Intel Xeon Processor 5500 Series Product Brief
Intel® Xeon® Processor
5500 Series
An Intel igent Approach
to IT Chal enges
A Giant Leap for IT and Business Capabilities
In many organizations, IT infrastructure has begun to constrain business efficiency
and growth. For the past decade, IT has rapidly added low-cost hardware to accom-
modate business growth. But with data centers now stretched to capacity in
terms of power, cooling, and floor space, IT infrastructure is actually limiting IT from
investing in innovation. IDC estimates that for every dol ar IT spends on hardware
to support new users and applications, they spend another 50 cents on power
and cooling for existing hardware.1
As data centers reach the upper limits of their
New standard business servers, high-performance
power and cooling capacity, efficiency has become
computing (HPC) systems, and workstations built
the focus of extending the life of existing data
with this new generation of Intel® Microarchitecture,
centers and designing new ones. As part of these
codenamed Nehalem, offer an unprecedented
efforts, IT needs to refresh existing infrastruc-
opportunity to dramati cal y advance the effici-
ture with servers that deliver more performance
ency of IT infrastructure and provide unmatched
and scalability, more efficiently. The Intel® Xeon®
business capabilities.
processor 5500∆ series provides a foundation for
IT management to refresh existing or design new
Refreshing ROI
data centers to achieve greater performance while
Research shows that upgrading to multi-core
The Intel® Xeon®
using less energy and space, and dramatical y
servers with higher performing, more efficient
reducing operating costs. This groundbreaking
processor 5500
processors can accelerate data center ROI, saving
intel igent server technology features:
on power and cooling, space, labor, and software
series can dramatical y
licensing costs. By refreshing IT infrastructure with
advance the efficiency
• Intel igent Performance that automatical y
more energy-efficient systems, you gain capacity
optimizes performance to fit business and
of IT infrastructure and
to grow and to increase IT performance. The cost
application requirements.
savings from energy alone will pay for new servers
provide unmatched
• Automated Energy Efficiency that scales
in about eight months.2
business capabilities.
energy usage to the workload to achieve optimal
performance/watt and reduce operating costs.
With up to 9x the performance compared to instal ed
single-core servers,3 up to 50 percent lower server idle
• Flexible virtualization that offers best-in-class
power compared to the previous generation,4 and
performance and manageability in virtualized
unique virtualization capabilities, Intel Microarchitecture
environments to improve IT infrastructure and
Nehalem lets you deliver more business results from
reduce costs.
every clock cycle, every IT man-hour, every watt, and
every inch of data center space. The lower TCO and
groundbreaking performance of the Intel Xeon
processor 5500 series offers the opportunity to
transform the competitiveness of your business
and the economics of your data center.
2
Performance That Adapts to Your Software Environment
Application performance is critical for day-to-day business operations,
• Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology† benefits from larger caches
as well as creating new products and reaching new customers. But
and massive memory bandwidth, delivering greater throughput
many data centers are now at capacity, and new data centers are
and responsiveness for multi-threaded applications.
expensive to build. By refreshing data center infrastructure with
more efficient servers, you can deliver additional performance
• Intel® QuickPath Technology and an integrated memory control er
and scalability within the same energy and space footprint.
speed traffic between processors and I/O control ers for bandwidth-
intensive applications, delivering up to 3.5x the bandwidth for
The Intel Xeon processor 5500 series, with Intel Microarchitecture
technical computing.5
Nehalem, brings intel igent performance to the most trusted server
architecture. The Intel Xeon processor 5500 series is the world’s
The intel igent performance of the Intel Xeon processor 5500 series
most adaptable server platform, adjusting performance and power
also gives IT fine-grained manual control to adapt to changing priorities
usage in real time to meet the exact requirements of your computing
or to meet service-level agreements (SLAs). For example, Intel Intel igent
workloads, while al owing manual adjustment for IT control.
Power Technology enables policy-based control that al ows processors
to operate at optimal frequency and power. The operating systems can
The Intel Xeon processor 5500 series brings together a number of
make this determination automatical y, or administrators can designate
innovative technologies to deliver intel igent performance:
which applications require high-frequency processing and which should
be executed at lower frequencies to conserve power.6
• Intel® Turbo Boost Technology, together with Intel® Intel igent
Power Technology, delivers performance on demand, letting proces-
sors operate above the rated frequency to speed specific workloads
and reduce power consumption during low utilization periods.
World’s Most Adaptable Server Platform
Intel® Xeon® Processor 5500 Series
Performance
Software Adaptable
Maximizes performance
The processor adapts
by adapting to the workload
to the way your application
through Intel® Turbo Boost
Intel®
wants to run
Technology and Intel®
Turbo Boost
Hyper-Threading Technology
Technology
Integrated
Quad-Core with
Power Gates
Hyper-Threading
Automated
Lower Power
States
Energy Efficiency
IT Adaptable
Automatical y puts CPU into the
You can enable automatic
lowest available power state while
operation or selectively configure
still meeting performance requirements
for manual control
3
Automating Energy Efficiency
Maximizing Benefits from Virtualization
After decades of IT buildout, server sprawl is escalating system
Intel is also building a better physical platform with unique hardware-
management costs and outstripping available data center space,
assist features to enhance the virtual data center and help tame
power and cooling capabilities. In a recent survey, 42 percent of data
server sprawl. The Intel Xeon processor 5500 series, built on Intel
center owners said they would exceed power capacity within the next
Microarchitecture Nehalem, expands the benefits of virtualization
12-24 months, and 39 percent said they would exceed cooling capac-
with innovations that boost performance, increase consolidation
ity in the same timeframe.7 Energy efficiency is becoming a critical
ratios, and enable servers of different generations to be combined
issue in the data center.
in the same virtualized server pool, improving virtual machine
failover, load balancing, and disaster recovery capabilities.
