Cisco UCSB-EX-M4-3: Extended Memory Blade Server for Demanding Workloads
Product Overview
The Cisco UCSB-EX-M4-3 is an extended memory blade server designed for the Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS), specifically optimized for memory-intensive applications. This fourth-generation blade server provides exceptional memory capacity while maintaining high compute performance in a half-width form factor.
Key Specifications:
Processor: Dual Intel® Xeon® E7-8800 v3/v4 processors (up to 18 cores each)
Memory: 96 DIMM slots supporting up to 6TB DDR4 RAM
Storage:
Networking:
Expansion: 3 x PCIe 3.0 mezzanine slots
Performance Features:
Up to 36 processing cores per blade
Industry-leading memory capacity for in-memory computing
Support for large-scale virtualization (1,000+ VMs per chassis)
Ideal for SAP HANA, big data analytics, and large databases
Energy-efficient design with dynamic power management
Next-Generation Evolution: UCSB-EX-M5-4 (Current Generation)
Major Improvements:
Processor: Dual Intel® Xeon® Scalable processors (up to 28 cores each)
Memory: 96 DIMM slots supporting up to 12TB DDR4 RAM (24TB with 256GB DIMMs)
Storage:
Networking:
Expansion: 4 x PCIe 4.0 mezzanine slots
Performance:
2x memory bandwidth compared to M4
Support for Intel Optane DC persistent memory
30% better performance per watt
Why Upgrade?
Double the maximum memory capacity
Significant processor performance improvements
Future-proof NVMe storage support
Higher-speed networking capabilities
Better support for persistent memory applications
Improved virtualization density
Conclusion:
The UCSB-EX-M4-3 remains a powerful solution for memory-bound workloads, while the UCSB-EX-M5-4 delivers substantial improvements in memory capacity, processing power, and I/O performance. The M5 generation is particularly valuable for next-generation in-memory computing, large-scale virtualization, and real-time analytics workloads, offering better scalability and efficiency for modern data center requirements.
