Multisocket
system architectures
Dezső Sima
Spring 2008
(Ver. 1.0)
 Sima Dezső, 2008
Contents
• 1. Introduction
• 2. Intel’s DP servers
•
3. Intel’s DP workstations
•
4. Intel’s MP servers
•
5. AMD’s direct connect architecture
•
6. AMD’s DP servers
•
7. AMD’s MP servers
•
8. AMD’s Quad FX and FSNQ8 high end desktop platforms
1. Introduction
June 2006, Intel:
Introduction the dual core Core2 family
June 1 2006, AMD: 4x4 platform for enthusiasts (four-core, dual socket platform using AMD’s DCA)
(gaming, digital video, processor intensive and heavily multithreaded apps.)
To be upgraded for eight cores in 2007 by using AMD’s four core processors
Nov. 2 2006,: Intel: First quasi quad-core processor, the Core 2 Extreme QX6700 (Kentsfield)
(two dual-core dies in a single package)
Nov. 30 2006, AMD: Quad FX platform (formerly codenamed 4x4) for high end desktops
Termed also as Dual Socket Direct Connect (DSDC) Architecture
with the Athlon 64 FX processor family)
Mai 14, 2007: AMD: 8-core FASN8 platform
(first AMD silicon next-gen 8-core)
two quad-core Phenom (desktop) processors, Direct X10 Radeon HT 2900XT GPU,
unknown chipset
Phenom brand name (for K10 based quad-core desktop processors) introduced
Sept. 5 2007, Intel: Core 2 based MP-line
Four-socket Caneland platform, including the Core 2 based MP server line
Tigerton (7300-line) and the 7300 chipset (Clarksboro)
Sept 10 2007, AMD: K10-based quad-core (Barcelona) server processors (Opterons) introduced
The notion of Average CPU Power (ACP) also introduced
(dissipation including cores, memory controller, bus controller while running a suite
of commercial workloads
Nov. 11 2007 Intel: 45 nm Penrin based quasi quad core processors
high end desktop (QX9650) and quad core/dual core DP server processors
2. Intel’s DP servers (1)
P4
Prestonia
FSB 400/533 MHz
PCI-X v.2.2
(1-2 slots)
HI 2.0
GbE
GbE c.
PCI-X
bridge
SATA
HI 2.0
3200-4264
1066 E7500/E7501 16002128
MCH
1066
SATA c.
HI 2.0
SCSI
P4
Prestonia
SCSI c.
1066
16002128
SVGA
Video c.
MbE
MbE c.
PCI v.2.2
SDRAM
SDRAM
interface
SDRAM
266
133
LAN
Ultra ATA/100
(2 ports)
2*100
PCI v.2.2
(3 slots)
ICH3-S
GPIO
USB v. 1.1
(5 ports)
1.5
~5
LPC
SIO
FWH
FD
KB
MS
SP
8/12/16 GB
DDR 200/266
registered, ECC opt.
(with RASUM)
HI 1.5
PCI-X v.2.2
(1-2 slots)
SDRAM
interface
PP
Figure: Typical configuration of an early DP-server motherboard
based on the Intel’s E7500/E7501 (Plunas) chipset
2. Intel’s DP servers (2)
P4
Nocona
P4
Nocona
FSB 800 MHz
PCI-X v.1.0b
GbE
SCSI
PCI E. x8
GbE c.
PCI-X
bridge
SCSI c.
PCI E. x8
PCI E. x8
PCI-X v.1.0b
4000
4000
3200
E7520
21283200
SDRAM
interface
SDRAM
21283200
SDRAM
interface
SDRAM
MCH
4000
registered, ECC opt.
(with RASUM)
PCI E. x8
(or 2x x4)
HI 1.5
SVGA
Video c.
MbE
MbE c.
