Intel has unveiled its Xeon 5500 series quad-core chipset, which the company calls the most significant release since its PentiumPro 2005.
Says Vince Resente, enterprise technology specialist at Intel: “This new platform is geared towards more intelligent computing, and with it, we bring supersonic speeds, high capacity and maximum fuel efficiency. The 5500 series chipset will ensure increased performance, complete adaptability and flexible virtualisation capabilities to everyone, offering nine times more performance power since the PentiumPro 2005 offering.”
Performance enhancements are calculated to be between 70% and 125% higher than the systems running on the Xeon 5400 series platform, according to Intel.
“Also included in our new Xeon 5500 platform are three new technologies to drive intelligence, data centre electricity usage control and adaptability. These technologies are integrated memory control, Hyper-threading technology and Quickpath interconnect,” Resente adds.
Major improvements to the platforms come in the form of Intel Turbo Boost Technology, Hyper-Threading Technology, Power Gating, Extended Page Tables and Intel Virtualisation Technology FlexMigration.
The Xeon 5500 series is equipped with triple the memory bandwidth of previous server processors, the company says. With the Turbo Boost Technology, it increases system performance, boosting clock speeds of individual cores when processing power is needed.
Resente explains that for high-powered server applications, processor frequencies peak at 2.93GHz with DDR3 memory speeds up to 1 333MHz and power levels of between 60 to 95 watts. Under certain conditions, the Turbo Boost Technology can provide operating frequencies up to 3.33GHz, depending on the processor and system configuration. Workstation frequencies run at 3.20GHz, with power levels of 130 watts - up to 3.46GHz.
The range of processors sports Intel Virtualisation Technology, allowing for quicker, easier and more cost-effective integration and the management of high capacity applications for current and future virtualisation and cloud computing requirements.
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