Intel has revamped its Xeon server processor family with a
family of chips designed to tackle the environmental impact of
datacentre computing.
The
5500 series chip family, previously codenamed "Nehalem-EP,"
automatically adjusts to specified energy usage levels. Intel said
the processor offers automated energy efficiency enhancements,
providing users with greater control of their energy expenditures.
The processor's idle power level is now 10 watts, which Intel
claims is 50% lower compared to the previous generation. Intel said
it has developed integrated power gates, based on the company's
high-k metal gate technology, to allow idle processor cores to
power down independently.
The Intel Xeon processor 5500 series also takes intelligent
power to a new level with up to 15 automated operating states.
These create significant improvements in chip power management by
adjusting system power consumption based on real-time throughput,
without sacrificing performance.
Intel said the processor includes Turbo Boost Technology, Intel
Hyper-Threading Technology and integrated power gates, which will
boost the performance of Xeon based servers.
Servers using the Xeon 5500 have seen a boost in performance,
according to Intel. Fujitsu's PRIMERGY server platforms set records
for SPECint_rate_base2006 and SPECfp_rate_base2006 with scores of
240 and 194, respectively. The HP ProLiant DL370 G6 server, on the
TPC-C benchmark, broke the previous record with a score of 631,766
tpmC using the Oracle 11g database. Using the SAP-SD benchmark, the
IBM System x 3650 M2 server set a record with a score of 5100 SD
users.