SPEC CPU2006 Platform Settings for Sugon Intel-based Systems

Firmware / BIOS / Microcode Settings

Power Technology
This BIOS switch allows 3 options:"Disable", "Energy Efficient", "Custom". The default is "Energy Efficient". Only when it is set as "Custom", the hidden menu "CPU C State Control" and "CPU Advanced PM Turning" could be seen.
Package C State limit
This option is included in "CPU C State Control" menu. It allows 4 values: "C0/C1 state", "C2 state", "C6(non Retention) state" and "C6(Retention) state". Default is "C6(Retention) state", which causes the CPU to enter a low-power mode when the CPU is idle. When set as "C0/C1 state", all of the cores are locked at the maxium performance and will cause a large consumption of power.
Energy Performance BIAS setting.:
This BIOS switch is included in the "CPU Advanced PM Turning" menu, which allows 4 options: "Performance", "Balanced performance", "Balanced Power" and "Power". The default is "Balanced Performance", which has been optimized to maximum power savings with minimal impact on performance. "Performance" disables all power management options with any impact on performance. "Balanced Power" is optimized for power efficiency and "Power" for power savings.
The two options "Balanced Performance" and "Balanced Power" should always be the first choice as both options optimize the efficiency of the system. In cases where the performance is not sufficient or the power consumption is too high the two options "Performance" or "Power" could be an alternative.
Turbo Mode:
Enabling turbo mode can boost the overall CPU performance when all CPU cores are not being fully utilized.
Turbo Boost:
This BIOS option can be set to Power Optimized or Traditional. When Power Optimized is selected, Intel Turbo Boost Technology engages after Performance state P0 is sustained for longer than two seconds. When Traditional is selected, Intel Turbo Boost Technology is engaged even for P0 requests less than two seconds.
Hyper-threading:
This BIOS setting enables/disables Intel's Hyper-Threading (HT) Technology. With HT Technology, the operating system can execute two threads in parallel within each processor core.
NUMA:
This BIOS option sets memory accessing mode. NUMA is as Non Uniform Memory Access. If this option is enabled, each CPU chip can only access memory within its own node.
DDR Speed
This BIOS setting allows the memory to be clocked to the highest supported frequency, and it allows 6 chioce:Auto,1067,1333,1600,1867,2133. The default is Auto.
-Auto When set the Memory Frequency as this option, the motherboard allows the memory to be clocked to the highest supported frequency.
-2133,1867,1600,1333,1067 is in the common use in Sugon product. These options allow the memory to be clocked to the specified frequency. These options will take effect only if the memory and processor could support such a frequency.
Fan Control
This option is designed in Baseboard Management Controller and it could be seen when open BMC homepage in a browser. This switch allows 5 options to set:"Balanced Mode", "Performance Mode", "Silent Mode", "Occupation 100%" and "Occupation 50%". And default is "Balanced Mode".
When set as "Balanced Mode", the fan speed will adjust the speed according the workload of the server intelligently.
When set as "Performance Mode", the fan speed will set at full speed, which may cause higher power consumption.
When set as "Silent Mode", the fans will run at very low speed, which may cause lower power consumption but lower performance too.
"Occupation 100%" and "Occupation 50%" is designed for developers to debug the algorithm for fan speed. For other users, these options are not recommanded.