Intel Xeon E5-4669 v3 socket: LGA 2011-v3

What the Xeon E5-4669 v3 is

The Xeon E5-4669 v3 is an 18 core Haswell-EP processor on LGA 2011-v3 for four socket servers. Intel set 18 cores and 36 threads at 2.1 GHz base with turbo to 2.9 GHz. Forty five megabytes of Smart Cache feed large guests. Power is 135 W on 22 nm from the second quarter of 2015. Four socket scalability separates it from dual socket E5-2600 parts.

Eighteen cores suit database and virtualization clusters with many threads per node. Two QPI links at 9.6 GT/s tie four sockets with NUMA effects. Turbo helps single thread queries while throughput loads use all cores. The 22 nm process with per core power states holds idle draw in large chassis.

No integrated graphics exist, so management relies on board BMC graphics. DDR4 with ECC over four channels to 768 GB per socket feeds guests. Buyers pick the 4669 v3 where 4S scale out with 18 cores per node outweighs higher clocks on smaller SKUs.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The 4669 v3 fits LGA 2011-v3 on C612 4S Grantley boards. Firmware must list E5-4600 v3 4S SKUs with correct microcode. The socket also carries HEDT and dual socket Xeons, but 4S boards need specific QPI routing. Check the system vendor support matrix before mixing steppings.

DDR4 registered modules with ECC are required for capacity. The Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works guide covers platform ideas, while the vendor manual decides DIMM maps and QPI cabling. LGA 2011 without v3 never boots Haswell-EP.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

DDR4 ECC over four channels to 768 GB per socket with up to 68 GB/s suits 4S guests. Registered DIMMs allow full populations. Memory speed reaches 2133 MHz on top SKUs. Balance DIMMs across all four sockets for NUMA locality.

PCIe 3.0 with 40 lanes per socket in x4, x8 and x16 splits serves networking, storage and accelerators. Four socket I/O needs careful NUMA placement. Fast interconnects often decide cluster speed more than local SSDs.

Cooling uses 4S server heatsinks rated for 135 W continuous with front to back airflow. No boxed cooler exists. Data center hot aisle design decides sustained clocks.

Upgrade paths

On the same socket the Intel Xeon E5-4648 v3 trims to 12 cores at 1.7 GHz to 2.2 GHz for scale out value, while the Intel Xeon E5-2658A v3 offers 12 faster cores for dual socket nodes. All share LGA 2011-v3, so socket count and thread density decide.

A move to E5-4600 v4 needs Broadwell-EP firmware. A new scalable platform needs new boards. The 4669 v3 leads Haswell-EP 4S where 18 cores per node must deploy.