The IBM p5 595 system, part of a pair of high-end servers running Unix recently announced by IBM, is described as a “64-core whirlwind” with a record capability of 4,016,222 tpmC (transactions per minute) in benchmark testing.
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IBM p5 595 64-core server system. Image: IBM |
The clock speed of the processors in the p5-595 64-core machine is 2.3 GHz or 2.1 GHz, while the other p5-590 32-core version operates at 2.1 GHz. Each processing chip features a 1.9 MB Level 2 cache and an integrated memory controller. The two new servers are designed with 16-core components called “books,” along with a configuration that contains two modules with eight-core chips and four dual-core Power5+ chips.
IBM stated that the record achieved is primarily due to the use of the new Dual Stress processing technology developed for high-speed video games. Launched last year, Dual Stress was claimed by “Big Blue” to have “solved a fundamental physical problem that has challenged chip designers since the dawn of the semiconductor industry.” Specifically, IBM experts found a way to simultaneously stretch and compress silicon material to increase transistor speed by 24% while maintaining the same power consumption compared to similar transistors made without this technology.
“The two new servers are the first systems to combine tremendous power and high scalability with the ability to establish virtualized environments,” stated Ross A. Mauri, General Manager of IBM System P. These systems support IBM’s Virtualization Engine technology, allowing for the establishment of up to 10 virtual servers or partitions on each processor head. This enables organizations to manage multi-layer systems and distributed applications in a unified manner.
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