Intel Xeon E7-8870 socket: LGA 1567

What the Xeon E7-8870 is

Intel Xeon E7-8870 is a ten core Westmere-EX server processor that Intel released in April 2011 for eight socket boards. It runs at 2.4 GHz base with turbo to 2.8 GHz and includes Hyper-Threading, so 10 cores give 20 threads. Cache is 30 MB Intel Smart Cache. Power is 130 W on a 32 nm process with 2,600 million transistors on a 513 mm2 die.

Eight socket boards hold 160 threads with this chip for the largest Boxboro systems. The 30 MB cache is the largest in the launch wave. Large databases stripe memory across all sockets with buffered DDR3.

Memory runs at DDR3-1333 on qualified boards for up to 42.7 GB/s per socket. The chip launched on April 3, 2011 at a flagship price for eight socket scale.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The Xeon E7-8870 fits LGA 1567 in FCLGA1567 form. Eight socket server boards with the Intel 7500 chipset carry it. The board BIOS must list the exact E7-8870 string.

CPUs connect over four QuickPath links at 6.4 GT/s, while PCIe comes from the chipset. A board that lists E7-8800 strings is the safe choice for large builds.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

Memory support is DDR3-1333, ECC registered with buffering, four channels per socket. Fill risers in matched sets per the board manual. Large boards reach terabytes with all sockets filled.

QPI links run at 4 by 6.4 GT/s between sockets. PCIe comes from the Intel 7500 chipset rather than the processor.

Cooling uses board specific server heatsinks with M3 screws under data center airflow. Up to eight sockets share chassis cooling zones.

Upgrade paths

On LGA 1567 the E7-8870 already tops the launch wave on cache with high clocks, so later steps are E7 v2 parts on LGA 2011 boards. Memory and storage carry over only with a new platform. A same family ten core reference is Intel Xeon E7-8860.

A platform move to a current server socket needs new boards and DDR4 memory. Keep the E7 board for large database duty.