866526-L21 HPE 2.10GHz Intel Xeon Silver 4110 Octa Core Processor.

Overview: HPE 866526-L21 — Intel Xeon Silver 4110 (2.10GHz, Octa-Core)

The Intel Xeon Silver 4110 is a powerful microprocessor designed to meet the performance demands of business-critical workloads. Belonging to the Xeon Silver product line, this processor delivers efficient multitasking capabilities and reliability for modern data center and enterprise environments.

Product Line and Series

• Product Line: Xeon Silver
• Series: 4110
• Type: Microprocessor
• OEM Manufacturer: Intel

Technical Specifications

This processor offers a balance between energy efficiency and high-performance computing, making it an ideal choice for organizations needing scalable and cost-effective server solutions.

Core and Frequency Details

• Core Count: 8 cores (Octa-Core)
• Base Clock Speed: 2.10 GHz
• Processing Technology: 14 nm lithography

Cache and Performance Boost

• Level 3 Cache: 11 MB, enhancing faster data retrieval
• Optimized cache hierarchy for minimizing latency
• Ensures efficient multitasking under intensive workloads

Socket and Compatibility

The Xeon Silver 4110 is built to fit into modern server infrastructures with compatibility ensured through its standardized socket configuration.

• Socket Type: FCLGA3647
• Supports scalable systems for enterprise deployments
• Seamless integration with Intel’s data center platforms

Power and Thermal Characteristics

The processor maintains an excellent balance between thermal output and performance, ensuring reliability even under sustained workloads.

Energy Efficiency

• Thermal Design Power (TDP): 85 Watts
• Optimized power consumption for data centers
• Engineered for energy-conscious organizations

Thermal Specifications

• Maximum Operating Temperature: 77 °C
• Stable performance across varying server environments
• Ensures durability with proper thermal management

Generation and Architecture

As part of the 2nd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors, the Silver 4110 incorporates innovative architecture to improve overall system performance.

Processor Generation

• Generation: 2nd Gen Xeon Scalable
• Improved core efficiency for enhanced workloads
• Designed for virtualization, cloud, and storage solutions

Architectural Advantages

• Built on a refined 14nm process technology
• Enhanced workload optimization capabilities
• Reliable performance for both small-scale and enterprise-level computing

Key Benefits at a Glance

• High efficiency with 8 physical cores
• Balanced thermal and power performance
• Excellent compatibility with data center infrastructures
• Designed for reliability and multitasking in demanding environments

Key Specifications 

Quick reference for shoppers and IT procurement teams evaluating the HPE 866526-L21 category.

• Processor model: Intel Xeon Silver 4110
• Cores / Threads: 8 cores / 16 threads (Hyper-Threading)
• Base frequency: 2.10 GHz
• Max Turbo Frequency: (platform dependent — refer to HPE server spec sheet)
• Cache: Per-CPU last-level cache (LLC) providing responsive multi-threaded performance
• Memory support: DDR4 ECC RDIMM/LRDIMM support across multiple memory channels
• Socket & compatibility: Intel-compatible server sockets (refer to HPE model compatibility)
• Power / TDP: Data-center oriented TDP optimized for efficiency and thermal management
• Use cases: Virtualization, database workloads, web & application servers, storage controllers

Balanced multi-core performance

With 8 physical cores and Hyper-Threading, the Xeon Silver 4110 handles concurrent threads well, enabling denser virtual machine footprints per socket and better throughput for multi-user applications.

Platform reliability for critical workloads

Built-in Intel reliability features and ECC memory compatibility reduce the likelihood of data corruption — essential for transactional databases, analytics, and persistent storage functions. When deployed in HPE ProLiant or HPE Apollo systems, the HPE 866526-L21 category benefits from vendor-validated firmware, extended lifecycle support, and integrated management tools such as HPE iLO.

Detailed Technical Breakdown

Deep dive into architecture, memory, I/O, and performance considerations for technical buyers and system architects.

CPU architecture and cores

The Silver 4110 uses Intel’s scalable-architecture microarchitecture (dependent on its generation — check HPE product documentation for the exact microarchitecture generation for a specific server SKU). The eight cores provide a strong foundation for parallel workloads while keeping power consumption and thermal output manageable for dense rack deployments.

