Ideas: Expand computational capabilities (power and/ or number of computers), increase efficiency of code, streamline workflows, etc. |
Write down concerns, ideas, and efforts as understood by Chemistry IT so research group members can review and correct.
Where in our 248 Baker Lab server farm? CPU and UPS. Power, switch/ networking.
Still need to confirm we can "turn off" logging into Windows using NetIDs.
Confirm no storage backup since can rerun computations potentially lost. If hard drive breas, Chemistry IT can re-install and configure OS and applications. But all group data and results will be lost.
Does the analogy of using the server as a "toaster" resonate and work? The only time a failure of the server impacts work is when a job is being calculated. Once the data has been analyzed, the server should no longer have a copy of the original data analysed, nor the results. Those are like the bread, in a toaster.
This step enables Chemistry IT to get a "final" quote for Peng's review. If approved, Chemistry IT can place the order.
Below on this page is an outline on the costs and trade-offs of likely computation bottlenecks, for Peng's consideration.
$4,016.14 itself, plus:
Other anticipated, related costs:
The server will have two Xeon Intel processors.
Confirm specifically which ones to invest in.
Intel model | Cores (actual) | Clock speed (GHz) | Cache (MB) | Cost change from tested | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Silver 4110 | 8 | 2.1 | 11 | (As quoted) | As tested |
Silver 4114 | 10 | 2.2 | 14 | $350.90 | |
Silver 4116 | 12 | 2.1 | 16 | $919.60 |
Many, many more options, for more money with gradations similar to the above, up to a 22-core (which is about $6,000 more).
Total memory | Price | Notes |
---|---|---|
64 GB | subtract: ($1,462.90) | As tested |
128 GB | (As quoted) |
For performance, support, and maintenance, purchase a server-class, single, larger SSD drive.
Strategy: To get a significant price reduction, consider buying the drive separately from Dell server. Even though more cost-effective, still will be serviced under (a non-Dell) warranty.
Solid State (SSD) storage | Dell pricing (full price) | Price we'd likely pay elsewhere |
---|---|---|
960 GB | 846.40 | ~$500? |
Many, many more options, whether for more or less storage.
Most research groups expect to use server investments for 5 years. And hope for more years, beyond the 5.
Normal warranty is for 3 years, but can instead get for 4 or 5 years.
Most groups take a risk for years 4 and 5, taking into account (1) rapid technological obsolesce and (2) historically low failure rates.
Chemistry IT expects group to purchase and maintain an adequately sized, rack-mount uninterruptible poser supply (UPS) for servers we manage.
Dell's help for choosing processors, memory, and hard drives/ SSD's (respectively) for their R440 server, valid as of 8/9/2018:
Minimum theoretical server | ||||||
Criteria | Current desktop's specs | Represents ~4 TIMES the desktop specs | Cost increase if go up a level or so | FIRST borrowed Dell Server specs, PowerEdge R430 (1 U) "CHEN-21" | July/ August 2018 SECOND borrowed Dell Server specs, PowerEdge R440 (1 U) "CHEN-23" Cost: $3,135.69 | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cores, hyper-threading (HT) | 4 cores (one processor) i5-6500, 3.20 GHz (Not HT capable) | Total 16 cores (Two, 8-cores each) Each: Xeon Silver 4110, 2.10GHz 11MB Cache (85W) HT-capable | 16 total cores => 20 total cores
16 total cores => 24 total cores
*Availability delay, as of 12/22/17. | Dual Intel Xeon E5-2620v4 2.1ghz processors with 8 real cores / 16 virtual cores per processor More details: 20MB Cache (85W) | Dual Intel Xeon Silver 4110 2.1ghz processors with 8 real cores / 16 virtual cores per processor | Hyper-threading (HT) is useful to the group. Group tested performance between HT being turned on and off on "CHEN-21". With HT, test system showed 32 cores. 25 of these could be used without saturation, and thus without delaying processing time. Without HT, only 16 cores available so maximum much less than 25 effectively used under HT. Notes:
|
Storage All SSD. | 500 GB SSD | 2TB is 4 times the space: 2.0TB Samsung 960 PRO M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe Solid State Drive (cost is $1,499) Above configuration is the fastest option since combines OS and data on fast bus.
