Intel Xeon E5-2440 v2 socket: LGA 1356

What the Xeon E5-2440 v2 is

Intel Xeon E5-2440 v2 is a 8 core Ivy Bridge-EN server part that Intel released in September 2013 for single and dual socket entry nodes. It uses the Ivy Bridge-EN design on a 22 nm process, running at 1.9 GHz base with turbo to 2.4 GHz. The cache is 20 MB. Power is 95 W. There are no integrated graphics, so console output depends on the board management controller.

The cores carry Hyper-Threading for 16 threads. The three channel ECC memory controller suits virtualized hosting with many small guests. The package integrates 24 PCIe 3.0 lanes and a single QPI link for dual socket topologies.

At 95 W the Xeon E5-2440 v2 belongs to the 95 W performance group of the E5-2400 v2 line. The clocks suit scale out hosting with directed airflow. Boards are vendor qualified LGA1356 designs with ECC RDIMM slots. The How to find your CPU socket type guide shows how to confirm the socket before ordering parts.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The Xeon E5-2440 v2 fits LGA 1356 in LGA form with 1,356 lands. Boards are single and dual socket server designs from system vendors, qualified per model with a board BIOS that lists the exact string. The v2 generation needs a BIOS of the right age on boards bought for v1 parts.

Power delivery at 95 W suits 1U and 2U chassis with directed airflow and vendor heatsinks. Memory support decides more builds than power: the board must accept ECC RDIMMs. The CPU cooler compatibility by socket guide notes server sockets use board specific heatsinks with no desktop pattern. Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works covers the platform rules.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

Memory support is ddr3-800 to 1600, three channels, ecc, up to 384 gb. ECC RDIMMs are the server choice, since they catch single bit errors in long running guests. Three channels per socket feed the cores, with up to 384 GB where the board allows.

PCI Express is 24 PCIe 3.0 lanes per socket for NICs, HBAs and SSDs. A single QPI link connects the two sockets in dual socket boards. Storage standards beyond SATA follow the board as well.

Cooling uses 1U and 2U server heatsinks with directed airflow. The 95 W envelope sizes the heatsink and fan wall. Case airflow still matters, since voltage regulators sit near the socket in dense boards.

Upgrade paths

Within LGA 1356 the Xeon E5-2440 v2 sits in the mid to high core group for dense nodes. A same socket move adds cores or clocks where the board BIOS lists the target. Used boards with the right firmware are the base for it.

A real upgrade means a new platform. Intel moved entry servers through newer sockets with DDR4 memory and many more cores. That move needs a new board, new memory and often a new chassis. Keep the LGA1356 node for secondary duty or retire it whole.