Creating Value

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Creating Value: A Technical Deep Dive into a High-Performance Server Configuration

This document details the “Creating Value” server configuration, a system designed to deliver a robust balance of compute, memory, and storage performance for demanding enterprise workloads. This configuration is geared towards applications requiring significant processing power and large data handling capabilities, such as virtualization, database management, and high-performance computing. This document will cover hardware specifications, performance characteristics, recommended use cases, comparisons with similar configurations, and maintenance considerations.

1. Hardware Specifications

The “Creating Value” configuration is built around a 2U rack-mount server chassis, optimized for density and performance. All components are enterprise-grade, selected for reliability and longevity.

Component Specification Details
Chassis 2U Rackmount Standard 19” rackmount form factor, black finish, robust steel construction. Supports hot-swappable components.
See Server Chassis Types for more information.
CPU Dual Intel Xeon Gold 6338 32 Cores / 64 Threads per CPU, 2.0 GHz Base Frequency, 3.4 GHz Turbo Boost Frequency.
Supports Intel AVX-512 instruction set. Total core count: 64.
CPU Socket LGA 4189 Compatible with 3rd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable Processors.
Refer to CPU Socket Compatibility for details.
Chipset Intel C621A Supports advanced I/O features and multiple PCIe lanes.
Learn more about Server Chipsets.
Memory (RAM) 256GB DDR4-3200 ECC Registered 8 x 32GB DIMMs. Utilizes 8 memory channels for optimal bandwidth.
ECC Registered memory provides enhanced data integrity. See RAM Types and Technologies for information.
Storage – Primary (OS/Applications) 2 x 1TB NVMe PCIe Gen4 SSD Samsung PM1733 Series. Sequential Read: 7,000 MB/s, Sequential Write: 4,000 MB/s.
Configured in RAID 1 for redundancy.
Details on NVMe SSD Technology.
Storage – Secondary (Data) 8 x 8TB SAS 12Gb/s 7.2K RPM HDD Seagate Exos X16. Configured in RAID 6 for data protection and capacity.
Scalable to larger capacities.
See RAID Levels Explained.
RAID Controller Broadcom MegaRAID SAS 9460-8i Hardware RAID controller supporting RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, and more.
Includes 8GB of non-volatile cache.
Explore RAID Controller Options.
Network Interface Cards (NICs) 2 x 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) Intel X710-DA4. Supports iSCSI and RDMA over Converged Ethernet (RoCE).
See Server Networking Technologies.
Network Interface Cards (NICs) - Management 1 x Gigabit Ethernet Dedicated management port for remote access and out-of-band management.
Power Supply Units (PSUs) 2 x 1100W 80+ Platinum Redundant power supplies for high availability.
Supports wide input voltage range. See Server Power Supplies.
Remote Management IPMI 2.0 Compliant BMC Integrated Platform Management Interface for remote server management.
Includes remote console access, power control, and sensor monitoring.
Details on IPMI and Remote Server Management.
Operating System Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.x (Optional) Can be configured with other supported operating systems (VMware ESXi, Windows Server).
See Server Operating System Compatibility.

2. Performance Characteristics

The “Creating Value” configuration is designed for high performance across a variety of workloads. The following benchmark results demonstrate its capabilities:

  • **SPEC CPU 2017:**
   * SPECint®2017 Rate: 245.2
   * SPECfp®2017 Rate: 380.5
   * These scores indicate excellent integer and floating-point performance.  
Learn about SPEC CPU Benchmarks.
  • **PassMark PerformanceTest 10:**
   * Overall Score: 18,500
   * CPU Mark: 15,200
   * Memory Mark: 12,800
   * Disk Mark: 8,500
  • **IOMeter (NVMe RAID 1):**
   * Sequential Read: 13,500 MB/s
   * Sequential Write: 7,000 MB/s
   * IOPS (4KB Read): 650,000
   * IOPS (4KB Write): 300,000
  • **Database Performance (PostgreSQL):**
   * Transactions Per Second (TPS) - Read Heavy: 150,000
   * Transactions Per Second (TPS) - Write Heavy: 80,000
    • Real-World Performance:**

In virtualized environments (VMware vSphere 7.x), this configuration can comfortably support 30-40 virtual machines, each with 4-8 vCPUs and 16-32GB of RAM, depending on the workload. Database performance is excellent, demonstrating low latency and high throughput for both read and write operations. The fast NVMe storage significantly reduces database query times. For High-Performance Computing (HPC) applications, the dual CPUs and high memory bandwidth provide excellent results in parallel processing tasks. The 10GbE network interfaces ensure rapid data transfer rates for network-intensive applications.
See Virtualization Performance Considerations for more details.

