16 sockets and 32 processors

[vmwaredude1]

Folks,

I my Hardware knowledge is not that excellent. Correct me, if I am wrong. Sockets are the place holders for CPU. So, why ESX servers supports only 16 sockets and 32 processors max ?

I mean, what good are those sockets, if there is no Processor in it?

Thanks

[RParker]

The sockets is a limitation of the architecture, not ESX.

So it doesn't support empty sockets, it only recognizes processors.

Most programming languages are written to support a specific type of architecture. That architecture that they develop on is how they design software. They can't anticipate changes in the architecture, it may support 32 sockets in the future, but if something changes, they have to recompile it, so at the moment those are the limits.

32 processors are not correlated with sockets, a processor is a physical chip, a socket is just a place holder, so 32 processors represents COREs, so it can support 16 DUAL CORE processors max, or 8 Quad Core.

[vmwaredude1]

But, dual core is counted as 1 CPU in ESX right ?

[RParker]

I can see you need a course in Intel Architecture.

A CORE is a processor. A DIE can have 1, 2 or 4 PROCESSORS

There are SINGLE CORE, DUAL CORE and QUAD CORE processors.

A Dual Core is a DUAL processor. ESX counts SOCKETS, not core/processors. Therefore a Quad/Dual core makes no difference to ESX, it licenses by SOCKET not CPU/PROCESSOR.

So a Dual Core counts as 2 CPU, which occupies 1 socket.

[mreferre]

From a technical perspective a core is the processor. So a 4 socket quad-core systems will expose to ESX as many as 16 "processors" and ESX doesn't even bother the number of sockets they are deployed on (not strictly true but enough for this discussion).

From a LICENSING perspectice VMware counts the socket (at the moment).... so the 4 socket quad-core system in the example above would only require a 4-CPU license.

Massimo.

[Badsah]

Richard,

As always, most of your message contains exactly the kind of detailed information vmwaredude1 needed. Unfortunately, even though it was probably not your intention, the opening remark ("I can see you need a course in Intel Architecture") comes across as condescending and definitely unnecessary, don't you think? Hopefully, the original poster did not take offense. The gentleman has already admitted that he is not very familiar with hardware, hence the posting. Let's stick to the facts to avoid misunderstanding and misinterpretation. We don't have facial expression and body language to accompany our written posts, which is the biggest shortcoming of written electronic communication, so subtleties in tone and language matter significantly.

Thanks for understanding and for your ongoing expert contributions.

-

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Badsah Mukherji

Senior Community Manager

VMware Communities

[eharvill]

I can see you need a course in Intel Architecture

He must have been too busy in the AMD architecture class that day...

[vmwaredude1]

Thanks dada for you support.

I kind of felt bad, with his comments, but I took it in a positive way. Right now, my focus is just to learn as much as possible. I dont have lot of time. so what ever knowledge, I get I will just grab it.

Thanks