Dell Server Gets Boost from Intel Hyper-Threading Architecture

The Dell PowerEdge 2650, Dell's newest rack-optimized server, combines the power of dual processors and Dell's top-of-the-line management tools in a slim 2U chassis. Featuring the latest Intel Xeon processor, hot-swappable hard drives, redundant power supplies and fans, and dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, the 2650 targets the dense-rack server market.

The 2650 gets a performance boost thanks to three major enhancements: a more robust chip set, support for the faster DDR SDRAM, and, most important, dual 2.4-GHz Xeon processors with NetBurst architecture and support for Intel's Hyper-Threading technology.

With Hyper-Threading enabled, a single CPU can appear as two logical processors to the OS and certain software applications, enabling the processor to execute two program instructions (or threads) simultaneously. It's similar to how a multiprocessor system works, though not quite as powerful. Still, the newer Xeon chips take advantage of on-chip resources that sit idle during a typical single-stream instruction execution cycle. (See www.extremetech.com/hyperthreading.)

In a server, this architecture can benefit functions such as online transaction processing, Web serving, and the like. We ran our CPU-intensive WebBench 4.1 dynamic test on the 2650 with Hyper-Threading enabled and disabled to gauge the difference, and we saw performance gains approaching 15 percent in the number of requests per second the server could handle, as well as total throughput. Intel claims some applications will see a gain of as much as 33 percent. That's not bad, considering that the technology is free: Intel did not raise Xeon prices when it added Hyper-Threading.

Also helping performance in the 2650 is the inclusion of the ServerWorks Grand Champion LE chip set, which brings a 400-MHz front-side bus and delivers a flexible I/O bus architecture. The three expansion slots can accommodate three PCI-X adapters (two 64-bit/100 MHz, one 64-bit/133 MHz).

A dedicated 64-bit bus supports two integrated Gigabit Ethernet NICs. If one NIC fails, the other will take over; they eliminate the need for filling up an expansion slot. You can also configure the NICs for load balancing to create a wider pipe. The 2650 can accommodate up to 6GB of DDR memory with Error Correcting Code (ECC) and ChipKill correction support. Memory availability is increased using the Spare Memory Bank option, which takes one of the three memory banks and sets it aside as a fail-over for defective active system memory.

An integrated PERC3/Di dual-channel RAID controller with 128MB cache and a battery backup is optional, or you can configure the 2650 with a choice of two- or four-channel RAID cards or a dual-channel SCSI adapter card. The front-loading hot-plug drive bays will hold up to five high-speed Ultra3 SCSI drives; two redundant 500-watt power supplies are standard, although you can opt for a single nonredundant power supply.

Inside, the 2650 uses six hot-swappable, redundant fans (including two built into the power supplies)—but the noise level is fairly high. You probably would not want to situate the 2650 in an office environment.

Dell's OpenManage management solution includes three easy-to-use toolsets for setting up, configuring, troubleshooting, and managing the 2650 and its clients. The Server Assistant is a bootable CD with user-friendly wizards that walk you through every step during setup and configuration, letting you install your OS and load the latest drivers for your server's network cards and RAID controllers. The Express RAID setup utility is helpful for sizing boot partitions and setting up RAID configurations.

The Server Adminstrator tool lets you monitor the server's health, update firmware, and identify all hardware and configuration information via a Web browser interface. Dell's IT Assistant lets you configure hardware and software across the network from a remote console and integrates with Dell's ERA (Embedded Remote Access) module, which eliminates the need for an additional Ethernet card or modem for server access.

With ERA, an administrator can power up/down the system, view all 80 sensors in the server, send and receive system alerts, remotely boot the server, and troubleshoot the server with the aid of up to 16 other administrators logged in simultaneously.

The Dell PowerEdge 2650 is all about performance, availability, and manageability, making it a good choice for businesses seeking a bulletproof high-density server.

Copyright © 2004 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in PC Magazine.