[vfio-users] Hardware recommendation?

Fri May 13 16:26:51 UTC 2016

Hi Ryan

ok that helped:

v1 has different models/steppings/whatevertheycallit, and the SR0KX 
seems to be the one you want for vtd

v2 - i dont now of, but:

v3:
http://ark.intel.com/de/products/81709/Intel-Xeon-Processor-E5-2670-v3-30M-Cache-2_30-GHz
is a different animal. so you are right, i need a "normal" FCLGA2011 for 
the SR0KX.
and i assume you also have  the SR0KX stepping version - oor maybe a 
softwware/bios microcode update was possible?
anyways it seems to work for you :)

i'll search for a FCLGA2011 mobo which doesnt cost 700€ ... :)

Greetings!
Tobias

Am 13.05.2016 18:17, schrieb Ryan Flagler:
> Ok, so an example, these are v1 but a different stepping.
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/SR0KX-INTEL-XEON-E5-2670-8-CORE-2-60GHz-20M-8GT-s-115W-PROCESSOR-CPU-/281889330127
> 
> Those should work fine with VT-d. I'll have to check which ones I have
> but, I'm using vt-d and passing through a GPU so I assume I'm on a
> working version.
> 
> On Fri, May 13, 2016 at 11:14 AM Tobias Geiger
> <tobias.geiger at vido.info> wrote:
> 
>> 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.