Connected Enterprise
Template:DISPLAYTITLE=Connected Enterprise Server Configuration - Technical Documentation
Connected Enterprise Server Configuration - Technical Documentation
This document provides a comprehensive technical overview of the "Connected Enterprise" server configuration, designed for demanding enterprise workloads. It details hardware specifications, performance characteristics, recommended use cases, comparisons to similar configurations, and essential maintenance considerations. This configuration is targeted at organizations requiring high availability, scalability, and robust performance for critical applications. This document assumes a baseline understanding of server hardware and networking concepts. See Server Hardware Basics for a refresher.
1. Hardware Specifications
The Connected Enterprise configuration is built around a dual-socket server platform prioritizing processing power, memory capacity, and storage performance. The specific components are chosen for their reliability and compatibility. All components are sourced from Tier 1 vendors with established support lifecycles. Detailed specifications are provided below.
| Component | Specification | Details | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Dual Intel Xeon Platinum 8480+ | 56 Cores / 112 Threads per CPU, 3.2 GHz Base Frequency, 4.0 GHz Max Turbo Frequency, 320MB L3 Cache, TDP 350W | Intel |
| Motherboard | Supermicro X13DEI-N6 | Dual Socket LGA 4677, Supports DDR5 ECC Registered Memory, PCIe 5.0 x16 Slots, Dual 10GbE LAN, IPMI 2.0 | Supermicro |
| RAM | 2TB DDR5 ECC Registered | 16 x 128GB DDR5-4800MHz (8 DIMMs per CPU), Buffered, 4096 x 8 Registered DIMMs | Samsung/Micron (Vendor Dependent) |
| Storage – Boot | 480GB NVMe PCIe Gen4 SSD | Read: 7000 MB/s, Write: 5500 MB/s, Endurance: 0.6 DWPD | Samsung 990 Pro |
| Storage – OS/Application | 2 x 3.2TB NVMe PCIe Gen4 SSD (RAID 1) | Read: 7000 MB/s, Write: 6500 MB/s, Endurance: 1.0 DWPD | Western Digital SN850X |
| Storage – Data | 8 x 20TB SAS 12Gb/s 7.2K RPM HDD (RAID 6) | Capacity: 160TB (Usable: ~112TB), Performance: Up to 270 MB/s sequential read/write | Seagate Exos X20 |
| RAID Controller | Broadcom MegaRAID SAS 9600T | PCIe 5.0 x8, 16GB NV Cache, Supports RAID Levels 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, 60 | Broadcom |
| Network Interface | Dual 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) | Intel X710-DA4, Supports iSCSI, RDMA | Intel |
| Power Supply | 2 x 1600W 80+ Titanium Certified | Redundant Power Supplies, Hot-Swappable | Delta Electronics |
| Chassis | 4U Rackmount | Supermicro 846BE1C-R1K28LPB | Supermicro |
| Cooling | Redundant Hot-Swappable Fans | High-efficiency fans with temperature monitoring and automatic speed control | Supermicro |
For a detailed explanation of storage technologies, see Storage Technologies Overview. Understanding the RAID configuration is crucial; refer to RAID Configuration Guide.
2. Performance Characteristics
The Connected Enterprise configuration delivers exceptional performance across a variety of workloads. Performance testing was conducted in a controlled environment with consistent methodology. See Performance Testing Methodology for details.
- CPU Performance: The Intel Xeon Platinum 8480+ processors provide significant processing power. SPEC CPU 2017 benchmark results are as follows:
* SPECint®2017 Rate: 220.5 * SPECfp®2017 Rate: 350.2 * These scores demonstrate excellent performance for both integer and floating-point intensive applications.
- Memory Performance: DDR5-4800MHz memory with ECC provides a substantial bandwidth advantage. Memory bandwidth was measured at 480 GB/s. See DDR5 Memory Technology for more details.
- Storage Performance: The NVMe SSDs deliver high IOPS and low latency. Sequential read/write speeds for the OS/Application RAID 1 array averaged 6800 MB/s and 6200 MB/s respectively. The SAS HDD array delivers consistent performance for large data sets. IOPS testing with IOmeter showed sustained performance of 15,000 IOPS with 8KB blocks.
- Network Performance: The dual 10GbE interfaces provide ample network bandwidth. Throughput testing achieved 19 Gbps sustained throughput.
- Real-World Performance:
* Virtualization (VMware vSphere): Supports up to 100 virtual machines with 8 vCPUs and 64GB of RAM each, with minimal performance degradation. * Database (PostgreSQL): Transaction processing rates of up to 50,000 TPS were achieved with a 100GB database. * High-Performance Computing (HPC): Demonstrated linear scalability up to 80 cores in parallel processing applications. * Data Analytics (Spark): Processing of large datasets (1TB+) completed significantly faster compared to previous-generation hardware.
