Need advice re Dual Processor system

[quasar66]

Hello,
Thanks for reading my question...
I have to build for a local college a system that is primarily used for doing scientific computing work - I have written them a clutch of parallel programs that for "usual" sizes is taking approximately 85-90 hours of continuous 100% CPU utilization run.

The current HW is built on mildly overclocked i7 2600K (the ambience is fairly hot) with a CPU cooler (CM 212) with 16GB RAM. Contains a ATI 5770 graphics card.

I am to build a next refresh for them by end of Apr 2012 (end of the current acad session). My options are (open to advice) - either a Sandy Bridge E processor machine on X79 , or a Xeon DP machine (terribly expensive, but sometimes college admins may be turned ..) - Overall budget - $3500-stretchable to $4000.

So, first question - is there a likelihood of having a Dual Processor Sandy bridge E? Are desktop dual processor Chips comparable to Single Processor systems (at constant expenditure)?
Will the lower end Xeon DP be faster for a memory intensive seriously multi-threaded program as compared to a single processor Sandy Bridge E?
And, another one I am trying to sort out - Will a DP system require two Windows 7 Ultimate (retail) Licenses?

Finally, whats a good DP configuration ?

Expected life - 3-4 years
No upgrade of any part is likely in this time frame ..

Thanks...

 

[Outlander_04]

ask in march 2012
then we will all know what the next gen hardware performs like

 

[SlickTech]

The likelihood of seeing a motherboard that supports dual processor i7 are probably not gonna happen with Sandy Bridge-E processors. You're best bet is to wait. About having to buy two Windows Ultimate, you would only need to do that if you had two separate hard drives. It doesn't sound like you have two from what you said. I'm not that knowledgeable with ram, but using ECC type ram would definitely help your memory intensive program.

About a good DP setup, I'll let someone more tech savvy than me give you their thoughts. Hope that helped a bit.

 

[quasar66]

The likelihood of seeing a motherboard that supports dual processor i7 are probably not gonna happen with Sandy Bridge-E processors. You're best bet is to wait. About having to buy two Windows Ultimate, you would only need to do that if you had two separate hard drives. It doesn't sound like you have two from what you said. I'm not that knowledgeable with ram, but using ECC type ram would definitely help your memory intensive program.

About a good DP setup, I'll let someone more tech savvy than me give you their thoughts. Hope that helped a bit.

Thanks for your reply, SlickTech ... there seems to be a serious shortage of fair comparison articles on DP systems over 1P systems - I think the DP systems are perhaps on their way out of consideration set of Enthusiasts ...

 

[quasar66]

Best answer selected by quasar66.

 

[SlickTech]

Glad to help. =)