Installation guide
- Server Hardware Installation Guide: High-Density Compute Platform (HDCP-2000 Series)
This document serves as the definitive technical installation guide for the High-Density Compute Platform, model HDCP-2000, a leading-edge server configuration designed for demanding enterprise workloads requiring significant core count and high-speed memory access. This guide covers detailed specifications, validated performance metrics, recommended deployment scenarios, comparative analysis, and essential maintenance protocols.
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- 1. Hardware Specifications
The HDCP-2000 configuration is built upon a dual-socket motherboard architecture, optimized for power efficiency without compromising computational throughput. All components are enterprise-grade, validated for 24/7 operation under sustained load.
- 1.1 System Overview
The chassis utilized is a 2U rackmount form factor, providing excellent density for data center deployments. Thermal management is a critical design element, necessitating specific rack airflow requirements (detailed in Section 5).
| Feature | Specification | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | 2U Rackmount | Optimized for high-density racks |
| Motherboard Chipset | Intel C741 (Customized Server Board) | Supports dual-socket configuration |
| Power Supplies (PSUs) | 2x 2000W Platinum Efficiency (1+1 Redundant) | Hot-swappable, supports 94%+ efficiency at 50% load |
| Cooling System | Custom High-Static-Pressure Fan Array (8x 60mm) | Designed for high ambient rack temperatures (up to 35°C) |
| Management Interface | Integrated Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) | Supports IPMI 2.0 and Redfish API |
- 1.2 Central Processing Units (CPUs)
The HDCP-2000 is provisioned with dual Intel Xeon Scalable Processors (Sapphire Rapids generation), selected for their high core count and advanced memory controller capabilities.
| Component | Specification (Per Socket) | Total System |
|---|---|---|
| Processor Model | Intel Xeon Platinum 8480+ | Dual Socket Configuration |
| Core Count | 56 Cores / 112 Threads | 112 Cores / 224 Threads Total |
| Base Clock Speed | 2.0 GHz | N/A |
| Max Turbo Frequency (Single Core) | 3.8 GHz | Varies based on thermal and power budget |
| L3 Cache | 112 MB | 224 MB Total Cache |
| TDP (Thermal Design Power) | 350W | 700W Total CPU TDP (excluding VRM overhead) |
| Memory Channels Supported | 8 Channels DDR5 | 16 Channels Total |
- For detailed architectural analysis of the CPU, refer to Intel Xeon Scalable Architecture Overview.*
- 1.3 Memory Subsystem (RAM)
The system supports 32 DIMM slots (16 per CPU socket) utilizing the latest DDR5 Registered ECC memory modules. The configuration is optimized for maximum bandwidth utilization across all available memory channels.
| Parameter | Specification | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Memory Type | DDR5 ECC RDIMM | Ensures data integrity under high load |
| Module Density | 64 GB per DIMM | Optimized balance of density and channel speed |
| Total DIMMs Installed | 32 (Fully Populated) | Maximizes memory channels |
| Total System Memory (RAM) | 2048 GB (2 TB) | Sufficient capacity for virtualization and large datasets |
| Memory Speed (Rated) | 4800 MT/s (JEDEC Profile) | Achievable speed with full population on this platform |
| Memory Topology | Interleaved Quad-Rank Configuration | Maximizes memory parallelism |
- Note: Achieving the full 4800 MT/s speed requires strict adherence to the DIMM population guidelines detailed in the Server Motherboard DIMM Population Guide.*
- 1.4 Storage Subsystem
The storage architecture emphasizes high IOPS and low latency, leveraging NVMe technology for primary data access and high-capacity SATA/SAS for archival or secondary storage tiers.
The backplane supports up to 8x 2.5-inch hot-swappable bays.
| Bay Group | Interface | Quantity | Capacity (Per Drive) | Total Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Boot/OS | M.2 NVMe (PCIe 4.0 x4) | 2 (Internal, Non-Hot-Swap) | 1.92 TB | 3.84 TB |
| High-Speed Storage Pool (Tier 0) | U.3 NVMe (PCIe 4.0 x4) | 6 | 7.68 TB | 46.08 TB |
| Secondary Storage Pool (Tier 1) | SATA SSD (6Gb/s) | 2 (Rear Access) | 15.36 TB | 30.72 TB |
| RAID Controller | Broadcom MegaRAID 9660-16i (Hardware RAID) | Integrated via PCIe 5.0 slot | N/A | N/A |
The default configuration utilizes the integrated NVMe controller for the boot drives and the dedicated hardware RAID controller for the 6x U.3 NVMe drives, configured in a RAID 10 array for redundancy and performance.
