branding reboot for unification and scalability. The new branding is now based on a combination of precious metals followed by numbers and letters to designate specific integrations and optimizations, i.e., F for fabric. The following defines each level:
Intel Xeon Bronze
Aimed at entry-level servers, offering affordable performance for small businesses and basic storage. Intel Xeon Bronze features reliable two-socket scalability, hardware-enhanced security, and up to eight cores.
Intel Xeon Silver
Focused on computing, which delivers efficient performance and power with improved memory speed and up to 12 cores and two-socket support.
Intel Xeon Gold
Optimized for demanding mainstream data centers, network, and storage workloads, Intel Xeon Gold offers enhanced four-socket scalability, with advanced reliability, availability, and serviceability and up to 22 cores.
Intel Xeon Platinum
Featuring the highest accelerator throughput, Intel Xeon Platinum processors are made for real-time analytics, machine learning artificial intelligence, and multi-cloud workloads. This processor offers up to 28 cores and eight-socket support with three UPI links and up to 1.5TB topline memory channel bandwidth.
Optional Integrated Network and Built-In Accelerators
In addition to its innate features, Intel Xeon Scalable Processors also offer up to four 10GbE Intel Ethernet ports and integrated Intel QuickAssist Technology (QAT). QAT is designed to dramatically increase the speed of compression and AES encryption functions by offloading these computationally intensive functions from the processor cores to a purpose build accelerator. Many modern applications and workloads require encryption and compression to not just secure data, but to store and transmit it in an efficient manner. Offering acceleration speeds up to 100Gb/s, QAT is designed to meet the performance needs required in modern, high-speed networks.
Next-Gen Intel Omni-Path Fabric
Intel® Omni-Path Fabric, the successor to Intel’s True Scale fabric, can easily handle High-Performance Computing (HPC) workloads and has the ability to scale to thousands of nodes and beyond. Intel Xeon Scalable Processor-based servers are the first general-purpose platforms to offer optional integrated Intel Omni-Path Fabric, bypassing the need to utilize valuable PCIe lanes. While Ethernet features a more general-purpose connectivity fabric, Omni-Path Fabric offers low latency and high bandwidth. Each Omni-Path port is able to operate at 100Gb/s and is interfaced directly into each Intel Xeon Scalable Processor CPU, making it an excellent option to deploy wherever high-speed fabrics are needed.
Security Enhancements
The new Xeon processor enables Trusted Infrastructure through platform security technologies creating a solid foundation for secure IT. This includes Trusted Execution Technology (Intel TXT) with One-Touch Activation and Intel Platform Trust Technology (Intel PTT) with secure encryption keys in an integrated Trusted Platform Module (TPM). These technologies and more seek to add security, privacy, interoperability, portability, control, and ease-of-use.
This is Just the Beginning
With its reworked features, such as increased processor scalability and performance, PCIe connectivity, and QuickAssist Technology, Intel’s Xeon Scalable Processor Family has taken a great leap ahead. Going above and beyond what you might expect, Intel has added other features, such as the 100 Gb/s Omni-Path networking fabric, which is complemented by a quad-10Gb Ethernet controller on the platform controller hub. All of this added functionality means that as concepts like Artificial Intelligence, big data, and the Internet of Things create more demanding workloads, Intel Xeon Scalable Processor Family is more than ready to meet the challenge.
Learn how to build next-gen solutions on Intel Skylake microarchitecture by downloading UNICOM Engineering’s guide to transitioning application platforms to Intel Xeon Scalable Processor-based servers. Learn more by visiting UNICOM Engineering at www.unicomengineering.com or call one of our experts at 800-977-1010.