Intel Server Chipset Hardware Guide

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   Intel Server Chipset Hardware Guide
The chipset of any motherboard determines what features are available and what is possible on that board.  They are the brains of the motherboard.  The two big players in chipsets are also the big players in the processor market as well:  Intel and AMD.
Server chipsets differ from desktop chipsets in that these are usually able to handle much more memory and processors than desktop chipsets.  You may also notice that speeds may be lowered, but multiple paths for data means more bandwidth in total.  Also, graphic cards are usually not used in such server systems, so adapters and slots for these cards may not be present or have reduced capability.
List View

Product

Number of Processors

Processors

System Bus

Intel 3000 Chipset
1

Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor 3000 series 
Dual-Core Intel Xeon processor 3000 series
1066/800/533 MHz

Intel 3010 Chipset
1

Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor 3000 series 
Dual-Core Intel Xeon processor 3000 series
1066/800/533 MHz

Intel 3200 Chipset
1

Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor 3000 series 
Dual-Core Intel Xeon processor 3000 series
1333/1066/800 MHz

Intel 3210 Chipset
1

Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor 3000 series 
Dual-Core Intel Xeon processor 3000 series
1333/1066/800 MHz

Intel 5000P Chipset
1-2

Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor 5000 series 
Dual-core Intel Xeon processors 5000 series
1066/1333 MHz

Intel 5000V Chipset
1-2

Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor 5000 series 
Dual-core Intel Xeon processors 5000 series
1066/1333 MHz

Intel 5100 Chipset
1-2

Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor 5000 series 
Dual-Core Intel Xeon processor 5000 series
1066/1333 MHz

Intel 5400 Chipset

2

Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® processor 5400 series Dual-Core 
Intel® Xeon® processor 5200 series

1600/1333 MHz

Intel 7300 Chipset
4

Quad-Core Intel Xeon processors 7300 series
1066/MHz

Intel E8500 Chipset
1-4

64-bit Intel Xeon processor MP
667 MHz

Intel E8501 Chipset
1-4

Dual-Core Intel Xeon processor 7000 sequence
800 MHz

Detailed View

Intel 3000 and 3010 Chipset

Supported Sockets:    775 LGA
Max Memory:             8 GB DDR2 667 MHz
Hard Drive Support:     4 SATA
South Bridge:             ICH 7

These server chipsets are designed for low-cost value based server systems.  These chipsets are perfect for a company's first server purchase or a small array of servers.  The difference is that the 3000 series offers 1 PCI-express x8 slot while the 3010 offers two PCI-express x8 slots or one x16 slot.  Support for ECC memory but is not needed to function.

Intel 3200 and 3210 Chipset

Supported Sockets:    775 LGA
Max Memory:             8 GB DDR2 800 MHz
Hard Drive Support:     6 SATA
South Bridge:             ICH 9

These server chipsets are designed for low-cost value based server systems.  These chipsets are perfect for a company's first server purchase or a small array of servers.  The difference is that the 3200 series offers 1 PCI-express x8 slot while the 3210 offers two PCI-express x8 slots or one x16 slot.  Support for ECC memory but is not needed to function.  The difference between this chipset and the 3000 series is a faster FSB and Memory Bus and more connectivity options because of the addition of ICH 9 south bridge.

Intel 5000P Chipset

Supported Sockets:    771 LGA
Max Memory:             64 GB FB-DDR2 667 MHz
Hard Drive Support:     6 SATA
South Bridge:             6321ESB

These server chipsets are the major players in the server industry.  All the server features such as multiple CPUs and FB-DDR2 ram are what set this system apart from normal desktop systems.  Also with support for PCI-X, EEC, SMBus, and other technologies give this chipset extensive connectivity and remote operation.

Intel 5000V Chipset

Supported Sockets:    771 LGA
Max Memory:             32 GB FB-DDR2 667 MHz
Hard Drive Support:     6 SATA
South Bridge:             6321ESB

These server chipsets are the major players in the server industry.  All the server features such as multiple CPUs and FB-DDR2 ram are what set this system apart from normal desktop systems.  Also with support for PCI-X, EEC, SMBus, and other technologies give this chipset extensive connectivity and remote operation.

Intel 5100 Chipset

Supported Sockets:    771 LGA
Max Memory:             48 GB FB-DDR2 667 MHz
Hard Drive Support:     6 SATA
South Bridge:             ICH 9

Enhanced north bridge for the 5000 series chipset.  Used with the ICH 9 southbridge.

Intel 5400 Chipset

Supported Sockets:    771 LGA
Max Memory:             128 GB FB-DDR2 533/667/800 MHz
Hard Drive Support:     6 SATA
South Bridge:             6321ESB

The Intel 5400 chipset improves data movement across Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor 5400 and Dual-Core Intel Xeon processor 5200 series-based systems by increasing interconnect bandwidth, optimizing system bandwidth, increasing memory capacity, and improving network traffic processing while reducing I/O latency. These platform advancements help to match the improved performance provided by the Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor 5400 series.

Intel 7300 Chipset

Supported Sockets:    604 LGA
Max Memory:             256 GB FB-DDR2 667 MHz
Hard Drive Support:     6 SATA
South Bridge:             631xESB/632xESB

All the options and more of the 5000 series chipsets.  Used in very large scale server systems where memory intensive operations are used.

Intel E8500 and E8501 Chipset

Supported Sockets:    604 LGA
Max Memory:             128 GB Registered DDR2 400 MHz
Hard Drive Support:     2 ports ATA 150
South Bridge:             ICH 5

Older chipset that used to be top of the line.  Still in use due to longer life spans of server technologies.  Comparable to the 7300 series chipset.

Edited by MattSlagle - 11 Jun 2008 at 3:02pm