654772-B21 HPE 2.00GHz LGA2011 Xeon E5-2650 8-Core Processor.

HPE 654772-B21 2.00GHz 8-Core Processor

Key Specifications of HPE 654772-B21 Xeon Processor

Core Architecture

The HPE 654772-B21 Intel Xeon E5-2650 processor is built on Intel's Sandy Bridge-EP architecture, featuring 8 physical cores that support 16 threads through Intel Hyper-Threading technology. This multi-core design enables efficient parallel processing for demanding server workloads. The processor operates at a base clock frequency of 2.00GHz, providing consistent performance for enterprise applications while maintaining power efficiency. Each core is capable of independent operation, allowing the system to distribute workloads effectively across all available computing resources.

Cache Memory Hierarchy

This processor includes a substantial 20MB of shared L3 cache, which operates at the processor's full speed. The intelligent cache architecture features a inclusive design that ensures data consistency across all cores. The L3 cache is shared dynamically between all eight cores, allowing frequently accessed data to remain readily available without requiring main memory access. This significantly reduces latency for cache hits and improves overall system performance. Additionally, each core has its own dedicated L2 (256KB) and L1 (64KB) caches for ultra-fast access to critical data.

Cache Organization Details

The 20MB L3 cache is organized in a distributed manner across the processor die, with cache slices dedicated to different core groups. This organization minimizes access latency and reduces cross-core communication overhead. The cache implements sophisticated algorithms for data prefetching and replacement, anticipating the processor's needs based on access patterns. The inclusive nature of the L3 cache means it contains all data present in the L2 caches of each core, simplifying cache coherency across the multicore architecture.

Processor Interface

Socket FCLGA2011 Specifications

The HPE 654772-B21 processor utilizes the FCLGA2011 socket (Flip-Chip Land Grid Array 2011), which features 2011 landing contacts for connection to the motherboard. This socket type provides robust mechanical retention and excellent thermal transfer characteristics. The LGA design places the contact pins on the motherboard socket rather than the processor itself, reducing potential damage during installation. The socket includes a reinforced loading mechanism that ensures even pressure distribution across the processor package for reliable operation in server environments.

QPI Interconnect Technology

This processor features Intel QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) technology operating at 8.00GT/s (GigaTransfers per second). QPI replaces the traditional front-side bus architecture with point-to-point connections, providing high-speed communication between processors and between the processor and the chipset. The 8.00GT/s data rate enables a raw bandwidth of up to 25.6GB/s per direction when using the 20-bit wide QPI link. This high-speed interconnect is essential for multi-socket configurations, allowing efficient cache coherency and memory sharing between processors.

QPI Architecture Benefits

The QPI architecture implements a layered protocol similar to networking protocols, with physical, link, and routing layers. This design provides robust error detection and recovery mechanisms, including cyclic redundancy check (CRC) and link-level retry for data integrity. The interconnect supports multiple voltage and frequency operating points, allowing power management while maintaining performance. In multi-socket configurations, QPI enables the creation of glueless multiprocessing systems where processors can directly access each other's memory with low latency.

Memory Controller and Capabilities

Integrated Memory Controller Features

The HPE 654772-B21 includes a fully integrated memory controller supporting DDR3 memory technology. The memory controller supports up to four memory channels, providing significantly higher memory bandwidth compared to previous generations with external memory controllers. Each channel can support one or two DDR3 DIMMs, with official support for up to 1600MHz memory speeds depending on processor configuration and installed memory modules. The integrated design reduces memory access latency by eliminating the northbridge interface required in previous architectures.

Memory Channel Configuration

The four memory channels operate independently, allowing simultaneous memory accesses across different channels. This parallel access capability effectively multiplies the available memory bandwidth. The memory controller supports various memory configurations including 1 DIMM per channel (1DPC) and 2 DIMMs per channel (2DPC), with different speed grades supported for each configuration. The controller implements sophisticated scheduling algorithms that can reorder memory requests to maximize efficiency and minimize idle time on the memory bus.

Supported Memory Technologies

This processor supports DDR3 registered DIMMs (RDIMMs) and load-reduced DIMMs (LRDIMMs) with ECC (Error Correcting Code) functionality. ECC support provides single-bit error correction and multi-bit error detection, crucial for maintaining data integrity in server environments. The memory controller supports memory mirroring, sparing, and memory rank sparing for enhanced reliability. Maximum memory capacity depends on the specific server platform but typically supports up to 768GB or more when using high-density LRDIMM modules.

Power Management and Efficiency

Thermal Design Power Characteristics

The HPE 654772-B21 processor has a Thermal Design Power (TDP) rating of 95 watts, which represents the maximum heat dissipation under worst-case sustained workloads. This TDP rating enables the processor to deliver strong performance while fitting within the power and thermal constraints of 1U and 2U server form factors. The processor incorporates multiple power states that allow it to reduce power consumption during periods of low utilization, contributing to improved energy efficiency in data center environments.

