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<title>SPEC CPU2006 Software OS and BIOS tuning Descriptions HP ProLiant Intel-based systems
applications</title>

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  Explanations of platform info, such as BIOS settings
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<sw_environment>
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</sw_environment>

<os_tuning>
<![CDATA[
<p><b> vm.max_map_count-n (Linux) </b></p>
<p>
           The maximum number of memory map areas a process may have. Memory map areas 
           are used as a side-effect of calling malloc, directly by mmap and mprotect, 
           and also when loading shared libraries. </p>

<p><b> ulimit -s [n | unlimited] (Linux) </b></p>
<p>
           Sets the stack size to <b>n</b> kbytes, or <b>unlimited</b> to allow the stack size 
           to grow without limit. </p>

<p><b> NOOP scheduler (Linux) </b></p>
<p>
           The NOOP scheduler inserts all incoming I/O requests into a simple, 
           unordered FIFO queue and implements request merging. The scheduler 
           assumes I/O performance optimization will be handled at some other 
           layer of the I/O hierarchy. </p>

<p><b> tmpfs (Linux) </b></p>
<p>
           tmpfs is a common name for a temporary file storage facility on many 
           Unix-like operating systems. It is intended to appear as a mounted file 
           system, but stored in volatile memory instead of a persistent storage device. 
           mpol=interleave sets the NUMA memory allocation policy for all files to 
           allocate from each node. </p>

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</os_tuning>

<firmware>
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<p><b>Platform settings</b></p>

<p>One or more of the following settings may have been set.  If so, the "Platform Notes" section of the
report will say so; and you can read below to find out more about what these settings mean.</p>

<p><b>Power Regulator for ProLiant support (Default=HP Dynamic Power Savings Mode)</b></p> 
<p>Values for this BIOS setting can be:</p>

<ul> 
       <li><b>HP Dynamic Power Savings Mode</b>: Automatically varies processor 
         speed and power usage based on processor utilization. Allows 
         reducing overall power consumption with little or no impact to
         performance. Does not require OS support. </li>

       <li><b>HP Static Low Power Mode</b>: Reduces processor speed and power usage.
         Guarantees a lower maximum power usage for the system. Performance
         impacts will be greater for environments with higher processor 
         utilization. </li>

       <li><b>HP Static High Performance Mode</b>: Processors will run in their 
         maximum power/performance state at all times regardless of the 
         OS power managment policy. </li>

       <li><b>OS Control Mode</b>: Processors will run in their maximum power/
         performance state at all times unless the OS enables' a power 
         management policy. </li>
</ul>

<p><b>HP Power Profile (Default = Balanced Power and Performance):</b></p>
<p> Values for this BIOS setting can be:</p>

<ul>
      <li><b>Balanced Power and Performance</b>: Provides the optimum settings to 
      maximize power savings with minimal impact to performance for most Operating 
      Systems and applications.</li>

      <li><b>Maximum Performance</b>: Disables all power management options that may 
      negatively affect performance.</li>

      <li><b>Minimum Power Usage</b>: Enables power reduction mechanisms that may 
      negatively affect performance. This mode will guarantee a lower maximum power 
      usage by the system. - Maximum Performance: Disables all power management 
      options that ma negatively affec performance.</li>

</ul>

<p><b>Power Efficiency Mode (Default=Efficiency)</b></p> 
<p>Values for this BIOS setting can be:</p>

<ul> 
       <li><b>Efficiency</b>: Maximize the power efficiency of the server. </li>

       <li><b>Performance</b>: Maximize the performance of the server. </li>

       <li><b>Custom</b>: Allows the user to customize power and performance related 
       options individually. </li>

</ul>

<p><b>Intel(R) Hyperthreading Options (Default=Enabled)</b></p> 
<p>
       This feature allows the enabling/disabling of logical processor cores 
       on processors supporting Intel Hyper-Threading. </p>

