Seventh-generation server hardware at Dropbox: our most efficient and capable architecture yet

This post details the design and deployment of Dropbox's seventh-generation server hardware platform, codenamed Crush (compute), Dexter (database), and Sonic (storage), along with new GPU tiers Gumby and Godzilla. Key technical advancements include: a shift to 84-core AMD EPYC 9634 CPUs for compute, offering 75% more cores and 2x memory capacity compared to the previous generation; DDR5 memory and 100Gb networking for improved bandwidth; NVMe gen5 for faster local disk access; a database platform with 30% higher IPC and increased base frequency, reducing replication lag; and a storage platform designed for 200Gbps throughput and 400G networking readiness. The design also focuses on thermal and power management to accommodate increased power demands.