These performance figures are indicative and can vary based on specific workload characteristics and configuration. Refer to Performance Monitoring Tools for techniques to analyze system performance.
3. Recommended Use Cases
The Connected Enterprise configuration is ideally suited for the following applications:
- Virtualization Infrastructure: Hosting a large number of virtual machines for server consolidation and application isolation.
- Database Systems: Supporting mission-critical databases requiring high IOPS and low latency. Especially beneficial for OLTP (Online Transaction Processing) systems. See Database Server Optimization.
- High-Performance Computing (HPC): Running computationally intensive simulations, modeling, and data analysis tasks.
- Data Analytics Platforms: Processing and analyzing large datasets using tools like Spark, Hadoop, and Tableau.
- Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems: Supporting complex ERP applications requiring high availability and scalability.
- Financial Modeling and Trading Applications: Providing the processing power and low latency needed for real-time financial analysis.
- Large-Scale Web Applications: Hosting high-traffic web applications and services.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML): Training and deploying AI/ML models.
4. Comparison with Similar Configurations
The Connected Enterprise configuration represents a premium offering. Here's a comparison with alternative options:
| Configuration | CPU | RAM | Storage | Network | Price (Approx.) | Ideal Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connected Enterprise | Dual Intel Xeon Platinum 8480+ | 2TB DDR5 ECC Registered | 480GB NVMe (Boot) + 2x3.2TB NVMe (OS/App) + 8x20TB SAS (Data) | Dual 10GbE | $45,000 - $60,000 | Mission-critical applications, large-scale virtualization, HPC, Data Analytics |
| High-Performance Standard | Dual Intel Xeon Gold 6338 | 512GB DDR4 ECC Registered | 2x1TB NVMe (OS/App) + 4x16TB SAS (Data) | Dual 1GbE | $25,000 - $35,000 | Medium-sized virtualization environments, database servers, core business applications |
| Entry-Level Enterprise | Single Intel Xeon Silver 4310 | 256GB DDR4 ECC Registered | 1x512GB NVMe (OS/App) + 2x8TB SAS (Data) | Single 1GbE | $10,000 - $15,000 | Small businesses, web hosting, development/testing environments |
| AMD EPYC Equivalent (Comparable Performance) | Dual AMD EPYC 9654 | 2TB DDR5 ECC Registered | 480GB NVMe (Boot) + 2x3.2TB NVMe (OS/App) + 8x20TB SAS (Data) | Dual 10GbE | $40,000 - $55,000 | Similar to Connected Enterprise, offering competitive performance with AMD's architecture. |
The AMD EPYC equivalent offers comparable performance at a potentially lower price point, depending on vendor and component availability. Selecting between Intel and AMD requires careful consideration of workload characteristics and software compatibility. See Intel vs AMD Server Processors for a detailed comparison. The "High-Performance Standard" configuration provides a good balance of performance and cost for less demanding workloads. The "Entry-Level Enterprise" configuration is suitable for smaller organizations with limited budgets.
5. Maintenance Considerations
Maintaining the Connected Enterprise configuration requires proactive monitoring and regular maintenance to ensure optimal performance and reliability.
- Cooling: The server generates significant heat due to the high-performance CPUs and other components. Proper cooling is essential. Ensure the server room has adequate airflow and cooling capacity. Regularly check fan operation and dust buildup. Consider liquid cooling solutions for even more efficient heat dissipation. See Server Cooling Solutions.
- Power Requirements: The server requires two dedicated 20A, 208V power circuits. Redundant power supplies are essential for high availability. Monitor power consumption and ensure the power infrastructure can handle the load.
- Storage Monitoring: Regularly monitor the health of the storage devices, including SSDs and HDDs. Check for SMART errors and proactively replace failing drives. Implement a robust backup and disaster recovery plan. See Data Backup and Recovery Strategies. RAID array rebuild times can be significant, so plan accordingly.
- Firmware Updates: Keep the server firmware (BIOS, RAID controller, network cards) up to date to benefit from bug fixes, performance improvements, and security patches. Follow vendor recommendations for firmware updates.
- Remote Management: Utilize the IPMI 2.0 interface for remote server management, including power control, monitoring, and troubleshooting.
- Physical Security: Secure the server rack in a locked server room with restricted access.
- Regular Inspections: Conduct regular visual inspections of the server for any signs of damage or component failure.
- Environmental Monitoring: Implement environmental monitoring to track temperature, humidity, and power conditions in the server room.
- Cable Management: Proper cable management is crucial for airflow and ease of maintenance. Use cable ties and labels to keep cables organized.
Adhering to these maintenance considerations will help ensure the long-term reliability and performance of the Connected Enterprise server configuration. Refer to Server Maintenance Best Practices for a comprehensive guide.
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.* ⚠️