654764-B21 HPE 2.00GHz Socket LGA2011 E5-2630L 6-Core Processor

HPE 654764-B21 — Intel Xeon E5-2630L Processor Kit for ProLiant DL360p Gen8

Optimize your HPE ProLiant DL360p Gen8 servers with the HPE 654764-B21 — a factory-grade Intel Xeon E5-2630L six-core processor kit engineered for energy-efficient, reliable compute. This microprocessor delivers balanced multi-threaded performance, low thermal output, and enterprise-class features suitable for virtualization, database workloads, and rack-mounted compute clusters.

Key Features & Overview

Processor Identity

• Model: Intel Xeon E5-2630L (HPE 654764-B21)
• Product Line: Xeon
• Product Series: E5-2630L
• Product Type: Microprocessor / CPU
• OEM Manufacturer: Intel (HPE-branded kit)

Core Performance

• Cores / Threads: Hexa-core (6 cores)
• Base Clock Speed: 2.00 GHz
• QuickPath Interconnect (QPI): 7.20 GT/s
• L3 Cache: 15 MB cache — accelerates multi-threaded tasks and database queries

Manufacturing & Process

• Process Node: 32 nm lithography
• Socket Compatibility: Socket FCLGA2011 (LGA 2011 family)

Thermal, Power & Reliability

Power and Thermal Specifications

• TDP (Thermal Design Power): 95 Watts — designed for efficient rack server operation
• Thermal Threshold: 77.4 °C thermal specification for safe operating headroom

Enterprise-Grade Resilience

• Built to HPE quality standards for server-class durability
• Validated for sustained operation under heavy multi-threaded loads
• Ideal for 24/7 datacenter and colocation environments

Compatibility & Use Cases

Supported Servers

• Primary Compatibility: HPE ProLiant DL360p Gen8
• Also compatible with other systems that accept Socket FCLGA2011 CPUs and support the Intel E5-2600 series, subject to BIOS/firmware validation

Recommended Workloads

• Virtualization (hypervisor hosts with moderate VM density)
• Web and application servers requiring consistent thread-level performance
• Light-to-medium database instances and caching services
• Compute clusters and scale-out architectures prioritizing power efficiency

Performance Characteristics

Balanced Multi-Core Throughput

The E5-2630L provides a balanced mix of per-core speed and multi-core scalability. With six physical cores and a substantial 15 MB L3 cache, it accelerates concurrent workloads and minimizes latency in memory-sensitive applications.

Energy-Efficient Design

The “L” designation highlights low-power tuning; this processor is optimized to deliver lower power consumption while preserving usable throughput — helpful for dense rack deployments and environments where cooling and power budget are constrained.

Performance Benefits Include:

• Lower operational cost via reduced power draw compared to higher-TDP CPUs
• Improved thermal headroom for sustained burst workloads
• Strong cache-to-core ratio for better multi-threaded responsiveness

HPE 654764-B21 — product overview and technical profile

The HPE 654764-B21 is an Intel® Xeon® E5-2630L processor kit designed for ProLiant DL360p Gen8 servers. It features a 2.00 GHz base clock, 7.20 GT/s QPI interconnect, 15 MB L3 cache, and a Socket FCLGA2011 interface. This hexa-core (6-core) CPU is engineered for energy-efficient, high-density rack deployments where balanced throughput, low power draw, and enterprise-class reliability are required. The kit format typically includes the CPU and any HPE-specific thermal interface or retention components necessary for correct installation in Gen8 systems.

Performance characteristics and architectural highlights

The E5-2630L sits in Intel's Sandy Bridge-EP (E5-2600 v1) generation and provides a strong balance of multi-threaded performance and energy efficiency. With six physical cores and Hyper-Threading support (where enabled by platform firmware), the processor is capable of handling parallelized workloads found in virtualization, web/application hosting, and distributed compute tasks. The 15 MB L3 cache improves data locality for threaded applications, reducing memory accesses and improving throughput for database and in-memory operations.

