[vfio-users] Hardware recommendation?

[Tobias Geiger]

yes, here some links in increasing credibility order :) :

https://m.reddit.com/r/pcmasterrace/comments/3smipw/psa_thousands_of_cheap_e5_xeons_flood_ebay/
https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/intel-xeon-e5-2670-deal-and-price-tracking.7133/page-2
http://www.techpowerup.com/152978/sandy-bridge-e-vt-d-broken-in-c1-stepping-fixed-in-c2-stepping-shortly-after-launch

Greetings
Tobias

Am 13.05.2016 18:09, schrieb Ryan Flagler:
> You are correct that the E5-2670v3 would need the R3 socket, but that
> version of the CPU is not anywhere near $60 if that's what you were
> hoping for. I currently use the E5-2670v1 and am not aware of a vt-d
> issue. Do you have more information about that?
> 
> On Fri, May 13, 2016 at 11:07 AM Tobias Geiger
> <tobias.geiger at vido.info> wrote:
> 
>> Hi Ryan,
>> 
>> ok now im confused:
>> 
>> my understanding was i need a SR0KX version of the E5-2670, cause
>> the
>> SR0H8 hast microcode issues regarding vtd.
>> so far so good. i thought SR0KX = E5-2670 v3 and needs a R3 socket -
>> but
>> you say i might be wrong here?
>> 
>> unfortunatly the ark doesnt show the exact socket you need, they
>> only
>> mention the steppings on the right side of the page:
>> 
> http://ark.intel.com/de/products/64595/Intel-Xeon-Processor-E5-2670-20M-Cache-2_60-GHz-8_00-GTs-Intel-QPI
>> 
>> Greetings!
>> Tobias
>> 
>> Am 13.05.2016 17:59, schrieb Ryan Flagler:
>>> i personally haven't had issues with my SuperMicro board. The
>> biggest
>>> issues have been related to AMD/nVidia specific issues. The asrock
>>> motherboard you linked is not compatible wit hthe E5-2670 cpu
>> though.
>>> The one you linked is a Socket R3, you need Socket R for the
>>> E5-2670v1.
>>> 
>>> On Fri, May 13, 2016 at 10:28 AM Tobias Geiger
>>> <tobias.geiger at vido.info> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Hi,
>>>> 
>>>> great suggestions - thanks so far!
>>>> 
>>>> Seems i have the choice between
>>>> - this really good price/value E5-2670 Dual Xeon and this board:
>>>> 
>>> 
>> 
> http://www.asrockrack.com/general/productdetail.asp?Model=EP2C612D8#Specifications
>>>> (the Supermicro one is at least here in Germany much more
>> expensive
>>>> -
>>>> and the Asrock has more SATA3 Ports... - do you see any
>> difficulties
>>>> in
>>>> comparison with the Supermicroboard you mentioned?)
>>>> 
>>>> oooor
>>>> -  i7-6700K Intel Skylake with a board like this :
>>>> https://www.asus.com/de/Motherboards/Q170M-C/specifications/ (Q
>>>> Chipset
>>>> should ensure VTD funcionality i hope!)
>>>> 
>>>> so basicaly the choice between 16 cores with the dual xeon but
>> with
>>>> a
>>>> max of 3.3Ghz - or 4 cores "only" with the Skylake i7 but
>> 4.2Ghz...
>>>> puh. hard one. games rarly scale well on multiple cpus, but OTOH
>>>> this
>>>> is/will be changing with time and newer games... but a rapid
>>>> single-core-performance is always handy for the tasks that are
>> not
>>>> threadable...
>>>> 
>>>> now im really stuck in my descision-finding-process :)
>>>> i'll think about it for the weekend
>>>> 
>>>> if you see any omg-dont-buy-that-it-wont-work issues - please
>> tell
>>>> me!
>>>> 
>>>> Thanks and Greetings
>>>> Tobias
>>>> 
>>>> Am 12.05.2016 17:23, schrieb Ryan Flagler:
>>>>> Yep, that's the one. Dirt cheap! I was able to snag a used
>>>> SuperMicro
>>>>> X9DR7-LN4F dual-socket motherboard and threw 2 of them in there.
>> I
>>>>> don't have much of an issue giving my VMs enough CPU. :) ECC
>> DDR3
>>>>> Registered memory is relatively cheap on ebay too.
>>>>> 
>>>>> On Thu, May 12, 2016 at 10:21 AM Alex Williamson
>>>>> <alex.l.williamson at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Thu, May 12, 2016 at 9:14 AM, Ryan Flagler
>>>>>> <ryan.flagler at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> I know Alex has recommended the E5 series
>>>> processors/motherboards
>>>>>>> for the best compatibility. There are 2 versions of
>> motherboards
>>>>>>> that support that right now. Socket R and Socket R3. Obviously
>>>> E5
>>>>>>> series processors are not very affordable brand new; however,
>>>> the
>>>>>>> market is currently flooded with server pulled E5-2670 CPUs.
>>>> They
>>>>>>> can be easily found for $60 on ebay. These CPUs work on Socket
>> R
>>>>>>> motherboards. Additionally, these motherboards will still
>>>> support
>>>>>>> DDR3 memory which is cheaper to acquire than DDR4 as well.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> That's where I'd start if I was you. Obviously there could
>>>> always
>>>>>>> be issues with 1 manufacturer to another, but hopefully that's
>> a
>>>>>>> starting place.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Nice tip!  You're referring to Sandy-Bridge EP, right?
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> 
>> 
> http://ark.intel.com/products/64595/Intel-Xeon-Processor-E5-2670-20M-Cache-2_60-GHz-8_00-GTs-Intel-QPI
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 8-core, hmmm that's tempting.