3DATS Render node Configuration

[mikes8500]

I was checking out the July 3dats workstations article where they talk about the 24 core render node, which looks sick. Has anyone built one of these bad boys? I'm thinking of taking the plunge but I'm a little uncertain. I'm using Max and Vray. I'm a little concerned the the clock speed is only 2.1ghz...

 

Mike

[AJLynn]

I don't know if anybody on this board has actually built one, usually this hardware is used for servers. I've used dual Opterons as render nodes in the past, but not this model. The 2.1GHz per core was my concern as well, which is these CPUs don't appear in a workstation, but if you run the numbers on Cinebench 11.5 scores, here's approximate numbers for the three highest configs on that page:

 

High-End (i7-980X): 10.2

24-Core Opteron Render Node: 14.2

Maxer (dual Xeon X5680): 17

 

(There was a previous article where I had the Opterons at 14.8, but that was an error - the test report I'd seen was for the 2.2GHz model, which is harder to source. Still, the report for the 2.2GHz model lets us know how efficiently the platform handles multithreaded tasks, and since Vray is a bit better at multithreading than Cinebench 11.5, the Opteron and the Xeon should have a slightly wider edge over the i7 in Vray rendering. There's also a 2.3GHz model, which is still harder to source and would score about a 15.4.)

 

Basically, where the faster per-core speed of the Intels and the Phenoms would help you in everyday work, it's not as important in rendering, where current software like Vray is very efficient at using all your cores.

 

The best dual Xeon box is a faster rendered, but not by a heck of a lot, and the 24-core Opteron is cheaper - about $1500 less for the MB and CPU. Even stepping down to the Xeon X5670, which is roughly as fast as the 24-core box, it's still $1000 more than the Opteron node. So while you could make a render node from dual Xeons, it's not as cost effective - if I had the budget for a dual X5680 I'd build a dual Opteron and a Midrange workstation instead.

 

If you do build one, let us know and run some render tests on it, and I'll see if the Brians will comp you a free book.

[Malik1]

Wow good topic!

 

Here is what i'm about to do: either a core i7 node or a AMD phenom II node, here are the spec's. let me know what you think.

 

CORE i7 Build Total Per Node= $795.00

 

1.ASUS Rampage II GENE LGA 1366 Intel X58 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail$209.99

 

2.Intel Core i7-920 Bloomfield 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail$288.99

 

3.Kingston ValueRAM 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM ECC Unbuffered DDR3 1333 Server Memory Model KVR1333D3E9SK2/4GI - Retail$125.99

 

4.Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3160318AS 160GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive $38.99

 

CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail$129.99

or

CORSAIR CMPSU-450VX 450W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail$69.99

Heat sink $30.00

 

 

AMD Phenom II Total Per Node= $520.00

 

1. ASUS M4A78LT-M LE AM3 AMD 780L Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail $64.99

or

1. ASUS M3A78-EM AM2+/AM2 AMD 780G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail $74.99

 

2. AMD Phenom II X4 920 2.8GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM2+ 125W Quad-Core Processor - Retail $150.00

 

3. Kingston ValueRAM 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM ECC Unbuffered DDR3 1333 Server Memory Model KVR1333D3E9SK2/4GI - Retail$125.99

 

4. Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3160318AS 160GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive $38.99

 

Case Options:

Antec New Solution NSK3480 Black/ Silver 0.8mm cold-rolled steel construction MicroATX Mid Tower Computer Case 380W Power Supply - Retail $89.99

or

COOLER MASTER Elite 340 RC-340C-KKN1-GP Black Steel MicroATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail $30.00

or

SILVERSTONE TJ08-B Black Aluminum front panel, SECC body MicroATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail $89.99

or

Antec NSK1380 Black/ Silver Steel MicroATX Cube Computer Case 350W Power Supply - Retail $109.99

 

6. CORSAIR CMPSU-450VX 450W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail$69.99

7. Heat sink $30.00

 

Rackmonut Options;

 

*** ***CHENBRO RM22500-400H SGCC 2U Rackmount Cost-Effective Data Backup Server Chassis 400W 2 External 5.25" Drive Bays - Retail $183.99

iStarUSA D-200-PFS Black Steel 2U Rackmount Server Case 1 External 5.25" Drive Bays - Retail $94.99 NEEDS PSU

 

I'm leaning toward 5 AMD builds in 2u sever cases on a rack mount. 20 cores of processing power for around 2,500. I'm also exploring the dual cpu mobos boards right now.

[AJLynn]

A couple of things - you can't use server memory on these motherboards - instead use regular DDR3-1600. For the 920 you'd want a multiple of 3 DIMMs and for the AMD either 2 or 4 DIMMs.

 

But I don't think the AMD you've got here is powerful enough to make the numbers work - an i7-920 is more than 50% faster at rendering than a Phenom II 920 (both being called 920 does not imply equivalence). And the i7-920 is not the best value option. Instead, take the motherboard, CPU and RAM of the Photoshop Edition config (the 870 is faster than the 920 and uses cheaper motherboards, and RAM in multiples of 2) or the Midrange. The AMD 1090T config is a bit more expensive than the i7-870 config because of the motherboard, but it's also a bit faster - these are both winners in render power per dollar, which is the most important stat.

[Malik1]

AJlynn,

 

Yeah, the i7 870 looks pretty good for 240$! Good looking out bro. The i7 50% faster in rendering sounds pretty high.

 

The cheapest I could find the 1090T with the mobo was around 500$ and a little less for the i7 870. I like what your getting at,...more power in a smaller package + I'd be saving on software licensing. Which is why Im looking into the dual cpu mobos.

 

but(small one)

 

For the price of 2 1090T's w/Mobos = around 1000$ you get 12cores @ 3.2GHZ

or

For the same price you can 5 AMD Phenom II X4 945's w/Mobos = 20cores @ 3.0GHZ + u get a smaller form factor, these boards can fit in a slim 1u Blade.

 

Sounds like a no brainer IMO,without the software license issue, so it might just even out. I have to check if I will be paying per node for the license or per 4 cores.

 

What do you know about some price comparitive dual cpu and board combos....it seems the market is pretty high for those setups.

Edited August 11, 2010 by Malik1

[AJLynn]

Don't forget, when you run these numbers it's not just MB+CPU - you have to add the cost of the rest of the system You can pay a premium for CPU power and come out ahead if you can get the same performance out of fewer boxes.

 

Okay, I see where you're going with the inexpensive MB's. The M4A78LT-M LE you mentioned works with the 1090T, so that's... add $150 to your original AMD config and run the numbers I think that's your best power per dollar in AMD, taking the whole thing into account. On the Intel side, the i7-870... if you have a source for that at $240 it comes out maybe $30 cheaper than the 1090T... no, I think the AMD is still the leader. I'm basing this all on these projections for Cinebench scores:

 

1090T: 5.5

i7-870: 5.25

AMD 945: 3.5

 

Which makes 5x 945 nodes slightly better than 3x 1090T nodes, but when you price it out you should be able to get 4x 1090T's for the budget of 5x 945's. This all involves a bit of conjecture - you'll need to run the numbers for the whole setup.

[Malik1]

Daaaaaaaaaam. I didn't think that board would work with the 1090T! I think thats the way to go. Jeessse its crazy how prices change over just 6 months since I did that spec sheet.

 

Here is how it looks:

Board and 1090t = 370$

4gigs ram = 150$ish

Seagate HD 160g = 40$

Chenbro 2u bladew/450w psu = 190$

Big Shuriken Low Profile CPU Cooler = 35$

 

Total =785$

Could proally get that down to 650$ with some different case/psu options. Mabey build a custom sheetmetal box to hold 4 of those bad boys, like the guys over at boxx tech.