Table 3. Thermal Design Power versus Average CPU Power
Thermal Design Power (watts) | Average CPU Power (watts) |
| |
137 | 105 |
| |
115 | 75 |
| |
75 | 55 |
| |
Independent and combined memory channel modes
The Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor includes two DRAM controllers that support DDR2 DIMMs. Each DRAM controller controls one 64-bit DDR DIMM channel that connects to a series of DIMMs. The DRAM controllers can be configured to behave as a single channel (called ganged, or combined, mode) or as two channels (called unganged, or independent, mode). Configuring the DRAM controllers in unganged mode creates two 64-bit logical DIMMs, each equivalent to one 64- bit physical DIMM. Configuring the DRAM controllers in ganged mode creates one 128-bit logical DIMM. Each physical DIMM of a 128-bit logical DIMM must be identical (same size and same timing parameters).
The configuration requirements for the DRAM controllers and DIMMs are as follows:
•Both DRAM controllers must be programmed to the same frequency. All DIMMs must operate at the same memory clock frequency, regardless of the channel on which they are connected.
•The DRAM controllers do not support mixing unbuffered and registered DIMMs on the same channel or between channels.
•The DRAM controllers do not support mixing ECC and non-ECC DIMMs on the same channel or between channels.
Six-Core AMD Opteron processors
AMD introduced the six-core Opteron processor, formerly code-named "Istanbul," in June 2009. According to AMD, the six-core Opteron processor (Figure 6) operates within the same power and thermal envelope as the Quad-Core Opteron processor. However, it provides a 20% to 50% performance increase, specifically for virtualization, database, and high-performance computing applications. The six-core processor includes several innovations:
•A dedicated 64-KB L1 cache and 512-KB L2 cache for each core
•A 6-MB L3 cache shared among all cores
•45 nm silicon process technology
•Support for DDR2 memory
•HyperTransport™ 3 technology
•HyperTransport (HT) Assist technology
•AMD Smart Fetch Technology
•Enhanced AMD PowerNow! with Independent Dynamic Core Technology and Dual Dynamic Power Management
•AMD-V™ with Rapid Virtualization Indexing
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