Difference between revisions of "Computer Hardware"

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Computer systems that run the telescopes, store data, and provide remote analysis for users are currently built in house from standard components selected for the best performance/price ratio.  The selections here were initially made in Fall 2014 and have been working well since then (currently January 2018).  The main  servers mtkent1 and mtkent3 which archive data were replaced in 2017 with Supermicro servers.  Typically useful lifetimes for hardware before failure or obsolescence is 3 to 5 years though recently these systems have been more reliable, with only one failure out of  about 12 attributed to environmental heat stress.  Nevertheless, computers at the telescopes may be smaller modular fanless units where proximity to electronics such as cameras, filter wheels, and focusers prohibit long cable runs.
Computer systems that run the telescopes, store data, and provide remote analysis for users are currently built in house from standard components selected for the best performance/price ratio.  The selections in use now were made in Fall 2017 and have been working well since then (currently December 2021).  The main  servers mtkent1 and mtkent3 which archive data are Supermicro servers.  Typically useful lifetimes for hardware before failure or obsolescence is 3 to 5 years though recently these systems have been more reliable, with only two failures out of  about 12 attributed to environmental heat stress.  Nevertheless, computers at the telescopes may be smaller modular fanless units where proximity to electronics such as cameras, filter wheels, and focusers encourage short cable runs.  




== Servers  ==
== Servers  ==
The [http://www.supermicro.com Supermicro]
The [http://www.supermicro.com Supermicro] 1U Intel Xeon servers accomodate 4 hot-swap drives.  Assembled and tested systems are availalble from
2U rack servers accomodate 6 to 8  hot-swap SATA drives.  The older ones remain in use still have a  and 1 full height DVD and  a single 400 watt power supply, but newer ones are built without the DVD and with dual redundant power where it is critical.
from [http://www.serversdirect.com/ Servers Direct] for a price that is competitve with building one from parts, without the risk.


This and other 4U servers are available from [http://www.serversdirect.com/ Servers Direct] assembled with motherboard and processor of choice.


== Workstations ==


== Workstation Chassis ==
Used for data analysis, given the size of datasets and processing needs of  a photometry run, workstations require large memory access,  multiple processing cores, and storage of 10 TB or more.  We prefer Xeon processors with ECC memory, trading speed  of the consumer Intel core series for reliability and lower power consumption of the high end server CPUs. The preferred design for new hardware is an Intel W-1390 Rocket Lake processor with an LGA 1200 socket requiring a W580 motherboard chipset, available as of late 2021 for $540.    The Supermicro MBD-X12SCA-5F motherboard which accommodates this processor provides USB 3.0, dual Ethernet, and up to 128 GB of error-correcting ECC memory for $510.  This motherboard is in ATX format, and the Supermicro workstation chassis CSE-732D3-903B  900 W of power and only  21 DB of noise accomodates this board for $400.  Currently 32 GB of DDR4 ECC UDIM costs $120, and the large 14 TB Seagate Exos drives are $330. With these components, a very useful workstation using 11th generation Intel processing with 64 GB of memory would cost $2220 to build from components. 


Used for telescopes and operator consoles, these can be built economically in house.  The data here are from late 2014.  The parts selection may be different now, but costs will be similar.
Used for machine control, simpler, lower cost, and compact mini- or micro-chassis computers are the preferred choice and are being used to replace computers at the telescopes as they age or fail.  For these, small HP or Dell systems which are supported by the University's purchasing agreements can be found for less than $1000.  HP Elitedesk business computers with a Core I5 processor are available used for  $300 with 16 GB of DDR4 non-ECC memory and USB 3.0, perfect for telecope operation, and inexpensive enough to maintain on-site spares.  Used HP 800 G3 mini formfactor "desktop" computers with Intel I7, 32 GB of DDR4, and 1 TB NVme SSD plus WiFi cost about $600 in December 2021. The issue with these smaller devices for instrument control is that typically older generations have one Ethernet port, but they are usually run headless in our applications so the display technology should not be a factor in selecting them.


