HPE has announced general availability of the HPE Compute Scale-up Server 3250, a scale-up platform engineered for in-memory databases and business-critical transactional and analytics workloads. The system is built on Intel Xeon 6 processors and targets environments that require large memory footprints, high availability, and consistent performance under heavy load.
HPE’s Krista Satterthwaite, senior VP and GM of Compute, announced the new HPE Compute Scale-up Server 3250, designed for business-critical workloads. She noted it supports complex applications like ERP and CRM with faster transactions, real-time insights, and analytics, all without performance loss. Satterthwaite highlighted that the system offers simplified operation, high reliability, and integrated chip-to-cloud security, setting a new standard for scalable, zero-downtime workloads.
HPE reports that the platform delivers the highest available memory capacity in its class and is the first scale-up server validated by the SAP BW Edition for SAP HANA benchmark at configurations with at least 48TB of memory.
Architecture and Scalability
The HPE Compute Scale-up Server 3250 uses a modular scale-up design that supports configurations ranging from 4 to 16 sockets, with a maximum of 64TB of DDR5 memory. This architecture is designed to consolidate large datasets into a single system image, reducing the need for distributed scale-out clusters in certain use cases.
Specifications
| Technical specifications | HPE Compute Scale-up Server 3250 |
| Processor type | Intel Processor family |
| Processor family | 6th Generation Intel® Xeon® Scalable Processors |
| Processor cache | 48 MB to 336 MB |
| Processor speed | 2.0 to 4.0 GHz |
| Drive description | EDSFF E3.S NVMe Mainstream or High Performance Drives |
| Network controller | 1G Base-T, 10G/25G SFP28 Network Controller |
| Maximum memory | 64 TB |
| Memory type | 64 GB, 96 GB, 128 GB, or 256 GB DDR5 |
| Memory slots | 16 DIMM slots per processor maximum 256 DIMM slots in a 16-socket system |
| Expansion slots | 6-slots (4 FH, 2 LP) 12-slots (8FH, 4 LP) 16-slots (16 LP) |
| Power supply type | 2400W Titanium options |
| System fan features | N+N (depending on workload hot-swappable and redundant fans |
| Form factor | 5U |
| Optical drive type | DVD-RW |
| Warranty | 3-year parts, 3-year labor, and 3-year on-site limited global warranty |
A key component is the external node controller, which is expected to deliver interconnect performance that is significantly faster than traditional Ethernet-based scale-out designs. This enables tighter coupling between compute nodes and more efficient memory access, which is critical for in-memory databases and high-throughput transactional systems.
As HPE’s first scale-up system based on Intel Xeon 6, the platform delivers higher compute density and is well-positioned to support emerging workloads, including agentic AI, alongside traditional enterprise applications.
Performance and Workload Positioning
The system is optimized for high-throughput, low-latency workloads that require large shared memory pools. This includes financial services platforms, large-scale databases, and systems of record. By scaling vertically with high memory capacity, the 3250 is designed to deliver faster transaction processing and real-time analytics without the overhead of distributed architectures.
Kevork Kechichian, EVP and GM of Intel’s Data Center Group, highlighted the ongoing partnership with HPE in advancing mission-critical in-memory computing. He emphasized that the HPE Compute Scale‑Up 3250, equipped with Intel Xeon 6 processors, offers high compute density, scalability, and reliability for data-intensive workloads.
Security and Resiliency
HPE integrates its chip-to-cloud security model into the 3250, anchored by HPE Integrated Lights Out. The system implements a silicon root of trust via a dedicated security processor, with firmware validation and lifecycle protections designed to mitigate evolving threats. HPE also incorporates post-quantum cryptography capabilities to address future security requirements.
On the resiliency side, the platform includes advanced memory error detection and correction, memory healing, and automatic deconfiguration of faulty components. These features are designed to maintain uptime and data integrity, supporting fault-tolerant operation for continuous business workloads.
SAP Certification and Positioning
The HPE Compute Scale-up Server 3250 succeeds the HPE Scale-up Server 3200 and continues HPE’s focus on SAP-certified infrastructure. The platform builds on HPE’s established position in RISE with SAP-certified systems and delivers benchmark performance at large memory scales, reinforcing its role in SAP HANA deployments.
Availability
The HPE Compute Scale-up Server 3250 is available now.
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