TRANSFORMING THE DATA CENTER WITH ARM - MAXIMIZING ENERGY, SCALABILITY, AND PERFORMANCE IN THE MODERN DATA CENTER - SUSE
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WHITE PAPER
Transforming
the Data Center
with ARM
Maximizing Energy, Scalability, and
Performance in the Modern Data Center
suse.comWHITE PAPER: TRANSFORMING THE DATA CENTER WITH ARM
IT leaders looking to modernize their fact, nearly all smartphones and most small electronic devices
such as network routers, WiFi access points, and consumer
computer, networking and storage electronics run on ARM processors. More than 17 billion chips
systems have begun to adopt ARM based on ARM technology were shipped in 2016. With its
history in mobile devices, ARM Ltd. is poised to revolutionize
processor-based systems for mission-
the data center with dense, energy-efficient, low-cost chips. The
critical workloads. SUSE is a leader in 100 billion ARM chips that have shipped over the past twenty-
delivering an enterprise-grade Linux five years enable a broad range of computing and connectivity,
powering everything from smartphones to supercomputers.
distribution that is fully supported and
optimized for the diverse and unique Unlike other providers, ARM does not directly produce
capabilities of solutions built on ARM processors but instead licenses the design to thousands of
partners that use this design to develop their own processors.
processors. This has resulted in a tremendous diversity of ARM system on
a chip (SoC) processors in the market. SoC vendors are free to
augment the ARM design by adding additional elements such
as workload accelerators and I/O devices.
Exascale Computing in Today’s
Digital Economy
Across the globe, today’s digital economy is transforming
rapidly. With the rise of cloud technologies, an increasingly ARM-Based Chip Shipments
mobile and social universe, and the exponential growth of data,
our digital culture has never seen such dramatic change. In fact, 18
by 2020, more than 1.7 megabytes of new information will be 17.7 bn
ARM-powered SoCs shipped (billions)
16
created every second for every human being on the planet—
15.1 bn
adding up to 44 zettabytes (or 44 trillion gigabytes).1 14
12
According to Ashish Nadkarni, IDC program director, “The
ever-increasing appetite of businesses to embrace emerging 10
big data-related software and infrastructure technologies while 8
keeping the implementation costs low has led to the creation of
6
a rich ecosystem of new and incumbent suppliers.”2
4
As the digital landscape continues to transform, the enterprise 2
IT organization must adopt new approaches to optimizing the
data center while supporting agile development processes. It 0
requires a modern data center that is both energy efficient and 1991 Financial Years 2016
powerful enough to support exascale computing.
34% 100
A New Reality: billion
ARM in the Modern Data Center
Market share in 2016 ARM-based chips shipped to date
A leading provider of microprocessor technology, ARM Ltd. (a
SoftBank company) is beginning to play a prominent role in the Source: ARM Holdings, Q4 2016 Roadshow Slides
evolution of servers in the modern data center. ARM Ltd. rose
to power with chips designed for smartphones and tablets. In
suse.com 2WHITE PAPER: TRANSFORMING THE DATA CENTER WITH ARM
networking technologies, ARM server chips are becoming
Given the company’s history in mobile increasingly competitive, offering greater density with
performance on par with X86 processor-based servers at a
computing, ARM processor designs
lower solution cost.
tend to be inherently energy efficient.
According to IDC and others, ARM is continuing to gain traction
in the server and networking markets. In 2015, the company’s
The simpler architecture of ARM processors enables low power market value was $15 billion with less than 1% market share. In
consumption and high density, up to 48 cores per socket today, 2020, that number is projected to increase to $20 billion with
often at a lower cost. The combination of ARM technology 25% market share. For networking infrastructure in 2015, the
with the diversity of SoC vendors enables a wide variation in company’s market value was $13 billion with 15% market share.
capabilities that supports diverse, mission-critical workloads. In 2020, market value is projected to rise to $16 billion with 45%
For example, a high-density, high core count offers the power market share.3
required for high-performance computing; a low-density,
medium core count is optimal for virtualization and storage ARM can attribute this growth, in part, to its licensing
server workloads; and a low-density, low core count is ideal for model. With a network of multiple partners, mainly leading
industrial automation workloads. semiconductor companies, the ARM business model establishes
a trusted partnership of shared success across multiple markets.
For IT organizations looking to reduce costs by increasing These SoC partners have the flexibility to design ARM-based
server density, ARM servers are a viable alternative to x86- products targeted to the specific workloads their customers
based systems. With support for DDR4 and the latest I/O and require.
ARM Market Opportunity
ARM Servers ARM Networking
TAM Value TAM Value
2015
2015
$15bn* $150M 34%2015
$13bn* $1,950MWHITE PAPER: TRANSFORMING THE DATA CENTER WITH ARM
ARM Server Chip Vendors
Partner Processor Name Cores/SoC Sockets Potential Use
NXP Freescale QorIQ LS1012A 1 1 Low power communications
2 Control plane
Marvell Armada 1
4 Gateway
IOT
Xilinx Zync Ultrascale + MPSoC 4 1
Embedded
Rockchip RK3399 6 1 General purpose low power
NXP Freescale QorIQ LS2080 8 1 Communications
Storage
AMD “Seattle” A1100 8 1
General purpose
4 Networking
Cavium Octeon TX 8 1 Storage
24 Security
HiSilicon Hip07 D05 32 2 Hyperscale computing
MACOM Web front end
X-Gene3 Skylark 32 1
(formerly Applied Micro) Storage
Storage
ThunderX 48 2
HPC
Cavium Web caching
Scaleout
ThunderX2 32 2
Security
Qualcomm Centriq 2400 48 2 Hyperscale Computing
The ARM-Based Data Center:
Ready for Prime Time
With a number of SoC partners driving new adoptions ThunderX-based server platforms being deployed at multiple
and collaborations, ARM proves ready for widespread data centers, which enabled a critical mass of ecosystem
adoption in the modern data center. Among several partners for ARM. We see the second-generation products
noteworthy applications, Fujitsu uses ARM technologies for helping to drive a tipping point for ARM server deployment
a supercomputer in Japan, and Cray has delivered an ARM- across a mainstream set of volume applications. Microsoft’s
powered supercomputer to a UK consortium. Also of note is the support will help accelerate commercial deployment of ARMv8
collaboration between Cavium and Microsoft who developed server platforms for Data Centers and Cloud.”4
ARM-based servers to accelerate cloud services. With a
Windows-based server on ARM, Microsoft is moving beyond Microsoft Azure’s Dr. Leendert van Doorn, distinguished
Intel in its Azure cloud. engineer, agrees. “We’re impressed with the innovation and
competitiveness of the latest generation of ARM server
According to Gopal Hegde, VP and general manager at Cavium, processors, like ThunderX2, and are excited about the
“ARM-based servers have come a long way with first generation roadmap.”5
suse.com 4WHITE PAPER: TRANSFORMING THE DATA CENTER WITH ARM
Building the ARM-Powered
Data Center with SUSE Linux
Enterprise Server SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12
for Raspberry Pi
SUSE has been working with ARM for many years. In 2016,
SUSE created the first commercially supported 64-bit Linux SUSE now supports the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B, a
distribution for the ARM platform with the introduction of SUSE $35 computer with a 64-bit ARM processor. Packaged
Linux Enterprise Server 12 Service Pack 2. With upstream Linux as an image ready to be copied onto an SD card, the
kernel version 4.4, chosen specifically for ARM, and more than distribution includes compilers, development tools,
3,000 packages, SUSE provides partners with an enterprise- source software, and a free, one-year, self-service
grade Linux distribution that enables 64-bit ARM servers to subscription. The device is enabled for WiFi, Bluetooth,
deliver optimal performance, reliability, and scalability for data- HDMI, Ethernet, and GPIO. Leveraging the work done on
intensive, mission-critical workloads. ARM chips, the Raspberry Pi provides an easy, low-cost
way to adopt SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for both
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for ARM enables solution hobbyists and commercial use.
developers to:
• Accelerate innovation and deployment for a broad choice of
open source and partner solutions.
• Provide a solid, mission-critical foundation for emerging 64-
bit ARM servers while exploiting unique ARM capabilities for Resources
storage, networking, and high-performance computing.
• Deliver a high-performance platform for rising business 1
IDC, “IDC Digital Universe Study: Big Data, Bigger Digital Shadows and
demands with improved application performance, scalability Biggest Growth in the Far East,” 2011.
for growth, and instant data access.
2
IDC, “Worldwide Big Data Technology and Services Forecast, 2015-
2019,” November 2015
SUSE Linux supports an expanding list of ARM SoC vendors
including AMD, Cavium, HiSilicon/Huawei, MACOM/Applied 3
ARM Holdings, 2015
Micro, Marvell, NXP/Freescale, Qualcomm, RockChip, and Xilinx.
4
PRNewswire, “Cavium and Microsoft Collaborate to Accelerate Cloud
Services with ThunderX2,” March 2017.
5
Ibid.
suse.com 5For more information, contact your local SUSE Solutions Provider, visit us online or call SUSE at: 1-800-796-3700 (U.S. and Canada) 1-801-861-4500 (Worldwide) SUSE Maxfeldstrasse 5 90409 Nuremberg Germany www.suse.com ©2017 SUSE and the SUSE logo are registered trademarks of SUSE LLC, in the United States and other countries. All other third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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