Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Max Cores in Server 2008 R2

  1. #1
    Yuk it up Monkey Boy! Airbozo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    In the Redwoods
    Posts
    5,272

    Default Max Cores in Server 2008 R2

    OK, so I never thought I wold have this problem, but hey, I needed a new challenge.

    So I have a customer that is spec'ing out a new box to analyze multiple HD streams. They want to use one high powered system to analyze as many streams as possible. Cue the Quad processor SuperMicro 1U system...
    http://www.supermicro.com/products/s...6B-6.cfm?SAS=N

    Ok ,so we got 4 Xeon E7-4850 (10 core) samples from Intel (gotta love freebies!), and loaded them in the system. I checked M$'s recommendation chart for OS's and it shows Server 2008 R2 Standard Edition supports up to 4 processors. Install away, load drivers, go into bios, enable hyper threading and POW! 80 cores! Cool!

    Boot into windows, check Device manager, 80 cores! nice! Open up task manager, 64 cores!?!? HUH?!?! Time to call M$.

    After an hour or so on the phone, my rep eventually tells me that Standard Edition only supports 64 cores and we have to upgrade to Enterprise Edition (which is almost twice the cost). I ask for the data sheet that indicates the cores supported but they were unable to provide me with any document that states SE is only able to see 64 cores and instead send me the document showing 4 socket support. Nothing about cores or logical procs. Hmmm...

    I have to get the customer up and running so they can start testing so I find out the upgrade steps and am impressed. In order to upgrade to EE, all we have to do is provide a new key and tell the system we want EE. One command line and 2 reboots later, EE is running with 80 cores...

    That should be able to handle 24 HD streams.... We will see.

    Edit: Forgot to add that STandard Edition will handle 4 sockets and 64 cores. EE will handle 8 sockets and 256 cores. Data Center will handle 64 sockets and who knows how many cores... (SGI has Data Center running on one of it's super computers with 128 cores scalable to 256. The largest server 2008 install)
    Last edited by Airbozo; 10-26-2011 at 03:52 PM.
    "...Dumb all over, A little ugly on the side... "...Frank Zappa...

  2. #2
    One Eye, Sixteen Cores. Kayin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Birmingham, AL
    Posts
    1,921

    Default Re: Max Cores in Server 2008 R2

    Nice. I seem to remember SE only supporting 64 cores as well.

    My biggest machine is still only 16 physical, though, so I'm OK.
    Project:Mithril, sponsored by Petra's Tech Shop and Sidewinder Computers-MOTM Nominee October '08




  3. #3
    AARGH dr.walrus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Ho Chi Minh City
    Posts
    993

    Default Re: Max Cores in Server 2008 R2

    Um....

    All that in 1U?! Probably one of the most expensive 1.75 inches you'll ever install...

  4. #4
    Yuk it up Monkey Boy! Airbozo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    In the Redwoods
    Posts
    5,272

    Default Re: Max Cores in Server 2008 R2

    Quote Originally Posted by Kayin View Post
    Nice. I seem to remember SE only supporting 64 cores as well.

    My biggest machine is still only 16 physical, though, so I'm OK.
    My only real gripe is that I cannot find any documentation that says "4 sockets, 64 threads/core/cpu's, etc/.....


    BTW: The largest system image I have dealt with (as in administered) was a 1024 proc SGI Origin 3000 system.
    "...Dumb all over, A little ugly on the side... "...Frank Zappa...

  5. #5
    Yuk it up Monkey Boy! Airbozo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    In the Redwoods
    Posts
    5,272

    Default Re: Max Cores in Server 2008 R2

    Quote Originally Posted by dr.walrus View Post
    Um....

    All that in 1U?! Probably one of the most expensive 1.75 inches you'll ever install...
    True. I found out the hard way that there are 2 different versions of this motherboard (we had a bad socket and they sent us the wrong one for replacement). One for a 1U that uses the chassis as part of the heat dissipation and one for 2U and above that has some interesting heat sinks on the power regulators.

    Did I mention it is running 96gb of memory? ...and when it is in operation, no one will ever log into it... Everything is handled remotely by another system. Cool stuff and I will get permission to post some details and photo's.

    Let's just say that in order to test these boxes we had to purchase a piece of hardware that allows us to strip all DRM from the HD signal under test real time. The licensing of that thing felt like I was getting my top secret clearance all over again.
    "...Dumb all over, A little ugly on the side... "...Frank Zappa...

  6. #6
    The floppy drive is no longer obsolete. AmEv's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Idaho, USA
    Posts
    3,052

    Default Re: Max Cores in Server 2008 R2

    I'm impressed that, that board can have .5TB RAM.

    16GB sticks are freakin' expensive, though.

    PS: How is CPU folding on that baby?
    Two years. They were great. Let's make the next ones even better!

    Tri.fecta

  7. #7
    AARGH dr.walrus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Ho Chi Minh City
    Posts
    993

    Default Re: Max Cores in Server 2008 R2

    Quote Originally Posted by Airbozo View Post
    True. I found out the hard way that there are 2 different versions of this motherboard (we had a bad socket and they sent us the wrong one for replacement). One for a 1U that uses the chassis as part of the heat dissipation and one for 2U and above that has some interesting heat sinks on the power regulators.

    Did I mention it is running 96gb of memory? ...and when it is in operation, no one will ever log into it... Everything is handled remotely by another system. Cool stuff and I will get permission to post some details and photo's.

    Let's just say that in order to test these boxes we had to purchase a piece of hardware that allows us to strip all DRM from the HD signal under test real time. The licensing of that thing felt like I was getting my top secret clearance all over again.
    This is genuinely awesome. If the content is copyrighted, would I be right in guessing that this is for a movie industry client?

  8. #8
    Like a Lightning Bolt in Your Cheerios! Drum Thumper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Montana
    Posts
    4,522

    Default Re: Max Cores in Server 2008 R2

    Quote Originally Posted by Airbozo View Post

    Did I mention it is running 96gb of memory? .
    Pardon me, I need to go get a fresh pair of undies.
    Quote Originally Posted by artoodeeto View Post
    aw heck guys. We're modders. Let's just build our own, shall we?

    DrumThumper.net || The Brewing Art ||
    My Flickr Stream

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •