264 cpu Athlon server!

[eva2000]

awesome hehe who wants a 264 cpu Athlon server from racksaver http://investor.cnet.com/investor/news/newsitem/0-9900-1028-8694035-0.html :)


The Supercomputer consists of 132 Linux based nodes configured with 264 AMD Athlon(TM) MP processors, 132 gigabytes of memory and nearly 8 terabytes of storage. Each node is connected with Dolphin Interconnect's high-performance WulfKit, which includes a 64Bit/66MHz SCI card and Scali high-performance MPI and Universe cluster management software. Only the RackSaver RS-1132 chassis allows for these specifications to be configured in a 19" 1U rack-optimized server design.

With performance numbers exceeding 300 gigaflops, "UpsAnd" ranks among the top 100 supercomputers in the world, and currently is the most powerful high-performance supercluster San Diego-based RackSaver has built to date. .......

"UpsAnd" can accomplish such high-level computations in part because its architecture differs from other cluster computers. In a typical cluster, the processors perform parallel tasks to compress the amount of time needed to process data. "UpsAnd's" 264 processors actually work together to complete a single task, similar to the behavior of a true supercomputer. "UpsAnd" is eight times more powerful than its "younger brother," a 32-node Beowulf cluster delivered to UCSC in March 2001 by RackSaver Inc.

[nuno]

:eek:
i'll order two :D

[fury]

Put me down for three. http://www.xibase.com/vB/images/smilies/buttrock.gif

[Dave#]

264 rubbish processors? Does that mean that it will run 264 times slower or have 264 times more problems than Pentium or Sparc?

[eva2000]

Originally posted by Dave#
264 rubbish processors? Does that mean that it will run 264 times slower or have 264 times more problems than Pentium or Sparc? had bad experiences with AMD processors in the past ? :)

[Dave#]

Originally posted by eva2000
had bad experiences with AMD processors in the past ? :)

Who has had good expeirences with them for anything other than gaming (sic)?

[fury]

*raises hand* http://www.xibase.com/vB/images/smilies/buttrock.gif

Using mine (overclocked by 133mhz, might I add) for a developmental testing web server, Genome@Home, home computer, alarm clock, house heater, and, to a lesser extent, punching bag

http://fury.xibase.com/grins/bigeek.gif

[nuno]

that makes two
AMD rocks, with a couple of TITAN fans that is :p

[fury]

I'm still using my reliable old 26cfm fan off of a FOP32-1. It keeps it cool enough. I used to have a fan from my OCZ Glacier II that was close in RPM and CFM to the Delta 7k Screamer™ but it died... so my FOP32-1 fan which is much quieter due to the lower RPM but still delivers plenty of CFM is now stuck on my OCZ Glacier II... best of both worlds. the Glacier 2 heatsink is superior in heat dispersion than the FOP32-1 thanks to its copper base... Even then it can still get pretty hot and survive, and it has done so in the past (to no fault of my own :eek: ). I don't know why everyone else has so many problems with the fact that once they fry their CPU, it won't work anymore... My CPUs have been fried at least 20 times total, and they still work!

In other words, ROCK ON AMD! http://www.xibase.com/vB/images/smilies/buttrock.gif

[Freddie Bingham]

One would need a rather large air conditioning unit to handle the heat put off by that many athlons, not too mention the power bill. I'll happily stick with my Northwood P4 1.6 running at 2.4. Needless to say I dropped AMD like a rock when I had the chance and I fill dirty for cheating on Intel like that. May flames commence now from AMD zealots :rolleyes:

[eva2000]

Originally posted by freddie
One would need a rather large air conditioning unit to handle the heat put off by that many athlons, not too mention the power bill. I'll happily stick with my Northwood P4 1.6 running at 2.4. Needless to say I dropped AMD like a rock when I had the chance and I fill dirty for cheating on Intel like that. May flames commence now from AMD zealots :rolleyes: hehe i have always been tempted by Athlons but the heat issues really worries me as sunny Brisbane is humid and hot most of the times :rolleyes:

[fury]

The heat issues prevent people who don't have good cooling from wasting their time on a REAL man's processor :D

j/k

Actually I don't know what all the trouble is. I have an Athlon of the T-bird series and although I haven't had any Intel processors faster than a Pentium 133 overclocked to 187.5, it doesn't have all the extreme heating issues that Intelites seem to boast about. I have a cheapie $10-15 heatsink and fan setup on it.

I doubt the Palomino series puts out as much heat as Thunderbirds did, but still, wouldn't you think you could afford a big enough air conditioning unit if you could afford a supercomputer consisting of 264 CPUs? For that matter, don't you think you would need an AC unit anyway even if they were 264 Intel CPUs?

[Freddie Bingham]

It was a joke meant to jab AMD as running hotter than Intel. If your heat sink falls off, your cpu burns up in no time.

[eva2000]

Originally posted by freddie
It was a joke meant to jab AMD as running hotter than Intel. If your heat sink falls off, your cpu burns up in no time. i read about quite a few AMD users experiencing that

[fury]

They must have bad luck. My heatsink has fallen off of my Duron once, a very long time ago, and after I put a new heatsink on that wouldn't fall off, that sucker was still churning on for at least a few months (then the board died, I'm pretty sure the CPU still works though. It's a tough sumbitch :D)

[MattR]

I run a ~1.3GHz Athlon -- runs pretty great with a stock factory heatsink + fan combo.

