Intel to Power SAP Landscapes with Intel Xeon Data Center CPUs
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Key Takeaways
⇨ Historically, SAP landscapes driven by computer performance focused on the "core-to-memory ratio" for SAP HANA, which improved from 768GB to 3TB per socket with 2nd to 5th Gen Intel Xeon Processors.
⇨ While SAP's performance and scale-up requirements remain, performance optimization is now a key focus for SAP and its customers.
⇨ To meet the market's need for performance optimization and sustainability, Intel will offer dedicated Intel Xeon Data Center CPUs optimized for compute intense AI, general-purpose, and power/performance.
SAP landscapes have long been the backbone of business operations. However, the rising demand for data optimization is pushing organizations to integrate AI capabilities. This integration is disrupting traditional SAP landscapes, compelling IT departments to innovate and effectively manage diverse computing profiles.
Historically, SAP landscapes driven by computer performance focused on the “core-to-memory ratio” for SAP HANA, which improved from 768GB to 3TB per socket with 2nd to 5th Gen Intel Xeon Processors. Today, performance per watt, which measures CPU energy consumption for SAP HANA, is equally important. While SAP’s performance and scale-up requirements remain, performance optimization is now a key focus for SAP and its customers.
Evolving Data Center Requirements
Intel’s Data Center CPUs have long been known for predictable performance and reliability. Yet, as data centers evolve, it has become clear that one size does not fit all. This shift has amplified the demand for increased compute density and improved performance per watt. Moreover, the rise of cloud-driven microservices architectures, coupled with new environmental regulations, has compelled Intel to diversify and innovate its offerings to meet these changing needs.
Addressing Diverse Needs
To meet the market’s need for performance optimization and sustainability, Intel will offer dedicated Intel Xeon Data Center CPUs optimized for compute intense AI, general-purpose, and power/performance.
While Intel Xeon with P-Cores (Granite Rapids) is optimized to deliver high performance and scalability for compute-intensive workloads, Intel Xeon 6 with E-Cores (Sierra Forrest) offer a cost-effective, high-density compute platform. In the coming years, Intel plans to release a series of new products featuring either P-Cores or E-Cores. This includes the Intel Xeon 6 with E-Cores based on Intel 3 Architecture, followed by the Intel Xeon 6 with P-Cores by the end of 2024, and the first Intel 18 Architecture-based E-Core product, Clearwater Forest. Intel’s innovation in process technology, transitioning from Intel 4 and Intel 3 to the Angstrom era of Intel 18A and 15A, enable the delivery of products optimized for either highest performance (P-Cores) or best performance per watt (E-Cores).
Intel for SAP
For SAP’s flagship in-memory database service, SAP HANA, maintaining optimal price-performance and scalability while minimizing energy consumption is crucial. The new Intel Xeon 6 CPU with E-Cores aim to allow SAP HANA to maintain performance without compromising on energy efficiency. Initial tests indicate that these CPUs can achieve comparable performance and scalability to current Intel CPUs while cutting CPU energy consumption by up to 60%. SAP, in collaboration with Intel, is dedicated to accelerating the transition towards sustainability, aiding other businesses and industries in preparing for a more sustainable future.
Customer Benefits
The Intel Xeon 6 with E-Cores will deliver SAP’s highest OLAP performance (L-Class) with up to 2TB per socket SAP HANA capacity. L-Class denotes a Business Warehouse Scenario executing over 5000 queries per hour. The Xeon 6 with E-Cores can scale from one to two sockets, hosting up to 4TB capacity for SAP HANA while maintaining the impressive 5000+ queries per hour rate. Xeon 6 with E-Cores reduces CPU power consumption by up to 60% compared to the 4th Generation Intel Xeon processor serving 4TB at L-Class.
This reduction can offer significant cost savings, especially for SAP customers operating numerous servers. For instance, transitioning from a 4S-based 4th Gen Intel Xeon platform to a performance-equivalent 2S-based Intel Xeon 6 with E-Cores platform for 50 servers can result in annual CPU energy savings of approximately €61,320. This calculation is based on the difference between 1200W (4S – 32C – 4th Gen Xeon) and 500W (2S – 128C – Xeon 6), resulting in 35,000W daily savings.
SAP has acknowledged these benefits for Intel Xeon 6 with E-Cores as part of their Tailored Datacenter Infrastructure (TDI) Program. TDI allows SAP customers to optimize their SAP landscapes according to their specific SAP HANA and application needs in terms of compute performance and memory. The Intel Xeon 6 with E-Cores thus provides a performance-per-watt optimization opportunity, which can improve the environmental footprint of SAP operations.
Intel, in collaboration with OEMs certified for SAP TDI, will introduce a variety of Intel Xeon 6 with E-Core-based server platforms starting in September 2024. These platforms will facilitate IT datacenter renewal and consolidation for SAP landscapes and beyond.
