Cloud Computing Resources
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- Cloud Computing Resources - Technical Documentation
This document details the hardware configuration designated "Cloud Computing Resources," designed for high-density virtualized environments and demanding cloud workloads. It provides a comprehensive overview of the system's specifications, performance characteristics, recommended use cases, comparative analysis, and maintenance considerations.
1. Hardware Specifications
The "Cloud Computing Resources" configuration is built around a dual-socket server platform, prioritizing core count, memory capacity, and I/O throughput. All components are enterprise-grade, ensuring high reliability and longevity.
CPU
- Processors: 2 x 3rd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable Processors (Ice Lake-SP)
- Model: Intel Xeon Gold 6338 (Specifically chosen for its balance of core count, clock speed, and price/performance)
- Core Count: 32 cores per processor (Total 64 cores)
- Threads: 64 threads per processor (Total 128 threads)
- Base Clock Speed: 2.0 GHz
- Turbo Boost Max 3.0 Frequency: 3.4 GHz
- Cache: 48 MB Intel Smart Cache per processor
- TDP: 205W
- Socket: LGA 4189
- Instruction Set Extensions: AVX-512, Intel Deep Learning Boost (Intel DL Boost) - See Instruction Set Architectures for details.
Memory
- RAM Type: DDR4-3200 ECC Registered DIMMs (RDIMMs)
- Capacity: 2TB Total (16 x 128GB DIMMs) - See Memory Technologies for a detailed explanation of RDIMMs.
- Configuration: 8 DIMMs per socket, configured for maximum bandwidth using a balanced channel interleaving scheme.
- Speed: 3200 MHz
- Rank: Dual-Rank
- Voltage: 1.2V
- Error Correction: ECC (Error-Correcting Code) – essential for server stability. See Error Correction Codes for more information.
Storage
- Primary Storage (OS/Boot): 2 x 960GB NVMe PCIe Gen4 SSDs in RAID 1 configuration (mirroring) for redundancy. Utilizing Samsung PM1733 series for high endurance.
- Secondary Storage (Data): 12 x 16TB SAS 12Gbps 7.2K RPM HDDs in RAID 6 configuration for capacity and data protection. Utilizing Seagate Exos X16 series.
- RAID Controller: Broadcom MegaRAID SAS 9460-8i with 8GB NV Cache – See RAID Controllers for details on RAID levels and controller functionality.
- NVMe Controller: Integrated into the motherboard chipset, supporting PCIe Gen4 x4 for each SSD.
- Total Raw Storage Capacity: 192GB (NVMe) + 192TB (SAS)
- Usable Storage Capacity: Approximately 176TB (after RAID overhead).
Networking
- Onboard Network Adapters: 2 x 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) ports (Intel X710-DA4)
- Add-in Network Adapters: 2 x 25 Gigabit Ethernet (25GbE) ports (Mellanox ConnectX-6) – for high-bandwidth network connectivity. See Network Interface Cards for details.
- Network Teaming: Supported for link aggregation and failover.
- Remote Management: Integrated IPMI 2.0 compliant BMC (Baseboard Management Controller) with dedicated Gigabit Ethernet port. See Baseboard Management Controllers for details.
Power Supply
- Power Supplies: 2 x 1600W 80+ Platinum Certified Redundant Power Supplies.
- Voltage: 100-240V AC Auto-Ranging
- Efficiency: 94% at 50% load.
- Redundancy: N+1 Redundancy – one power supply can handle full load in case of failure. See Redundant Power Supplies for detailed information.
Motherboard
- Chipset: Intel C621A
- Form Factor: 2U Rackmount
- Expansion Slots: Multiple PCIe 4.0 x16 slots for GPUs, network cards, and storage controllers.
- Management: IPMI 2.0 support, remote KVM over IP.
Chassis
- Form Factor: 2U Rackmount Server Chassis
- Cooling: Redundant hot-swappable fans with N+1 redundancy. Optimized airflow design for efficient heat dissipation. See Server Cooling Systems for details.
- Drive Bays: 2 x 2.5" NVMe bays, 12 x 3.5" SAS bays.
2. Performance Characteristics
The "Cloud Computing Resources" configuration is designed for high performance in virtualized environments and demanding workloads. The following benchmark results and real-world performance observations are provided.
Benchmarks
- SPECvirt_sc2013: 750 (approximate) - Measures virtualization performance.
- SPEC CPU 2017 (Rate): ~180 (average across all cores) – Measures raw CPU performance.
- IOMeter (Sequential Read): 12 GB/s (NVMe RAID 0), 8 GB/s (SAS RAID 6)
- IOMeter (Sequential Write): 8 GB/s (NVMe RAID 0), 6 GB/s (SAS RAID 6)
- PassMark PerformanceTest 10: Overall Score: 18,500
- VMware vSphere Hypervisor Performance: Capable of supporting up to 60-80 virtual machines with 8 vCPUs and 32GB RAM each, depending on workload.
Real-World Performance
- Database Server (PostgreSQL): Handles approximately 50,000 transactions per second (TPS) with consistent low latency.
- Web Server (Apache/NGINX): Capable of serving over 1 million requests per minute under heavy load.
- Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI): Supports 100-150 concurrent users with a responsive user experience.
- High-Performance Computing (HPC): Suitable for parallel processing tasks, such as data analytics and scientific simulations. Performance scales linearly with the number of cores. See Parallel Processing for detailed information.
Performance Monitoring
Continuous performance monitoring is critical. Integrated IPMI and support for standard monitoring tools (e.g., Nagios, Zabbix, Prometheus) are provided. See Server Monitoring Tools for a comprehensive list.
3. Recommended Use Cases
The "Cloud Computing Resources" configuration is ideally suited for the following applications:
- Private Cloud Environments: Provides the necessary resources for hosting virtual machines and cloud services.
- Virtualization Hosting: Excellent for running VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, or KVM hypervisors.
- Database Servers: Supports demanding database workloads, such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, and Microsoft SQL Server.
- Web Hosting: Handles high-traffic websites and web applications.
- Application Servers: Provides a robust platform for running enterprise applications.
- Big Data Analytics: Suitable for processing large datasets with tools like Hadoop and Spark.
- DevOps Environments: Supports continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines.
- High-Performance Computing (HPC): Ideal for scientific simulations, financial modeling, and other computationally intensive tasks.
4. Comparison with Similar Configurations
The "Cloud Computing Resources" configuration offers a compelling balance of performance, capacity, and cost. Here's a comparison with similar options:
Configuration | CPU | RAM | Storage | Networking | Estimated Cost (USD) | "Cloud Computing Resources" | 2 x Intel Xeon Gold 6338 | 2TB DDR4-3200 ECC RDIMM | 192TB (NVMe + SAS) | 10GbE + 25GbE | $18,000 - $22,000 | "Entry-Level Cloud Server" (1 x Intel Xeon Silver 4310, 128GB RAM, 8TB SAS) | 1 x Intel Xeon Silver 4310 | 128GB DDR4-2666 ECC RDIMM | 8TB SAS | 1GbE | $8,000 - $10,000 | "High-End Cloud Server" (2 x Intel Xeon Platinum 8380, 4TB RAM, 384TB SAS) | 2 x Intel Xeon Platinum 8380 | 4TB DDR4-3200 ECC RDIMM | 384TB SAS | 10GbE + 40GbE | $35,000 - $45,000 | "AMD EPYC Equivalent" (2 x AMD EPYC 7543, 2TB RAM, 192TB SAS) | 2 x AMD EPYC 7543 | 2TB DDR4-3200 ECC RDIMM | 192TB SAS | 10GbE + 25GbE | $16,000 - $20,000 |
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Notes:
- Cost estimates are approximate and may vary depending on vendor and region.
- The "Entry-Level Cloud Server" is suitable for smaller workloads or development/testing environments.
- The "High-End Cloud Server" provides maximum performance and capacity but at a significantly higher cost.
- The "AMD EPYC Equivalent" offers comparable performance to the Intel-based configuration, often at a slightly lower price point. See AMD vs Intel Server Processors for a detailed comparison.
5. Maintenance Considerations
Proper maintenance is crucial for ensuring the long-term reliability and performance of the "Cloud Computing Resources" configuration.
Cooling
- Airflow: Maintain unobstructed airflow around the server chassis. Ensure the data center has adequate cooling capacity.
- Fan Monitoring: Regularly monitor fan speeds and temperatures using the IPMI interface or server management software.
- Dust Removal: Periodically clean dust from fans and heat sinks to prevent overheating. See Server Cooling Best Practices.
- Ambient Temperature: Maintain a data center ambient temperature between 20°C and 25°C (68°F and 77°F).
Power Requirements
- Dedicated Circuit: The server requires a dedicated power circuit with sufficient capacity (at least 30 amps).
- Power Redundancy: Utilize redundant power supplies and power distribution units (PDUs) to ensure continuous operation during power outages. See Power Distribution Units (PDUs).
- Voltage Stability: Ensure a stable voltage supply to prevent hardware damage. Consider using an uninterruptible power supply (UPS).
Storage Maintenance
- RAID Monitoring: Continuously monitor the RAID array for disk failures and rebuild progress.
- SMART Monitoring: Enable SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) on all hard drives and SSDs to proactively identify potential failures. See SMART Monitoring for details.
- Firmware Updates: Keep the RAID controller and drive firmware up to date.
- Regular Backups: Implement a robust backup strategy to protect against data loss. See Data Backup Strategies.
Software Updates
- BIOS/Firmware Updates: Regularly update the server's BIOS and firmware to address security vulnerabilities and improve performance.
- Operating System Updates: Keep the operating system and all installed software up to date with the latest security patches.
- Driver Updates: Update device drivers regularly to ensure optimal compatibility and performance.
Physical Security
- Rack Security: Secure the server rack to prevent unauthorized access.
- Data Center Security: Ensure the data center has adequate physical security measures in place, such as access control, surveillance, and environmental monitoring. See Data Center Security Best Practices.
Remote Management
- IPMI Access: Secure IPMI access with strong passwords and access control lists.
- Remote KVM: Use remote KVM functionality for troubleshooting and maintenance tasks.
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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.* ⚠️