Technologies for the ProLiant ML570 G4 and ProLiant DL580 G4 servers

Abstract

The fourth generation of HP ProLiant 500 series servers—the HP ProLiant ML570 G4 and the HP

ProLiant DL580 G4 servers—can transition easily from 32-bit to 64-bit x86 processing. The

architecture for these servers uses the Intel® 64-bit Xeon™ dual-core processor designed to operate in

either 32-bit or 64-bit mode, depending on the application and operating system (OS) used. This

architecture brings enhanced performance not only through dual-core 64-bit architecture but also

through the use of fast DDR-2 memory, large memory footprints, and dual front-side buses. To

complement this high-performing architecture, the Intel E8501 chipset supports high-availability

memory technologies such as Online Spare, Hot Plug Mirrored memory, and Hot Plug RAID memory.

This paper is written with the assumption that readers are familiar with HP ProLiant server technology.

Introduction

The ProLiant ML570 G4 and the ProLiant DL580 G4 servers bring a new level of high-performance

and high-availability technologies to 4-way, industry-standard servers. Many of these technologies

were previously available only in 8-way x86 servers or servers using other processor architectures.

This paper addresses the following key technologies within the ProLiant ML570 G4 and DL580 G4

platforms:

• Dual-core processor configurations

• High-availability technologies including Advanced Memory Protection technologies and larger

memory footprints

• Updated I/O technologies

• Updated networking technologies

• Highly serviceable mechanical designs

For complete specifications of each server, see the HP website at

www.hp.com/go/ProLiant.

Processor architecture

In October of 2005 Intel began shipping the first dual-core Xeon processors. The ProLiant ML570 G4

and the ProLiant DL580 G4 offer the choice of either the dual-core 64-bit Intel Xeon 7100 sequence

processors (previously referred to by the code name Tulsa) or the Xeon 7000 sequence processors

(previously referred to by the code name Paxville).

64-bit architecture

A 64-bit architecture has a much larger amount of directly addressable (flat) memory space than a

32-bit processor. The use of EM64T allows the OS to access a flat memory address space greater

than 4 GB without enabling Physical Address Extensions (PAE) and incurring the overhead of PAE.

This can result in performance advantages for the 64-bit architectures because of their ability to use

large amounts of memory, such as with intensive floating-point calculations used in scientific and

engineering modeling programs.

For additional information about 64-bit extensions and architecture, see the technology brief titled

“

Characterizing x86 processors for industry-standard servers: AMD Opteron and Intel Xeon.”

Available at this URL: www.hp.com/servers/technology