Intel has shared more details of their upcoming Xeon Scalable processor family. The new family of server and datacenter aimed processors will not only feature a new architecture but also be branded with a new naming scheme.
Intel Xeon Scalable Processor Family Detailed - Will Tackle AMD's Naples 32 Core Chips With Xeon Platinum
Based on the Skylake architecture, the new processors will be part of the Skylake-SP (Scalable Processor) family. The processors will follow an entirely new nomenclature which will differentiate them from rest of the Xeon products. Intel would still use the E3/E5/E7 branding for the various segments but they won't be termed as E/EP/EX. The processors will follow the Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum branding which is an interesting name choice.
The Intel Xeon Processor Scalable family is re-architected from the ground up and will be the successor to the Intel Xeon processor E5 and E7 product lines. It will incorporate unique features for compute, network and storage workloads, and impressive performance gains of up to 3.9x higher scalability for virtualized workloads as compared with the 4-year-old systems widely used in the market today, allowing customers to run more and a more diverse variety of workloads on each system. via Intel
The new processors have been long due for launch as Intel first shared their details a year back. The new processors are designed to feature higher core count and new technologies which have been detailed by Intel. The imminent launch of AMD's Naples server platform with 1P and 2P configuration aims to disrupt Intel's server dominance by offering up to 32 cores, 64 threads and an architecture that performs on par in IPC with Intel's current generation CPUs.
Intel Xeon Skylake-SP Architectural Features - Omni-Path Interconnect Fabric, AVX-512, Optane Storage Support
So aside from an architectural upgrade moving from Broadwell to Skylake, the new Xeons will also adopt several enhancements that come integrated within the CPU die and some featured on the platform as a whole. Some key technologies mentioned by Intel include Intel Omni-Path Architecture, Intel Quick Assist, Intel Ethernet and Intel AVX-512 acceleration support. These technologies are embedded inside the CPU themselves. Now the platform comes with additional technology support such as Intel Optane Storage.
Intel has recently launched their Optane SSD DC P4800X and Optane SSD DCP4600 which are meant for datacenter consumption. The new storage powerhouse delivers exponential increase in overall data and media transfer rates with lower latency times. Since we are talking about a Scalable platform, Intel is also mentioning other products such as Intel FPGAs, Nervana, Xeon Phi and other Silicon based products to be optimized for the new platform. These solutions will come as add-in offerings on the Xeon platform.
Intel Xeon Skylake-SP Purley Platform Specifications - LGA 3647 Socket and 8S+ Configuration Support For Top Xeon SKUs
Intel's Skylake-SP family will be supported by a new platform known as Purley. The Intel Skylake Purley platform will be divided between four categories that include 2S, 4S, 8S and 8S+ configurations. The E5 family includes the dual socket and quad socket designs (2S and 4S) where as the Xeon E7 line includes the 8 socket and 8 socket plus design structure with the C602 chipset and a scalable memory buffer.
One of the biggest advancements that Skylake will have is the Intel Omnipath Architecture integration which will be called Storm Lake (Generation 1). The PCH will be codenamed Lewisburg and will also ship with updated Ethernet controllers. Another very important point to note is that the platform will be scalable beyond 8 sockets – which is frankly an absolutely insane amount for CPUs working in tandem in any given configuration.
Another interesting point to note is the fact that not only will Purley update the number of PCIe slots to 48 but they will finally be configurable in x4, x8 and x16 divisions ( a major update). According to Intel’s own slides, Skylake Purley is poised to be the biggest update since the age old Nehalem platform. Along with the improved performance per watt that comes with every article iteration, Skylake EX Purley will actually ship with 6 channels of DDR4 as opposed to 4. It will also include the AVX 512 instruction set and will boast the 100G OmniPath interconnect. Skylake Purley will also have Cannonlake graphics support not to mention FPGA integration (another important upgrade).
The new platform also comes with an updated socket. The socket has been upgraded to feature 3647 pins that gives it the LGA 3647 name. The socket is surrounded by 12 DDR4 DIMM slots. This is due to support next-generation hexa-channel memory and Intel’s Optane DIMMs for faster latency solutions. Overall, Purley will be expanding Intel’s server platform with a range of new features.
Intel Xeon E7 Scalable Family Featuring Xeon Platinum and Xeon Gold Processors
Moving to the processors, the Xeon E7 family is what will be aimed at 4S, 8S and 8S+ socket configurations for platforms with disruptive core count and higher processing capabilities. There will be two segments of Xeon E7 family, the Xeon Platinum and Xeon Gold.
Intel Xeon Platinum processors will offer the best performance, hardware-enhanced security and best business agility. We have officially heard up to 28 cores and 56 threads on the flagship Xeon Platinum processor but rumors have also alleged a 32 core and 64 threaded chip. These processors will be aimed at highly scalable platforms that will house multiple chips working in full coherency for server optimized workloads. The entire lineup is listed below.
