NSA 7150 Brings Scalability And Improved Performance With 3rd Gen Intel® Xeon® Processors

Application • Edge AI
September 30, 2021

Summary

The NSA 7150 represents a performance evolution for enterprise and telecom edge computing through integration of 3rd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors. The 2U rackmount appliance features dual processors (up to 40 cores each), delivering substantial compute density for NFV and edge AI workloads. The platform provides 1.2Tb cumulative Ethernet connectivity through eight PCIe Generation 4 interfaces, a three-fold improvement over the predecessor NSA 7146. Key enhancements include Intel Quick Assist Technology (QAT) hardware acceleration, Intel Optane persistent memory support, and OCP NIC 3.0 compliance. IPMI 2.0 remote management capabilities streamline deployment and reduce on-site operational overhead.

Problem / Requirements

Enterprise and telecom operators require high-density compute appliances that scale processing capability while maintaining network connectivity proportional to compute power. Previous generation platforms exhibited I/O bottlenecks that constrained throughput efficiency for parallel workload execution. Organizations deploying NFV infrastructure demand hardware-accelerated cryptographic operations to reduce CPU overhead for security functions. Network function deployments require deterministic memory performance and robust remote management for unattended edge facilities.

Technical Approach

NEXCOM addressed scalability requirements through dual 3rd Gen Xeon Scalable processor configuration with proportional PCIe Generation 4 scaling. The architecture integrates Intel QAT as a first-class hardware accelerator for cryptographic operations, reducing CPU cycles dedicated to encryption/decryption functions. Optane persistent memory support enables hybrid memory configurations optimizing cost-performance for large working sets. OCP NIC 3.0 compliance ensures ecosystem compatibility for diverse network interface options. IPMI 2.0 provides standardized remote management interfaces requiring minimal firmware customization.

Implementation Notes

The dual-socket configuration supports up to 80 aggregate processor cores, enabling substantial parallel workload execution. PCIe Generation 4 doubles bandwidth per interface compared to Generation 3, reducing protocol overhead for high-throughput network adapters. Intel QAT integration offloads AES, SHA, and RSA operations to dedicated hardware, improving throughput for security-sensitive workloads while reducing thermal impact from CPU utilization. Optane persistent memory operates transparently to applications as extended memory hierarchy, supporting larger datasets without proportional latency increase.

Remote management through IPMI 2.0 enables standardized out-of-band access across heterogeneous infrastructure environments. The 2U form factor accommodates dual-socket CPU configuration while maintaining thermal feasibility through improved heat dissipation design.

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Challenge | Solution |

Limited compute-to-network capacity ratio | Dual 40-core processors with 8x PCIe Gen4 (1.2Tb aggregate)

CPU overhead for cryptographic operations | Intel QAT acceleration for AES, SHA, RSA algorithms

Memory bottlenecks for large datasets | Optane persistent memory support with extended hierarchy

Deployment complexity in remote facilities | IPMI 2.0 standardized out-of-band remote management

Network interface ecosystem fragmentation | OCP NIC 3.0 compliance for ecosystem compatibility

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Key Takeaways

3rd Generation Xeon Scalable processors provide compute density improvements enabling single-platform consolidation previously requiring multiple appliances. PCIe Generation 4 scaling resolves I/O bottlenecks for high-throughput network processing, improving aggregate system efficiency. Intel QAT hardware acceleration demonstrates measurable CPU savings for cryptographic operations across security functions. Optane persistent memory enables cost-effective scaling beyond traditional DRAM limitations for working sets exceeding 512GB. Standardized remote management through IPMI 2.0 reduces operational complexity for distributed edge deployments.

Contact NEXCOM

For specifications, availability, and technical inquiries, contact NEXCOM via the official website.

Specifications Snapshot

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Specification | Details

Processor | Dual 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable (up to 40 cores each)

Total Cores | Up to 80 cores aggregate

PCIe Interfaces | 8x PCIe Generation 4 slots

Ethernet Connectivity | 1.2Tb cumulative bandwidth

Hardware Acceleration | Intel QAT (AES, SHA, RSA)

Memory Support | DDR4 + Intel Optane persistent memory

Remote Management | IPMI 2.0

Compliance | OCP NIC 3.0

Form Factor | 2U rackmount

Target Applications | NFV, edge AI, telecom infrastructure

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