Intel Microarchitecture Nehalem helps lower energy costs with auto-
mated energy-efficiency features that deliver a 5x improvement in
The new Intel Microarchitecture Nehalem, with next-generation
power management capabilities from the first Intel® quad-core server
Intel® Virtualization Technology◊ (Intel® VT) enhances virtualization
processors: 5x as many operating states, a 5x reduction in idle power,
performance by up to 2.1x12 and reduces roundtrip virtualization
and 5x faster transitions to and from low-power states.8 Intel Intel igent
latency by up to 40 percent.13
Power Technology puts power management in al platform components:
the processor, chipset, and memory, enabling operating systems to put
• Intel® Virtualization Technology (Intel VT-x) continues to offer
processor power and memory into the lowest available states needed
investment protection and infrastructure flexibility with multi-
to support current workloads without compromising performance and
generation VM migration across the full range of 32-bit and
al owing individual cores to be idled independent of the others. This
64-bit configurations, enabling bigger VM pools.
combination of features enables the Intel Xeon processor 5500
• Intel® Virtualization Technology for Connectivity (Intel® VT-c)
series to deliver up to 50 percent lower server idle power.9
provides hardware-assisted I/O that accelerates network
performance and simplifies VM migration.
Intel Intel igent Power Technology makes power available for critical
workloads while conserving power where there is less demand, deliv-
• Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (Intel® VT-d)
ering as much as 2.25x more performance in a similar power envelope10
helps speed data movement and eliminates much of the performance
and dramatical y reducing idle power.11
overhead by giving designated VMs their own dedicated I/O devices,
reducing the overhead of the VM migration in managing I/O traffic.
Intel® Microarchitecture Nehalem helps
lower energy costs with automated energy-
efficiency features that put processor power
and memory into the lowest available states
needed to support current workloads without
compromising performance.
4
Standard Enterprise Server
Intel-based servers are the proven foundation of a dependable IT infrastructure. Now the Intel Xeon processor 5500
series offers a foundation to refresh aging IT infrastructure, overcoming server sprawl and accelerating data center
ROI. Standard business servers based on the Intel Xeon processor 5500 series boost performance while saving on
power and cooling requirements, delivering as much as 2.25x more performance in a similar power envelope14 and
dramatically reducing idle power.15 In addition, hardware-assist features increase virtualization performance by up
to 2.1x,16 giving IT the flexibility to make more efficient use of the data center.
Up to 25.6 GB/sec
Enterprise Servers that Deliver
bandwidth per link
Unmatched Capability at a Lower Cost
With innovative technologies that boost performance, energy effici-
Intel® Xeon®
Intel® Xeon®
ency, and virtualization flexibility, two-processor platforms based on
5500 Processor
5500 Processor
the Intel Xeon processor 5500 series make it easier to deliver more
business services within existing data center facilities. Data center
efficiency starts at the core – with energy-efficient processors and
Memory
Memory
features that help you get the most out of each rack. With a unique
Up to 18 slots
DDR3 memory
combination of performance and energy-efficiency features plus
flexible virtualization, the Intel Xeon processor 5500 series offers
Intel® 5520
an effective antidote to data center sprawl and improves
Chipset
business competitiveness.
The combination of Intel Turbo Boost Technology and Intel Hyper-
Threading Technology delivers optimal performance for each enterprise
application, and Intel QuickPath Technology dramatical y increases appli-
Up to 42 lanes PCI Express*
(36 lanes PCI Express* 2.0)
cation performance and throughput for bandwidth-intensive applications.
Greater per-server performance means that you can do more with fewer
Key Benefits
servers and potential y save significantly on operating costs.17
• Up to 2.25x more performance for
Intel Intel igent Power Technology works alongside these new per-
enterprise applications19
formance features to deliver better performance with lower power
• Up to 50 percent lower system idle power20
consumption at al operating points, achieving the best available
• Up to 18 slots DIMM with up to 144 GB
performance/watt. High-performance 95-watt, standard 80-watt
DDR3 memory
and low-power 60-watt versions enable high-density deployments
• Up to 42 lanes PCI Express*
in both rack and blade form factors.
(36 lanes PCI Express* 2.0)
Intel VT with Intel FlexMigration and Intel FlexPriority also gives IT more
Key Technologies
choice in managing and al ocating virtualized workloads across new and
• Two Intel Xeon processors 5500 series
existing platforms. Intel Turbo Boost Technology plus hardware assists
• Intel Turbo Boost Technology
from Intel VT improves performance for applications running in virtual
• Intel Hyper-Threading Technology
machines (VMs). Intel VT FlexMigration, in combination with virtualiza-
• 8 MB shared L3 cache featuring
tion management software, can help IT to conserve power, rebalance
Enhanced Smart Cache
workloads and reduce energy consumption.
