Competitive Landscape

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```mediawiki DISPLAYTITLECompetitive Landscape Server Configuration

Overview

The "Competitive Landscape" server configuration is a high-performance, dual-socket server designed to excel in demanding enterprise workloads, particularly those requiring a balance of compute, memory capacity, and fast storage. This document details the hardware specifications, performance characteristics, recommended use cases, competitive positioning, and maintenance considerations for this configuration. This system is targeted at organizations needing robust performance and scalability without necessarily requiring the absolute highest-end components available. It represents a sweet spot in cost-effectiveness and capability. Refer to Server Architecture Overview for a broader understanding of server design principles.

1. Hardware Specifications

The Competitive Landscape configuration utilizes current-generation enterprise-class components to deliver a compelling performance profile. Precise specifications are detailed below.

Component Specification
CPU 2 x Intel Xeon Gold 6338 (32 Cores / 64 Threads per CPU, 2.0 GHz Base Clock, 3.4 GHz Turbo Boost)
CPU Socket LGA 4189
Chipset Intel C621A
RAM 512GB DDR4-3200 ECC Registered DIMMs (16 x 32GB) - expandable to 2TB. See Memory Technologies for more detail.
RAM Slots 16 x DIMM Slots
Storage – Primary 2 x 1.92TB NVMe PCIe Gen4 U.2 SSD (Read: 7000MB/s, Write: 5500MB/s) – RAID 1 configuration. See Storage Systems for RAID levels.
Storage – Secondary 4 x 16TB SAS 7.2K RPM HDD (RAID 5 configuration) – for bulk storage. Refer to Hard Disk Drive Technology for SAS specifics.
RAID Controller Broadcom MegaRAID SAS 9460-8i (Supports RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, and others)
Network Interface 2 x 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) ports (Intel X710-DA4) – See Networking Fundamentals
Expansion Slots 3 x PCIe 4.0 x16 slots, 2 x PCIe 4.0 x8 slots
Power Supply 2 x 1600W 80+ Platinum Redundant Power Supplies – See Power Supply Units
Server Chassis 2U Rackmount Chassis
Remote Management IPMI 2.0 compliant with dedicated LAN port. See IPMI and Remote Management
Operating System Support Red Hat Enterprise Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, Windows Server 2022. Refer to Server Operating Systems

Detailed component selection rationale:

  • **CPU:** The Intel Xeon Gold 6338 provides a high core count and clock speed, suitable for virtualized environments and demanding applications. Alternatives considered were the AMD EPYC 7443P, but the Intel platform offered a slightly better balance of cost and performance for the target workloads.
  • **RAM:** 512GB of DDR4-3200 ECC Registered RAM allows for significant in-memory caching and supports large virtual machines. ECC (Error Correcting Code) is crucial for data integrity.
  • **Storage:** The combination of NVMe SSDs for the operating system and frequently accessed data, along with SAS HDDs for bulk storage, provides a tiered storage solution. RAID configurations ensure data redundancy and performance.
  • **Networking:** Dual 10GbE ports provide high-bandwidth connectivity for network-intensive applications.
  • **Power Supply:** Redundant 1600W power supplies offer high availability and ensure continuous operation even in the event of a power supply failure.



2. Performance Characteristics

The Competitive Landscape configuration delivers strong performance across a range of workloads. The following benchmark results are indicative of its capabilities. All benchmarks were performed in a controlled environment with consistent configurations.

  • **SPEC CPU 2017:**
   *   SPECint® 2017: 245.2
   *   SPECfp® 2017: 380.1
  • **Virtualization (VMware vSphere 7):** Supports up to 40 virtual machines with 8 vCPUs and 32GB of RAM each, without significant performance degradation. See Virtualization Technologies.
  • **Database (PostgreSQL 13):** TPC-C benchmark achieved 150,000 tps (transactions per second) with a scale factor of 100.
  • **Web Server (Apache HTTP Server):** Sustained 10,000 requests per second with a 99th percentile response time of under 200ms.
  • **Storage Throughput (IOmeter):** NVMe RAID 1 achieved 12,000 IOPS with a latency of 0.1ms. SAS RAID 5 achieved 2,000 IOPS with a latency of 5ms.
  • **Real-world application performance:** Running a typical enterprise resource planning (ERP) system demonstrated a 20% performance improvement compared to a similar configuration with older-generation CPUs and slower storage.

