Probably not to find now such a PC user who would not hear about the servers. Many people roughly know what it is. But little and mostly narrow specialists speak of their internal structure. This article will discuss server processors. Why are they needed, what are they and how do they differ.
Server Processor Features
Since the server is a system that constantly operates with large flows of data, the load on the hardware can sometimes be enormous. Simple processor solutions for home use will not work here. There are special server processors for this. They are able to solve several tasks typical of this area:
- large data management;
- ability to work with several different tasks at the same time;
- stability of continuous operation;
- resistance to errors and failures.
Technical side
Since the load on such systems is several times greater, many physical parameters should be significantly higher than household analogues.
Server processors are usually equipped with a large number of processing cores. For example, their number can reach 12, although for stationary versions it rarely exceeds 8.
Sometimes on servers a system with several processors connected simultaneously can be used. That is, each of them must be able to work together, without any glitches or “glitches”.
Technically, the server processor must be able to support and work with a large amount of memory. This is very true for powerful stations.
In general, looking at the server processor in isolation from the entire system is a bit wrong. The performance will be affected by all the hardware as a whole. Properly selected motherboard, high-speed hard drives, fault-tolerant large-capacity RAM.
Product Overview
As you know, in the world there are only two large manufacturers that can provide both domestic and server solutions. These are AMD and INTEL. Let's take a closer look at their devices.
AMD Opteron
It is under this brand that AMD server processors are manufactured. At the moment, they are presented in three groups, depending on the architecture and scope of application:
- X86. Standard solution for most tasks.
- X-series. The so-called hybrid configuration.
- ARM. New to the AMD server processor market.
AMD Opteron 6300 Series
The core server processor is able to work effectively in almost any configuration. It carries 16 computing cores, which, in fact, provide good performance. The total third level cache is 16 MB. The processor clock speed reaches 2.8 GHz, and in Turbo Core mode - 3.5 GHz.
Against the background of low prices, this product is great for creating cloud servers.
AMD Opteron A1100
This solution is a development on the "System on a Chip" technology. The architecture used is ARM. In the series there are varieties of 4 and 8 nuclear processors.
The flagship of the whole family was SoC A 1170 with a frequency of 2 GHz and with 8 cores.
AMD Opteron X2150
This is the first representative of server processors with a hybrid architecture. That is, both the main processor and the graphic one can act as a source of performance. This model has 4 cores with 1.9 GHz and a 2 MB L2 cache.
Such a solution can be used in small server systems.
Intel processors
Intel's server products include a range of Xeon devices, as well as Atom and Itanium product lines.
Intel Xeon E7 8890 V4
Intel Xeon server processor designed for high network loads and powerful servers. Manufactured using 14 Nm technology.
The processor tirelessly runs as many as 24 cores in 48 threads. Each clock frequency is 2.2 GHz, and with TurboBoost technology up to 3.4 GHz. Cache memory is very large - 60 MB.
DDR4 and DDR3 memory standards are supported. At the same time, its maximum volume, when using the processor, can be up to 3 TB.
E3 1220 V3
The entire line of Intel Xeon E3 processors is positioned as a solution for small servers, cloud workstations and for the Internet.
This representative is assembled using 22 Nm of technology. It has 4 cores on board, working in 4 threads. Their base frequency is 3.1 GHz. If you use Turbo Boost, you can grow up to 3.5 GHz. Processor cache - 8 MB.
Supported memory level DDR3. Its maximum capacity is 32 GB.
Intel Atom C Series
These processors are focused on the creation of microservers, small data warehouses and the Internet. Thus, Intel has created an inexpensive tool aimed at solving typical problems of small and medium networks.
The architecture used in processors is 64-bit. Versions with 2, 4 and 8 cores are available with a maximum frequency of 2.4 GHz.
Judging by the reviews of the first ones who tested this processor, in terms of performance, it is inferior to all Xeon. However, due to low cost, energy consumption and less need for support, it finds its application in certain niches.
Finally
Choosing a server processor is not an easy task. Many parameters have to be taken into account: the simultaneous use of resources, the frequency of circulation, the density of requests, the total amount of data and much more. But if you approach the matter carefully, you can always find the best solution that can cope with the necessary task without overpaying.