Intel Xeon Platinum 81xx Series Lineup:
| Wccftech | Clock Speed | Stepping | Product Code | S-Spec | MM# |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Xeon Platinum 8153 Processor | 2.0 GHZ | HO | CD8067303408900 | S R3 BA | 956021 |
| Intel Xeon Platinum 8156 Processor | 3.6 GHZ | HO | CD8067303368800 | S R3 AV | 955978 |
| Intel Xeon Platinum 8158 Processor | 3.0 GHZ | HO | CD8067303406500 | S R3 B7 | 956012 |
| Intel Xeon Platinum 8160 Processor | 2.1 GHZ | HO | CD8067303405600 | S RBO | 955998 |
| Intel Xeon Platinum 8160M Processor | 2.1 GHZ | HO | CD8067303406600 | S R3 B8 | 956014 |
| Intel Xeon Platinum 8160T Processor | 2.1 GHZ | HO | CD8067303592800 | S R3 36 | 958187 |
| Intel Xeon Platinum 8164 Processor | 2.0 GHZ | HO | CD8067303408800 | S R3 BB | 956023 |
| Intel Xeon Platinum 8168 Processor | 2.7 GHZ | HO | CD8067303327701 | S R3 73 | 955036 |
| Intel Xeon Platinum 8170 Processor | 2.1 GHZ | HO | CD8067303327601 | S R3 7H | 955035 |
| Intel Xeon Platinum 8170M Processor | 2.1 GHZ | HO | CD8067303319201 | S R3 BD | 956027 |
| Intel Xeon Platinum 8176 Processor | 2.1 GHZ | HO | CD8067303314700 | S R3 7A | 955028 |
| Intel Xeon Platinum 8176M Processor | 2.1 GHZ | HO | CD8067303133605 | S R3 7U | 955112 |
| Intel Xeon Platinum 8180 Processor | 2.5 GHZ | HO | CD8067303314400 | S R3 77 | 955025 |
| Intel Xeon Platinum 8180M Processor | 2.5 GHZ | HO | CD8067303192101 | S R3 7T | 955111 |
The Intel Xeon Gold processors will be aimed at both 4S and 8S configurations and will include lesser cores while maintaining higher performance through better clock speeds and more efficient designs when it comes to power. The entire lineup is listed below.
Intel Xeon Gold 61xx Series Lineup:
| Wccftech | Clock Speed | Stepping | Product Code | S-Spec | MM# |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Xeon Gold 5122 Processor | 3.6 GHZ | HO | CD8067303330702 | S R3 AT | 955974 |
| Intel Xeon Gold 6126 Processor | 2.6 GHZ | HO | CD8067303405900 | S R3 B3 | 956004 |
| Intel Xeon Gold 6126T Processor | 2.6 GHZ | HO | CD8067303593100 | S R3 39 | 958190 |
| Intel Xeon Gold 6128 Processor | 3.4 GHZ | HO | CD8067303592600 | S R3 34 | 958179 |
| Intel Xeon Gold 6130 Processor | 2.1 GHZ | HO | CD8067303409000 | S R3 B9 | 956019 |
| Intel Xeon Gold 6130T Processor | 2.1 GHZ | HO | CD8067303593000 | S R3 J8 | 958189 |
| Intel Xeon Gold 6132 Processor | 2.6 GHZ | HO | CD8067303592500 | S R3 J3 | 958178 |
| Intel Xeon Gold 6134 Processor | 3.2 GHZ | HO | CD8067303330302 | S R3 AR | 955887 |
| Intel Xeon Gold 6134M Processor | 3.2 GHZ | HO | CD8067303330402 | S R3 AS | 955889 |
| Intel Xeon Gold 6136 Processor | 3.0 GHZ | HO | CD8067303405800 | S R3 B2 | 956002 |
| Intel Xeon Gold 6138 Processor | 2.0 GHZ | HO | CD8067303406100 | S R3 B5 | 956008 |
| Intel Xeon Gold 6138T Processor | 2.0 GHZ | HO | CD8067303592900 | S R3 J7 | 958188 |
| Intel Xeon Gold 6140 Processor | 2.3 GHZ | HO | CD8067303405200 | S R3 AX | 955989 |
| Intel Xeon Gold 6140M Processor | 2.3 GHZ | HO | CD8067303405500 | S R3 AZ | 955996 |
| Intel Xeon Gold 6142 Processor | 2.6 GHZ | HO | CD8067303405400 | S R3 AY | 955993 |
| Intel Xeon Gold 6142M Processor | 2.6 GHZ | HO | CD8067303405700 | S R3 B1 | 956000 |
| Intel Xeon Gold 6148 Processor | 2.4 GHZ | HO | CD8067303406200 | S R3 B6 | 956010 |
| Intel Xeon Gold 6150 Processor | 2.7 GHZ | HO | CD8067303328000 | S R3 7K | 955037 |
| Intel Xeon Gold 6152 Processor | 2.1 GHZ | HO | CD8067303406000 | S R3 B4 | 956006 |
| Intel Xeon Gold 6154 Processor | 3.0 GHZ | HO | CD8067303592700 | S R3 J5 | 958186 |
Intel Xeon E5 Scalable Family Featuring Xeon Silver and Xeon Bronze Processors
There's also the Xeon E5 family that features the Xeon Silver and Xeon Bronze range of processors. There are little details on these processors but key details are mentioned. Intel Bronze series will be entry level chips with lower prices, lower cores and moderate clock speeds. We can also expect minimal power draw compared to the higher core and clock speed variants. The Xeon Silver will be the mid-range processors that deliver best performance at low power, maintaining higher efficiency.
Intel has said that they are targeting a mid-2017 launch for the Skylake-SP family. The next family in line is Kaby Lake-SP but there are no words or details on that launch yet. We will probably have more info by Intel at Computex with AIB partners revealing several racks designed for Intel Xeon series processors.
