VMware supports various server vendors that can be used within a power substation. You must alter the BIOS settings for peak performance from the compute.

The following hardware models are tested and represent specific examples of:

Advantech ECU-579

  • Processor model: Intel Xeon Gold 6138T CPU @ 2.00GHz

  • Processor sockets: 1

  • Processor cores per socket: 20

  • Logical processors: 40 (Hyperthreading Active)

  • Memory: 192 GB RAM

  • Disk: 1 TB 2.5” SATA SSD drive (internal) for ESXi

  • Disk: 1 TB 2.5” SATA SSD drive (internal) for local storage

  • Disk: 1 TB 2.5” SATA SSD drive (internal) for cache tier – vSAN

  • Disk: 1 TB 2.5” SATA SSD drive (internal) for capacity/data tier – vSAN

The following Advantech Host BIOS settings are used to enable maximum performance:

  • Hyperthreading - Enabled (Active)

  • SpeedStep (P States) - Disabled

  • Energy Efficient Turbo - Disabled

  • CPU C States - Disabled

  • Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) - Enabled

Figure 1. Advantech Server BIOS - CPU P States
Note:

  • Advantech does not have a concept of System Profile = Performance.

  • Advantech recommends enabling Energy Efficient Turbo. It means that the Power Management setting in vSphere shows Balanced and not Performance.

Figure 2. Advantech Server BIOS - CPU C States
Figure 3. Advantech Server BIOS - Directed I/O
Figure 4. Advantech Server BIOS - Hyper-Threading

Dell PowerEdge XR12

  • Processor model: Intel Xeon Silver 4314 CPU @ 2.40 GHz

  • Processor sockets: 1

  • Processor cores per socket: 16

  • Logical processors: 32 (Hyperthreading Active)

  • Memory: 128 GB RAM

  • Disk: 480 GB SSD SATA Read Intensive 6 Gbps 512 2.5in Hot-plug AG Drive, 1 DWPD drive (internal) for ESXi

  • Disk: 480 GB SSD SATA Read Intensive 6 Gbps 512 2.5in Hot-plug AG Drive, 1 DWPD drive (internal) for local storage

  • Disk: 1.92 TB SSD SATA S4510 Read Intensive 6 Gbps 512e 2.5in Hot-Plug, S4510, 1 DWPD drive (internal) for cache tier – vSAN

  • Disk: 1.92 TB SSD SATA S4510 Read Intensive 6 Gbps 512e 2.5in Hot-Plug, S4510, 1 DWPD drive (internal) for capacity or data tier – vSAN

The following Dell PowerEdge XR12 Host BIOS settings are used to enable maximum performance - (Common Name (BIOS Parameter Name)):

  • System Profile - Performance

  • Hyperthreading (Logical Processor) - Active

  • SpeedStep/P States (CPU Power Management) – Maximum Performance

  • C States (C1E, C States) – Disabled

  • Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) (Virtualization Technology) - Enabled

Figure 5. Dell Server BIOS - System Profile Settings
Figure 6. Dell Server BIOS - System Profile Settings (continued)
Figure 7. Dell Server BIOS - Logical Processor and Virtualization Technology

Crystal ES373S17

  • Processor model: Intel Xeon Gold 6230T CPU @ 2.10 GHz

  • Processor sockets: 2

  • Processor cores per socket: 20

  • Logical processors: 80 (Hyperthreading Active)

  • Memory: 192 GB RAM

  • Disk: 480 GB PCIe SSD drive (internal) for ESXi

  • Disk: 960 GB SATA SSD drive (internal) for local storage

  • Disk: 960 GB SATA SSD drive (internal) for local storage

  • Disk: 960 GB SATA SSD drive (internal) for cache tier – vSAN

  • Disk: 960 GB SATA SSD drive (internal) for capacity/data tier – vSAN

The following Crystal Host BIOS settings were used to enable maximum performance:

  • Hyperthreading – Enabled (Active)

  • SpeedStep (P States) – Disabled

  • Energy Efficient Turbo – Disabled

  • CPU C States – Disabled

  • Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) – Enabled

Figure 8. Cyrstal Server BIOS - CPU P States
Figure 9. Cyrstal Server BIOS - CPU C States
Figure 10. Cyrstal Server BIOS - Directed I/O
Figure 11. Cyrstal Server BIOS - Hyper-Threading