3. Recommended Use Cases

The “Creating Value” configuration is ideally suited for the following applications:

  • **Virtualization:** Hosting a medium to large number of virtual machines for various applications and services. The high core count and large memory capacity are crucial for efficient virtualization.
  • **Database Management:** Running demanding database applications like Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL, and MySQL. The fast storage and ample memory ensure excellent database performance.
  • **High-Performance Computing (HPC):** Running computationally intensive applications such as scientific simulations, financial modeling, and data analytics.
  • **Application Servers:** Hosting mission-critical applications that require high availability and performance.
  • **Big Data Analytics:** Processing and analyzing large datasets using tools like Hadoop and Spark.
  • **Video Encoding/Transcoding:** Handling video processing tasks with high throughput and low latency.
    Explore Server Use Case Scenarios.
  • **VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure):** Supporting a moderate number of virtual desktops with a responsive user experience.

4. Comparison with Similar Configurations

The “Creating Value” configuration occupies a sweet spot in terms of price and performance. Here’s a comparison with other server configurations:

Configuration CPU RAM Storage Network Approximate Cost Use Cases
**Entry-Level (Budget)** Dual Intel Xeon Silver 4310 64GB DDR4-2666 2 x 500GB SATA SSD (RAID 1) 1GbE $5,000 - $7,000 Web servers, small databases, file servers.
**Creating Value (Balanced)** Dual Intel Xeon Gold 6338 256GB DDR4-3200 2 x 1TB NVMe SSD (RAID 1) + 8 x 8TB SAS HDD (RAID 6) 10GbE $12,000 - $15,000 Virtualization, database servers, HPC, application servers.
**High-End (Premium)** Dual Intel Xeon Platinum 8380 512GB DDR4-3200 4 x 2TB NVMe SSD (RAID 10) + 12 x 16TB SAS HDD (RAID 6) 25GbE / 40GbE $25,000 - $35,000+ Large-scale virtualization, mission-critical databases, large-scale HPC.

Compared to the Entry-Level configuration, “Creating Value” provides significantly higher CPU performance, more memory, and faster storage, resulting in a substantial improvement in overall performance. While the High-End configuration offers even greater performance, it comes at a significantly higher cost. “Creating Value” provides the best price-to-performance ratio for most enterprise workloads.
See Server Configuration Cost Analysis for more detailed pricing information.

5. Maintenance Considerations

Maintaining the “Creating Value” configuration requires careful attention to cooling, power, and component monitoring.

  • **Cooling:** The server generates a significant amount of heat due to the high-performance CPUs. Proper airflow within the server rack is crucial. Ensure adequate rack cooling and consider using blanking panels to prevent hot air recirculation.
    Refer to Server Cooling Best Practices. Regularly check fan speeds and replace any failing fans promptly.
  • **Power Requirements:** The dual 1100W power supplies provide redundancy but also require sufficient power capacity from the power distribution unit (PDU). Ensure the PDU has enough available power and is properly grounded.
    See Server Power Management.
  • **Storage Monitoring:** Regularly monitor the health of the SSDs and HDDs using SMART monitoring tools. Proactively replace failing drives to prevent data loss.
    Learn about Storage Health Monitoring.
  • **RAID Management:** Monitor the RAID array status and ensure that rebuilds are completed promptly in case of a drive failure.
  • **Firmware Updates:** Keep the server firmware (BIOS, RAID controller, NICs) up to date to ensure optimal performance and security.
    Explore Server Firmware Management.
  • **Remote Management:** Utilize the IPMI interface for remote monitoring and management. Configure alerts to notify administrators of potential issues.
  • **Dust Control:** Regularly clean the server chassis to remove dust buildup, which can impede airflow and cause overheating.
  • **Log Analysis:** Regularly review system logs for any errors or warnings. This can help identify potential problems before they become critical.
  • **Physical Security:** Ensure the server is physically secure and protected from unauthorized access.


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.* ⚠️