Manual:Configuration settings
- Manual:Configuration Settings: The Apex Server Platform (ASP-9000 Series)
This document provides a comprehensive technical overview and operational guide for the **Apex Server Platform (ASP-9000 Series)**, specifically detailing the configuration designated as "Manual:Configuration settings." This platform is engineered for high-density, mission-critical workloads requiring predictable, high-throughput performance and exceptional I/O capabilities.
- 1. Hardware Specifications
The ASP-9000 series leverages leading-edge componentry housed within a standardized 4U rackmount chassis, optimized for density and thermal management. The configuration detailed herein represents the standard high-performance deployment profile.
- 1.1. Central Processing Units (CPUs)
The system supports dual-socket configurations, utilizing the latest generation of server-grade processors known for high core counts and massive L3 cache structures.
| Parameter | Specification (Per Socket) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Model Family | Intel Xeon Scalable (Sapphire Rapids Generation) | |
| Specific SKU Example | Platinum 8480+ (56 Cores / 112 Threads) | |
| Base Clock Frequency | 2.1 GHz | |
| Max Turbo Frequency (All-Core) | 3.4 GHz | |
| L3 Cache Size | 112 MB | |
| TDP (Thermal Design Power) | 350W | |
| Supported Sockets | 2 (Dual-Socket Configuration) | |
| UPI Links | 3 per socket, supporting 4.8 GT/s per link |
The dual-socket architecture is interconnected via Ultra Path Interconnect (UPI) links, ensuring low-latency communication between the two processors, critical for NUMA-sensitive applications such as large-scale In-Memory Database (IMDB) operations. The total core count for this configuration is 112 physical cores, supporting 224 logical threads.
- 1.2. Memory Subsystem (DRAM)
The memory configuration prioritizes high bandwidth and capacity, utilizing the maximum supported DDR5 channels.
| Parameter | Specification | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | DDR5 ECC RDIMM | |
| Total Slots Available | 32 DIMM Slots (16 per CPU die) | |
| Configuration Density | 128 GB per DIMM | |
| Total Installed Capacity | 4096 GB (4 TB) | |
| Operating Frequency | 4800 MT/s (JEDEC Standard) | |
| Channel Architecture | 8-Channel per CPU (16 Channels Total) | |
| Memory Mapping | Interleaved across all UPI domains for load balancing. |
The configuration utilizes Error-Correcting Code (ECC) memory exclusively, mandatory for enterprise stability. The total memory bandwidth achievable approaches 1.2 TB/s bidirectional, a key metric for data-intensive workloads. Further details on memory population best practices can be found in the Server Memory Population Guidelines.
- 1.3. Storage Architecture
The storage subsystem is designed for maximum throughput and low latency, employing a tiered approach combining ultra-fast NVMe storage for operating systems and hot data, and high-capacity SAS SSDs for bulk storage.
- 1.3.1. Primary Boot and OS Storage
| Storage Tier | Type | Quantity | Capacity (Per Unit) | Interface | Total Capacity | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Boot Drives | M.2 NVMe (Enterprise Grade) | 2 | 1.92 TB | PCIe Gen 5 x4 | 3.84 TB | | Configuration | RAID 1 Mirroring | N/A | N/A | Hardware RAID Controller | N/A |
- 1.3.2. High-Performance Data Storage
The primary data storage utilizes a front-accessible hot-swap bay configuration, managed by a high-end Hardware RAID Controller with dedicated XOR processing capabilities.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Drive Bays Available | 24 x 2.5-inch U.2/U.3 Bays |
| Drive Type | Enterprise NVMe SSD (Read Intensive - RI) |
| Capacity per Drive | 7.68 TB |
| Total Raw Capacity | 184.32 TB |
| RAID Level Implemented | RAID 60 (Striped Sets of RAID 6) |
| Usable Capacity (Approx.) | 147.4 TB |
| Host Interface | PCIe Gen 5 x16 connection via RAID controller |
The choice of RAID 60 provides an excellent balance between capacity efficiency, high read performance, and robust fault tolerance (allowing for two simultaneous drive failures across any underlying RAID 6 set). Refer to Storage Redundancy Protocols for detailed failure domain analysis.
