G34 KGPE-D16 Opteron 6128 request for info

January 15, 2011 1:27:43 AM

Hi Everyone,

Long time reader, first time poster.

I test networks in the virtual space with most of the (IT) household-name virtualization software. I build up networks, break them and try to fix them. I'm using a 2p Xeon quad core server at work so I have resources to spare. At work.

Eventually I'll need to be able to keep working at home, so I'm in the market for a scalable and cheap workstation. This brings my attention to the Opteron G34 chip. I picked up an 8core Opteron 6128 for cheap on CDW's backstock site, and I'm in search of an excellent motherboard that can double as a non-gaming HPC (for rendering videos, etc). I've had my eye on the ASUS KGPE-D16 for a while.

I love the ~4 PCIe x16 slots, but if I want to add some smaller internal peripherals like an PCIe SSD/TV Tuner/RAID/soundcard, etc that only use a x2 or x4 footprint, I'm not sure where to go from there. Our 1U servers have riser cards for extra slots at work but I'm building this in a massive desktop case so I'm unaware if using a riser card in a desktop server/workstation is a go. It stands to reason that it should be alright, I imagine.

I'm sticking with the G34 socket so I can drop a BD in there if/when AMD figures out their roadmap. The 8 core should hold me for now.

Less related, what do you think are the chances of there being a glut of new G34 motherboards that accompany Bulldozer to market? Would it be best to wait on this? There's no real hurry.

Anyone with a KGPE-D16 please chime in.

Thanks!

More about : g34 kgpe d16 opteron 6128 request info

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mastertester

January 27, 2011 4:01:09 AM

bump

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wireflight

March 15, 2012 5:12:00 AM

mastertester said:

Hi Everyone,

Long time reader, first time poster.

<snip>

Hi, mastertester!

Did you ever get a suitable solution? If so, please share: I'm considering the Asus KGPE-D16 and Supermicro H8DG6-F, but each is marketed as a server board and I'm really wanting more of a WS. I started looking today at the Tyan S8232. The bizzarre thing is that almost every review says each of these boards sux, and the same applies to all the other boards at which I've looked; most of the complaints seem reasonable. Worse, the positive reviews seem written by shills.

My installation environment is extremely austere, so I will have to engineer a sub-ambient cooling solution: this isn't for me a matter of just grabbing a board off a shelf and stuffing it in a rack; therefore, I need a high degree of confidence in the board that will serve as the foundation for my computational platform.

And the QVLs for each of these companies (Asus, Supermicro, Tyan) is absolutely horrible! Unfortunately, they're not alone; however, they're the only people I've found making 2P boards for the 4200-series and 6200-series Opterons. The situation on the other end (memory module makers) is almost equally bad: I've been to the websites of Actica, Apacer, ATP, Avant, Crucial, Hynix, Kingston, Nanya, Samsung, Smart, Team and Transcend -- and (with a couple of absolutely brilliant exceptions) most of them are either useless or nearly-useless.

I'm confident there is a community somewhere on the Internet devoted to these matters, but wherever it is, I haven't yet been able to find it. Clues, anyone?

Thanks!

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mastertester

March 15, 2012 1:15:33 PM

wireflight said:

Hi, mastertester!

Did you ever get a suitable solution? If so, please share: I'm considering the Asus KGPE-D16 and Supermicro H8DG6-F, but each is marketed as a server board and I'm really wanting more of a WS. I started looking today at the Tyan S8232. The bizzarre thing is that almost every review says each of these boards sux, and the same applies to all the other boards at which I've looked; most of the complaints seem reasonable. Worse, the positive reviews seem written by shills.

My installation environment is extremely austere, so I will have to engineer a sub-ambient cooling solution: this isn't for me a matter of just grabbing a board off a shelf and stuffing it in a rack; therefore, I need a high degree of confidence in the board that will serve as the foundation for my computational platform.

And the QVLs for each of these companies (Asus, Supermicro, Tyan) is absolutely horrible! Unfortunately, they're not alone; however, they're the only people I've found making 2P boards for the 4200-series and 6200-series Opterons. The situation on the other end (memory module makers) is almost equally bad: I've been to the websites of Actica, Apacer, ATP, Avant, Crucial, Hynix, Kingston, Nanya, Samsung, Smart, Team and Transcend -- and (with a couple of absolutely brilliant exceptions) most of them are either useless or nearly-useless.

I'm confident there is a community somewhere on the Internet devoted to these matters, but wherever it is, I haven't yet been able to find it. Clues, anyone?

Thanks!

Hi Wireflight,

Sadly I never got an answer on this board, and therefore never bought one to test out. Best of luck in your search!

M

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wireflight

March 15, 2012 9:03:17 PM

Thanks! There are a couple of reviews of the KGPE-D16 floating around, and I think I've seen a skimpy review of the H8DG6-F board -- but (at least when contrasted against consumer mobo reviews) these reviews are awfully thin on useful info.

In USD, the Asus board is only $470 or so from the sources I've seen; the Supermicro is about $600; the Tyan S8232 is over $770 -- that's a crazy-wide range of prices for superficially (at least from a layperson's perspective regarding functionality of the respective boards) that someone should explain.

Companies need to know that it isn't enough to say, "We're obviously the best; therefore, you should pay our prices and buy our product." If such claims have any merit, then that merit needs to be competently articulated; else it's just grandstanding and puffery used to dupe idiots and to fleece fanbois.

Serious businesspersons need to be persuaded on the merits. Of course, as long as incompetent boobs dominate finance and industry, the global economy will continue to rely on mindless sycophants who wrongly imagine themselves to be patriots simply because they wave the popular flag.

Rah, rah! Hooray for our team!

Alas, best wishes to you as well.

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