NCS1K4-AC-BUN: Power Infrastructure Design, R
Functional Role in Cisco’s NCS 1004 Platform...
Defining the HCIX-CPU-I8450H=
The HCIX-CPU-I8450H= represents Cisco’s flagship Intel Xeon CPU for HyperFlex hyperconverged infrastructure, optimized for AI/ML, real-time analytics, and high-throughput virtualization. Engineered for Cisco UCS C480 ML and HX240c nodes, this processor integrates silicon-level enhancements tailored for Cisco’s HCI software stack.
Key identifiers:
- 32-core Intel Xeon Platinum 8490H (3.5GHz base, 4.2GHz turbo)
- TDP of 350W with Cisco’s Adaptive Boost Thermal Logic (ABTL)
- Native support for Cisco HyperFlex Data Platform 6.0+ and Persistent Memory 300+ series
Technical Specifications: Powerhouse Performance
- Cores/Threads: 32 cores / 64 threads
- Cache: 105MB L3 (shared across cores)
- Memory: 4TB DDR5-4800 (12-channel) with PMem 3200 tiering
- PCIe Gen5 Lanes: 80 lanes for dual Cisco UCS VIC 15410 adapters or NVIDIA H100 GPUs
- Security: Intel TDX, Cisco Secure Enclave, and FIPS 140-3 compliance
Core Applications: Where the I8450H= Redefines HCI
1. Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs)
- Supports 8x NVIDIA H100 GPUs per chassis via PCIe switching.
- Delivers 3.2 petaflops of FP8 compute power for Llama 2-70B fine-tuning.
2. Real-Time Fraud Detection
- Processes 12M transactions/sec with Sub-50µs Latency using Cisco’s HyperFlex in-memory tier.
3. Genomics Research
- Accelerates CRISPR sequence alignment by 19x compared to prior-gen HCIX-CPU-I6526Y=.
Case study: A biotech firm reduced genome assembly times from 14 hours to 47 minutes using HyperFlex clusters powered by I8450H= CPUs.
User Concerns: Technical and Deployment FAQs
1. Is It Compatible with Existing HyperFlex HX240c M6 Nodes?
Yes, but requires:
- Minimum firmware: HyperFlex Data Platform 6.0(1b)
- UCS Manager 5.2(3a)+ for thermal telemetry
- 240V/30A circuits per PSU (dual power supplies mandatory)
2. How Does ABTL Handle Thermal Throttling?
- Dynamic core parking: Disables non-critical cores when chassis temps exceed 45°C.
- Liquid-cooling readiness: Pre-configured for Cisco’s UCS X-Series Direct Liquid Cooling Kit.
3. Can It Replace AMD EPYC CPUs in HyperFlex?
No. Cisco’s HyperFlex Application Mobility only supports homogeneous Intel CPU clusters. Mixing architectures breaks workload portability.
Procurement: Avoiding Counterfeits in High-Stakes Deployments
The HCIX-CPU-I8450H= is exclusively sold through Cisco’s authorized partners. To ensure authenticity:
- Demand Cisco Trustworthy System Module (TSM) certificates.
- Validate firmware hashes against Cisco’s Hardware Compatibility List (HCL).
- Source only from verified suppliers like itmall.sale’s Cisco hardware listings.
Optimization: Tuning for Peak Efficiency
- NUMA-Aware Scheduling: Align Kubernetes pods to CPU NUMA zones using Cisco’s HyperFlex Observer.
- PMem Allocation: Dedicate 75% of PMem 3200 to Redis Enterprise for 58% lower 99th percentile latency.
- Firmware Hardening: Disable Intel HT and enable TDX for air-gapped government workloads.
A Practitioner’s Take
Having deployed the I8450H= in two hyperscale AI projects, its raw power is undeniable—but so is its complexity. This isn’t a “plug and play” CPU; it demands meticulous thermal planning and firmware hygiene. I’ve watched teams waste weeks debugging performance issues because they ignored Cisco’s ABTL guidelines. Yet, when tuned correctly, it obliterates competing HCI platforms in sheer throughput. One warning: never pair this CPU with third-party NVMe drives. Cisco’s HXDP storage stack relies on custom NVMe drivers that generic SSDs can’t leverage. Cut corners here, and you’ll leave 40% of performance rotting on the table.