Why Are AMD Servers Gaining Popularity in SMBs?

AMD has established itself as a formidable contender to Intel within the server market. Presenting a harmonious amalgamation of performance and cost efficiency that has been favorably embraced by data centers and enterprises. AMD Ryzen processors are really good at handling different tasks on servers. In several Linux server performance tests, it has been demonstrated that AMD Ryzen 9 series processors outshine Intel Xeon E processors. This was reported in a recent Phoronix article.

We will learn about the top reasons why AMD servers are gaining popularity in SMBs by diving deep in this blog.

Competitive Performance at A More Affordable Price

AMD servers have demonstrated noteworthy progress in the server market through the utilization of their EPYC processors. These processors were specifically engineered to provide comparable performance at a cost-effective price when compared to their counterparts. AMD’s EPYC processors often offer a greater number of cores and superior PCIe lane allocation at a comparatively reduced cost. Data centers and server deployments greatly benefit from this particular trait. This makes them extremely valuable.

The EPYC processors manufactured by AMD garnered favorable reception in the market owing to their robust performance observed in the execution of multi-threaded workloads. The aforementioned characteristics render them particularly well-suited for virtualization, and other data-intensive endeavors.

Energy Efficiency

The EPYC AMD servers were manufactured using a 7nm fabrication technique, thereby facilitating a denser integration of transistors in a confined area. This results in a simultaneous enhancement of performance and reduction of power consumption. AMD has intelligently integrated sophisticated power management capabilities into their processors. Enabling them to effectively modulate power utilization in response to varying workloads. Consequently, this commendable step has amplified the overall level of energy efficiency.

Higher Core and Thread Count

The elevated core count inherent to AMD’s server processors renders them highly compatible with multithreaded and parallel workloads. These workloads are prevalent within data centers and server-based applications.

The table below showcases further the approx differences in cores between AMD and other servers.

BRAND	PROCESSOR	MODEL	APPROX CORE COUNT	APPROX THREAD COUNT
AMD SERVERS	AMD	EPYC Series	Up to 64 Cores	Up to 128 Threads
DELL	Intel/AMD	PowerEdge Series	Up to 56 Cores	Up to 112 Threads
ASUS	Intel/AMD	Server Series	Up to 56 Cores	Up to 112 Threads
IBM	Intel/IBM	System x Series	Up to 28 Cores	Up to 56 Threads
CISCO	Intel	UCS Series	Up to 28 Cores	Up to 56 Threads
ACER	Intel/AMD	Altos Series	Up to 28 Cores	Up to 56 Threads
INSPUR	Intel/AMD	NF Series	Up to 32 Cores	Up to 64 Threads

Scalable Architecture

The amalgamation of increased core counts, and the capability to support multiple sockets, results in the AMD EPYC servers exhibiting a highly scalable nature. Granting users the capacity to adjust their infrastructure according to their expanding computational requirements. The scalability feature provides advantages in cloud computing and other cases where efficient expansion of resources is important.

Wide Range of Server Configurations

AMD’s EPYC servers are outlined to be flexible and consistent with different server shape variables and setups. Giving adaptability for distinctive applications and workloads. EPYC processors back multi-socket setups. This implies you’ll be able to utilize different processors in a single framework to advance increment the center number and memory capacity. 

The multi-socket capability permits for indeed higher levels of execution and adaptability for applications that request critical compute control. They moreover give a critical number of PCIe paths, permitting for different development alternatives for capacity, organizing, GPUs, and other peripherals.

Optimized for Virtualization

AMD servers have incorporated a range of features into their EPYC processors to guarantee their suitability for virtualized environments. AMD’s SEV technology enhances the security of virtualized environments by providing virtual machine (VM)-specific memory encryption at the hardware level. This particular attribute provides assurance for the safeguarding of memory belonging to individual virtual machines by means of isolation and encryption. It results in effectively averting any possible attacks originating from other virtual machines or unauthorized access. 

AMD collaborates closely with virtualization software vendors to optimize the capabilities of their processors in relation to widely adopted virtualization platforms such as VMware. These improvements contribute to the optimization of virtual machine performance and facilitate the streamlined administration of virtualization processes.

High Memory Bandwidth

The compatibility of AMD servers with DDR4 memory, the most recent iteration of double data rate memory technology, is evident. DDR4 memory provides superior data transfer rates and reduced power consumption when juxtaposed with prior generations of DDR memory. This serves to exponentially enhance the overall functionality of memory and bandwidth.

In a Nutshell

The positive prospects for AMD servers persist as the company further enhances its processor offerings and engages in collaborations with esteemed partners in the industry. In view of their commendable equilibrium between performance, energy efficiency, and competitive pricing, AMD servers have emerged as a feasible alternative for organizations aiming to procure cost-efficient solutions for their server infrastructure requirements.