PCI v.2.3
266
133
LAN
PCI v.2.3
ICH5R
USB v. 2.0
(4 ports)
AC' 97 v.2.3
Ultra ATA/100
(2 ports)
2*100
SATA
(2 ports)
2*150
60
GPIO
~1.4
~5
LPC
SIO
FWH
FD
KB MS
SP
16/24/32 GB
DDR 266/333, DDR2 400
PP
Figure: Typical configuration of an advanced early DP-server motherboard
based on Intel’s E7520 (Lindenhurst) chipset
2. Intel’s DP servers (3)
Nocona
Nocona
SC
SC
Single
Dual
1066MT/s
17.1 GB/s
800MT/s
6.4 GB/s
24 Lanes
PCIe
7.5GB/s
Dempsey
Woodcrest
Clowertown
DC
Dempsey
Woodcrest
Clowertown
DC
7520
24 Lanes
PCIe
7.5GB/s
(Lindenhurst)
Dual DDR2
400 MT/s
6.4 GB/s
Figure: Evolution of Intel’s DP servers
5000
(Blackford)
Quad FB-DIMM
533 MT/s
17.1 GB/s
2. Intel’s DP servers (1)
10/2005
Cores
Xeon DP 2.8 DC
5/2006
Xeon 5000
(Dempsey) DC
6/2006
11/2006
Xeon 5300
Xeon 5100
(Woodcrest) DC
DP Platforms
(Clowertown) QC
Xeon 5400
(Harpertown) QC
06/2006
10/2007
5000
5100
(Bensley)
(Cranberry Lake)
6/2006
10/2006
5000P
5000V/Z
5100
(Blackford)
(Blackford V/Z)
6/2006
DP Chipsets
11/2007
2xFSB
1333/1066 MT/s
2xFSB
1066MT/s
4 x FBDIMM
(DDR2)
64GB
(?)
2 x FBDIMM
(DDR2)
16GB
2 x FBDIMM
( DDR2)
32GB
Figure : Intel’s recent platforms and chipsets designed for dual-socket Xeon-based DP-servers
2. Intel’s DP servers (5)
Xeon
5000
(Blackford)
5000 (Dempsey, Netburst), DC
5100 (Woodcrest, Core2), DC
5300 (Clowertown, Core2), QC
FB-DIMM
up to 64 GB
In workstations the snoop filter
eliminates snoop traffic to the
graphics port
Figure: The dual socket 5000 (Bensley) DP platform
including the 5000 (Blackford) chipset and Xeon 5000 DC/QC DP processors (5/2006) [3]
2. Intel’s DP servers (6)
FB-DIMM
DDR2
64 GB
Xeon DC/QC
5000 DC
5100 DC
5300 QC
5000P
SBE2
Figure: Dual socket 5000 (Bensley) motherboard, with the 5000 (Blackford) chipset (Supermicro X7DB8+)
for the Xeon 5000 DC/QC DP processor families [7]
2. Intel’s DP servers (7)
Figure: Dual socket 5000 (Bensley) motherboard, with the 5000 (Blackford) chipset (Supermicro X7DB+).
Motherboard layout [7]
2. Intel’s DP servers (8)
Table: Latency and bandwidth scaling of the Intel 5000 platform (2006) over the earlier generation (2004) [1]
2. Intel’s DP servers (9)
Table: Performance figures of the
5000 platform for
1/2/4 core processors [1]
2. Intel’s DP servers (10)
Figure: Relative Improvement of the 5000 (Bensley) platform over the
preceeding E7520 (Lindenhurst) based DP platform [12]
3. Intel’s DP workstations (1)
10/2005
Cores
Xeon DP 2.8 DC
5/2006
Xeon 5000
(Dempsey) DC
6/2006
Xeon 5100
(Woodcrest) DC
11/2006
Xeon 5300
(Clowertown) QC
11/2007
Xeon 5400
(Harpertown) QC
11/2007
5400
WS Platforms
(Stoakley)
WS/HPC Chipsets
5/2006
5/2006
5000X
5400
(Greencreek)
(Seaburg)
2xFSB
1333/1066 MT/s
2xFSB
1600/1333/1066 MT/s
2 x FBDIMM
( DDR2)
32GB
4 x FBDIMM
( DDR2)
128GB
Figure : Intel’s platforms and chipsets designed for dual-socket Xeon-based DP workstations
3. Intel’s DP workstations (2)
Xeon 5400
FB-DIMM
DDR2
1600 MT/s
FSB
128 GB
Figure: Dual socket 5400 motherboard, with the 5400 (Seaburg) chipset (Supermicro X7DWN+)
for the Xeon 5400/5200 DC/QC DP processor families [7]
3. Intel’s DP workstations (3)
Figure: Dual socket 5400 motherboard, with the 5400 (Seaburg) chipset (Supermicro X7DWN+)
Motherboard layout [7]
4. Intel’s MP servers (1)
11/2005
Cores
8/2006
Xeon 7000
Xeon 7100
(Paxville MP)
(Tulsa)
9/2007
Xeon 7200
(Tigerton DC)
9/2007
Xeon 7300
(Tigerton)
9/2007
MP Platforms
3/2006
MP Chipsets
8500
8500
7300
(Truland)
(Caneland)
4/2006
8501
9/2007
7300
(?)