- 1.5 Networking and Expansion Slots
The system provides robust I/O capabilities via PCIe 5.0 lanes emanating from the CPU complex and the PCH.
| Slot Type | Quantity Available | PCIe Specification | Primary Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCIe 5.0 x16 (CPU Direct) | 2 | Gen 5.0 x16 | High-Speed Accelerators (GPUs/FPGAs) or High-Bandwidth NICs |
| PCIe 5.0 x8 (PCH Routed) | 2 | Gen 5.0 x8 | Storage Controllers or 100GbE NICs |
| Onboard LAN (LOM) | 2x 10GbE Base-T | Integrated | Management and Base Network Connectivity |
| Dedicated Management Port | 1x 1GbE | Dedicated BMC | Out-of-Band Management |
The two CPU-direct PCIe 5.0 x16 slots are crucial for achieving maximum throughput when deploying accelerators like H100 GPUs or high-speed InfiniBand fabrics.
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- 2. Performance Characteristics
The HDCP-2000 configuration is engineered for throughput-intensive, highly parallelized workloads. Performance validation was conducted across synthetic benchmarks and real-world application simulations.
- 2.1 Synthetic Benchmark Results
The following results were obtained using standardized testing methodologies (SPEC CPU 2017 Integer Rate and STREAM memory bandwidth test). Ambient temperature maintained at 22°C, with power limits set to maximum turbo utilization (PL2).
| Benchmark | Metric | Result | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| SPECrate 2017 Integer | Rate Score (Lower Latency) | 1350 | Score |
| SPECrate 2017 Floating Point | Rate Score (High Throughput) | 1580 | Score |
| STREAM Triad Memory Bandwidth | Peak Read Bandwidth | 850 | GB/s |
| IOPS (Random 4K Read - NVMe Pool) | Sustained IOPS | 3,200,000 | IOPS |
| Latency (P99) | Inter-Core Communication (NUMA hop) | 78 | Nanoseconds (ns) |
The high STREAM bandwidth (850 GB/s) is directly attributable to the dual-socket DDR5-4800 configuration, which is essential for memory-bound applications such as large-scale in-memory databases.
- 2.2 Real-World Application Performance
Performance validation focused on workloads that stress both computational density and the high-speed storage subsystem.
- 2.2.1 High-Performance Computing (HPC) Simulation
For computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations utilizing OpenFOAM, the system demonstrated significant scaling efficiency.
- **Test Case:** 10 Million Cell Turbulent Flow Simulation.
- **Result:** Simulation time reduced by 45% compared to the previous generation dual-socket platform (using DDR4-3200). The primary bottlenecks shifted from core execution time to network communication latency when scaling beyond 8 nodes.
- 2.2.2 Virtualization Density
The system was tested as a high-density virtualization host using VMware ESXi, demonstrating excellent consolidation ratios.
- **Configuration:** 160 Virtual Machines (VMs) provisioned, each allocated 4 vCPUs and 8 GB RAM.
- **Utilization:** Average CPU utilization stabilized at 75% sustained load over 48 hours.
- **Observation:** The NUMA topology (two distinct CPU/Memory domains) requires careful VM placement. Optimal performance (defined as <5% CPU Ready time) was achieved when VMs were pinned to cores within the same NUMA node as their primary memory allocation. Refer to NUMA Topology Optimization for Server Consolidation.
- 2.2.3 Database Workloads (OLTP)
Testing involved running the TPC-C benchmark, focusing on transaction throughput.
- **Result:** The system achieved 1.2 million Transactions Per Minute (TPM) when utilizing the 46TB NVMe RAID 10 pool for the primary database files. This performance level is highly dependent on the quality of the storage driver stack and firmware versions used on the RAID controller.
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- 3. Recommended Use Cases
The HDCP-2000 configuration is a premium, high-core-count platform optimized for workloads that require massive parallel processing power, high memory capacity, and substantial I/O bandwidth. It is generally **over-specified** for standard web serving or basic file storage.
- 3.1 Enterprise Data Warehousing and In-Memory Databases (IMDB)
Due to the 2TB of high-speed DDR5 memory and the 224 logical processors, this server excels at hosting large analytical databases (e.g., SAP HANA, specialized columnar stores).
- **Benefit:** The large memory footprint minimizes reliance on slower storage I/O during complex query processing, maximizing the CPU’s ability to process data in cache/RAM.
- **Requirement:** Requires high-performance network connectivity (minimum 25GbE) to handle concurrent data ingestion and query results transmission. See High-Bandwidth Network Interface Card Selection.
- 3.2 AI/ML Model Training (Small to Medium Scale)
While larger GPU-intensive servers exist, the HDCP-2000 serves as an excellent host for CPU-bound machine learning tasks, pre-processing pipelines, or smaller model inference engines.
- **Pre-processing:** The high core count significantly accelerates data normalization, feature engineering, and dataset manipulation (e.g., using Pandas/Dask).
