Key Benefits
- Increased performance through innovative design
- Leading reliability with unmatched RAS features
- Maximize system power efficiency with Oracle's optimized memory implementation
- Boost application performance, improve business response and reduce power consumption with Oracle's enterprise flash technology
- Reduce energy consumption with Oracle advanced system cooling
- Reduce operating expenses through a common system management stack across Oracle's systems portfolio
- Maximize IT productivity and minimize operational expenses by running Oracle software on Oracle hardware
Using a modular system design, the Sun Server X4-8 is powered by four or eight CPU modules, each containing one Intel® Xeon® Processor E7-8895 v2 and 24 memory slots. With 15 cores per socket, this server delivers extreme compute density in a compact 5U enclosure. When compared with the previous-generation server, this system increases memory capacity by 50 percent, to 6 TB, and it increases memory bandwidth by 25 percent and doubles internal storage to 9.6 TB. With more than a 50 percent increase in processing power and a 350 percent increase in I/O bandwidth versus the previous generation, the Sun Server X4-8 provides the highest level of scale-up throughput computing, making it the densest and fastest performing server in its class.
Further, the Sun Server X4-8 introduces a new flexible processor, the Intel Xeon Processor E7-8895 v2, which allows a server to be reconfigured and repurposed remotely for varying workloads, without any change to the physical configuration of the server. The Intel Xeon Processor E7-8895 v2, combined with Oracle innovations in the system BIOS and operating system kernel software, enable a unique elastic feature that allows this processor to run up to 400 MHz faster than the standard Intel Xeon Processor E7-8890 v2. This flexible processor technology simplifies infrastructure requirements and enables greater server reuse. The ability to change the characteristics of the server for varying workloads, by time of day, offers tremendous flexibility.
With Oracle’s optimized memory implementation, the Sun Server X4-8 runs faster and consumes less power than competitive eight-socket servers. These DIMMs achieve 1,333 MHz at one, two, and three DIMMs per channel, all with low-voltage DIMMs. With up to 396 GB/sec worth of I/O bandwidth, the Sun Server X4-8 is an ideal platform for I/O-intensive enterprise applications. The system consists of 16 industry-standard, low-profile PCIe Gen 3 slots providing I/O flexibility and a wide range of connectivity choices, such as Fibre Channel, InfiniBand, or Ethernet. This innovative system design enables hot-pluggable functionality, implemented through the use of up to eight dual PCIe card carriers (DPCC) that each contains up to two PCIe Gen 3 cards. This feature helps to eliminate downtime typically needed to perform I/O upgrades and maintenance. The Sun Server X4-8 offers two flash integration options for application and database acceleration: Oracle's Sun Flash Accelerator F80 PCIe Card and solid state drives (SSDs). These flash options deliver up to 1,000,000 IOPS, turbo-charging applications while eliminating bottlenecks.
The Sun Server X4-8 includes RAS features that increase overall server uptime. Real-time monitoring of the health of the CPU, memory, and I/O subsystems, coupled with off-lining capability of failed components, increases the system availability. The modular system design enables hot-swappable components such as I/O, disk drives with RAID-enabled redundancy, and redundant and hot-swappable fans and power supplies to be serviced from the front or rear of the system. There is no need for top access to any of the system subassemblies.
Exhaustive system diagnostics and hardware-assisted error reporting and logging enable identification of failed components for ease of service. With an advanced cooling system unique to Oracle, the Sun Server X4-8 achieves system efficiencies that result in power savings and maximum uptime. Oracle Advanced Cooling System utilizes remote temperature sensors for fan speed control, minimizing power consumption while keeping optimal temperatures inside the server. These remote temperature sensors have been designed into key areas of this server to ensure appropriate fan usage in zones that include power supply units, PCIe slots, Ethernet ports, exiting air, entering air, and thermal diodes.
This feature helps reduce energy consumption in a way that other servers cannot. The blade-like modular design of the Sun Server X4-8 helps you save time and money. This system design is forward compatible with future generation processors, eliminating the need for forklift upgrades. It provides flexibility for data center growth while minimizing the costs associated with data center refreshes. All Oracle servers ship with full-function server management tools at no additional cost. Oracle Integrated Lights Out Manager (Oracle ILOM) utilizes industry-standard protocols to provide secure and comprehensive local and remote management. Oracle ILOM capabilities also include power management and monitoring, fault detection, and notification. The integrated Oracle System Assistant guides system administrators through rapid server deployment, firmware updates, hardware configuration, and operating system installation with hardware drivers certified by Oracle.
Oracle Premier Support customers have access to My Oracle Support and multi-server management tools in Oracle Enterprise Manager Ops Center. Oracle Enterprise Manager Ops Center, a critical component of Oracle’s application-to-disk system management tool, coordinates servers, storage, and networking for a complete cloud infrastructure as a service (IaaS). Oracle Enterprise Manager Ops Center also features an automated service request capability, whereby potential issues are detected and reported to Oracle’s support center without user intervention, assuring the maximum service levels and simplified support. Oracle's x86 systems are the best enterprise x86 platforms for running Oracle software.
They provide optimal performance and reliability based on an integrated and fully supported Oracle stack, as well as everything you need for a cloud deployment. Every x86 system from Oracle comes complete with virtualization, choice of operating systems, cloud provisioning, and Oracle's unique application-to-disk management environment—all at no extra charge. Oracle's x86 systems also serve as a key building block for Oracle's engineered systems, such as Oracle Exadata, which have achieved a 10x performance gain through integration and optimization. The upgrade advantage program (UAP) is a trade-in program that offers up-front discounts on new Oracle systems for the trade-in of older, eligible systems from Oracle and competitors. Oracle also provides free return shipping and free state-of-the-art recycling of the old system so you needn't worry about the disposal of hazardous waste.
