Balanced Memory Configurations with 2nd Gen and 3rd Gen AMD EPYC Processors

Configuring a server with balanced memory is important for maximizing its memory bandwidth and overall performance. Lenovo ThinkSystem servers running AMD EPYC processors have eight memory channels per processor and up to two DIMMs per channel, so it is important to understand what is considered a balanced configuration and what is not.

This paper defines three balanced memory guidelines that will guide you to select a balanced memory configuration. Balanced and unbalanced memory configurations are presented along with their relative measured memory bandwidths to show the effect of unbalanced memory. Suggestions are also provided on how to produce balanced memory configurations.

This paper provides performance-optimized memory configuration recommendations for different requirements based on the number of DIMMs per socket. Recommendations includes the 6-DIMM and 12-DIMM per socket configurations for third-generation AMD EPYC processors.

This paper is for customers and for business partners and sellers wishing to understand how to maximize the performance of Lenovo ThinkSystem servers with second-generation and third-generation AMD EPYC processors.

Introduction
Memory topology
Memory interleaving
Balanced memory configurations
About the tests
Applying the balanced memory configuration guidelines
Summary of the performance results
Summary

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Changes in the June 26, 2021 update:

• Updated the paper to include AMD EPYC 7003 processors

Other Balanced Memory papers

Related product families

Product families related to this document are the following:

• Memory
• Processors
• ThinkSystem SR635 Server
• ThinkSystem SR655 Server