From chemistry-request -A_T- ccl.net Tue May 17 15:36:04 2005 Received: from wproxy.gmail.com (wproxy.gmail.com [64.233.184.199]) by server.ccl.net (8.13.1/8.13.1) with ESMTP id j4HJa0Ai009186 for ; Tue, 17 May 2005 15:36:01 -0400 Received: by wproxy.gmail.com with SMTP id 58so2459478wri for ; Tue, 17 May 2005 12:36:00 -0700 (PDT) DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; q=dns; c=nofws; s=beta; d=gmail.com; h=received:message-id:date:from:reply-to:to:subject:in-reply-to:mime-version:content-type:references; b=c7MKWlCUMXk2Chc/0rNLdRwIgHC47DdIS/zFzUhshiRFFwyaKkIjxX0r40amDGbOFxIEdTQwKDHnsh1V7rM8UgdIYgtTd5cuZGgO66CeO+d5z4/iffxG+tF4nKMnorgSSFF+U7X03enS0rPcmq87gXaHbik4X+I9vs5uKv0p/wc= Received: by 10.54.48.24 with SMTP id v24mr4519044wrv; Tue, 17 May 2005 11:36:00 -0700 (PDT) Received: by 10.54.4.42 with HTTP; Tue, 17 May 2005 11:36:00 -0700 (PDT) Message-ID: <203e36e3050517113622bdba43)at(mail.gmail.com> Date: Tue, 17 May 2005 11:36:00 -0700 From: Rich McClellan Reply-To: Rich McClellan To: Mikael Johansson , CHEMISTRY)at(ccl.net Subject: Re: CCL:Summary Opteron vs Nocona In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_Part_1193_10574499.1116354960034" References: X-Spam-Status: No, score=0.9 required=5.0 tests=DNS_FROM_RFC_ABUSE,HTML_20_30, HTML_MESSAGE,RCVD_BY_IP autolearn=no version=3.0.3 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.0.3 (2005-04-27) on server.ccl.net ------=_Part_1193_10574499.1116354960034 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Disposition: inline Hi Mikael, The dual core Opterons are pin compatible with current Opterons and only a= =20 BIOS update should be necessary. Given that most OSes in use support=20 multiple processors, no new drivers, kernel patches, etc., are required.=20 That is, flash your BIOS, install a dual core CPU, boot your OS (with kerne= l=20 that supports SMP), and you're done. Because the single and dual core=20 processors are pin compatible, Luigi could order/build his cluster today an= d=20 swap CPUs for dual core Opterons in 6-12 mos. Rich On 5/17/05, Mikael Johansson wrote: >=20 >=20 > Hello Luigi and All! >=20 > On Tue, 17 May 2005, Luigi Cavallo wrote: >=20 > > However, there's one point about opterons. AMD just announced dual-core= =20 > cpus, > > which should perform far better than the single-core shipped now. > > I contacted resellers here in italy, and they say that dual-core cpus= =20 > will be > > shipped after the summer. If you buy opetrons now they can sell you=20 > single-core. > > Is this true ? Any out of there has been able to buy AMD with dual-core= =20 > cpus as > > the 275 ? >=20 > I don't know about AMD's mass shipping schedule, but I do know that there > will always be better and faster chips "after the summer". Or winter or > whatever time period of choice :-) I don't think it in general is worth > waiting for the next family of CPU's. Instead, get what is available when > you need it (if possible, of course). I don't know how much better the > price/performance ratio of dual cores would be, at least in the beginning= , > when counting in all the costs of motherboards etc. >=20 > Also, after the dual core chips ship, there will be a lag before proper > drivers/kernel patches for Linux appear. It took a year after release > before a general AMD64 system could be considered usable for production > under Linux. OK, the jump to dual core might not be that big, but I would > be quite surprised if it immediately worked optimally. >=20 > Have a nice day, > Mikael J. > http://www.helsinki.fi/~mpjohans/ >=20 >=20 > -=3D This is automatically added to each message by the mailing script = =3D- > To send e-mail to subscribers of CCL put the string CCL: on your Subject:= =20 > line > and send your message to: CHEMISTRY)at(ccl.net >=20 > Send your subscription/unsubscription requests to:=20 > CHEMISTRY-REQUEST)at(ccl.net > HOME Page: http://www.ccl.net | Jobs Page: http://www.ccl.net/jobs >=20 > If your is mail bouncing from ccl.net domain due to spam= =20 > filters, please > use the Web based form from CCL Home Page > -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ >=20 > ------=_Part_1193_10574499.1116354960034 Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Disposition: inline Hi Mikael,

The dual core Opterons are pin compatible with current Opterons and only a BIOS update should be necessary.  Given that most OSes in use support multiple processors, no new drivers, kernel patches, etc., are required.  That is, flash your BIOS, install a dual core CPU, boot your OS (with kernel that supports SMP), and you're done.  Because the single and dual core processors are pin compatible, Luigi could order/build his cluster today and swap CPUs for dual core Opterons in 6-12 mos.

Rich

On 5/17/05, Mikael Johansson <mpjohans)at(pcu.helsinki.fi> wrote:

Hello Luigi and All!

On Tue, 17 May 2005, Luigi Cavallo wrote:
> However, there's one point about opterons. AMD just announced du= al-core cpus,
> which should perform far better than the single-core = shipped now.
> I contacted resellers here in italy, and they say that dual-core c= pus will be
> shipped after the summer. If you buy opetrons now they = can sell you single-core.
> Is this true ? Any out of there has been = able to buy AMD with dual-core cpus as
> the 275 ?

I don't know about AMD's mass shipping schedule, = but I do know that there
will always be better and faster chips "af= ter the summer". Or winter or
whatever time period of choice :-) I = don't think it in general is worth
waiting for the next family of CPU's. Instead, get what is available wh= en
you need it (if possible, of course). I don't know how much better th= e
price/performance ratio of dual cores would be, at least in the beginn= ing,
when counting in all the costs of motherboards etc.

Also, after = the dual core chips ship, there will be a lag before proper
drivers/kern= el patches for Linux appear. It took a year after release
before a gener= al AMD64 system could be considered usable for production
under Linux. OK, the jump to dual core might not be that big, but I wou= ld
be quite surprised if it immediately worked optimally.

Have a = nice day,
     Mikael J.
    = http://www.helsinki.fi/~mpjohans/


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