Although I will attest to the heat 'problems'. My friend and I purchased similar systems at a computer show (same mo/bo, CPU, etc.) and his was DOA. We weren't sure if it was his CPU or what, so I took my brand-new Athlon over to his place. The particular motherboard has HORRIBLE heatsink connectors (the overall design of the Athlon heatsink 'clasp' thing that connects to the motherboard is poor in my opinion) which requires you to take a pair of pliers to one end of the clasp and 'force' it over the notch on the mo/bo. I assume this is to ensure that it does not fall off in use (since most people these days have tower models with the cpu and mo/bo on their sides) however we were just going to see if it POST'ed with my CPU and didn't imagine it would cause a problem.

Heck, my previous CPU's (PII400, PII266, P133, etc.) all had passive cooling (heatsinks) so I didn't think that heat would be a horrible problem so I didn't stop to think it could fry it.

Well, we turned it on, waited for an image to appear on the screen, and then turned it off. Elapsed time -- 2 seconds (if that). Result = dead CPU, and dead motherboard. That was fun. I hear the Intel ones will downclock until they can run at a comfortable temperature. I'd just want it to turn off until I can re-attach the heatsink, not self-destruct. I guess that's why it is cheaper; temperature sensing and dynamic clocking like that costs money, both in R&D and materials. You get what you pay for.

Freddie, is yours running DDR or RDRAM? I hate RDRAM with a passion but DDR is only marginally better. Given the price, though, DDR is by far #1 in my book.

[Freddie Bingham]

I have the Abit BD7-Raid which is the Intel 845D chipset which uses PC1600/2100/2700 DDR.

http://forum.3dgameman.com/files/3gm/vr/abit_bd7_raid.wmv

[MattR]

Originally posted by freddie
http://forum.3dgameman.com/files/3gm/vr/abit_bd7_raid.wmv

Page cannot be displayed

There are too many people accessing the site at this time. :(

[fury]

Intel Pentium 3's lock up and do not perform any more processing when the temperature increases too quickly. Pentium 4's throttle the clock speed down until it stays at a comfortable temperature, and resumes when the temperature lowers back down. The Athlon Thunderbird series did not have any thermal protection built into the processor, so when it gets too hot it just crashes and smokes (according to THG), but the Palomino series automatically shuts the entire system down when the temperature gets too hot.

[eva2000]

Originally posted by fury
Intel Pentium 3's lock up and do not perform any more processing when the temperature increases too quickly. Pentium 4's throttle the clock speed down until it stays at a comfortable temperature, and resumes when the temperature lowers back down. The Athlon Thunderbird series did not have any thermal protection built into the processor, so when it gets too hot it just crashes and smokes (according to THG), but the Palomino series automatically shuts the entire system down when the temperature gets too hot. interesting.. :)

[fury]

My T-bird sure could've used some of that thermal protection. Earlier today as I was playing Unreal Tournament at the same time as running Genome@home, my temp got so hot that the system locked up. About 65-66 C I'd guess, which is around 150 F, as when I went into the BIOS about 30-45 seconds after I realize it had locked up, the temp was 64 and dropping. 60+ is about when mine starts becoming extremely unstable. It can run up to 55 rock solid, but obviously that's not quite a desirable temperature.

[Dave#]

I thought this was a server forum?

[fury]

It is. The topic is a 264-cpu Athlon server, and whether the heat issues that people complain about regarding the Athlons is really going to be an issue to worry about since you either have or can easily afford a badass air conditioner if you can afford a 264-cpu Athlon server. I'm adding information to the topic by describing the way different processors handle heat emergencies (or rather, don't, in some cases) so that people can derive their own opinions on each processor and whether shelling out the cash for a 264-cpu Athlon server is worth it. :D

[Dave#]

errm OK then. . . whatever you say

[nuno]

hey fury
Athlon here around 65-70 C :rolleyes:
i went to my older AMD(K6-550 3D-Now) and its running around 60 C, then i looked at the PIII and its running at 45 C.
damn, thats almost twice as the pentium :eek:

[Hooper]

Originally posted by freddie
One would need a rather large air conditioning unit to handle the heat put off by that many athlons, not too mention the power bill. I'll happily stick with my Northwood P4 1.6 running at 2.4. Needless to say I dropped AMD like a rock when I had the chance and I fill dirty for cheating on Intel like that. May flames commence now from AMD zealots :rolleyes:


Some people just aren't educated about hardware. :D

I'll stick with my Athlon XP 1900+ and 512M HSDDR mushkin ram. Wanna have a machine race? Smooooookin. :D

Yeah, they do require a nice heat sink/fan and a dab of artic silver, but I wouldn't have another intel chip.

PS. With this new heat sink and fan I put on this, the temp hovers at 34 degrees C. That is darn cool for an athlon.

[Dave#]

Originally posted by Hooper



Some people just aren't educated about hardware. :D

I'll stick with my Athlon XP 1900+ and 512M HSDDR mushkin ram. Wanna have a machine race? Smooooookin. :D

Yeah, they do require a nice heat sink/fan and a dab of artic silver, but I wouldn't have another intel chip.

PS. With this new heat sink and fan I put on this, the temp hovers at 34 degrees C. That is darn cool for an athlon.


I'll race you with my 4 processor 4 gig of ram E450 . . . but then I'm webserving not playing games :)