Estimating Per Server MPU Capacity Using PassMark® CPU Mark Method

Last Updated : Nov 12, 2019 |
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In many cases (especially with older processors) a better estimate of bare metal server capacity can be calculated by using the PassMark® CPU Mark benchmark score from the PassMark® website
https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_list.php
The conversion factor from CPU Marks to MPU is: 1 MPU = 5.8 CPU Marks
Note, before Spectre/Meltdown the factor was 5.3 CPU marks.
The PassMark® score will be lower when Spectre/Meltdown is enabled. An additional penalty was added to account for the Avaya Aura® MS use cases.
The CPU Mark score can be converted to an MPU rating using the following formula:
Let C = CPU Mark Score
Let F = Conversion Factor = 5.8
Let M = MPU Estimate
M = (C / F)
For example, a customer has a server with a single Xeon X5670 processor @ 2.93 GHZ. This processor has an average CPU Mark score of 8143 according to the PassMark® website.
C = 13000
F = 5.8
M = (13000 / 5.8) = 2241 MPU
The MPU estimate for this server would be 2241 MPU.
This is a method to help estimate capacity and does have a margin of error. It should be used with some discretion.