- 1.4. Networking and I/O Capabilities
The I/O subsystem is critical for modern virtualization and container environments. The ASP-9000 features extensive PCIe lane availability, primarily channeled through the CPU Integrated PCIe controllers and a dedicated I/O expander ASIC.
| Interface | Quantity | Speed | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOM (LAN on Motherboard) | 2 | 25 GbE (RJ-45/SFP28) | Management and BMC traffic |
| PCIe Slots (Full Height, Full Length) | 8 | PCIe Gen 5 x16 | Expansion (e.g., Accelerators, High-Speed NICs) |
| Dedicated OCP Slot | 1 | OCP 3.0 Mezzanine | Primary Data Fabric connection |
| Maximum Theoretical PCIe Bandwidth | ~1024 GB/s (Total across both CPUs) |
The OCP 3.0 slot is typically populated with a dual-port 200 Gigabit Ethernet (200GbE) adapter, leveraging the full PCIe Gen 5 x16 bus for minimal network latency. This is crucial for Distributed Storage Networks (DSN) utilizing RDMA protocols like RoCEv2.
- 1.5. Power and Chassis Specifications
The physical infrastructure requirements are defined by the high TDP components.
- **Chassis Form Factor:** 4U Rackmount
- **Dimensions (W x D x H):** 448 mm x 980 mm x 176 mm
- **Power Supplies (PSUs):** 2 x 2400W Hot-Swap, Redundant (1+1)
- **Efficiency Rating:** 80 PLUS Titanium (>= 94% efficiency at 50% load)
- **Input Voltage:** 200-240V AC (Nominal 208V for high-density installations)
- **Maximum Power Draw (Peak):** Approximately 3100W
Detailed power planning guides are located in Power Budgeting for High-Density Servers.
- 2. Performance Characteristics
The ASP-9000 configuration is benchmarked against industry standards to quantify its capabilities in simulation, computation, and data serving roles. Performance is highly dependent on workload characteristics, particularly memory access patterns and I/O saturation points.
- 2.1. Synthetic Benchmarking Results
The following results are derived from standardized, controlled testing environments using the specified hardware configuration.
| Benchmark | Metric | Result | Configuration Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| SPECrate 2017 Integer | SPECrate_int_base | 1150 | High core count efficiency |
| SPECrate 2017 Floating Point | SPECrate_fp_base | 1280 | High memory bandwidth utilization |
| Linpack (HPL) | GFLOPS (Double Precision) | 18.5 TFLOPS | Limited by thermal throttling over sustained runs |
| STREAM Triad Bandwidth | MB/s | 1180 GB/s | Reflects 8-channel DDR5 peak performance |
The performance profile exhibits strengths in highly parallel, integer-based computations and substantial memory throughput. Latency-sensitive operations benefit significantly from the large L3 cache size of the chosen CPUs, reducing the need to access main memory frequently.
- 2.2. I/O Throughput Benchmarks
Storage performance is dominated by the NVMe array and the PCIe Gen 5 interconnect.
- **Sequential Read Performance (RAID 60 Array):** Sustained 45 GB/s
- **Sequential Write Performance (RAID 60 Array):** Sustained 38 GB/s (Accounting for RAID parity calculation overhead)
- **Random 4K IOPS (Read):** Exceeding 6.5 Million IOPS
- **Random 4K IOPS (Write):** Exceeding 5.8 Million IOPS
Network performance, when utilizing a 200GbE adapter in the OCP slot, consistently achieves near-line-rate throughput for TCP/IP workloads (approx. 195 Gbps sustained ingress/egress), with RDMA workloads demonstrating sub-2 microsecond latency to remote peers.
- 2.3. Real-World Application Performance Indicators
For critical enterprise applications, performance is best measured by transaction rate and latency goals:
1. **Virtualization Density:** Capable of comfortably hosting 400-500 concurrent standard virtual machines (VMs) running generalized enterprise workloads (e.g., 8 vCPUs, 32 GB RAM per VM) while maintaining QoS guarantees. 2. **Database Performance (OLTP):** Achieved 1.2 Million Transactions Per Second (TPS) on the TPC-C benchmark running against an optimized PostgreSQL instance, heavily constrained by the high memory bandwidth provided by the DDR5 subsystem. 3. **AI/ML Inference:** When equipped with two full-height, dual-slot GPU Accelerators utilizing the remaining PCIe Gen 5 x16 slots, the system demonstrates excellent host memory bandwidth for feeding data to the accelerators, crucial for large model inference tasks.