• Intel QuickPath Technology
• Intel Intel igent Power Technology
• Intel Virtualization Technology
Refreshing Value for the
Key Usage
Small and Medium Enterprise
• Exceptional performance and efficiency for
The new Intel® Xeon® processor 5500 series is ideal for the small to medium-
general-purpose business computing including:
sized business looking for great performance, cost and energy-efficiency,
– E-mail servers
and plenty of room to grow and virtualize in the future. Compared to
– Web servers
instal ed single-core servers, these new intel igent processors enable up
– File server
to 9x higher performance per server, up to 90 percent lower operating
– Business applications
costs, and an estimated 8-month payback on investment.18
• Flexible infrastructure for virtualization
5
High-Performance Computing
Two-processor servers based on the Intel Xeon processor 5500 series have up to eight computation engines,
16 threads per two-socket platform with Intel Hyper-Threading Technology, and as much as 3.5x more bandwidth
than previous generations.21 With intel igent performance technology and a new high-bandwidth interconnect
architecture, the Intel Xeon processor 5500 series delivers up to 4x greater performance for HPC applications
than Intel dual-core processors.22
Up to 25.6 GB/sec
bandwidth per link
Solving Big Problems Faster and More Efficiently
At Intel, we recognize that the need for performance increases all the
time. That’s why we provide platform-based solutions that maximize
Intel® Xeon®
Intel® Xeon®
performance, improve throughput, and add new embedded technolo-
5500 Processor
5500 Processor
gies that give business, creative, and scientific professionals the tools
to solve problems faster, process larger data sets, and meet bigger
chal enges. That’s why 75 percent of the Supercomputing Top 500
Memory
Memory
results are on Intel processor-based platforms.24
Up to 18 slots
DDR3 memory
Two-processor technical compute server platforms based on the
Intel® 5520
Intel Xeon processor 5500 series integrate intel igent performance,
Chipset
increased I/O bandwidth, and greater memory capacity. These proc-
essors feature Intel QuickPath Technology, a new, scalable, shared
memory architecture that integrates a memory control er into each
microprocessor and connects processors and other components with
Up to 42 lanes PCI Express*
a new high-speed interconnect, proving the data bandwidth to keep
(36 lanes PCI Express* 2.0)
each core running at capacity.
Key Benefits
Intel Microarchitecture Nehalem boosts performance even further
• Up to 3.5x greater bandwidth for
for critical workloads. Intel Turbo Boost Technology increases core
data-intensive applications23
frequency to improve execution speed as needed while Intel igent
• Up to 18 slots DIMM with
Power Technology conserves power on cores when there is less
up to 144 GB DDR3 memory
demand. For applications that lend themselves to paral el, multi-
• Up to 42 lanes PCI Express
threaded execution, Intel Hyper-Threading Technology reduces
(36 lanes PCI Express 2.0)
computational latency, making optimal use of every cycle.
Key Technologies
Technical compute platforms based on the Intel Xeon processor 5500
• Two Intel Xeon processors 5500 series
series support up to 16 simultaneous threads, with 32- and 64-bit
• Intel Turbo Boost Technology
processing capabilities, up to 144 GB of memory and a new, inclusive
• Intel Hyper-Threading Technology
shared L3 cache that boosts performance while reducing traffic
• 8 MB shared L3 cache featuring
to the processor cores. These multi-core servers help maximize
Enhanced Smart Cache
productivity, enhance visualization, and improve flexibility to help
• Intel QuickPath Technology
researchers, engineers, and developers achieve more in less time.
• Intel Intel igent Power Technology
Key Usage
Speed and Efficiency for the Cloud
• Bandwidth-intensive applications
Flexibility and performance are paramount in the cloud data center, to
• HPC clusters
maximize agility and uptime. Up to 4x greater performance than dual-core
• Multi-tasking user environments
processors25 plus advanced power management features enhance data
center efficiency and help to dramatically reduce operating costs. Intel
Virtualization Technology enables shared system resources for I/O, boost-
ing performance and reducing inefficiencies through better isolation of
workloads, and the ability to migrate running workloads across large pools
of servers, while enabling high availability and real-time optimization of
resource utilization.
6
Workstations
Two-processor workstation platforms based on the Intel Xeon processor 5500 series deliver as much as 2x26 more
performance and flexibility to help users solve bigger problems, to build business advantage or to rapidly create, simulate,
analyze, and visualize the success of new ideas. With two intel igent processors, these expert workstations provide
powerful digital workbenches that enable users to maximize computing and graphics power to solve and visualize large-
scale problems faster. Designed for expert workstation users, these next-generation digital workbenches integrate
capabilities for flexibility and productivity, helping users get more done in less time.
Untouchable Workstation Performance
Up to 25.6 GB/sec
bandwidth per link
Optimized for multi-tasking environments, the Intel Xeon processor
5500 series features Intel Microarchitecture Nehalem for exceptional
performance and data bandwidth, enabling users to quickly and effi-
Intel® Xeon®
Intel® Xeon®
5500 Processor
5500 Processor
ciently transform complex data into actionable information. Intel Turbo
Boost Technology increases performance by automatically increasing
core frequencies and enabling faster speeds for specific threads and
Memory
Memory
mega-tasking workloads. With support for up to 16 threads, Intel
Up to 12 slots
Hyper-Threading Technology delivers more performance for threaded
DDR3 memory
applications such as rendering and digital content creation applications.
Up to 78 lanes
Intel® 5520
Intel® 5520
PCI Express*
Chipset
Intel’s new workstation processors are optimized for higher performance
Chipset
(72 lanes PCI
(optional)
Express* 2.0)
on compute-intensive visualization workloads such as ray tracing. Intel
QuickPath Technology, with high-speed point-to-point processor inter-
connects, plus larger caches and larger memory, provides 3.5x more
bandwidth27 for bandwidth-intensive applications such as CAD/CAE
Up to 2x16 PCIe
Up to 2x16 PCIe
graphics slots
graphics slots
applications. The Intel Xeon processor 5500 series supports up to
four PCIe 2 x16 Adapters, up to 72 lanes, and the expanded SSE4.2
instruction set includes enhanced branch prediction and loop stream
Key Benefits
detection to boost performance and cut energy consumption.
• Up to 3.5x greater bandwidth for
data-intensive applications29
Intel workstation processors are designed to deliver performance
• Up to 12 DIMM slots and up to 192 GB DDR3 memory30
and energy efficiency, enabling faster, quieter, cooler workstations.
• Up to 78 lanes PCI Express (72 lanes PCI Express 2.0)
The Intel Xeon processor 5500 series features Intel igent Power
Technology that automatical y puts cores into the lowest available
Key Technologies
power states to meet the current workload while minimizing perfor-
• Two Intel Xeon processors 5500 series
mance impact. Integrated Power Gates reduce energy costs by
• Intel Turbo Boost Technology
powering down unused cores during low-use periods.
