White Paper

Introduction
HP engineers designed HP ProLiant G6 DL, ML, and BladeSystem servers with more processing,
memory, and I/O capacity to support more users, more transactions, or more virtual machines than
previous ProLiant servers. These technologies include Intel
®
Xeon
®
5500 series processors based on
the Intel
®
Microarchitecture Nehalem, Double Data Rate-3 (DDR3) memory, HP Smart Array
controllers, and HP smart management tools. ProLiant G6 server technologies enable IT to produce
more using fewer physical machines; maximize energy efficiency; reclaim power capacity hidden by
conservative power management practices; and unite physical and virtual environments to maximize
productivity.
Compared to the previous generation of servers, ProLiant G6 servers deliver up to 2.5 times more
power efficiency using Thermal Logic technology. Originally offered only on the HP BladeSystem,
Thermal Logic technology is implemented across all ProLiant ML, DL, and BL G6 servers. It includes
Dynamic Power Capping, integrated thermal sensors, and common slot power supplies.
This technology brief summarizes the processor, memory, storage, power management, infrastructure
management, and virtualization technologies in ProLiant G6 servers. You will find links to additional
resources and information throughout this paper and in the “For more information” section.
Processor technologies
HP uses the enhanced technologies in Intel Xeon 5500 series quad-core processors as building blocks
to construct a range of performance and power options for dual-processor ProLiant G6 servers. These
technologies include Intel
®
QuickPath Technology, an integrated memory controller, a three-level
cache hierarchy, Intel
®
Hyper-Threading Technology, Intel
®
Turbo Boost Technology, and Dynamic
Power Management. HP and Intel co-developed the advanced power capping feature that increases
the power cap dynamic range and improves its responsiveness in the processors and memory sub-
system. Intel Xeon 5500 series processors are available in high-performance 95-watt, standard 80-
watt, and low-power 60-watt versions (Table 1).
Table 1. 60-Watt, 80-Watt, and 95-Watt Intel Xeon 5500 series processor specifications
60W 80W 95W
L5530 (2.40
GHz)
E5540 (2.53
GHz)
E5570
(2.93 GHz)
E5530 (2.40
GHz)
E5560
(2.80 GHz)
Turbo Boost
L5520 (2.26
GHz)
8MB L3,
5.86 GT/s QPI,
800/1066
MHz DDR3,
Hyper-
Threading
E5520 (2.26
GHz)
8MB L3
5.86 GT/s
QPI
1066 MHz
DDR3
Hyper-
Threading
E5550
(2.66 GHz)
8MB L3
6.40 GT/s QPI
800/1066/1333
MHz DDR3
Hyper-Threading
E5506 (2.13
GHz)
E5504 (2.00
GHz)
No Turbo Boost
L5506 (2.13
GHz)
4MB L3,
4.8 GT/s QPI,
800 MHz
DDR3,
No Hyper-
Threading
E5502 (1.86
GHz)
4MB L3
4.8 GT/s
QPI
800 MHz
DDR3
No Hyper-
Threading
Intel QuickPath Technology
The Intel
®
QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) is a high-speed, point-to-point interconnect that directly links
the processors and I/O chipset to boost data transfer between the processors and other system
components (Figure 1). The QPI replaces the shared front-side bus and memory controller hub found
2