The p5 595 system, part of a high-end server pair running Unix recently announced by IBM, is described as a “whirlwind of 64 cores” with a record-breaking capability of 4,016,222 tpmC (transactions per minute) in benchmark tests.
 |
|
IBM p5 595 64-core server system. Photo: IBM |
The clock speed of the processor on the p5-595 64-core machine is 2.3 GHz or 2.1 GHz, while the remaining 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 components of 16 cores known as “books,” along with a configuration that contains two 8-core multi-chip modules and four dual-core Power5+ chips.
IBM states that the record achieved is primarily due to the use of new Dual Stress processing technology developed for high-speed video games. Launched at the end of last year, Dual Stress has been claimed by “Big Blue” to have “addressed a fundamental physical issue that has challenged chip designers since the dawn of the semiconductor industry.” Specifically, IBM experts have 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 manufactured without this technology.
“The two new servers are the first systems to combine tremendous power, high scalability with the ability to establish virtualized environments,” stated Ross A. Mauri, General Manager of IBM System P. These systems support IBM’s Virtualisation Engine technology to establish up to 10 virtual servers or partitions on each processor head. This allows users to manage multi-layered systems and distributed applications in a unified manner.
P.K.