Typical workloads and ideal use cases

This processor is particularly well-suited for a number of practical deployments:

• Virtualization hosts — consolidating moderate numbers of virtual machines where per-VM performance is important but power per socket must be controlled.
• Web and application servers — serving multi-threaded application stacks (Java, .NET, PHP) with predictable performance.
• Light to medium databases — OLTP/analytics workloads that benefit from a decent L3 cache and multiple cores without requiring the highest turbo frequencies.
• Edge and branch servers — remote sites where power and cooling are constrained but enterprise management is required.
• Batch processing and distributed compute nodes — where throughput across many cores matters more than peak single-threaded frequency.

Scalability and dual-socket considerations

When deployed in dual-socket DL360p Gen8 systems, two E5-2630L CPUs provide up to 12 physical cores (24 threads with Hyper-Threading) and an expanded memory footprint. This configuration is useful when workloads require additional aggregate core counts and memory channels. System administrators should ensure BIOS and HPE iLO firmware are updated to the versions recommended by HPE to guarantee proper QPI negotiation and power management between sockets.

Compatibility, firmware, and HPE-specific considerations

Despite Intel's reference platform compatibility, the HPE 654764-B21 is sold as a kit with HPE validation for ProLiant Gen8 hardware. Important compatibility notes include:

• Confirm DL360p Gen8 server model (and CPU socket variant) before purchase.
• Verify that server BIOS/firmware levels support the E5-2600 v1 family — HPE release notes and Service Pack for ProLiant (SPP) documentation specify supported CPUs and required firmware versions.
• HPE may provide additional thermal solution or pre-applied TIM (thermal interface material) in kit format; ensure proper seating and TIM integrity when replacing CPUs.

BIOS settings and recommended firmware updates

• Enable or disable Hyper-Threading based on workload characteristics and licensing considerations.
• Use HPE SmartPower or integrated power management features to fine-tune performance vs. energy policies.
• Install the latest HPE SPP that matches the server’s generation to ensure microcode updates and platform stability.

Comparisons and purchase decision guidance

When choosing a CPU SKU for Gen8 servers, consider the following axes to compare the E5-2630L against alternatives:

• Performance vs. price: Full-power E5 variants often provide higher clock speeds and cache but at greater power cost. The 2630L offers a middle ground for cost-sensitive, high-density deployments.
• Core count: If workload parallelism scales with core count, evaluate higher core-count SKUs; if single-thread speed is critical, look to higher base/turbo frequencies.
• Thermal and power budget: Where power/cooling budgets are tight or rack density is paramount, L-series processors reduce overhead.
• Future-proofing: For longer lifecycle use, document availability of spare parts and consider total cost of ownership, factoring in energy and cooling savings.

Cost of ownership considerations

Total cost of ownership (TCO) is impacted by acquisition cost, power consumption, cooling infrastructure, and maintenance. The HPE 654764-B21’s lower energy draw reduces operational expenses (OpEx) across a multi-year lifecycle, often offsetting a modest price premium compared to generic or non-HPE-branded chips. When calculating TCO, include:

• Server idle and peak power draw differences
• Cooling cost per kilowatt-hour in your data center region
• Maintenance windows and expected MTTR (mean time to repair)
• Firmware and support subscription costs if applicable

Integration with virtualization and orchestration platforms

In modern infrastructures the CPU is often one part of a larger orchestration stack. The E5-2630L integrates well with virtualization platforms (VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, KVM) and container orchestration systems (Kubernetes) when used inside HPE platforms. Best practices include:

• Right-sizing VMs to CPU core/thread counts to avoid oversubscription that degrades latency-sensitive applications.
• Using CPU affinity and NUMA-aware scheduling for memory-sensitive workloads to align with the platform’s memory channel topology.
• Collecting telemetry on CPU steal, wait, and run queues to tune scheduler and instance sizes.