Supermicro unleashes new x13 server portfolio featuring scalable processors

The better, faster, and greener systems based on the brand new 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors (formerly codenamed Sapphire Rapids) deliver up to 60% better workload-optimised performance and improved security (hardware root of trust and attestation) and manageability, are faster with integrated AI, Storage, and Cloud acceleration, and greener with high ambient temperature and liquid cooling options that reduce environmental impact and operating costs.

"Supermicro's extensive portfolio of over 15 X13 server families is comprised of performance, functionality, and cost optimised designs for specific data centre and intelligent edge workloads," said Charles Liang, President and CEO of Supermicro. "Our systems with the new Intel 4th Generation Xeon Scalable Processors are able to deliver new highs in both overall performance and performance per watt. In addition to the processor, every major sub-system has been dramatically upgraded w/ up to 2x improvement in memory performance with DDR5, 2X better I/O bandwidth w/ 80 lanes of PCIe Gen 5  I/O that will support higher performance accelerator cards, and 400 Gbps networking and improved manageability and security. The power and cooling capabilities have also expanded to support 350W CPUs and up to 700W GPUs, and we have added both high ambient temperature operation and liquid cooling support for the new portfolio to reduce environmental impact and improve TCO.”

Built into the 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors, the accelerator engines increase efficiency and reduce CPU load for many critical workloads in today's data centres. These include Intel Advanced Matrix Extensions (Intel AMX) to accelerate deep learning inference and training performance, Intel Data Streaming Accelerator (Intel DSA) to reduce CPU overhead on storage, networking, and data-processing-intensive tasks, Intel QuickAssist Technology (QAT) for hardware offload of popular cryptography and data compression/decompression algorithms, and Intel AVX for vRAN to improve capacity and reduce power consumption for vRAN workloads.

In addition, Supermicro servers will support the new Intel Data Centre GPU Max Series (formerly named Ponte Vecchio) across a wide range of servers. The Intel Data Centre GPU Max Series contains up to 128 Xe-HPC cores and will accelerate a range of AI, HPC, and visualisation workloads.

"The new 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors are designed to deliver potent data infrastructure from the cloud to the network, to the intelligent edge, and help establish a new standard in data centre architecture," said Lisa Spelman, Corporate Vice President and General Manager, Intel Xeon Products. "We've been collaborating with Supermicro to integrate Intel processors into their systems for almost three decades, and we are excited to see how their innovative architecture and system design will help to unleash the full potential of 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors for their customers."

Better

Representing the next generation of data centre infrastructure, the new Supermicro X13 systems have been designed from the ground up with Supermicro's Building Block Solutions approach delivering maximum performance and efficiency while also providing a high degree of flexibility to suit customers' specific workloads and scale. Supermicro X13 systems can be powered by one, two, four, or even eight 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors, each with up to 60 cores and support for next-generation built-in accelerators and GPUs up to 700W from Intel, NVIDIA, and others. In addition, the support for a range of open industry standards, including OCP 3.0-compliant Advanced IO Modules (AIOM), EDSFF storage, and OCP Open Accelerator Module (OAM) and SXM GPU interconnect, reduces reliance on proprietary technologies. This enables customers to standardise components across the data centre and incorporate Supermicro systems into their existing infrastructure with minimal modifications. Utilising open standards-based server management, Supermicro servers can seamlessly be integrated into existing IT environments.

Faster

Supermicro X13 systems are based on high-performance 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors and Intel Xeon CPU Max Series up to 350W, with support for High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) on selected systems providing a 4x increase in memory bandwidth.

X13 systems will also support next-generation industry technologies, including CXL 1.1 to create a unified and coherent memory space between CPUs and accelerators, DDR5-4800 MT/s memory with up to 1.5x the performance and capacity of DDR4, PCIe 5.0 for double the I/O bandwidth of the previous generation and 80 lanes per CPU and new storage form factors including EDSFF E1.S and E3.S, which are set to provide unprecedented speed, capacity, and density for hot and warm-tier storage applications.

For networking, support for multiple 400Gbps InfiniBand (NDR) and Data Processing Units (DPU) enables distributed training, disaggregated storage, and real-time collaboration with extremely low latencies.

Greener

Despite such drastic increases in capacity and performance, the advanced thermal architecture and optimised airflow of Supermicro X13 systems enable them to run in high-ambient-temperature environments of up to 40°C (104°F) with free-air cooling, reducing cooling-related infrastructure costs and OPEX.

Liquid cooling options are also available for many X13 systems and can reduce OPEX by up to 40% compared to standard air conditioning. Supermicro's resource-saving architecture for multi-node systems utilises shared cooling and power to reduce power consumption and raw materials usage, lowering both TCO and TCE.

In addition, the in-house design of Titanium Level power supplies further ensures improved operational efficiency. As a result, the PUE of a data centre can realistically be reduced from an industry average of 1.60 down to the 1.05 range.

Supermicro X13 Portfolio:

• SuperBlade

Supermicro's high-performance, density-optimised, and energy-efficient X13 SuperBlade can reduce initial capital and operational expenses for many organisations. SuperBlade utilises shared, redundant components, including cooling, networking, power, and chassis management, to deliver the compute performance of an entire server rack in a much smaller physical footprint.

