Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (HPE) this week moved to alter server economics by unveiling an HPE ProLiant DL325 Gen10 server based on the AMD EPYC processors than enable dual-processors to be plugged into a single socket.
That move results in both a 25 percent improvement in price performance for a low-end x86 server and potentially dramatic savings on application software that is often priced on a per-socket basis, says Tom Lattin, vice president and general manager for Mass Market Platforms at HPE.
“Most enterprise software is priced on a per-socket basis,” says Lattin.
In addition, the AMD EPYC processors enable IT organizations to deploy more applications on 1u server that can be configured with up to 32 processor cores, 2TB of memory and up to 40 TB of NVMe storage in a 1U chassis.
Finally, Lattin notes the AMD EPYC processors also have significant cybersecurity implications because data being processed on the HPE ProLiant DL325 Gen10 server is automatically encrypted.
HPE’s decision to embrace AMD EPYC processors comes at a time when many organizations are rethinking their approach to IT and, that thanks to revisions in the tax code, the cost of on-premises equipment can be written off immediately. That doesn’t necessarily mean that application workloads will stop migrating to the cloud. But it doesn’t mean that on a cost basis on-premises deployments are now a much more attractive option.
Solution providers competing at the low-end of x86 server market may also soon find that many of the applications originally targeted for two-socket servers are being run on 1u servers simply because IT organizations will be able to deploy twice as many of them in the same space.
Obviously, solution providers are used to whiplash battles between Intel and AMD for control over the server market. But this round has implications that go well beyond the price of a single server.
Be First to Comment