AMD Opteron Rev. F

AMD recently announced the launch of the next-generation AMD Opteron Processor Family. Building on the proven legacy of reliability, high performance and solid infrastructure of the previous generation of AMD Opteron products, these new processors will take your AMD based server offerings to the next level.

The complete AMD Opteron Family of products are positioned as follows:

AMD Opteron™ 200 Series & 2000 Series Processors

Designed for 2-way Server / Workstation solutions
First native x86 dual-core solution for 2-way computing

AMD Opteron™ 800 Series & 8000 Series Processors

Designed for 4-way and 8-way Server solutions
First and only native x86 dual-core solution for 4-way / 8-way computing

AMD Opteron™ 100 Series & 1000 Series Processors

Designed for 1-way Server / Workstation solutions
First native x86 dual-core solution for 1-way computing

The 2000 and 8000 Series are in Socket F which is a 1207-pin LGA. The 1000 Series are in Socket AM2, which is a 940-pin PGA package (not pinout compatible with previous generation 940-pin packages). Thermal solutions are the same as previous 940 pin 200 and 800 series, hence provided you use a board which allows the backward compatibility, the same thermal solutions used before applies.

For Opteron in Socket F, one must assure that the mounting holes for the retention frame are spaced at 3.5” apart. This enables the backward compatibility. For AM2 1000 series Opterons, the new 4 hole mounting frame is backward compatible with the heatsinks from the previous 100 series 939 pin Opterons.

Though current 940-pin CPUs will remain available through the end of 2007 and still represent excellent value and performance, there are numerous benefits of moving to the new CPUs, some of which are listed below.

New AMD Opteron™ Processor Architecture Benefits

Dual and Quad core compatible Socket F 1207						Seamless migration from Socket F (1207) Dual core to Socket F (1207) Quad core in 2007. Minor BIOS upgrades may be required.

DDR2 / RDDR2						Uses latest DDR2 (1000 Series) or RDDR2 (2000/8000 Series) memory technology for improved performance and reduced Power consumption.

AMD-V HW Virtualization Support						Hardware-enabled AMD Virtualization™ is designed to improve all aspects of x86-based virtualization. Instructions added to help reduce complexity of virtualization software.

Maintained Thermal Envelope						Same thermal solution, chassis and PSU as today! Offers Investment Protection & a clean upgrade path to Quad Core.

Also, continuing to provide the features and benefits of the previous 940-pin generation:

AMD64: 32- and 64-bit computing						Runs all your applications today. Ready for the next generation of software. Extends the life of your server.

AMD PowerNow!™ Technology						Reduces CPU power consumption with OPM (optimised power management) and CPU operating temperature for a cooler, more energy efficient Server.

Direct Connect Architecture						Eliminates traditional x86 Front Side Bus bottlenecks Provides faster CPU-to-CPU communication.

HyperTransport™ technology System Bus						HyperTransport™ technology system bus, together with the integrated dual memory controller, improves multitasking and application performance.

AMD Opteron™ with DDR2 - Builds on a Consistent Architecture and Delivers:

Continued performance-per-watt leadership

High-performing, low-power DDR2 memory
Consistent 95W standard power and low-power options

Advanced leadership in x86 virtualization

AMD Virtualization (AMD-V™) hardware-assisted support
Based on Industry-leading Direct Connect Architecture

Reduced total cost of ownership

One transition to a new socket infrastructure
Seamless Dual-Core to Quad-Core upgradeability in same thermal envelope

Socket F (1207): A Better Quad-Core Migration Path*

By using Socket F 1207 pin Opterons, you will have the capability of a more simpler quad core upgrade than solutions offered on competitive architectures. Only a BIOS upgrade may be required to transform a dual core Opteron 1207 to a quad core Opteron 1207.

*Wattage based on 2P systems with 8 DIMMs at max CPU wattage; Wattage for ‘Dempsey’, ‘Woodcrest’ and ‘Clovertown’ is estimated based on currently publicly available values (see, eg: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/25/intel_clovertown_power_specs/) and is subject to change. The examples contained herein are intended for informational purposes only. Other factors will affect real-world power consumption.

Memory and Power: The hidden expense of FBDIMM

Wattage and Cost/Year per DIMM*:

DDR2: ~4.4W/DIMM $5.01/year

DDR1: ~6.3W/DIMM $7.17/year

FBDIMM: ~10.4W/DIMM $11.84/year

*Measurement based on average power of DDR1, DDR2, and FBDIMM; cost per year based on $0.13 per KWh based on 2003 and 2004 global average cost of energy as reported by the International Energy Agency

Additional useful links

Recommended System Components

Open Platform Mgmt. Architecture

Online Processor Quick Ref. Guide

AMD64 Ecosystem

AMD Lead-Free Initiative

Model Numbers

Processor Diagram