(Clarksboro)
2xFSB
667 MT/s
2xFSB
800 MT/s
4xFSB
1066 MT/s
4 x XMB
(2 x DDR2)
32GB
4 x XMB
(2 x DDR2)
32GB
4 x FBDIMM
(DDR2)
512GB
(Twin Castle)
Figure : Intel’s recent platforms and chipsets designed for quad-socket Xeon-based MP servers
4. Intel’s MP servers (2)
Potomac
SC
Potomac
SC
Potomac
SC
Potomac
SC
Paxville MP
Tulsa
Paxville MP
Tulsa
Paxville MP
Tulsa
Paxville MP
Tulsa
DC
DC
DC
DC
8500
XMB
Preceding NB
XMB
(Twin Castle)
XMB
Tigerton
DC/QC
Tigerton
DC/QC
Tigerton
DC/QC
Tigerton
DC/QC
Clarksboro
Figure: Evolution of Intel’s MP chipsets
XMB
4. Intel’s MP servers (3)
Xeon DC MP 7000
(4/2005) or later
DC/QC MP 7000 processors
Independent
Memory
Interface
Serial link
5.33 GB inbound BW
2.67 GB outbound BW
simultaneously
(North Bridge)
External
Memory
Bridge
Intelligent MC
Dual mem. channels
DDR 266/333/400
4 DIMM/channel
Figure: Intel’s 8501 chipset for MP servers (4/ 2006) [4]
4. Intel’s MP servers (4)
FB-DIMM
DDR2
Xeon DC
64 GB
7000/7100
E8501 NB
ICH5R SB
Figure: Quad socket Intel E8501 chipset based motherboard (Supermicro X6QT8)
for the Xeon 7000/7100 DC MP processor families [7]
4. Intel’s MP servers (5)
PCI-X Contr.
Hub
Figure: Quad socket Intel 8501 chipset based motherboard (Supermicro X6QT8)
Motherboard layout [7]
4. Intel’s MP servers (6)
Figure Bandwith bottlenecks in Intel’s 8501 MP server platform [2]
4. Intel’s MP servers (7)
Xeon
7200 (Tigerton DC, Core2), DC
7300 (Tigerton QC, Core2), QC
FB-DIMM
up to 512 GB
Figure: Intel’s four socket 7300 (Caneland) platform, based on the 7300 (Clarksboro) chipset
for the Xeon 7000 DC/QC MP families (9/2007) [6]
4. Intel’s MP servers (8)
Xeon
FB-DIMM
DDR2
7200 DC
7300 QC
(Tigerton)
192 GB
ATI ES1000 Graphics with
32MB video memory
7300 NB
SBE2 SB
Figure: Quad socket 7300 (Caneland) motherboard, with the 7300 (Clarksboro) chipset (Supermicro X7QC3)
for the Xeon 7200/7300 DC/QC MP processor families [7]
4. Intel’s MP servers (9)
Figure: Quad socket 7300 (Caneland) motherboard, with the 7300 (Clarksboro) chipset (Supermicro X7QC3)
Motherboard layout [7]
4. Intel’s MP servers (10)
Figure: Performance comparison of the Caneland platform with a quad core Xeon (7300 family)
vs the Bensley platform with a dual core Xeon 7140M [13]
5. AMD’s direct connect architecture (1)
UP: Opteron 100/1000
DP: Opteron 200/2000, MP: 800/8000
CPU0
CPU1
CPU0
CPU1
1MB
L2 Cache
1MB
L2 Cache
1MB
L2 Cache
1MB
L2 Cache
System Request Interface
Crossbar Switch
Memory
Controller
2 x 72 bit
System Request Interface
Crossbar Switch
HT
Memory
Controller
2 x 72 bit
HyperTransport™
0
1
2
800/8000: 3 coherent links
200/2000: 1 coherent link
Figure: Basic structure of the Opteron families [8]
5. AMD’s direct connect architecture (2)
AMD’s 4P/8P Direct Connect server architecture [2]
5. AMD’s direct connect architecture (3)
SRI: System Request Interface
MCT: Memory Controller
DCT: DRAM Controller
HT:
HyperTransport Bus
Figure: Block diagram of the Opteron DP and MP processors [5]
5. AMD’s direct connect architecture (4)
Figure: Datapath implementation of the Opteron DP and MP processors [5]
6. AMD’s DP servers (1)
Figure: Block diagram of a DP QC motherboard (Asus KFSN4-DRE/SAS) for AMD Opteron 2300 QC family [10]
6. AMD’s DP servers (2)
nForce 2200 chipset
DDR2
64 GB
Opteron QC DP
2300
Figure: Dual socket motherboard (Asus KFSN4-DRE/SAS) for the AMD Opteron 2300 QC family [10]
6. AMD’s DP servers (3)
Figure: Dual socket motherboard (ASUS KFSN4-DRE/SAS) for the AMD Opteron 2300 QC family,
motherboard layout [10]
7. AMD’s MP servers (1)
