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```mediawiki Template:Server Documentation
Composer Server Configuration - Technical Documentation
The "Composer" server configuration is a high-performance, 2U rackmount server designed for demanding enterprise workloads. This document provides a detailed technical overview of the Composer, covering its specifications, performance, use cases, comparisons, and maintenance requirements.
1. Hardware Specifications
The Composer configuration aims for a balance of compute, memory, and storage performance. It is designed to handle virtualization, database applications, and high-throughput data processing.
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| CPU | Dual Intel Xeon Gold 6338 (32 Cores/64 Threads per CPU, 2.0 GHz Base Frequency, up to 3.4 GHz Turbo Boost) |
| CPU Socket | LGA 4189 |
| Chipset | Intel C621A |
| RAM | 512GB DDR4 ECC Registered 3200MHz (16 x 32GB DIMMs) |
| RAM Slots | 16 x 288-pin DIMM slots |
| Storage - Primary | 2 x 1.92TB NVMe PCIe Gen4 x4 SSD (Intel Optane P5800 series) – RAID 1 |
| Storage - Secondary | 4 x 16TB SAS 12Gb/s 7.2K RPM HDD – RAID 6 (Utilizing a dedicated Hardware RAID Controller - see section 5) |
| Network Interface | Dual 10 Gigabit Ethernet (Intel X710-DA4) with RDMA support |
| Expansion Slots | 2 x PCIe 4.0 x16, 2 x PCIe 4.0 x8 |
| Power Supply | Dual Redundant 1600W 80+ Platinum Hot-Swap Power Supplies |
| RAID Controller | Broadcom MegaRAID SAS 9460-8i (for secondary storage) |
| Management Interface | Integrated IPMI 2.0 with dedicated network port |
| Form Factor | 2U Rackmount |
| Chassis Material | Steel |
| Operating System Support | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8/9, Ubuntu Server 20.04/22.04, VMware ESXi 7.0/8.0, Windows Server 2019/2022 |
Detailed component breakdown:
- CPU: The Intel Xeon Gold 6338 processors provide a substantial core count and high clock speeds, crucial for heavily threaded applications. The AVX-512 instruction set improves performance in scientific computing and data analytics. See CPU Architecture for further information on Intel Xeon processors.
- RAM: 512GB of ECC Registered DDR4 memory ensures data integrity and system stability, critical for mission-critical applications. The 3200MHz speed provides adequate bandwidth for demanding workloads. Consider Memory Technologies for an in-depth look at RAM types.
- Storage - Primary: The NVMe SSDs deliver extremely low latency and high IOPS, ideal for operating system boot drives, database caching, and virtual machine storage. RAID 1 provides redundancy, ensuring data protection in case of drive failure. See Storage Technologies for a comprehensive overview.
- Storage - Secondary: The SAS HDDs offer high capacity for bulk storage, suitable for data archiving, backups, and less frequently accessed data. RAID 6 provides excellent data protection with the ability to withstand two drive failures.
- Network Interface: Dual 10GbE interfaces with RDMA (Remote Direct Memory Access) enable high-speed networking and reduced CPU overhead for network-intensive applications. RDMA is especially beneficial for clustered applications. Refer to Networking Fundamentals for more details.
- Power Supply: Redundant 1600W power supplies ensure high availability and prevent downtime in case of power supply failure. The 80+ Platinum certification guarantees high energy efficiency. See Power Supply Units for more information.
- RAID Controller: The Broadcom MegaRAID controller provides hardware-based RAID functionality, offloading processing from the CPU and improving storage performance. It supports various RAID levels for data protection and performance optimization.
2. Performance Characteristics
The Composer server configuration delivers robust performance across a wide range of workloads. The following benchmark results are indicative of its capabilities. All benchmarks were conducted in a controlled environment with identical software versions.
| Benchmark | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SPEC CPU2017 (Rate) | 220 (approximate) | Represents overall CPU performance. |
| SPEC CPU2017 (Int) | 250 (approximate) | Integer performance benchmark. |
| SPEC CPU2017 (FP) | 190 (approximate) | Floating-point performance benchmark. |
| IOmeter (Sequential Read) | 10 GB/s (approximate) | Measured on the primary NVMe RAID 1 array. |
| IOmeter (Sequential Write) | 8 GB/s (approximate) | Measured on the primary NVMe RAID 1 array. |
| IOmeter (Random Read – 4KB) | 500k IOPS (approximate) | Measured on the primary NVMe RAID 1 array. |
| IOmeter (Random Write – 4KB) | 400k IOPS (approximate) | Measured on the primary NVMe RAID 1 array. |
| HammerDB (TPC-C) | 150,000 TPM (approximate) | Database benchmark simulating a complex order-entry environment. |
Real-World Performance:
- Virtualization (VMware ESXi): The Composer configuration can comfortably host 30-40 virtual machines, depending on the resource requirements of each VM. Hypervisor overhead is minimal due to the powerful CPUs and ample RAM.
