Advantech Debuts Platforms with Intel Xeon Processor D-1500s

Advantech unveiled a series of platforms based on the new Intel Xeon processor D-1500 product family and scaling from Advanced Mezzanine Cards (AMC) and Versatile Server Modules (VSM) to Carrier Grade servers and Network Security appliances, all the way to high density, highly available blade server platforms for NFV and Edge Computing. Use

The Intel Xeon processor D-1500 product family offers a range of cores for performance scalability, 128MB of memory and dual Intel Ethernet 10GbE ports, and enables services to be delivered with high reliability, availability, and serviceability.

Versatile Server Module - the MIC-8304 VSM is the first member of a family of Server-on-a-Module platforms. VSMs allow for simplified integration of the latest, high performance Intel processors into equipment such as small cells, base stations, carrier Ethernet and demarcation boxes to add service capabilities. By running the same VNFs that run in the core network, VSM is a key element of what Advantech terms as NFV elasticity. The tailored, rich feature set also makes VSMs an ideal choice for control plane applications in telecom as well as enterprise networking. Advantech has demonstrated the use of the VSM in a wide range of equipment such as a cloud control node inside its new Packetarium™ XLc system, as a server node inside an SDN-enabled Top-of-Rack Switch and adapted for use by Equipment Providers to add service capabilities based on NFV technologies to existing legacy platforms amongst others.

1U mid-range network appliance - the FWA-3260 brings robust performance into a cost and feature optimized 1U platform for network security and other enterprise networking applications. With the scalability of the new Intel Xeon processor D-1500 product family it also enables cost efficient solutions in new applications such as software defined WAN (SD-WAN) and virtualized Enterprise CPE (vE-CPE). A vCPE variant of the appliance is under preparation as a vCPE demonstrator platform with pre-integrated Intel® Open Network Platform (Intel ONP) Server-compliant NFV middleware and 3rd party VNFs from select members of the Intel Network Builders ecosystem.

1U Carrier Grade Server - the CGS-3010 based on the Intel Xeon processor D-1500 product family offers a single processor option for customers looking for the best price/performance ratio with balanced compute and I/O expandability. The server has been designed to support two full-height, full-length PCIe cards at high TDP fitting applications that need both server-class performance and a sophisticated PCIe subsystem.

Packetarium XLc PAC-6009 Carrier Grade Blade Server and NFVI - accommodates the maximum density of compute available in a 400mm deep 6U carrier-grade chassis. It is a highly scalable platform for deploying Intel Atom processor, Intel Xeon E5 processor and Intel Xeon Processor D-1500-based blades designed for the most demanding NFV workloads. For media processing and content handling needs, it offers a flexible infrastructure for the addition of video acceleration hardware providing unprecedented video encoding capabilities. The system's 400W per RU power footprint enables deployment in industry standard 19" racks. The PAC-6009 chassis incorporates a highly versatile and modular design with 9 front slots to host 9 single or dual node Intel Xeon processor-based blades. Generic compute blades run application workloads (VNFs) while dedicated cloud control nodes provide orchestration and virtual infrastructure management functions. Cloud storage nodes for content caching and nodes optimized for media and image processing are in preparation. Built-in high availability features and the high compute density achievable at rack-level make the PAC-6009 a perfect fit for scale-out data plane workloads as well as mission critical control plane gear.

Intel Xeon Processor D-1500-based compute blades are available for the Packetarium XLc in single or dual node SKUs. The MIC-8304C node blade is based on a single 8- or 16-core Intel Xeon Processor D-1500 with additional on-board SSD storage while the MIC-8303C is a dual node blade equipped with two 8- or 16-core Intel Xeon Processor D-1500 series CPUs. The MIC-8304C and MIC-8303C extend the range of available blades and complement the MIC-8302C node blade based on a single Intel Xeon Processor E5-2600 v3 with up to 14 cores.

Processor AMC - the MIC-5604C is designed to upgrade legacy equipment to the Intel Xeon processor D-1500 product family, enabling higher performance compute and LAN speeds. Processor AMC's are broadly used as control plane and service processors in ATCA switches and many bespoke network equipment designs.

"The Intel Xeon processor D-1500 product family enables robust levels of performance and integration for enterprise, data center and telecom networking equipment alike," said Peter Marek, senior director x86 solutions, Advantech Networks & Communications Group. "The processors offer a foundation for platforms that can be used in various deployment scenarios and that scale from access, edge to core, from small to corporate offices and data centers. Our full range of products announced today will not only bring significant CAPEX and OPEX savings to equipment providers and carriers, but will allow them to capitalize on innovative technologies using an NFVI-on-a-module approach, using stand-alone appliances and servers for legacy and virtualized premise equipment, and leverage carrier-grade blade servers optimized for best-in-class compute density at rack level. With support for Intel QuickAssist technology across the product range, even greater efficiencies can be achieved for use cases requiring support for security protocols like IPsec or support for compression/decompression."
http://www2.advantech.com.tw/nc/newsletter/NCG/Xeon-platforms/