• Intel Hyper-Threading Technology
• 8 MB shared L3 cache featuring
With eight computational cores, up to 192 GB of memory,28 and over
Enhanced Smart Cache
100 GFLOPS of compute performance, the Intel Xeon processor 5500
• Intel QuickPath Technology
series delivers untouchable workstation performance, so you can render
• Enhanced SSE4.2 instruction set
faster, analyze and display more data with higher fidelity, and speed
• Intel Intel igent Power Technology
visual comparisons.
Key Usage
• Work with larger, more detailed complex
models and designs
• Run multiple applications at once with
excel ent system interactivity
• Speed up individual applications and threads
• Multi-tasking user environments
• Multi-media content creation
• Graphic-intensive applications
• Quieter, cooler, more power-efficient workstations
7
Exploring Intel® Microarchitecture Nehalem
The new generation of server processors from Intel provides a foundation for a fully adaptable IT environment.
The architecture of these processors is designed with innovative features that adapt performance to software
and business needs, help energy consumption for optimum performance and efficiency, and enable virtualization
strategies that help your IT infrastructure adapt more quickly to your business needs.
Intel® Turbo Boost Technology
Intel® QuickPath Technology
Intel Turbo Boost technology delivers performance when and where
To deliver top performance for bandwidth-intensive applications,
it’s needed (see Figure 1). This technology al ows processors to
the Intel Xeon processor 5500 series features Intel QuickPath
deliver higher speed execution on demand by using available power
Technology (see Figure 2). This new scalable, shared memory
to run at a higher frequency.
architecture delivers memory bandwidth leadership, and up to
3.5x the bandwidth of previous-generation processors.31
Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology
Intel QuickPath Technology is a platform architecture that provides
Many server and workstation applications lend themselves to paral el,
high-speed (up to 25.6 GB/s), point-to-point connections between
multi-threaded execution. Intel Hyper-Threading Technology enables
processors, and between processors and the I/O hub. Each proces-
simultaneous multi-threading within each processor core, up to two
sor has its own dedicated memory that it accesses directly through
threads per core or eight threads per quad-core processor. Hyper-
an Integrated Memory Control er. In cases where a processor needs
threading reduces computational latency, making optimal use of
to access the dedicated memory of another processor, it can do so
every clock cycle. For example, while one thread is waiting for a result
through a high-speed Intel® QuickPath Interconnect (Intel® QPI)
or event, another thread is executing in that core, to maximize the
that links all the processors.
work from each clock cycle.
Intel Microarchitecture Nehalem complements the benefits of Intel QPI
Higher Performance on Demand
by enhancing Intel® Smart Cache with an inclusive shared L3 cache that
Normal
4C Turbo
<4C Turbo
boosts performance while reducing traffic to the processor cores.
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All cores operate
All cores operate
Fewer cores may
I/O
at rated frequency
at higher frequency
operate at even
Control er
higher frequencies
Figure 1. Intel® Turbo Boost Technology increases performance by
Figure 2. Intel® QuickPath Technology with dedicated per-processor
increasing processor frequency and enabling faster speeds when
memory and point-to-point connectivity.
conditions al ow.
8
Intel® Intelligent Power Technology
Intel® Virtualization Technology
Within a single server, Intel Intel igent Power Technology minimizes
Next-generation Intel Virtualization Technology enhances virtualiza-
power consumption when server components are not ful y utilized.
tion performance with new hardware-assist capabilities across all
elements of your server:
• Integrated Power Gates (see Figure 3) al ow individual idling cores
to be reduced to near-zero power independent of other operating
• Processor: Improvements to Intel Virtualization Technology
cores, reducing idle power consumption to 10 watts, versus 16 or
(Intel VT-x) provides hardware-assisted page-table management,
50 watts in prior-generations of Intel quad-core processors.32 This
al owing the guest OS more direct access to the hardware and
feature reduces server idle power consumption by up to 50 percent
reducing compute-intensive software translation from the VMM.
versus the previous generation of two-socket server processors.33
Intel VT-x also includes Intel VT FlexMigration and Intel VT Flex-
Priority, which are capabilities for flexible workload migration and
• Automated Low-Power States automatical y put processor and
performance optimization across the ful range of 32-bit and 64-bit
memory into the lowest available power states that will meet the
operating environments.
requirements of the current workload (see Figure 4). Processors are
enhanced with more and lower CPU power states, and the memory
• Chipset: Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (Intel VT-d)
and I/O control ers have new power management features.
helps speed data movement and eliminates much of the perfor-
mance overhead by giving designated virtual machines their own
Automatic Operation or Manual Core Control
dedicated I/O devices, thus reducing the overhead of the VMM in
managing I/O traffic.
Voltage (cores)
• Network Adapter: Intel Virtualization Technology for Connectivity
(Intel VT-c) further enhances server I/O solutions by integrating
extensive hardware assists into the I/O devices that are used to
Core 0
Core 1
Core 2
Core 3
connect servers to the data center network, storage infrastructure
and other external devices. By performing routing functions to and
Memory, System, Cache, I/O
from virtual machines in dedicated network silicon, Intel VT-c speeds
delivery and reduces the load on the VMM and server processors,
Voltage (rest of processor)
providing up to 2x the throughput of non-hardware-assisted devices.34
Figure 3. Integrated Power Gates enable idle cores to go to near-zero
power independently.
ENHANCED Power
Management
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NEW Power
Controller
Management
Figure 4. Automated Low-Power States adjusts system power
consumption based on real-time load.
