A recent comparison study conducted by Phoronix analyzed the performance of AMD EPYC 4004 against Intel Xeon E-2488 for entry-level server performance. The study also examined the current generation server performance stack of Intel Xeon Sapphire Rapids / Emerald Rapids and AMD EPYC Genoa(X) / Bergamo / Siena. This benchmarking showdown used Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and the latest Linux 6.9 software stack to evaluate Linux x86_64 server performance.
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS was released last month, prompting a round of benchmarking on current-generation Linux servers. The study focused on the performance benefits of Xeon and EPYC processors on Linux 6.9. The new Linux 6.9 kernel was found to significantly improve performance for both Xeon and EPYC processors, offering valuable insights into AMD/Intel Linux performance.
The switch to Ubuntu 24.04 LTS also introduced the GCC 13.2 compiler, replacing the GCC 11-based compiler used in Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. Additionally, the long-term support release of Ubuntu 24.04 included various software updates and improvements, enhancing the overall server performance.
Each server configuration tested was equipped with memory running at the maximum rated speed and channels supported. A Kioxia CD8P-R KCD8XPUG1T92 PCIe 5.0 NVMe solid-state drive was used in all tests, along with the reference platform for each server CPU under evaluation. The goal was to assess the competitiveness of current AMD EPYC and Intel Xeon processors as of mid-2024.
The processors tested in this round of performance evaluations included various models from the EPYC and Xeon Max series, such as EPYC 8534P, EPYC 9684X, Xeon Max 9468, and Xeon Platinum 8490H, among others. The study encompassed a mix of AMD EPYC Siena, Genoa(X), and Bergamo processors, as well as Intel’s Sapphire Rapids and Emerald Rapids models.
Notably, the tested Xeon Max processors were run in HBM caching mode for comparison purposes. The study aimed to delve deeper into the performance capabilities of Ubuntu 24.04 + Linux 6.9 server configurations to provide valuable insights for server administrators and IT professionals.
Overall, the benchmarking study shed light on the performance discrepancies between AMD EPYC and Intel Xeon processors, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each platform under the Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and Linux 6.9 environment. The results of the study are anticipated to offer valuable guidance for decision-making in server infrastructure planning and optimization.
In conclusion, the study showcases the evolving landscape of server performance, driven by advancements in software and hardware technologies. The benchmarking comparisons provide a comprehensive overview of the capabilities of current-generation server processors, empowering stakeholders to make informed decisions in setting up and maintaining server infrastructure.
Article Source
https://www.phoronix.com/review/linux69-ubuntu-2404-servers
