Intel’s new Xeon Scalable Processor Family brings a whole host of exciting upgrades to server architecture, including improvements in performance, security, agility, and efficiency. Touting the biggest upgrade in a decade, these processors deliver disruptive performance to support ambitious initiatives around IoT, AI, HPC, analytics and more.
Intel Xeon boosts performance
Released earlier this year, Intel Xeon Scalable processors deliver a new level of consistent, pervasive and breakthrough performance across compute, storage and network. Equipped with up to 28 cores, greater memory bandwidth, expanded I/O, Intel Ultra Path Interconnect, Intel Advanced Vector Extensions 512 (Intel AVX-512), and Intel Omni-Path Fabric, Xeon Scalable processors offer up to 1.65x higher performance compared to previous generations.
In addition to their base specs, Intel Xeon Scalable Processors also offer up to four 10GbE Intel Ethernet ports and integrated QuickAssist Technology (QAT). All designed to dramatically increase the speed of compression and AES encryption functions by offloading computationally intensive functions from the processor cores to a purpose-built accelerator.
Intel’s Xeon processors also boast increased memory bandwidth and capacity with six memory channels, in contrast to the previous generation four memory channels. This provides a distinct advantage for emerging 5G wireless networks, public and private cloud workloads, HPC applications, Software Defined Networking (SDN), Software Defined Storage (SDS) and complex analytics.
Finally, Intel Xeon Scalable processors offer up to 48 PCIe lanes, giving a significant increase in PCIe 3.0 bandwidth and throughput for I/O intensive workloads.
Intel Xeon adds security
As data security and privacy are an absolute priority, platforms based on Intel Xeon Scalable processors offer data protection, resiliency, and uptime. This is made possible via Intel’s silicon-based trusted infrastructure. This suite of platform security technologies are built into the foundation of the platform and include: Intel Cloud Integrity Technology (Intel CIT), Intel Trusted Execution Technology (Intel TXT) with One-Touch Activation, Trusted Infrastructure, and Intel Platform Trust Technology (Intel PTT). For example, Intel TXT uses a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and cryptographic techniques to enable system software as well as local and remote management applications to make “trust decisions.” The integrated protocol of Intel One Touch Activation adds another level of protection for geographic needs like region and country-specific data sovereignty regulations.
Through this integrated suite of security features built from the silicon up, Intel’s Xeon Scalable Processors can address the numerous and increasing security threats across physical and virtual infrastructures. Overall, the Intel Xeon Scalable platform delivers an essential, hardware-based root-of-trust environment. Protection that extends through both hardware and firmware and ensures an effective IT security platform.
Intel Xeon provides agility
Intel Xeon Scalable processors are optimized for the data center providing enhanced agility enabling rapid changes to be made with minimum disruption. With optimizations across compute, network and storage, these processors are ideal for data centers that dynamically self-provision resources from the edge to the core to the cloud based on workloads.
Integrated technology such as Intel Volume Management Device (Intel VMD) allows hot swapping of NVMe SSDs from the PCIe bus without shutting down the system. Furthermore, standardized LED management helps provide faster identification of your SSDs’ status. This commonality delivers the reliability, availability and serviceability features to NVMe SSDs enabling the delivery of next-gen storage. It’s all about business agility and this is just one example of rapid service delivery.
With the advent of NVMe paired with Intel Optane SSDs and Intel 3D NANO SSDs, you can also move larger data volumes closer to the CPU for faster backup and storage performance. Speed and ease of use add to the business agility these impressive processors provide.
Intel Xeon increases efficiency
The Intel Xeon Scalable Processor Family is designed for data center modernization, driving operational efficiencies that result in up to 65% reduction of total cost of ownership (TCO) and higher productivity overall. Reduction of TCO is due in part to lower software and operating system licensing fees, as well as acquisition, maintenance, and infrastructure costs.
One of these operational efficiencies is the integrated firmware called Intel Node Manager. With Intel Node Manager, you take total control of your energy costs, intelligently managing and optimizing power throughout your data center. For example, the Intel Node Manager can adjust temperature and airflow in response to computing resource demands in the data center, maximizing efficiency while reducing the chances of costly overheating.
Efficiencies can be found in the data center via improvements in virtualization and VMs. Intel Xeon Scalable Processors can operate up to an estimated 4.2x more VMs per server as compared to the previous system. This allows for rapid service deployment, server utilization, lower energy costs and space generations. All of these improvements further spur enterprise data center modernization and consolidation allowing them to offer more service on less hardware.
Ready to build next-gen solutions on Intel Xeon Scalable processors?
The UNICOM Engineering team is prepared and ready to assist with driving seamless technology transitions. We have tested and validated platforms available for evaluation. And, our comprehensive service offerings wil cover everything needed to ensure a complete solution. Visit UNICOM Engineering here to learn more or call one of our experts at 800-977-1010.