9
Intel® Xeon® Processor 5500 Series Overview
Features
Benefits
Intelligent Performance
• Delivers up to 2.25x performance improvement within a power envelope similar
to previous processors.35
Intel® Turbo Boost Technology
• Boosts performance for specific workloads by increasing processor frequency.
Intel® QuickPath Technology
• Delivers up to 3.5x bandwidth improvement for data-intensive applications.36
Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology†
• Boosts performance for paral el, multi-threaded applications.
Larger memory capacity
• Up to 144 GB of main memory supports higher performance for data-intensive applications.
Shared L3 cache
• Boosts performance while reducing traffic to the processor cores.
Automated Energy Efficiency
• Reduces server idle power consumption by up to 50 percent versus the previous generation
of two-socket server processors.37
Integrated Power Gates
• Al ows idling cores to be reduced to near-zero power independent of other cores.
Automated Low-Power States
• Puts processor, memory and I/O control er into the lowest available power states
that will meet the requirements of the current workload.
Flexible Virtualization
• Enhances virtualization performance by up to 2.1x.38
Processor
• Hardware assists boost virtualization performance by al owing the OS more direct
access to the hardware.
• Intel® VT FlexMigration enables seamless migration of running applications among
current and future Intel processor-based servers.
• Intel® VT FlexPriority improves virtualization performance by al owing guest OSs
to read and change task priorities without VMM intervention.
• Extended Page Tables (EPT) provide better performance by reducing the overhead
caused by page-table utilization of virtual machines.
Chipset
• Enables directly assignable I/O to Virtual Machines, helping speed data movement
and enhancing performance.
Network
• Delivers up to 2x throughput improvement39 with extensive hardware assists to I/O devices.
What is the 5000 Sequence?
At Intel, our processor series numbers are intended to help clarify processor features, capabilities and intended usages.
Intel offers four processor number sequences for server applications:
Intel® Xeon® processor 3000 sequence
Intel® Xeon® processor 7000 sequence
One-processor servers for smal business, entry, or first server,
Greater performance and scalability with 4- to 32-processor enterprise
based on the Intel Xeon processor.
servers. These processors are designed for virtualization and data-
demanding enterprise applications.
Intel® Xeon® processor 5000 sequence
Two-processor general-purpose, standard high-volume servers,
Intel® Itanium® processor 9000 sequence
HPC systems, and workstations based on Intel Xeon processors.
Maximum scalability and RAS features for mission-critical workloads
with 2- to 512-processor servers based on the Intel Itanium processor.
10
Intel Xeon Processor 5500 Series
The Intel Xeon processor 5500 series is available in a range of features to match different computing demands. All
processors integrate Intel QuickPath Technology, Intel Intel igent Power Technology and Intel Virtualization Technology.
Intel VT FlexMigration, Intel VT FlexPriority, and Intel® 64 architecture§ are standard on all SKUs. Higher frequency
versions of the Intel Xeon processor 5500 series also support Demand-based Switching (DBS).
Intel®
Intel®
CPU
Turbo Boost HT
L3
Number
Intel® QPI
DDR3
Processor Number∆
Frequency
Technology
Technology Cache of Cores
Power Link Speed Memory
Intel® Xeon® Processor W5580
3.20 GHz
•
•
8 MB
4
130 W
6.4 GT/sa
1333, 1066, 800
Intel® Xeon® Processor X5570
2.93 GHz
•
•
8 MB
4
95 W
6.4 GT/s
1333, 1066, 800
Intel® Xeon® Processor X5560
2.80 GHz
•
•
8 MB
4
95 W
6.4 GT/s
1333, 1066, 800
Intel® Xeon® Processor X5550
2.66 GHz
•
•
8 MB
4
95 W
6.4 GT/s
1333, 1066, 800
Intel® Xeon® Processor E5540
2.53 GHz
•
•
8 MB
4
80 W
5.86 GT/s
1066, 800
Intel® Xeon® Processor E5530
2.40 GHz
•
•
8 MB
4
80 W
5.86 GT/s
1066, 800
Intel® Xeon® Processor L5520
2.26 GHz
•
•
8 MB
4
60 W
5.86 GT/s
1066, 800
Intel® Xeon® Processor E5520
2.26 GHz
•
•
8 MB
4
80 W
5.86 GT/s
1066, 800
Intel® Xeon® Processor L5506
2.13 GHz
4 MB
4
60 W
4.8 GT/s
800
Intel® Xeon® Processor E5506
2.13 GHz
4 MB
4
80 W
4.8 GT/s
800
Intel® Xeon® Processor E5504
2.00 GHz
4 MB
4
80 W
4.8 GT/s
800
Intel® Xeon® Processor E5502
1.86 GHz
4 MB
2
80 W
4.8 GT/s
800
a GT/s = giga-transfers/second
Systems Designed for Your Needs
Standard, Enterprise Servers:
High-Performance Computing Systems
Intel® 5520 and 5500 Chipset
and Workstations: Intel 5520 Chipset in
Server and workstation platforms based on the Intel® 5520 and
Single or Dual I/O Hub (IOH) Configuration
5500 Chipset, combined with the Intel Xeon processor 5500 series,
The Intel 5520 chipset improves data movement across Intel Xeon
drive breakthrough performance and state-of-the-art technology to
processor 5500 series-based workstations and HPC systems by
performance and mainstream server platforms.
increasing interconnect bandwidth, optimizing system bandwidth,
increasing memory capacity, and improving network traffic processing
The Intel 5520 Chipset supports the Intel Xeon processor 5500 series
while reducing I/O latency.
at 6.4 GT/s, 5.86 GT/s and 4.8 GT/s speeds via the Intel QuickPath
Interconnect. Additional y, this chipset delivers support for 36 lanes
These platform advancements help to match the improved perfor-
of PCI Express 2.0 I/O, Intel VT-c and Intel VT-d enhancements
mance of the Intel Xeon processor 5500 series and include:
for virtualization OS, Intel® Dynamic Power Node Manager system
management, and support for Intel® ICH10, ICH10R and Intel®
• Point-to-point connections via the Intel QuickPath Interconnect
6700PXH 64-bit PCI Hub.