For deeper analysis on workload tuning, consult Performance Tuning for High-Core Servers.
- 3. Recommended Use Cases
The ASP-9000 configuration, defined by its massive memory capacity (4TB), high core density (112 cores), and extremely fast NVMe storage subsystem, is optimized for specific, resource-intensive workloads where bottlenecks are typically found in memory access or I/O latency rather than raw CPU frequency.
- 3.1. Mission-Critical Database Hosting
This configuration is ideal for hosting large, high-concurrency relational or NoSQL databases requiring significant portions of the working set to reside in physical RAM to minimize disk access.
- **In-Memory Databases (IMDB):** The 4TB of RAM directly supports databases like SAP HANA or large Redis clusters, allowing for extremely fast point lookups and complex joins entirely in memory.
- **Large OLTP Systems:** Environments with high transaction rates benefit from the high IOPS provided by the NVMe RAID array, ensuring rapid commit times for transactional integrity.
- 3.2. High-Density Virtualization and Cloud Infrastructure
The combination of high core count and substantial memory allocation makes this platform an excellent hypervisor host for private or hybrid cloud environments.
- **Container Orchestration:** Serving as a dense Kubernetes worker node, it can efficiently manage hundreds of pod replicas, leveraging the high memory capacity for memory-hungry microservices.
- **VDI Aggregation:** Suitable for hosting large pools of virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) users, particularly those running power applications (e.g., CAD viewers or complex spreadsheets).
- 3.3. High-Performance Computing (HPC) Simulation
While not strictly a GPU-dense compute node, the ASP-9000 excels at CPU-bound HPC tasks that rely heavily on fast interconnects and large datasets.
- **Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD):** Simulations requiring large mesh sizes benefit from the high memory capacity and fast CPU-to-CPU communication via UPI.
- **Genomics Analysis:** Tasks like large-scale sequence alignment (e.g., using BWA or GATK) benefit from the high memory bandwidth and core parallelism.
- 3.4. Data Analytics and Big Data Processing
For workloads involving ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) pipelines or complex analytical queries over large structured datasets.
- **Data Warehousing:** Excellent as a dedicated node in a distributed SQL cluster (e.g., Teradata, Greenplum) where data locality and fast local reads are paramount.
- **Spark/Hadoop Workers:** Can serve as extremely powerful worker nodes, caching significant amounts of intermediate data in local memory rather than spilling to slower network storage.
- 4. Comparison with Similar Configurations
To properly contextualize the ASP-9000 "Manual:Configuration settings," it is compared against two common alternatives: a high-frequency, lower-core count specialized server (ASP-7000 Series) and a denser, lower-memory scale-out node (ASP-5000 Series).
- 4.1. Feature Comparison Table
| Feature | ASP-9000 (Manual Config) | ASP-7000 (High-Frequency) | ASP-5000 (Scale-Out Density) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chassis Size | 4U | 2U | 1U |
| Max Cores (Total) | 112 | 80 (Higher clock speed) | 64 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 4 TB (DDR5 4800 MT/s) | 2 TB (DDR5 5600 MT/s) | 1 TB (DDR4 3200 MT/s) |
| Primary Storage Focus | High-Capacity NVMe (184TB Raw) | Mid-Capacity NVMe (40TB Raw) | Direct Attached SATA/SAS (12 Drive Bays) |
| Max PCIe Gen | Gen 5 | Gen 5 | Gen 4 |
| Ideal Workload Focus | Memory-Bound, Large Datasets | Latency-Sensitive, Single-Threaded Tasks | Distributed, High-Throughput I/O |
- 4.2. Performance Trade-offs Analysis
The choice between these platforms hinges on the primary bottleneck:
1. **ASP-9000 vs. ASP-7000:** The ASP-7000 sacrifices 32 cores and 2TB of RAM for higher per-core clock speeds (e.g., 3.8 GHz base vs. 2.1 GHz base). If the application relies heavily on single-threaded performance (e.g., certain legacy enterprise applications or specific physics simulations), the ASP-7000 might offer better latency. However, for parallel workloads like large-scale virtualization or data analytics, the ASP-9000's core count and memory bandwidth dominate. 2. **ASP-9000 vs. ASP-5000:** The ASP-5000 is designed for extreme density, maximizing compute per square foot of rack space but severely limiting memory capacity (1TB vs. 4TB) and relying on older PCIe Gen 4. The ASP-9000 is the better choice when the data footprint exceeds 1TB, making it unsuitable for scale-out storage architectures that require local caching. Details on density optimization can be found in Rack Density Versus Performance Scaling.