Hyper-Threading and parallelism

Each core supports two hardware threads via Hyper-Threading, yielding 16 logical processors per socket. This is beneficial for thread-heavy tasks — for example, middleware, web application servers, and threaded database engines.

Cache hierarchy

Ample last-level cache (LLC) minimizes memory latency impacts on compute-heavy workloads. Cache size and behavior contribute significantly to application responsiveness in multi-threaded environments and should be considered when sizing CPU-bound workloads.

Memory support & subsystem

The HPE 866526-L21 configurations typically support multi-channel DDR4 ECC memory (registered and load-reduced DIMMs where supported). Multiple memory channels increase aggregate memory bandwidth which is important for in-memory caching, analytics, and virtualization density.

ECC and data integrity

ECC (Error-Correcting Code) memory capability prevents single-bit errors from corrupting data, a must-have for dependable production systems. HPE-certified memory modules combined with Xeon processor ECC features provide end-to-end data integrity.

I/O, PCIe lanes & expandability

PCI Express lanes provided by the CPU and platform chipset allow for flexible expansion: NVMe storage adapters, high-speed NICs, HBAs, and accelerators. When planning an HPE 866526-L21 system, account for required PCIe lanes per device to ensure expected throughput and low latency for storage and networking.

Power, thermal design & density

The Silver 4110 strikes a balance between performance and thermal efficiency, making it suitable for high-density rack environments where power and cooling costs are a major concern. HPE systems that carry the 866526-L21 SKU are engineered to maintain thermals and fan curves for reliable 24/7 operations.

Performance Considerations & Real-World Use Cases

Understanding the workloads where the HPE 866526-L21 shines will help planners get the most value. Below are common deployment scenarios and what to expect from the platform.

Virtualization and consolidation

The thread count and memory bandwidth make the Xeon Silver 4110 well-suited to host multiple virtual machines or containers. Smaller cloud providers and internal IT shops often use this class of processor to consolidate multiple moderately sized VMs per socket while keeping licensing costs manageable.

Application servers and mid-tier services

Java application servers, .NET backends, and microservice clusters benefit from consistent multi-core throughput. The Silver 4110 provides predictable performance for transactional processing, API layers, and middleware services that are sensitive to both compute and memory latency.

Database workloads

While high-end analytics and very large in-memory databases may require higher core counts or faster single-core turbo frequencies, the Xeon Silver 4110 is an excellent fit for OLTP databases, read-heavy workloads, or as nodes in distributed database clusters where balanced performance and reliability are important.

Edge & remote office deployments

The energy-efficient profile and robust feature set make HPE 866526-L21 systems suitable for edge data centers and remote office infrastructure handling local caching, content delivery, and branch-office services.

Compatibility & HPE Server Ecosystem

HPE assigns the 866526-L21 part number to server SKUs, validated bundles, or spare parts lists that include the Xeon Silver 4110 processors. Compatibility across HPE ProLiant models — including rack and tower servers — ensures you can select the right chassis, storage backplane, and management configuration for your environment.

HPE ProLiant model pairings

When evaluating servers, confirm that BIOS, firmware, and HPE iLO versions are matched to recommended levels for the Xeon Silver 4110 to avoid firmware-level incompatibilities. HPE's configuration guides list validated memory, PSU, and storage options for each server model and CPU SKU.

Firmware, management & lifecycle support

HPE systems that include the 866526-L21 typically integrate HPE iLO for remote management, HPE OneView for orchestration, and validated firmware bundles that improve stability, diagnostics, and security over the server lifecycle. Include firmware maintenance in procurement to ensure ongoing stability and compatibility with newer OS and hypervisor versions.

Optimize your purchase: Sizing, licensing & TCO

Choosing the right processor and server bundle impacts not only performance but also software licensing costs and total cost of ownership (TCO). The Xeon Silver 4110’s core count can influence per-core licensing models for databases and middleware — plan accordingly to avoid unexpected licensing escalations.