| If need less space, easy. Save about $375 per 500GB. Replace 2.0TB at left with:
If more space is needed, more complicated and slower, but of course doable. Please ask. | 400 GB SSD (380GB usable) | RAID-0 (striped) dual 240GB SSD drives acting as a single 480GB SSD for performance | Large amounts of data not needed to be stored on server, nor moved from server. Instead, simply deleted from server after processing. |
RAM | 32 GB | 128 GB | +$1,440: 128 GB => 256 GB | 32 GB | 64GB (128GB is $880.55 more) | |
Warranty | 3 year, NBD Dell on-campus "parts locker" | 3 year, Advanced Parts Replacement Warranty | Warranty upgrades (all non-NBD):
| 5 year, NBD, 5x10 on-site. | ||
Other | n/a | n/a | Option: Redundant power supply unit (+$224). Option: Any value in Dual and/or 10-Gigabit Ethernet? (+$150-500) | Network card: Quad-port, 1Gb. | ||
Total cost, approx. | ~$1,000 each (*4 => $4,000) | ~$5,500 for just the server | Easy to add $500 - $18,000 to SAME server! | ~$3,700. Compared to minimum recommendation:
|
Approximate price increase buying TWO processors compared to 8-core Xeon Silver 4110 NOTE: Can also get a server with just ONE processor (at half the marginal cost), if core-count is sufficient. | Processor (all Intl Xeon) | Actual core count EACH processor Obtain total count by multiply by 2 since 2 procs. All HT-capable | Other specs |
---|---|---|---|
$0 (base-line, for price comparison) | Silver 4110 | 8-core => 16 | 2.10GHz 11.00MB Cache (85W) (Same price as 4-core 2.60GHz 8.25MB Cache (85W) version) |
+460 | Silver 4114 | 10-core => 20 | 2.20GHz 13.75MB Cache (85W) |
+1,200 | Silver 4116 | 12-core => 24 | 2.10GHz 16.50MB Cache (85W) |
+1,628 | Gold 5115 | 10-core => 20 | 2.40GHz 13.75MB Cache (85W) |
+1,960 (availability delay) | Gold 5118 | 12-core => 24 | 2.30GHz 16.50MB Cache (105W) |
+3,060 (availability delay) | Gold 6126 | 12-core => 24 | 2.60GHz 19.25MB Cache (125W) |
+3,280 | Gold 6130 | 16-core => 32 | 2.10GHz 22.00MB Cache (125W) |
+5,060 | Gold 6138 | 20-core => 40 | 2.00GHz 27.50MB Cache (125W) |
+7,560 | Gold 6152 | 22-core => 44 | 2.10GHz 30.25MB Cache (140W) |
+6,560 (availability delay) | Platinum 8153 | 16-core => 32 | 2.00GHz 22.00MB Cache (125W) |
+15,660 (availability delay), and +$400 chipset | Platinum 8158 | 12-core => 24 | 3.00GHz 24.75MB Cache (150W) |
+10,160, and +$400 chipset | Platinum 8160 | 24-core => 48 | 2.10GHz 33.00MB Cache (150W) |
+13,560, and +$400 chipset | Platinum 8164 | 26-core => 52 | 2.00GHz 35.75MB Cache (150W) |
+16,660, and +$400 chipset | Platinum 8170 | 26-core => 52 | 2.10GHz 35.75MB Cache (165W) |
+19,760, and +$400 chipset | Platinum 8176 | 28-core => 56 | 2.10GHz 38.50MB Cache (165W) |
No savings buying just a one-processor server, especially if want more cores. JUST the price of the process jumps by the cost of an entire server!
Consider four processors only if needed and can afford many more cores. Option is not cost-effective for the core-counts we are currently looking at. Other considerations:
If need more than 2TB total, likely must use more complicated, multiple storage option.
An example of an option to get more than 2TB storage:
First: Choose boot drive, which can be small. For example:
THEN: Choose a single main storage drive. Some examples and their costs:
10/5/17: Oliver met with Mahdi <mh2356> and Kushal <ks2285>. Action steps to have Peng review and refine:
(1) Group: Decide if worth having (select?) Matlab code reviewed by experts at CAC, focused primarily to increase efficiency. Secondary outcomes include:
(2) Oliver: Have group test their code on test server in 248, initially by-passing using the network to get the data to the server.
(3) Oliver: Optimize getting data to test server in 248 via the network.
Other thoughs from Oliver: