ASUS ESC G2 Series GPU Servers and Workstations

• ASUS ESC G2 Series GPU Servers and Workstations

Upgraded hybrid computing power for professional users offers better-optimized multi-GPU support with more expansion options and advanced I/O integration

GPU computing plays a more important role in the HPC market due to increased focus on applications that require massive computing power with high density scalability. The ASUS ESC4000 G2, ESC2000 G2, and ESC1000 G2 super computer servers and workstations offer professional users ample high density hybrid computing power, delivering a major upgrade in graphics capabilities and expansion paths. With support for four graphics cards and up to two Intel® processors, they enable greater performance, at the same time presenting better reliability with Intel® Ethernet and power supply redundancy. Expansion slots comply with new PCI Express 3.0 x16 specifications, and all power supplies adhere to 80 PLUS standards to ensure improved energy efficiency. Additional features such as hot-swap storage, ASUS PIKE, ASUS SSD Caching, and InfiniBand™ round off ideal platforms for high-demand computing requirements.

Three new models for different professional needs

The ESC G2 Series offers three core products, precision-designed to address the demands of professional users, especially in the fields of engineering, medical research, financial modeling, graphics rendering, and animation. The ESC4000 G2 offers powerful multi-GPU server performance, while the ESC2000 G2 and ESC1000 G2 act as diverse high density workstations. All three emphasize true hybrid computing, supporting up to four graphics cards alongside the latest server and workstation CPUs. Their massive computing power works together with larger memory capacity, capable of up to 512GB DDR3. The ESC4000 G2 and ESC2000 G2 can accommodate dual CPUs, while the ESC1000 G2 ships as a single-CPU personal super computer workstation.

Increased expandability and greater reliability

The ESC4000 G2 utilizes an 8+1 expansion design, while the ESC2000 G2 has seven slots, and the ESC1000 G2 offers six. For better reliability as required by non-stop professional operation, all models employ hot-swap hard drives to enable continued work in the event of system upgrades. Additionally, dual Intel® Ethernet establishes greater network bandwidth and enhances connection stability with double fault tolerance and teaming capabilities.

For power, the ESC G2 Series uses premium 80 PLUS power supplies. The ESC4000 G2 provides better redundancy and stronger safeguards against power surges and failures with dual 1620W 80 PLUS Platinum PSUs. The ESC2000 G2 and ESC1000 G2 feature a 1350W 80 PLUS Gold power supply. As such, all models are energy efficient, helping users lower electricity bills with cumulative savings over prolonged usage.

ESC4000 G2-specific features

As the series flagship, the ESC4000 G2 offers the most computing power among all three models. It acts as a premium high density 2U hybrid HPC server, tailored to medical research, engineering, science, financial modeling, and virtualization applications. It can carry two Intel® Xeon® E5-2600 processors of up to 135W in power draw. Users benefit from eight PCI Express 3.0 x16 expansion slots, as well as a dedicated ASUS PIKE slot for added storage options and better RAID compatibility. InfiniBand™ high speed interconnection improves data transfer speeds between computing nodes, working at up to 56Gb/s. To boost system reliability and endurance, the ESC4000 G2 includes Intelligent System Fan Control II, which independently regulates CPU and GPU-area fan speeds for better airflow and heat venting. With up to four graphics cards supported, the ESC4000 G2 has twin GPU-area fans for double the airflow and backup, making the new model extra-reliable during intense non-stop professional use.

ESC2000 G2 and ESC1000 G2-specific features

The ESC2000 G2 has been designed as a 2-way pedestal workstation and GPU server, while the ESC1000 G2 acts as a one-way graphics workstation. Both cater to professional graphics and personal super computer applications with advanced hybrid computing capabilities. Thanks to built-in flexibility, the ESC2000 G2 supports two Intel® Xeon® E5-2600 processors and up to four graphics cards. It has seven PCI Express 3.0 x16 expansion slots. The ESC1000 G2 has room for a single Intel® Xeon® E5-1600 or a CoreTM i7-3900/3800 processor, with six PCI Express 3.0 x16 slots. ASUS SSD Caching technology on both models makes the most of SSD/mechanical hard drive combo setups, accelerating common tasks for up to three times faster storage performance compared to all-mechanical configurations. To better serve personal multimedia needs, the ESC2000 G2 and ESC1000 G2 deliver DTS® Ultra PC II hi-fi audio.





Data taken from http://www.asus.com/News/xb0RhaErWPBl0MIm/ and http://event.asus.com/server/2012/esc-g2/ (accessed on 1st June 2012)