Intel launches faster, more efficient Xeon E7 range

published 6 May 2015

Intel's new range of Xeon E7 processors will increase the speed with which customers are able to extract information from big data, the chip maker said.

Xeon E7 v3, as the product range is called, is built on Intel's Haswell infrastructure and focuses firmly on Big Data analytics and in-memory computing for mission-critical applications, Scott Pendrey, Intel's server product manager for EMEA, told IT Pro.

"E7 v3 is for applications that you cannot afford to fail or shutdown - things like large databases and virtualisation workloads, or business intelligence," said Pendrey.

"Key features that we have integrated into E7 v3, like Intel Run Sure, mean that in the Xeon family, this chip is particularly suited to these kinds of enterprise applications," he added.

In Intel's tests, the 18-core E7 v3 achieved a 40 per cent average performance improvement compared to last year's E7 v2 chips, and offers up to six-times better business processing application performance for in-memory transactional workloads, and an up-to-85 per cent reduction total cost of ownership compared to competitors' RISC architecture.

Intel explained that it does this by using a higher frequency but lower voltage than alternatives, meaning users save on power and cooling, as well as having a lower purchase price.

E7 v3 supports configurations of up to 32 sockets, with each eight-socket system supporting up to 12TB of DDR3 or DDR4 RAM technology.

E7 v3 is available immediately in 12 processor models, ranging in price from $1,224 (806) to $7,175 (4,725) ex-VAT per 1,000 chips. E7 v3-based systems are also now available from 17 manufacturers worldwide, including Cisco, Dell, HP, Fujitsu and Oracle.

Jane McCallion is Managing Editor of ITPro and ChannelPro, specializing in data centers, enterprise IT infrastructure, and cybersecurity. Before becoming Managing Editor, she held the role of Deputy Editor and, prior to that, Features Editor, managing a pool of freelance and internal writers, while continuing to specialize in enterprise IT infrastructure, and business strategy.

Prior to joining ITPro, Jane was a freelance business journalist writing as both Jane McCallion and Jane Bordenave for titles such as European CEO, World Finance, and Business Excellence Magazine.