Dense computing solutions are becoming commonplace even for enterprises that are not focused on high performance computing (HPC). Vendors are introducing server technologies that can compress over one thousand x86-based processing cores in a single 42U rack. Compared to data centers using rack-mount servers, these dense servers offer:
- Smaller physical footprints.
- Lower energy use for the same computing power.
- Reduced cooling requirements.
Many enterprises will find that limits on compute power will not be imposed by the servers, but by external limitations such as available power and cooling for the data center. Understanding the capabilities of dense server technologies will aid in planning future data center requirements.
