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[SPONSORED] OPTERON PRIME - watercooled Supermicro 4 CPU folding@home crazyness - Folding numbers

27K views 236 replies 57 participants last post by  97discosd 
#1 ·
Intro

I would like to start with saying that I have been busy with the enormous project for a year now. I am reaching the final stages and I can't keep this from OCN as I participate in foldathons here and when there is a Chimp-Challenge I am game for OCN. But that is the reason the first part of the build might have old dates on the photos and you might have seen other pictures elsewhere.

I just payed the fee for 3 sponsored casemod threads so I can start with this one right here. I will have big updates following eachother in a very fast pace as I have everything ready. That way you will be up to date in a very short time(like a years worth of work in a couple of weeks). I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy building it.

http://img94.imageshack.us/i/g2jh.jpg/

Hi everyone, my name is Tim but on forums I am better known under the name Hukkel. You may have seen more work from me in my buildlog of "GAME HARD, FOLD HARDER" ( http://www.overclock.net/t/1339127/sponsored-game-hard-fold-harder/0_20 ). That build is designated to be a great overall gaming pc but when not occupied it is a desktop system dedicated to non-stop Folding@home. Over time I have had many talks with people who fold 24/7 and invested time and effort to research the best number crunching hardware for its initial investing amount and even better for its power conservation. There seemed to be one specific hardware solution that scored high on both points. That is a 4 processor AMD Opteron™ system from Supermicro's A+ branded (AMD) product line (http://www.supermicro.com/aplus/). Initially I wanted to build an Opteron 6100 system with 8 core CPUs, then upgrade in the future to 12 core 6100 series Opterons. To build this, the ideal solution pointed to a Supermicro G34 motherboard. With good timing and a bit of luck I got in touch with Supermicro to see if they would be up to sponsor this project. After discussing my ideas we found common ground in the high-performance, energy-efficient aim of this project along with support for Folding@home research. However, initial reaction was when they commit to something, they do it right. No cutting corners and nothing less than a perfect solution.
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My contact who understood the nature and goal of this F@h project helped me acquire the ultimate combination of components to accelerate this build. With sponsorship from Supermicro I was provided a base platform of an A+ H8QGL-iF quad socket G34 motherboard, populated with four AMD Opteron 6300 series 16 core processors and a compatible SuperChassis CSE-748TQ-R1K43B.

I was completely blown away by this turn of events. This is exactly what I really wanted to do. Build a big casemod resulting in an extremely strong folding setup that could run on 100% 24/7 easily yet still be as energy efficient possible...

Over time we've bounced back and forth ideas, concept sketches, hardware options and deadlines. Eventually the nickname for the build has come to the surface. Sometimes the best names come from what you don't make up yourself. My friend Ole dropped the name "Opteron prime" and I instantly knew it was right for this build. It will be server-grade and the highest-end build I've taken on in terms hardware. In addition, it will only be used for "the good" contributing to Stanford University's Folding@home project to simulate the molecular dynamics of protein folding and help scientists find a cure for Alzheimer's, Huntington's, Parkinson's and many forms of cancers.

After a few weeks the following two enormous boxes landed on my doorstep:

https://imageshack.com/i/59lemmj

From here on the project started. I've contacted a few other companies to partner up as well. And I have managed to gather an impressive small group of companies that will be making this project possible in the desired timeframe with only the best hardware.

Now what I COULD do is place a few pictures from Sketchup to give you an idea. And then give you a list of the hardware I am going to use...but I rather not as that would leave no surprises. I would like this buildlog to be an "unfolding" for you as a reader as much as it will be for me building it. Don't worry, a lot of exciting updates and performance stats will be shown very soon. But how the build will end up looking like you will only know by keeping up to date on this buildlog.

For now I want to thank Supermicro in particular for making this project possible in its current form. It has presented me with an amazing opportunity and I will give it my all to try and make this a very powerful yet efficient, green folding machine.

http://img855.imageshack.us/i/at5f.jpg/
 
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#2 ·
This is to show you guys what is in the boxes. I will make better pictures and comment on them when I will actually use them.

4*Opteron 6383SEs - the current top of the line retail AMD Opterons
16*Hynix 1866 4 GB ram sticks
1 Seagate SSD 100GB
1 Supermicro G34 motherboard that supports 1866 Mhz memory - Supermicro technology at its finest.
1 4U Supermicro server rack. The only 19 inch rack that also has feet to stand upright.

More unboxing in a few days when other stuff comes in (and the battery of my camera is done charging xD )

Hold on to your pants, here is a LOAD of pictures.

https://imageshack.com/i/1nx2xrj

http://img844.imageshack.us/i/umyq.jpg/

https://imageshack.com/i/n4qd90j

https://imageshack.com/i/my4s82j

https://imageshack.com/i/0ilt5bj

https://imageshack.com/i/1fo759j

http://img442.imageshack.us/i/2viz.jpg/

https://imageshack.com/i/4jrrwuj

https://imageshack.com/i/1n06ycj

https://imageshack.com/i/1avx9ej

https://imageshack.com/i/f7kqjnj

https://imageshack.com/i/g43b8wj

https://imageshack.com/i/gvpdcsj

https://imageshack.com/i/0rzwsyj

https://imageshack.com/i/5fw7i3j

https://imageshack.com/i/0sd2m2j

http://img594.imageshack.us/i/kul8.jpg/

http://img843.imageshack.us/i/ei5s.jpg/

http://img819.imageshack.us/i/0js2.jpg/

https://imageshack.com/i/152cmaj

http://img833.imageshack.us/i/npuj.jpg/

https://imageshack.com/i/nbtftbj

https://imageshack.com/i/nrfaovj

https://imageshack.com/i/072dehj

http://img824.imageshack.us/i/ilu7.jpg/

https://imageshack.com/i/0zqoehj

http://img832.imageshack.us/i/qd90.jpg/

http://img822.imageshack.us/i/o0on.jpg/

https://imageshack.com/i/jab260j

https://imageshack.com/i/16if1wj

https://imageshack.com/i/59lponj

https://imageshack.com/i/nqoce4j

https://imageshack.com/i/59fug4j

Supermicro was kind enough to sponsor me with the motherboard and the chassis (including the 2 PSUs). I ordered the SSD and the RAM at them as well. It is quite easy when you choose a solution for your needs to just click a link that takes you to the tested hardware that will work guaranteed with the hardware you have chosen. It is what I did. I am kind of new to the server hardware world and especially with the RAM knowing exactly what brand and type 1866mhz ram will work with the motherboard and CPUs is very big pro.

Again thank you very much Supermicro for the hardware and the opportunity!



More updates incoming soon.
 
#6 ·
Servers! Servers! Servers! Servers!
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(okay I know it's not a server, but this looks amazing. subbed)
 
#20 ·
OHHHhhhh my googly moogly! That is going to be an impressive amount of PPD. So subbed!
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#24 ·
Wow I can't wait to see the finished product and I can't wait to see those millions of points just fly by because of that amazing setup you have going on there. I think that I would like 12 of those please. So please promptly send them my way ASAP so I can start making some people cry. I do have free electricity after all
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lol
 
#26 ·
This is amazing, nice.
 
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