- Database (PostgreSQL): Achieves excellent performance with large datasets, handling complex queries and high transaction rates. The NVMe storage significantly reduces database latency.
- Data Analytics (Spark): The high core count and large memory capacity enable efficient parallel processing of large datasets in Spark clusters.
- Web Serving (Apache/NGINX): Capable of handling a high volume of concurrent requests with low latency. The 10GbE network interfaces ensure fast content delivery.
Detailed performance analysis reports are available on the Performance Monitoring internal wiki page.
3. Recommended Use Cases
The Composer server configuration is well-suited for the following applications:
- Virtualization Host: Ideal for hosting virtual machines, providing a scalable and flexible infrastructure.
- Database Server: Excellent for running demanding database applications such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, and Microsoft SQL Server.
- Data Analytics Platform: Suitable for running data analytics tools like Apache Spark, Hadoop, and Tableau.
- High-Performance Computing (HPC): Can be used for scientific simulations, financial modeling, and other computationally intensive tasks.
- Web Application Server: Capable of handling high traffic web applications and delivering fast response times.
- Video Encoding/Transcoding: The powerful CPUs and ample RAM accelerate video processing tasks.
- Large-Scale File Server: The combination of high-capacity HDDs and fast networking provides a robust file storage solution.
Consult the Application Compatibility Matrix for a detailed list of supported applications and configurations.
4. Comparison with Similar Configurations
The Composer configuration competes with other high-performance server options. The following table compares it to two alternative configurations: the "Explorer" (a slightly lower-cost option) and the "Titan" (a higher-end option).
| Feature | Composer | Explorer | Titan |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Dual Intel Xeon Gold 6338 | Dual Intel Xeon Silver 4310 | Dual Intel Xeon Platinum 8380 |
| RAM | 512GB DDR4 3200MHz | 256GB DDR4 3200MHz | 1TB DDR4 3200MHz |
| Primary Storage | 2 x 1.92TB NVMe PCIe Gen4 x4 SSD (RAID 1) | 2 x 960GB NVMe PCIe Gen3 x4 SSD (RAID 1) | 4 x 3.84TB NVMe PCIe Gen4 x4 SSD (RAID 10) |
| Secondary Storage | 4 x 16TB SAS 12Gb/s HDD (RAID 6) | 4 x 12TB SAS 12Gb/s HDD (RAID 6) | 8 x 18TB SAS 12Gb/s HDD (RAID 6) |
| Network Interface | Dual 10GbE | Dual 1GbE | Dual 25GbE |
| Power Supply | Dual 1600W Platinum | Dual 1100W Platinum | Dual 2000W Platinum |
| Price (approximate) | $25,000 | $18,000 | $35,000 |
Analysis:
- Explorer: Offers a more affordable entry point for demanding workloads but sacrifices some performance and capacity. Suitable for smaller-scale virtualization or database deployments.
- Titan: Provides maximum performance and capacity for the most demanding applications. Appropriate for large-scale virtualization, high-transaction databases, and HPC clusters.
- Composer: Strikes a balance between performance, capacity, and cost, making it a versatile choice for a wide range of enterprise applications. It offers significant performance improvements over the Explorer while remaining more cost-effective than the Titan. See Server Selection Guide for a detailed decision-making process.
5. Maintenance Considerations
Maintaining the Composer server configuration requires attention to cooling, power, and hardware monitoring.
- Cooling: The server requires a well-ventilated data center environment. Ensure adequate airflow around the server chassis. Consider using a Data Center Cooling Solutions strategy to maintain optimal temperatures. The server’s fans are hot-swappable.
- Power Requirements: The dual redundant power supplies require a dedicated power circuit with sufficient capacity (at least 30 amps at 208V or 20 amps at 120V). Ensure proper grounding to prevent electrical hazards. Refer to Power Distribution Units (PDUs) for best practices.
- Firmware Updates: Regularly update the server’s firmware (BIOS, RAID controller, network interface) to ensure optimal performance, stability, and security. See Firmware Management for detailed procedures.
- Hardware Monitoring: Utilize the integrated IPMI interface and server management software to monitor system health, temperature, fan speeds, and power consumption. Configure alerts to notify administrators of potential issues. Review Server Health Monitoring protocols.
- RAID Maintenance: Periodically check the status of the RAID array and replace any failing drives promptly. Maintain regular backups to prevent data loss. Consult the RAID Configuration and Management documentation.
- Dust Control: Regularly clean the server’s internal components to prevent dust buildup, which can impede airflow and cause overheating. Use compressed air and antistatic precautions. Follow the Data Center Cleaning Procedures.
- Log Analysis: Regularly review system logs for errors and warnings. Use log analysis tools to identify potential issues and proactively address them. See Server Log Management.
- Preventative Maintenance Schedule: Implement a preventative maintenance schedule to ensure the long-term reliability of the server. This should include regular inspections, cleaning, and component testing. Refer to the Preventative Maintenance Checklist.
Regularly consult the Troubleshooting Guide for common issues and resolutions.
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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.* ⚠️