at 4.8, 5.86 and 6.4 GT/s speeds
• Dual IOH configuration for higher I/O connectivity, up to 72 lanes
The Intel 5500 Chipset supports the Intel Xeon processor 5500
for PCI Express 2.0
series at 6.4 GT/s, 5.86 GT/s and 4.8 GT/s speeds via the Intel
QuickPath Interconnect. Additional y, this chipset delivers support
• Multiple x16 or x8 PCI Express 2.0 graphics card support
for 24 lanes of PCI Express 2.0 I/O, Intel VT-c and Intel VT-d enhance-
• Intel VT-c and Intel VT-d virtualization technology enhancements
ments for virtualization OS, Intel Dynamic Power Node Manager
• Intel Dynamic Power Node Manager system management support
system management, and support for Intel ICH10, ICH10R and
Intel 6700PXH 64-bit PCI Hub.
• Intel ICH10 and ICH10R
• Intel 6700PXH 64-bit PCI Hub
11
Learn More
For more information on the Intel Xeon processor 5500 series,
visit www.intel.com/xeon.
For more information about Intel Microarchitecture Nehalem,
visit www.intel.com/technology/architecture-silicon/next-gen.
Δ Intel processor numbers are not a measure of performance. Processor numbers dif erentiate features within each
17 Source: Intel internal measurements 2005 – 2009 comparing Intel Xeon single core (3.8Ghz w/ 2M cache) 382W
processor family, not across different processor families. See www.intel.com/products/processor_number for details.
power under load to Intel Xeon 5500 series (2.93GHz), 315W power under load. Performance comparison using
† Hyper-Threading Technology requires a computer system with a processor supporting Hyper-Threading Technology
SPECjbb2005 BOPS (business operations per second). 8 month payback is an Intel estimate based on comparing
and an HT Technology enabled chipset, BIOS and operating system. Performance will vary depending on the
the cost savings achieved in 9:1 server consolidation from both power/cooling and OS licensing versus the
specific hardware and software you use. See www.intel.com/info/hyperthreading/ for more information including
estimated cost of purchasing a new server featuring Intel Xeon processor 5500 series. Results have been estimated
details on which processors support HT Technology.
based on internal Intel analysis and are provided for informational purposes only. Any dif erence in system hardware
◊ Intel® Virtualization Technology requires a computer system with an enabled Intel® processor, BIOS, virtual machine
or software design or configuration may af ect actual performance.
monitor (VMM) and, for some uses, certain platform software enabled for it. Functionality, performance or other
18 Source: Intel. March 2009. Compares replacing nine four-year-old single-core Intel® Xeon® processor 3.8GHz with
benefits wil vary depending on hardware and software configurations and may require a BIOS update. Software
2M cache-based servers with one new Intel Xeon processor X5570-based server. Results have been estimated
applications may not be compatible with all operating systems. Please check with your application vendor.
based on internal Intel analysis and are provided for information purposes only.
§ 64-bit computing on Intel architecture requires a computer system with a processor, chipset, BIOS, operating
19 Compared to Xeon 5400 series claim supported by multiple performance results including an OLTP database
system, device drivers and applications enabled for Intel® 64 architecture. Processors wil not operate (including
benchmark and a bandwidth intensive scientific computing benchmark (SPECfp_rate_base2006). Intel internal
32-bit operation) without an Intel 64 architecture-enabled BIOS. Performance wil vary depending on your hardware
measurement (Feb 2009).
and software configurations. Consult with your system vendor for more information.
20 Intel internal measurements of 221W at idle with Supermicro 2xE5450 (3.0GHz 80W) processors, 8x2GB 667MHz
1 Source: IDC Document: Virtualization and Multicore Innovations Disrupt the Worldwide Server Market. Document
FBDIMMs, 1x700W PSU, 1x320GB SATA hard drive vs. 111W at idle with Supermicro software development
number: 206035. Publish date: March 2007.
platform with 2xE5540 (2.53GHz Nehalem 80W) processors, 6x2GB DDR3-1066 RDIMMs, 1x800W PSU, 1x150GB
2 Source: Intel. March 2009. Compares replacing nine four-year-old single-core Intel® Xeon® processor 3.8GHz with
10k SATA hard drive. Both systems were running Windows 2008 with USB suspend select enabled and maximum
2M cache-based servers with one new Intel Xeon processor X5570-based server. Results have been estimated
power savings mode for PCIe link state power management. Measurements as of Feb 2009.
based on internal Intel analysis and are provided for information purposes only.
21 Intel internal measurement. (Feb 2009) Stream-Triad benchmark. Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5.3. Intel® Xeon®
3 Source: Intel estimates as of Nov 2008. Performance comparison using SPECjbb2005 bops (business operations
processor E5472, 3.0 GHz, 2x6MB L2 cache, 1600MHz system bus, 16GB memory (8x2GB FB DDR2-800) vs
per second). Results have been estimated based on internal Intel analysis and are provided for informational
Intel® Xeon® processor X5570, 2.93 GHz, 8MB L3 cache, 6.4QPI, 24GB memory (6x4GB DDR3-1333).
purposes only.
