HP ProLiant 300-series AMD-based G6 server technology

Abstract

This technology brief describes the key technologies implemented in HP ProLiant 300-series G6

servers based on AMD™ processors. As of this writing, the AMD-based 300--series G6 server

platforms are limited to the ProLiant DL385. A link to the QuickSpecs for this server is listed in the “For

more information” section at the end of this technology brief.

Introduction

HP ProLiant 300-series G6 servers include these new technologies:

• AMD Opteron™ six-core 2400 Series processors

• The ProLiant Onboard Administrator powered by Integrated Lights-Out 2 (iLO 2) that delivers power

and temperature management through multiple sensors and fan control

• Input/output (I/O) technologies such as PCI Express (PCIe) and faster Smart Array controllers that

incorporate common form factor components

• ”Right Size” common-slot power supplies in multiple sizes to improve power efficiency

The technologies discussed in this paper are implemented in all AMD-based ProLiant 300-series G6

servers. Exceptions are noted where different levels of technology implementation or service exist in

individual ProLiant 300-series G6 platforms.

For complete specifications of all ProLiant 300-series servers, see the HP website at

www.hp.com/products/servers/platforms

Processor technology

The HP G6 AMD-based 300-series servers use the AMD Opteron™ 2400 series Six-Core processor.

These processors are based on AMD's 45 nanometer (nm) quad-core architecture. In addition these

processors use Direct Connect Architecture 2.0, HyperTransport 3.0, HT Assist, Advanced Platform

Management Link (APML) Remote Power Management Interface, and 8x ECC error correction. The

Six-Core processors fit into socket 1207 architecture just as previous four-core AMD Opteron

processors do. Each processor operates at speeds of up to 2.9 GHz, has 512 KB of L2 cache

memory, and shares a total of 6 MB of L3 cache.

Direct Connect architecture 2.0

Instead of a front-side bus architecture, Direct Connect integrates the memory controller into the

processor and directly connects CPUs to the I/O subsystem and other processors (Figure 1). Direct

Connect Architecture uses direct communication links (HyperTransport links) between each CPU,

between CPU and I/O, and between CPU and memory. Direct Connect Architecture currently scales

up to 12 cores, provides superior memory and I/O capability, near native virtualization performance,

and a range of power bands

that place a priority on low power consumption.

Power bands refer to a new metric developed by AMD to reflect power consumed by the processor and its integrated memory

controller during peak workloads. This metric is based on AMD’s measurement of Average CPU Power (ACP). For more

information on ACP, see the whitepaper at www.amd.com/us-

en/assets/content_type/white_papers_and_tech_docs/43761C_ACP_WP.pdf