Right-sizing compute

Analyze workloads for CPU utilization trends, memory needs, and I/O patterns. For predictable multi-threaded loads, the Silver 4110 can deliver strong value. For single-threaded or heavy-acceleration needs (GPU/FPGA), consider higher-frequency Core or higher-tier Xeon models.

Licensing implications

Some enterprise software licenses are sold per-core or per-socket. Unless you are certain of a license model, consult your software vendor and include licensing costs in the ROI equation.

Energy efficiency & long-term costs

Because data-center power and cooling often represent a significant portion of operational costs, the balanced performance-per-watt profile of the Xeon Silver 4110 helps keep recurring costs reasonable while still supporting meaningful consolidation and scaling.

Comparisons & Upgrade Paths

When assembling RFPs or comparing CPU classes, it’s useful to view the Xeon Silver 4110 against adjacent processor tiers.

Silver vs Bronze

Compared to Bronze-tier processors, the Silver 4110 generally provides higher core counts, better memory bandwidth, and more advanced feature support — making it more capable for production loads and virtualized environments.

Silver vs Gold

Gold-tier Xeons usually deliver higher core counts, larger caches, and higher turbo frequencies. If your workloads are heavily parallelized or require maximum single-socket performance, a Gold-tier CPU may be appropriate — but at a higher acquisition and running cost.

Upgrade considerations

If your environment requires a future upgrade path, verify motherboard chipset and socket compatibility, BIOS update roadmaps, and thermal headroom to determine whether an in-field upgrade to a higher-tier Xeon family is supported within the same server chassis.

Deployment & Configuration Best Practices

Follow these practical tips to maximize uptime, performance, and manageability of systems based on the HPE 866526-L21 category.

Memory configuration guidance

• Populate memory channels symmetrically to optimize bandwidth and reduce latency.
• Prefer HPE-qualified DDR4 ECC modules for maximum reliability.
• Verify compatibility matrices for RDIMM vs LRDIMM depending on capacity needs.

Storage & I/O planning

• Use NVMe for high-performance transactional workloads; ensure enough PCIe lanes are allocated in the chassis.
• Plan RAID and HBAs according to expected IOPS and resilience requirements.

Firmware & BIOS

• Apply HPE-approved firmware bundles and BIOS settings recommended for the Xeon Silver class.
• Schedule routine firmware updates during maintenance windows to minimize operational interruptions.

Monitoring & management

• Enable HPE iLO and integrate with your monitoring stack for proactive hardware alerts.
• Track CPU utilization, memory errors, and thermal metrics to catch degradation before it becomes a service outage.

Security & Compliance Considerations

Security features in Intel CPUs and HPE platforms — such as secure boot, hardware-assisted virtualization security, and vendor firmware signing — help harden systems built with the HPE 866526-L21 part number. For regulated industries, document the configuration and maintain firmware patching discipline.

Microcode and firmware updates

Keep microcode and firmware up to date to mitigate known CPU vulnerabilities and to maintain compatibility with newer operating system mitigations.

Hardware root of trust

HPE platforms often provide a hardware root of trust and secure management channels. Enforce strong access controls around iLO and restrict management network access to trusted subnets.

What's Included in HPE 866526-L21 Bundles

HPE often bundles processors as part of server SKUs. Typical inclusions and optional extras when purchasing from HPE or an authorized reseller:

• Validated Intel Xeon Silver 4110 CPU(s) installed in the server chassis
• HPE-certified memory modules (optional capacity tiers)
• HPE iLO with initial firmware and licensing tier options
• Power supply units and rails appropriate for the server model
• Warranty and optional HPE Care Pack services

Product Variants & Part Numbers

The HPE 866526-L21 is an HPE-specific part number referencing systems or options containing the Intel Xeon Silver 4110 processor. Depending on regional SKUs and factory configurations, similar part numbers may include additional options such as preinstalled memory, RAID controllers, or management licenses.

Technical Resources & Further Reading

For procurement and deployment, consult HPE’s official product guides, server quickspecs, and HPE Support Center. Review vendor documentation for BIOS/firmware compatibility matrices, validated memory lists, and recommended storage adapters to ensure a successful deployment when purchasing systems under the HPE 866526-L21 category.