22 Up to 4.0x performance compared to Xeon 5100 series claim supported by using performance results on SPECint*_
4 Intel internal measurements of 221W at idle with Supermicro 2xE5450 (3.0GHz 80W) processors, 8x2GB 667MHz
rate_base2006 and SPECfp*_rate_base2006. Average gain of two results was used. Xeon 5160 data based on
FBDIMMs, 1x700W PSU, 1x320GB SATA hard drive vs. 111W at idle with Supermicro software development
published results. Xeon X5570 based on Intel internal measurement (Feb 2009).
platform with 2xE5540 (2.53GHz Nehalem 80W) processors, 6x2GB DDR3-1066 RDIMMs, 1x800W PSU, 1x150GB
23 Intel internal measurement. (Feb 2009) Stream-Triad benchmark. Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5.3. Intel® Xeon®
10k SATA hard drive. Both systems were running Windows 2008 with USB suspend select enabled and maximum
processor E5472, 3.0 GHz, 2x6MB L2 cache, 1600MHz system bus, 16GB memory (8x2GB FB DDR2-800) vs
power savings mode for PCIe link state power management. Measurements as of Feb 2009.
Intel® Xeon® processor X5570, 2.93 GHz, 8MB L3 cache, 6.4QPI, 24GB memory (6x4GB DDR3-1333).
5 Intel internal measurement. (Feb 2009) Stream-Triad benchmark. Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5.3. Intel® Xeon®
24 Source: Top500.org.
processor E5472, 3.0 GHz, 2x6MB L2 cache, 1600MHz system bus, 16GB memory (8x2GB FB DDR2-800) vs
25 Up to 4.0x performance compared to Xeon 5100 series claim supported by using performance results on SPECint*_
Intel® Xeon® processor X5570, 2.93 GHz, 8MB L3 cache, 6.4QPI, 24GB memory (6x4GB DDR3-1333).
rate_base2006 and SPECfp*_rate_base2006. Average gain of two results was used. Xeon 5160 data based on
6 Intel® Turbo Boost Technology requires a Platform with a processor with Intel Turbo Boost Technology capability.
published results. Xeon X5570 based on Intel internal measurement. (Feb 2009).
Intel Turbo Boost Technology performance varies depending on hardware, software and overal system configuration.
26 Up to 2x performance compared to Xeon 5400 series claim supported by multiple performance results including a
Check with your platform manufacturer on whether your system delivers Intel Turbo Boost Technology. For more
ray tracing benchmark and a bandwidth intensive scientific computing benchmark (SPECfp_rate_base2006). Intel
information, see www.intel.com/technology/turboboost.
internal measurement. (Feb 2009).
7 Source: Infoworld, March 26, 2008.
27 Intel internal measurement. (Feb 2009) Stream-Triad benchmark. Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5.3. Intel® Xeon®
8 Xeon® 5300 series data based on Xeon® X5365 SKU (B-3 stepping), Xeon® 5400 series based on Xeon® X5470
processor E5472, 3.0 GHz, 2x6MB L2 cache, 1600MHz system bus, 16GB memory (8x2GB FB DDR2-800) vs
(E-0 stepping), and Xeon® 5500 based on Xeon® W5580 (D-0 stepping). Number of operating states includes all
Intel® Xeon® processor X5570, 2.93 GHz, 8MB L3 cache, 6.4QPI, 24GB memory (6x4GB DDR3-1333).
frequency operating points, including Turbo Boost and base frequency. Idle power based on C6 idle power for
28 With 16GB DIMMS. Supports up to 96GB with 8GB DIMMS under current design.
Xeon® 5500, and C1E for Xeon® 5300 and 5400 SKUs. C6 also requires OS support and may vary by SKU. Faster
29 Intel internal measurement. (Feb 2009) Stream-Triad benchmark. Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5.3. Intel® Xeon®
transitions based on Package C1E exit transition latency and PLL lock time for p-state transitions.
processor E5472, 3.0 GHz, 2x6MB L2 cache, 1600MHz system bus, 16GB memory (8x2GB FB DDR2-800) vs
9 Intel internal measurements of 221W at idle with Supermicro 2xE5450 (3.0GHz 80W) processors, 8x2GB 667MHz
Intel® Xeon® processor X5570, 2.93 GHz, 8MB L3 cache, 6.4QPI, 24GB memory (6x4GB DDR3-1333).
FBDIMMs, 1x700W PSU, 1x320GB SATA hard drive vs. 111W at idle with Supermicro software development
30 With 16GB DIMMS. Supports up to 96GB with 8GB DIMMS under current design.
platform with 2xE5540 (2.53GHz Nehalem 80W) processors, 6x2GB DDR3-1066 RDIMMs, 1x800W PSU, 1x150GB
31 Intel internal measurement. (Feb 2009) Stream-Triad benchmark. Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5.3. Intel® Xeon®
10k SATA hard drive. Both systems were running Windows 2008 with USB suspend select enabled and maximum
processor E5472, 3.0 GHz, 2x6MB L2 cache, 1600MHz system bus, 16GB memory (8x2GB FB DDR2-800) vs
power savings mode for PCIe link state power management. Measurements as of Feb 2009.
Intel® Xeon® processor X5570, 2.93 GHz, 8MB L3 cache, 6.4QPI, 24GB memory (6x4GB DDR3-1333).
10 Compared to Xeon 5400 series. Claim supported by multiple performance results including an OLTP database
32 Depending on processor SKU.
benchmark and a bandwidth intensive scientific computing benchmark (SPECfp_rate_base2006). Intel internal
measurement (Feb 2009).
33 Intel internal measurements of 221W at idle with Supermicro 2xE5450 (3.0GHz 80W) processors, 8x2GB 667MHz
FBDIMMs, 1x700W PSU, 1x320GB SATA hard drive vs. 111W at idle with Supermicro software development
11 Intel internal measurements of 221W at idle with Supermicro 2xE5450 (3.0GHz 80W) processors, 8x2GB 667MHz
platform with 2xE5540 (2.53GHz Nehalem 80W) processors, 6x2GB DDR3-1066 RDIMMs, 1x800W PSU, 1x150GB
FBDIMMs, 1x700W PSU, 1x320GB SATA hard drive vs. 111W at idle with Supermicro software development
10k SATA hard drive. Both systems were running Windows 2008 with USB suspend select enabled and maximum
platform with 2xE5540 (2.53GHz Nehalem 80W) processors, 6x2GB DDR3-1066 RDIMMs, 1x800W PSU, 1x150GB
power savings mode for PCIe link state power management. Measurements as of Feb 2009.