Advanced Power Management States

This processor implements the ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) specification with multiple power states including Package C-states and Core C-states. These states allow different parts of the processor to enter low-power modes when idle, reducing overall power consumption. The processor can dynamically adjust operating frequency and voltage through Intel Turbo Boost Technology and Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology, responding to workload demands while optimizing power efficiency. Power gating technology completely shuts off power to unused cores, minimizing leakage current.

Virtualization and Reliability Features

Hardware Virtualization Technologies

This processor includes Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x) for hardware-assisted virtualization, improving the performance and efficiency of virtualized environments. VT-x reduces the software overhead associated with virtualization by providing hardware support for critical virtualization operations. The technology includes Extended Page Tables (EPT) for hardware-assisted memory virtualization, reducing the cost of memory address translation in virtual machines. These features enable higher virtual machine density and better performance for virtualized workloads.

Virtualization Performance Enhancements

The virtualization implementation includes VT-d (Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O), which provides hardware support for DMA remapping and interrupt redirection. This allows virtual machines to directly access I/O devices with minimal hypervisor involvement, significantly improving I/O performance in virtualized environments. The processor also includes Virtual Processor Identifiers (VPIDs), which tag TLB entries with a virtual machine identifier, reducing TLB flushes during context switches between virtual machines and improving overall virtualization efficiency.

Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability Features

The HPE 654772-B21 incorporates multiple RAS (Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability) features essential for server deployment. These include Machine Check Architecture (MCA) with recovery capabilities for certain types of hardware errors, parity protection on internal buses, and thermal monitoring with automatic throttling. The processor supports memory RAS features including ECC, memory mirroring, and memory sparing. These capabilities minimize system downtime and data corruption in the event of component failures or environmental challenges.

AVX Execution Units

The AVX implementation includes dedicated 256-bit floating-point execution units that can process eight single-precision or four double-precision floating-point operations per cycle. The wider registers and execution units provide substantial performance improvements for vectorizable code without requiring clock frequency increases. The non-destructive source syntax of AVX instructions reduces register pressure and instruction count for many algorithms. The processor also includes the carry-less multiplication instruction (PCLMULQDQ) accelerated by dedicated hardware, beneficial for cryptographic applications.

Compatibility and System Integration

Platform Compatibility Requirements

The HPE 654772-B21 processor is designed for use with HPE ProLiant Gen8 servers and compatible systems using the Intel C600 series chipset. This processor requires a motherboard with the LGA2011 socket and appropriate BIOS support. When used in multi-processor configurations, all processors must have matching stepping and specifications to ensure proper operation. The system BIOS must be updated to a version that supports this specific processor model to ensure all features function correctly and to address any potential compatibility issues.

Multi-Processor

This processor supports glueless dual-processor configurations through the QPI interconnect, enabling efficient symmetric multiprocessing. In dual-processor systems, each processor can directly access the other processor's memory with low latency, creating a uniform memory architecture. The system maintains cache coherency across both processors using the QPI protocol, allowing applications to run efficiently across all available cores without software modifications. For optimal performance in multi-processor configurations, memory should be balanced across both processors' memory controllers.

Performance Characteristics and Benchmarks

Computational Performance Metrics

The HPE 654772-B21 delivers balanced performance across various workload types. For integer workloads, the 8-core design provides substantial computational throughput, while the high memory bandwidth supported by the four-channel memory controller benefits memory-intensive applications. The 20MB shared L3 cache significantly reduces memory latency for workloads with good locality. The processor's base frequency of 2.00GHz provides consistent performance without aggressive thermal throttling, making it suitable for sustained computational workloads in data center environments.

Floating-Point and Vector Performance

With the AVX instruction set and 256-bit floating-point units, this processor delivers strong performance for scientific computing, financial analytics, and media processing applications. The two floating-point units per core can execute up to 16 single-precision or 8 double-precision floating-point operations per cycle when using AVX instructions. The processor includes hardware support for transcendental functions including sine, cosine, and square root, accelerating mathematical computations. The large L3 cache benefits floating-point workloads by keeping large data sets closer to the execution units.

Server Workload Performance

In typical server workloads such as web serving, database operations, and virtualization, the HPE 654772-B21 provides excellent performance per watt. The 8-core/16-thread configuration enables efficient handling of concurrent requests and transactions. The hardware virtualization support reduces virtualization overhead, allowing higher virtual machine density. For I/O intensive workloads, the integrated PCI Express controller provides direct connection to high-speed network and storage controllers, reducing latency compared to architectures that route I/O through a separate chipset.