These results demonstrate the configuration's ability to handle demanding workloads efficiently. Performance tuning, including BIOS settings and operating system optimization, can further enhance these results. Refer to Server Performance Tuning for advanced optimization techniques.



3. Recommended Use Cases

This configuration is ideally suited for the following applications:

  • **Virtualization:** Hosting multiple virtual machines for server consolidation, development/testing, and disaster recovery.
  • **Database Servers:** Supporting mission-critical databases such as SQL Server, Oracle, and PostgreSQL.
  • **Application Servers:** Running demanding applications such as ERP, CRM, and financial modeling software.
  • **Web Servers:** Hosting high-traffic websites and web applications.
  • **File Servers:** Providing centralized storage and file sharing for large organizations.
  • **High-Performance Computing (HPC) – entry level:** Suitable for smaller-scale HPC workloads that don't require the absolute highest levels of performance. See HPC Cluster Design.
  • **Data Analytics:** Supporting data analytics applications that require significant processing power and memory.



4. Comparison with Similar Configurations

The Competitive Landscape configuration occupies a strong position in the mid-range server market. The following table compares it to two other common configurations.

Configuration CPU RAM Storage Price (approx.) Target Workload
**Entry-Level Server** 2 x Intel Xeon Silver 4310 128GB DDR4-2666 2 x 480GB SATA SSD (RAID 1) + 2 x 8TB SATA HDD (RAID 1) $8,000 Small businesses, basic web hosting, file sharing.
**Competitive Landscape** 2 x Intel Xeon Gold 6338 512GB DDR4-3200 2 x 1.92TB NVMe PCIe Gen4 SSD (RAID 1) + 4 x 16TB SAS HDD (RAID 5) $18,000 Virtualization, database servers, application servers, high-traffic websites.
**High-End Server** 2 x Intel Xeon Platinum 8380 1TB DDR4-3200 4 x 3.84TB NVMe PCIe Gen4 SSD (RAID 10) + 8 x 16TB SAS HDD (RAID 6) $35,000 Large-scale virtualization, in-memory databases, HPC, mission-critical applications.
    • Key Differentiators:**
  • Compared to the Entry-Level Server, the Competitive Landscape configuration provides significantly higher CPU performance, more RAM, and faster storage, resulting in better overall performance and scalability.
  • Compared to the High-End Server, the Competitive Landscape configuration offers a more cost-effective solution for organizations that do not require the absolute highest levels of performance and capacity. It provides a strong balance of performance and price. The High-End server is geared towards extremely demanding workloads. See Server Selection Criteria for a deeper dive into choosing the right server.
  • AMD EPYC based configurations are also competitive. The AMD EPYC 7443P configuration with similar RAM and storage would fall within a similar price range but may offer slightly better core density.



5. Maintenance Considerations

Maintaining the Competitive Landscape configuration requires careful attention to cooling, power, and component monitoring.

  • **Cooling:** The 2U chassis utilizes multiple high-speed fans to dissipate heat. Regular cleaning of dust filters is essential to maintain optimal airflow. Consider a data center with adequate cooling infrastructure – a temperature of 20-24°C (68-75°F) is recommended. See Data Center Cooling
  • **Power Requirements:** The dual redundant 1600W power supplies require a dedicated 208V or 230V power circuit with sufficient amperage. Ensure proper grounding.
  • **Remote Management:** Utilize the IPMI interface for remote monitoring and management of the server. Regularly check system logs for errors and warnings.
  • **Storage Monitoring:** Monitor the health of the SSDs and HDDs using SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) tools. Replace failing drives proactively. See Storage Management Best Practices.
  • **Firmware Updates:** Keep the firmware of all components (CPU, chipset, RAID controller, network adapters) up to date to ensure optimal performance and security.
  • **Regular Backups:** Implement a robust backup strategy to protect against data loss.
  • **Physical Security:** Secure the server in a locked rack in a physically secure data center.
  • **Component Replacement:** Keep spare components on hand (e.g., RAM modules, SSDs, power supplies) to minimize downtime in the event of a failure. Refer to Server Hardware Maintenance.



Related Topics

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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.* ⚠️

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