10k SATA hard drive. Both systems were running Windows 2008 with USB suspend select enabled and maximum
power savings mode for PCIe link state power management. Measurements as of Feb 2009.
34 Intel internal measurement. (April 2008) Ixia* IxChariot* 6.4 benchmark. VMWare* ESX* v3.5U1. Intel® Xeon®
processor E5355, 2.66 GHz, 8MB L2 cache, 1333MHz system bus, 8GB memory (8x1GB FB DIMM 667MHz).
12 Performance results on VMmark benchmark. Xeon X5470 data based on published results. Xeon X5570 Intel
internal measurement. (Feb 2009): HP Proliant ML370 G5 server platform with Intel Xeon processors X5470
35 Compared to Xeon 5400 series claim supported by multiple performance results including an OLTP database
3.33GHz, 2x6MB L2 cache, 1333MHz FSB, 48GB memory, VMware ESX V3.5.0 Update 3 Published at 9.15@ 7
benchmark and a bandwidth intensive scientific computing benchmark (SPECfp_rate_base2006). Intel internal
tiles vs Intel
measurement (Feb 2009).
® Xeon® processor X5570, 2.93 GHz, 8MB L3 cache, 6.4QPI, 72GB memory (18x4GB DDR3-800),
VMware ESX Build 140815. Performance measured at 19.51@ 13 tiles.
36 Intel internal measurement. (Feb 2009) Stream-Triad benchmark. Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5.3. Intel® Xeon®
processor E5472, 3.0 GHz, 2x6MB L2 cache, 1600MHz system bus, 16GB memory (8x2GB FB DDR2-800) vs
13 Source: Intel internal measurements. Intel Xeon processor 5500 series (Nehalem) vs. Intel® Xeon® processor 5400 series.
Intel® Xeon® processor X5570, 2.93 GHz, 8MB L3 cache, 6.4QPI, 24GB memory (6x4GB DDR3-1333).
14 Compared to 5400 series claim supported by multiple performance results including an OLTP database benchmark
and a bandwidth intensive scientific computing benchmark (SPECfp_rate_base2006). Intel internal measurement
37 Intel internal measurements of 221W at idle with Supermicro 2xE5450 (3.0GHz 80W) processors, 8x2GB 667MHz
(Feb 2009).
FBDIMMs, 1x700W PSU, 1x320GB SATA hard drive vs. 111W at idle with Supermicro software development
platform with 2xE5540 (2.53GHz Nehalem 80W) processors, 6x2GB DDR3-1066 RDIMMs, 1x800W PSU, 1x150GB
15 Intel internal measurements of 221W at idle with Supermicro 2xE5450 (3.0GHz 80W) processors, 8x2GB 667MHz
10k SATA hard drive. Both systems were running Windows 2008 with USB suspend select enabled and maximum
FBDIMMs, 1x700W PSU, 1x320GB SATA hard drive vs. 111W at idle with Supermicro software development
power savings mode for PCIe link state power management. Measurements as of Feb 2009.
platform with 2xE5540 (2.53GHz Nehalem 80W) processors, 6x2GB DDR3-1066 RDIMMs, 1x800W PSU, 1x150GB
10k SATA hard drive. Both systems were running Windows 2008 with USB suspend select enabled and maximum
38 Performance results on VMmark benchmark. Xeon X5470 data based on published results. Xeon X5570 Intel
power savings mode for PCIe link state power management. Measurements as of Feb 2009.
internal measurement. (Feb 2009): HP Proliant ML370 G5 server platform with Intel Xeon processors X5470
3.33GHz, 2x6MB L2 cache, 1333MHz FSB, 48GB memory, VMware ESX V3.5.0 Update 3 Published at 9.15@ 7
16 Performance results on VMmark benchmark. Xeon X5470 data based on published results. Xeon X5570 Intel
tiles vs Intel® Xeon® processor X5570, 2.93 GHz, 8MB L3 cache, 6.4QPI, 72GB memory (18x4GB DDR3-800),
internal measurement. (Feb 2009): HP Proliant ML370 G5 server platform with Intel Xeon processors X5470
VMware ESX Build 140815. Performance measured at 19.51@ 13 tiles.
3.33GHz, 2x6MB L2 cache, 1333MHz FSB, 48GB memory, VMware ESX V3.5.0 Update 3 Published at 9.15@ 7
tiles vs Intel
39 Intel internal measurement. (April 2008) Ixia* IxChariot* 6.4 benchmark. VMWare* ESX* v3.5U1. Intel® Xeon®
® Xeon® processor X5570, 2.93 GHz, 8MB L3 cache, 6.4QPI, 72GB memory (18x4GB DDR3-800),
VMware ESX Build 140815. Performance measured at 19.51@ 13 tiles.
processor E5355, 2.66 GHz, 8MB L2 cache, 1333MHz system bus, 8GB memory (8x1GB FB DIMM 667MHz).
Performance tests and ratings are measured using specific computer systems and/or components and reflect the approximate performance of Intel products as measured
by those tests. Any dif erence in system hardware or software design or configuration may affect actual performance. Buyers should consult other sources of information to
evaluate the performance of systems or components they are considering purchasing. For more information on performance tests and on the performance of Intel products,
visit Intel Performance Benchmark Limitations.
Copyright © 2009 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved. Intel, the Intel logo, Xeon, Core, and Itanium are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.
*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
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