- **Inference:** When deployed with specialized accelerators (occupying the PCIe 5.0 x16 slots), the 224 threads can manage the high-volume data queuing and post-processing tasks required to feed the accelerators efficiently.
- 3.3 High-Density Software Development and CI/CD Environments
Organizations running large-scale Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab Runners) benefit immensely from the core density.
- **Scenario:** Compiling large monolithic codebases or running thousands of parallel unit tests.
- **Advantage:** The system can concurrently execute numerous high-demand compilation jobs without significant throttling, drastically reducing build times compared to lower-core-count systems.
- 3.4 Complex Simulation and Modeling
Applications requiring extensive floating-point calculations, such as Monte Carlo simulations, weather modeling, or Finite Element Analysis (FEA), will see performance gains from the high core count and high memory bandwidth.
- **Constraint:** For highly parallelized, tightly coupled simulations, systems with greater memory bandwidth per core (e.g., specialized HPC nodes) might offer better scaling, but the HDCP-2000 provides superior general-purpose flexibility.
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- 4. Comparison with Similar Configurations
To contextualize the HDCP-2000's value proposition, this section compares it against two common alternatives: a mainstream dual-socket configuration (HDCP-1500, based on previous generation hardware) and a higher-density, lower-core-count single-socket unit (HDCP-1000).
- 4.1 Comparative Hardware Matrix
This matrix highlights the key differentiators in processing power and memory subsystem capabilities.
| Feature | HDCP-2000 (This Configuration) | HDCP-1500 (Previous Gen Dual) | HDCP-1000 (Single Socket Density) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU Generation | Sapphire Rapids (5th Gen Xeon Scalable) | Cascade Lake (2nd Gen Xeon Scalable) | Emerald Rapids (6th Gen Xeon Scalable) |
| Total Cores / Threads | 112 / 224 | 72 / 144 | 64 / 128 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 2 TB (DDR5) | 1 TB (DDR4) | |
| Memory Speed | 4800 MT/s | 2933 MT/s | |
| PCIe Lanes Available | 128 Lanes (PCIe 5.0) | 64 Lanes (PCIe 3.0) | |
| Primary Storage Interface | PCIe 5.0 NVMe | PCIe 3.0 NVMe | |
| TDP (Total System Estimate) | ~1800W (Max Load) | ~1400W (Max Load) | ~1200W (Max Load) |
- 4.2 Performance Delta Analysis
The comparison demonstrates that the HDCP-2000 offers significant generational leaps, particularly in I/O and memory speed, which often bottleneck older systems even if the raw core count is comparable.
| Workload Type | Performance Improvement (%) | Primary Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Integer Computation | +55% | Core Architecture Efficiency & Higher Clock Speeds |
| Memory Bandwidth | +140% | DDR5 vs. DDR4 transition |
| Storage IOPS (NVMe) | +200% | PCIe 5.0 vs. PCIe 3.0 lane count and speed |
| Virtualization Consolidation (Density) | +40% (Based on VM count sustained) | Increased Core Count and Memory Capacity |
- 4.3 Trade-offs: Core Count vs. Single-Thread Performance
The HDCP-1000, utilizing a newer generation single-socket CPU, offers higher single-thread performance (due to newer architecture optimizations) and slightly better power efficiency per core.
- **When to choose HDCP-2000 (High Core Count):** When the application scales well across many threads (e.g., large matrix multiplication, massive parallelism, bulk data processing). The 224 threads provide superior aggregate throughput.
- **When to choose HDCP-1000 (Single Socket Density):** When the application is latency-sensitive, relies heavily on single-thread speed, or requires extremely low NUMA traversal penalty (since all resources are local to one socket). This configuration is often preferred for transactional databases where low P99 latency is paramount.
Understanding the specific workload profile is necessary for proper hardware selection. Consult Server Architecture Selection Methodology for further guidance.
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- 5. Maintenance Considerations
Proper installation and ongoing maintenance are crucial to ensuring the longevity and performance of the HDCP-2000, particularly given its high thermal and power density.
- 5.1 Power Requirements and Redundancy
The system is equipped with dual 2000W Platinum PSUs, bringing the peak theoretical power draw (including all drives and expansion cards under full load) close to 3.9 kW (system only).
- **Input Requirement:** Each PSU requires a dedicated, independent 208V/240V AC circuit (C19 connectors recommended). Do not attempt to power both PSUs from the same PDU branch circuit if the system is expected to run above 70% sustained load.
- **Power Distribution Unit (PDU) Selection:** PDUs must be rated for high density, preferably utilizing high-amperage three-phase inputs where available. Refer to PDU Selection Criteria for High-Density Servers.
- **Redundancy:** The 1+1 redundancy means the system can sustain the failure of one PSU without interruption, provided the remaining PSU has sufficient capacity for the current load profile. *Note: If both PSUs operate at 95%+ capacity continuously, a PSU failure will trigger an immediate thermal or power protection shutdown.*
- 5.2 Thermal Management and Airflow
The 2U form factor mandates strict adherence to rack airflow standards to prevent thermal throttling of the 350W TDP CPUs.
- **Rack Density:** Limit the density of these units in a single rack. A rack populated exclusively with HDCP-2000 units should not exceed 42 units (14 racks high) unless the facility cooling capacity is verified (see below).
- **Airflow Direction:** Standard front-to-back airflow is required. Ensure blanking panels are installed in all unused rack spaces to prevent hot air recirculation into the server intakes.
- **Ambient Temperature:** The BMC/IPMI interface reports internal component temperatures. The **inlet air temperature** must not exceed 35°C (95°F) under any circumstances for sustained operation according to Intel specifications. Exceeding this threshold will result in automatic CPU clock throttling to maintain safe operating junction temperatures ($T_j$).
- 5.3 Firmware and Driver Management
Maintaining the latest firmware levels is essential, especially for storage and networking controllers, to ensure stability and exploit performance enhancements.
- **BIOS/BMC:** Critical updates often involve memory training routines and power management fixes. Update the BMC firmware before any major OS/BIOS upgrade to ensure proper communication during the process.
- **Storage Controller (RAID):** Always verify the specific firmware/driver combination validated by the storage vendor (Broadcom/LSI) for the installed operating system. Outdated drivers can lead to premature RAID array degradation or unexpected write cache flushing.
- **Memory:** Utilize the manufacturer's provided memory configuration utility (usually accessible via the BIOS setup screen) to verify the SPD profile matches the expected DDR5-4800 settings. Incorrect timings can lead to instability under heavy memory pressure. See DDR5 Memory Timing Validation.
- 5.4 Component Replacement Procedures
All primary components are hot-swappable, except for the CPUs and the motherboard itself.
- **PSU Replacement:** Unplug the failed unit, press the release tab, slide out the unit, insert the new unit until it clicks, and verify the status LED illuminates green. The redundant unit will immediately take on the full load.
- **Storage Replacement:** If a drive in the NVMe RAID 10 pool fails, the drive LED will turn amber/red. Wait for the RAID controller to fully mark the drive as failed (usually 15 minutes post-detection). Replace the drive with an identically sized or larger drive. The controller should automatically begin the **rebuild process**. Monitor the rebuild progress via the BMC interface. *Note: Do not remove a second drive before the rebuild completes, as this will lead to data loss.* Consult RAID Rebuild Best Practices.
- 5.5 Software Licensing Implications
The high core count (112 physical cores) significantly impacts software licensing models based on physical cores (e.g., certain Oracle database tiers or legacy virtualization licenses). Before deployment, ensure that the licensing agreement covers the 224 logical processors present in this configuration. Misconfiguration can lead to severe compliance issues. Explore Virtual Core Licensing Strategies.
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- Conclusion
The HDCP-2000 High-Density Compute Platform represents a significant investment in computational throughput, leveraging the latest advancements in CPU architecture, high-speed DDR5 memory, and PCIe 5.0 I/O. When deployed within the specified thermal and power envelopes, it delivers industry-leading performance for memory-intensive and highly parallelized enterprise workloads. Adherence to the installation and maintenance guidelines detailed herein is mandatory for maximizing uptime and realizing the intended performance characteristics.
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Intel-Based Server Configurations
| Configuration | Specifications | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Core i7-6700K/7700 Server | 64 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2 x 512 GB | CPU Benchmark: 8046 |
| Core i7-8700 Server | 64 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2x1 TB | CPU Benchmark: 13124 |
| Core i9-9900K Server | 128 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2 x 1 TB | CPU Benchmark: 49969 |
| Core i9-13900 Server (64GB) | 64 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i9-13900 Server (128GB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Server (64GB) | 64 GB RAM, 2x500 GB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Server (128GB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x500 GB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Workstation | 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2 NVMe SSD, NVIDIA RTX 4000 |
AMD-Based Server Configurations
| Configuration | Specifications | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 5 3600 Server | 64 GB RAM, 2x480 GB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 17849 |
| Ryzen 7 7700 Server | 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2x1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 35224 |
| Ryzen 9 5950X Server | 128 GB RAM, 2x4 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 46045 |
| Ryzen 9 7950X Server | 128 GB DDR5 ECC, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 63561 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/1TB) | 128 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/2TB) | 128 GB RAM, 2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/4TB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/1TB) | 256 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/4TB) | 256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 9454P Server | 256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe |
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⚠️ *Note: All benchmark scores are approximate and may vary based on configuration. Server availability subject to stock.* ⚠️