How to Choose Server Memory

#KingstonCognate introduces Simon Besteman

Simon Besteman is a French and Dutch national, and a veteran of the ICT and data center industry. He has over 20 years of experience working at ISPs, suppliers, and data centers and as a management consultant for a wide range of organizations. Simon has held various senior management positions in multinational companies in the areas of service, sales and marketing, operations management, and strategic development.

Currently, Simon is the Managing Director of the Dutch Cloud Community, the Dutch coalition of hosting providers. As a leading representative of the industry, he is a frequent blogger on industry and policy matters, a keynote speaker at congresses and conferences, and a participant at Dutch government round tables on matters relating to telecommunications, data centers, and internet regulation. He sits on the boards of various industry groups, with a focus on education, employment, and governance.

How to Choose the Right Memory

Server memory modules come in different speeds based on standard ranges for each DDR4 and DDR5. The highest JEDEC speed available for DDR4 memory modules is up to 3200MT/s, while DDR5 memory modules start with speeds from 4800MT/s. Memory speed can vary and clock down depending not only on the processor model used but also the number of modules installed per memory channel.

Think of it as a freeway. Traffic must slow down when there are a lot of cars driving on the freeway otherwise there will be a crash. It is the same principle with servers. When a lot of memory modules are installed, the system must slow down the memory frequency to be able to handle the higher amount of data traveling to and from the memory modules.

Another important check is whether you are compliant with the platform and manufacturer's memory installation guidelines. Today, there are different platforms with different memory channel configurations. Motherboards with four, six, eight, and twelve memory channels are now available. Kingston Product Finder helps you choose a compatible part number, and also provides you with information about your specific system.

What to Consider when Configuring Your Server

For best performance, it is important to install memory modules as per the platform architecture recommendation. This is what we call a balanced memory configuration. Not following the platform’s memory channel configuration guideline will result in a loss of potential memory performance.

Many customers install low-capacity memory modules into their servers. There are a few challenges with this approach:

• Scalability: If you fill up the server with low-capacity memory modules, you will not be able to add memory modules in the future. You will have to remove the existing memory modules and buy new ones to achieve maximum capacity. Always plan for the future by installing more capacity today to cover the needs for tomorrow’s applications.
• Power consumption: Installing a greater number of memory modules will draw more power. If possible, install higher-capacity modules and fewer of them to achieve the same intended capacity, thereby reducing power consumption.
• Performance: Remember the analogy about the freeway? Fully populating the server will most likely result in a drop in memory speed. Filling only the first memory bank will prevent the memory from clocking down, according to chipset architecture rules.