These systems support GPU-enabled blades and are optimised for AI, Data Analytics, HPC, Cloud, and Enterprise workloads. A cable reduction of up to 95% compared to industry-standard servers reduces costs and can lower power usage.

• GPU Servers with PCIe GPUs

Optimised for AI, Deep Learning, HPC, and high-end graphics professionals, providing maximum acceleration, flexibility, high performance, and balanced solutions.

Supermicro GPU-optimised systems support advanced accelerators and deliver dramatic performance gains and cost savings. These systems are designed for HPC, AI/ML, rendering, and VDI workloads.

• Universal GPU Servers

The X13 Universal GPU systems are open, modular, standards-based servers that provide superior performance and serviceability with dual 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors and a hot-swappable, toolless design.

GPU options include the latest PCIe, OAM, and NVIDIA SXM technology. These GPU servers are ideal for workloads with the most demanding AI training performance, HPC, and Big Data Analytics.

• Hyper

The X13 Hyper series brings next-generation performance to Supermicro's range of rackmount servers, built to take on the most demanding workloads along with the storage & I/O flexibility that provides a custom fit for a wide range of application needs.

• Hyper-E

The X13 Hyper-E brings the performance and flexibility of Supermicro's flagship Hyper series to the Edge with short-depth form factors designed for Edge data centre and telco deployments.

Telco-optimised configurations are NEBS Level 3 certified and feature optional DC power supplies on selected models. All I/O and expansion slots are front-accessible for easy servicing in space-constrained environments, while maintenance-friendly design innovations eliminate the need for tools when servicing, simplifying rollout and installation.

• BigTwin

The X13 BigTwin systems provide superior density, performance, and serviceability with dual 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors per node and hot-swappable tool-less design. These systems are ideal for cloud, storage, and media workloads.

• GrandTwin

The X13 GrandTwin is an all-new architecture purpose-built for single-processor performance. The design maximises compute, memory and efficiency to deliver maximum density.

Powered by a single 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processor, GrandTwin's flexible modular design can be easily adapted for a wide range of applications, with the ability to add or remove components as required, reducing cost.

In addition, the Supermicro GrandTwin features front (cold aisle) hot-swappable nodes, which can be configured with either front or rear I/O for easier serviceability. As a result, the X13 GrandTwin is ideal for workloads such as CDN, Multi-Access Edge Computing, Cloud Gaming, and High-Availability Cache Clusters.

• FatTwin

The X13 FatTwin high-density systems offer an advanced multi-node 4U twin architecture with 8 or 4 nodes (single processor per node). Front-accessible service design allows cold-aisle serviceability, with highly configurable systems optimised for data centre infrastructure with compute and storage density and options.

In addition, the Fat Twin supports all-hybrid hot-swappable NVMe/SAS/SATA hybrid drive bays with up to 6 drives per node (8-node) and up to 8 drives per node (4-node). As a result, the Supermicro FatTwin server excels where EDA applications are critical.

• SuperEdge

Supermicro's X13 SuperEdge is designed to handle increasing compute and I/O density requirements of modern edge applications. With 3 customisable single-processor nodes, SuperEdge delivers high-class performance in a 2U, short-depth form factor.

Each node is hot-swappable and offers front access I/O, making the system ideal for remote IoT, Edge, or Telco deployments. With flexible Ethernet or Fiber connectivity options to the BMC, Super Edge makes it easy for customers to choose remote management connections per their deployment environments.

• Edge Servers

Optimised for telco Edge workloads, Supermicro X13 Edge systems offer high-density processing power in compact form factors. Flexible power with both AC and DC configurations available and enhanced operating temperatures up to 55°C (131°F) make these systems ideal for Multi-Access Edge Computing, Open RAN, and outdoor Edge deployments.

Supermicro SuperEdge brings high-density compute and flexibility to the intelligent Edge, with three hot-swappable single processor nodes and front I/O in a short-depth 2U form factor.

• CloudDC

Ultimate flexibility on I/O and storage with 2 or 6 PCIe 5.0 slots and dual AIOM slots (PCIe 5.0; OCP 3.0 compliant) for maximum data throughput. Supermicro X13 CloudDC systems are designed for convenient serviceability with tool-less brackets, hot-swap drive trays and redundant power supplies that ensure a rapid deployment and more efficient maintenance in data centres.

• WIO

The single-socket Supermicro WIO systems offer a wide range of I/O options to deliver truly optimised systems for specific requirements.

Users can optimise the storage and networking alternatives to accelerate performance, increase efficiency and find the perfect fit for their applications. Supermicro's X13 WIO systems can now accommodate double-width GPUs for accelerated AI/ML workloads through newly designed top loading expansion slots.

• Petascale Storage

The X13 All-Flash NVMe systems offer industry-leading storage density and performance with EDSFF drives, allowing unprecedented capacity and performance in a single 1U chassis.

The first in a coming lineup of X13 storage systems, this latest E1.S server supports 9.5 and 15mm EDSFF media, now shipping from all the industry-leading flash vendors.

• MP Servers

The X13 MP servers bring maximum configurability and scalability in a 2U or a 6U design, incorporating 4 or 8 CPUs.

The X13 multi-processor systems bring new levels of compute performance and flexibility with support for 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors to support mission-critical enterprise workloads.