<p><b>Adjacent Sector Prefetch (Default = Enabled):</b></p> 
<p>
       This BIOS option allows the enabling/disabling of a processor mechanism to                 
       fetch the adjacent cache line within an 128-byte sector that contains 
       the data needed due to a cache line miss. </p>
<p>                
       In some limited cases, setting this option to Disabled may improve
       performance. In the majority of cases, the default value of Enabled                        
       provides better performance.  Users should only disable this option 
       after performing application benchmarking to verify improved
       performance in their environment.</p>

<p><b>Hardware Prefetch (Default = Enabled):</b></p> 
<p>
       This BIOS option allows allows the enabling/disabling of a processor 
       mechanism to prefetch data into the cache according to a pattern 
       recognition algorithm.</p>
<p>                
       In some limited cases, setting this option to Disabled may improve
       performance. In the majority of cases, the default value of Enabled                        
       provides better performance.  Users should only disable this option 
       after performing application benchmarking to verify improved
       performance in their environment.</p>

<p><b>Data Reuse (Default = Enabled):</b></p> 
<p>
       This BIOS option allows the enabling/disabling of the Data 
       Reuse optimization. </p>
<p>
       Enabling this option reduces the frequency of L3 cache updates from 
       the L1 cache. This may improve performance by reducing the internal 
       bandwidth consumed by constantly updating L1 cache lines in the L3 
       cache.</p>
<p>                
       Since this optimization results in more fetches to main memory, in 
       some limited cases, setting this option to Disabled may improve
       performance. In the majority of cases, the default value of Enabled                        
       provides better performance.  Users should only disable this option 
       after performing application benchmarking to verify improved
       performance in their environment.</p>

<p><b>Turbo Mode (Default = Enabled):</b></p>
<p>
       Turbo Boost Technology is a processor feature which allows the processor 
       to transition to a higher frequency than the processor's rate speed if 
       the processor has available power headroom and is within tempereature 
       specifications. Disabling this feature will reduce power usage but will 
       reduce the system's maximum achievable performance under some workloads.
</p>

<p><b>Thermal Configuration (Default = Optimal Cooling):</b></p>
<p>This feature allows the user to select the fan cooling solution for the system. 
Values for this BIOS option can be:</p>
<ul>

       <li><b>Optimal Cooling</b>: Provides the most efficient solution by 
       configuring fan speeds to the minimum required to provide adequate 
       cooling.</li>
    
       <li><b>Increased Cooling</b>: Will run fans at higher speeds to provide 
       aditional cooling. Increased Cooling should be selected when non-HP 
       storage controllers are cabled to the embedded hard drive cage, or if 
       the system is experiencing thermal issues that cannot be resolved in 
       another manner. This option may also improve performance when Turbo Boost
       Technology is used.</li>

</ul>

<p><b>Defer All Transactions Mode (Default = Disabled):</b></p> 
<p>
       When this option is enabled, front-side bus bandwidth may be increased 
       on systems with heavy I/O workload because CPU initiated I/O transactions 
       can be deferred enabling other transactions to make progress while data 
       is retrieved. However, latency for completing transactions may also 
       increase. The system's workload will determine which setting will provide 
       highest performance.</p>

<p><b>Memory Speed with 2DPC (Default=1066MHz@1.35V)</b></p> 
<p>    Sets the memory speed and voltage setting for system when there are 2 DIMMs 
       per channel (2DPC). Values for this BIOS setting can be:</p>

<ul> 
       <li><b>1333MHz@1.5V</b></li>

       <li><b>1066MHz@1.35V</b></li>
</ul>

<p><b>SATA #1 Controller (Default=Auto)</b></p> 
<p>    Sets the mode for the embedded controller. The values for this BIOS setting 
       can be:</p>

<ul> 
       <li><b>Disabled: </b>Disables SATA controller</li>

       <li><b>Compatible: </b>Sets controller to IDE Compatiblity mode</li>

       <li><b>RAID: </b>Sets controller to RAID mode</li>

       <li><b>AHCI: </b>Sets controller to Advanced Host Controller Interface mode</li>

</ul>

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</firmware>

</flagsdescription>