- 5. Maintenance Considerations
Maintaining the ASP-9000 platform requires adherence to strict environmental and operational standards due to the high power density and reliance on synchronous memory operations.
- 5.1. Thermal Management and Cooling
The dual 350W CPUs and the extensive NVMe storage array generate significant localized heat loads.
- **Rack Density:** Deploying more than two ASP-9000 units per standard 42U rack is strongly discouraged unless the rack is served by high-CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) cooling infrastructure, such as in-row coolers or rear-door heat exchangers.
- **Ambient Temperature:** The Maximum Recommended Inlet Air Temperature (ASHRAE A2 Class) must not exceed $27^\circ\text{C}$ ($80.6^\circ\text{F}$). Sustained operation above $30^\circ\text{C}$ will trigger aggressive thermal throttling on the CPUs and NVMe drives, drastically reducing performance below expected benchmarks. Refer to Data Center Cooling Standards.
- **Airflow:** Must utilize a front-to-back cooling scheme. Any obstruction in the server's intake path (e.g., poorly managed cabling) will cause immediate thermal unevenness between the two CPU sockets.
- 5.2. Power Infrastructure Requirements
The system's 2400W Titanium-rated PSUs necessitate robust power distribution.
- **Circuit Loading:** A single ASP-9000 unit can draw up to 3100W under peak load (including peak NVMe utilization and potential PCIe accelerator draw). A standard 30A / 208V circuit can theoretically support two such servers, but for operational headroom and safety margins, a maximum of **one ASP-9000 unit per 30A circuit leg** is the recommended standard deployment practice.
- **PDU Configuration:** Requires intelligent Power Distribution Units (PDUs) capable of real-time load monitoring to prevent tripping breakers during cold-start inrush currents. Consult PDU Load Balancing Protocols for configuration templates.
- 5.3. Firmware and BIOS Management
Maintaining system stability requires rigorous adherence to firmware update schedules, particularly concerning the memory controller and PCIe subsystem.
- **BIOS/UEFI:** Updates often contain critical microcode fixes addressing NUMA balancing issues or memory training instabilities under heavy load. Updates should be applied quarterly or immediately following any critical CVE release affecting the processor microcode.
- **RAID Controller Firmware:** Outdated firmware on the NVMe RAID controller can lead to premature drive failures or performance degradation due to unpatched issues in garbage collection routines or wear-leveling algorithms. Always ensure the controller firmware and its associated NVMe driver stack are synchronized. Guidance on staging updates is provided in Server Firmware Update Procedures.
- 5.4. Component Replacement and Servicing
Due to the high-density NVMe array, servicing requires specific protocols:
- **Hot-Swap Procedures:** While PSUs, fans, and most drives are hot-swappable, the dual-socket motherboard carrier assembly is not. Any major component replacement (CPU, RAM modules) requires a full system shutdown and adherence to Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Control Policy.
- **Drive Replacement:** When replacing a failed drive in the RAID 60 array, the system must be allowed sufficient time (potentially 48-72 hours depending on the size of the array and I/O load) for the rebuild process to complete. During the rebuild, system performance will be degraded by 20-40%, as the remaining drives share I/O bandwidth between user requests and parity reconstruction. Monitoring the rebuild progress via the Storage Management Interface is mandatory.
- 5.5. Operating System Considerations
The choice of OS must explicitly support the platform's advanced features:
- **NUMA Awareness:** The OS kernel must be fully NUMA-aware to effectively manage memory allocation across the two CPU sockets and their respective memory channels. Improper OS configuration can lead to significant performance penalties through cross-socket memory access latency.
- **PCIe Topology Mapping:** Ensure that high-bandwidth peripherals (like the 200GbE card) are bound to the PCIe root complex closest to the primary processing core handling the traffic to minimize latency. This requires specific configuration within the OS network stack, detailed in OS Kernel Tuning for NUMA.
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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.* ⚠️