Figure: Block diagram of a QP QC motherboard (ASUS KFN5-Q/SAS) for AMD’s Opteron 8000 DC/QC familes [10]
7. AMD’s MP servers (2)
Opteron QC MP
8300
DDR2
64 GB
nForce
3600 chipset
Figure: Quad socket motherboard (ASUS KFN5-Q/SAS) for the AMD Opteron 8000 DC/QC familes [10]
7. AMD’s MP servers (3)
Figure: Quad socket motherboard (KFN5-Q/SAS) for AMD’s Opteron 8000 DC/QC familes,
motherboard layout [10]
7. AMD’s MP servers (4)
Figure: Estimated SPECint_rate2006 figures of a 2.6 GHz Quad-Core Opteron processor
over competing processors [14]
7. AMD’s MP servers (5)
Figure: Estimated SPECfp_rate2006 figures of a 2.6GHz Quad-Core Opteron processor
over competing processors [14]
7. AMD’s MP servers (6)
Figure: Estimated Quad-Core benchmark results of a 2.3 GHz Opteron
over a 3 GHz Dual-Core Opteron 2222 [14]
8. AMD’s Quad FX and FSNQ8 high end desktop platforms (1)
Figure: AMD’s dual-socket direct connect (Quad-FX) platform for high performance desktops (11/2006) [15]
8. AMD’s Quad FX and FSNQ8 high end desktop platforms (2)
Figure: Dual socket Quad FX motherboard (ASUS L1N64-SLI) for the AMD Athlon 64 FX 70 DC family [9]
8. AMD’s Quad FX and FSNQ8 high end desktop platforms (3)
Figure: AMD’s FASN8 motherboard (Asus L1A64-WS) for two socket QC Phenom FX processors [9]
(FASN8: first AMD silicon next-gen 8-core)
Literature (1)
References
[1]: Radhakrisnan S., Sundaram C. and Cheng K., „The Blackford Northbridge Chipset for the Intel 5000,”
IEEE Micro, March/April 2007, pp. 22-33
[2]: Next-Generation AMD Opteron Processor with Direct Connect Architecture – 4P Server Comparison
http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_type/DownloadableAssets/4P_Server_Comparison
_PID_41461.pdf
[3]: Intel® 5000P/5000V/5000Z Chipset Memory Controller Hub (MCH) – Datasheet,
Sept. 2006. http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/datashts/313071.htm
[4]: Intel® E8501 Chipset North Bridge (NB) Datasheet, Mai 2006,
http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/e8501/datashts/309620.htm
[5]: Conway P & Hughes B., „The AMD Opteron Northbridge Architecture”, IEEE MICRO,
March/April 2007, pp. 10-21
[6]: Intel® 7300 Chipset Memory Controller Hub (MCH) – Datasheet, Sept. 2007,
http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/datashts/313082.htm
[7]: Supermicro Motherboards, http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/
[8] Sander B., „AMD Microőrocessor Technologies,” 2006,
http://www.ewh.ieee.org/r4/chicago/foxvalley/IEEE_AMD_Meeting.ppt
[9]: AMD Quad FX Platform with Dual Socket Direct Connect (DSDC) Architecture ,
http://www.asisupport.com/ts_amd_quad_fx.htm
[10]: Asustek motherboards - http://www.asus.com.tw/products.aspx?l1=9&l2=39
http://support.asus.com/download/model_list.aspx?product=5&SLanguage=en-us
Literature (1)
[11] Kanter, D. „A Preview of Intel's Bensley Platform (Part I),” Real Word Technologies,
Aug. 2005, http://www.realworldtech.com/page.cfm?ArticleID=RWT110805135916&p=2
[12] Kanter, D. „A Preview of Intel's Bensley Platform (Part II),” Real Word Technologies,
Nov. 2005, http://www.realworldtech.com/page.cfm?ArticleID=RWT112905011743&p=7
[13] Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® Processor 7300 Series Product Brief, Intel, Nov. 2007
http://download.intel.com/products/processor/xeon/7300_prodbrief.pdf
[14] „AMD Shows Off More Quad-Core Server Processors Benchmark” X-bit labs, Nov. 2007
http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/cpu/display/20070702235635.html
[15] AMD, Nov. 2006
http://www.asisupport.com/ts_amd_quad_fx.htm