Corsair Obsidian Series Black 550D Mid Tower Computer Case  $117


[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006L6ZSWC/ref=oh_details_o00_s02_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1  Corsair Mid Tower case on Amazon.com]
== Hard Disk Drives ==
 
 
A large case provides exceptional ventilation, ease of access, and quiet operation.  USB3 is brought out to the front panel.  The interior has many slots for SATA drives and for two full height DVD drives. If rack mounting is not required, it will work splendidly as a server enclosure especially for systems with GPU cards that require high power.  The SATA drive carriers do not use screws, and while the drives are not hot swappable, it takes only minutes to replace one without tools.
 
Alternatively, for Supermicro motherboards their mid-tower chassis is smaller and comes with a power supply for about $130:
 
[http://www.supermicro.com/products/chassis/tower/732/SC732i-500.cfm Supermicro SC732i-500B mid-tower chassis]
 
 
== Power ==
 
 
The Corsair power supplies have been reliable and are quiet.  A typical one is  the CX600 available for about $66.
 
 
[http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Builder-Watt-EPS%C2%A0-CX600/dp/B0092ML0OC/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1413521048&sr=1-1&keywords=corsair+power+cx600 Corsair CX600 on Amazon]
 
 
Power supplies for the observatories have to be quiet, and should be green with high efficiency.  Typical lifetimes have been 3 to 5 years, but some supplies from Antec have had premature failure and are not recommended.
 
 
== CPU ==
 
 
The best CPU is selected at time of purchase based on price, availability, and Passmark ratings from this site:
 
[http://www.cpubenchmark.net/  http://www.cpubenchmark.net/]
 
As of November 2014 the preferred solution is a Xeon E5-2620 V3 6-core  LGA2011-V3 socket CPU running at 2.4 GHz and 85 W with a Passmark rating of 10,743.  It is available from Amazon for $446.
 
These boxed CPU's are  supplied without a cooler which is purchased separately.  We use the low cost air-cooled Intel Thermal Solution Air $36
The cooler runs quietly, and is not at risk for use at a telescope where there may be temperature extremes.
 
 
== Motherboard ==
 
 
 
We have had good success with motherboards from Supermicro.  Currently there are more than 10 in service, some for two years of continuous use.  We have had three failures in two years.  One was in a system exposed to environmental extremes, and a similar one was in a controlled environment.  Both failed after a power disruption even though they were on surge-protected circuitry. The problem could have been with the motherboard itself, or due to a spike from the power supply.  We have not had a failure with the preferred power supply noted below.  With any case and a recent motherboard it is necessary to check that the supporting stubs match the available holes and that there are no unused stubs without a matching hole.
 
 
 
[http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/Xeon/C600/X9SRA.cfm Supermicro X9SRA] Xeon and I7 supports 512 GB of DDR3 memory in 8 sockets, and offers 2x PCI-E 3.0 x16, 1x PCI-E 3.0 x4 (in x8), 1x PCI-E 2.0 x4 (in x8), and 1x PCI-32. It is available through distributors offered by Amazon for about $275. This board has built-in audio, no video, 4 USB 3.0 ports and 8 USB 2.0 ports from the rear of the chassis, plus 2 serial ports on a header.


The newer Xeon E5-2600 systems require  a different socket, and the [http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/Xeon/C600/X10SRL-F.cfm Supermicro X10SRL-F] is preferred.


All new drives are Seagate Exos  (formerly Enterprise or Constellation) class SATA drives.


== Memory ==
For the current Xeon E5-2600 processors, the  LGA2011 socket motherboard requires 2x or more  8 GB registered ECC DDR4 modules. Crucial memory costs approximately $260 for 16 GB.
[http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/x10srl-f/CT6228559 Crucial DDR4 ECC for Xeon processors]
There is a  requirement to use non-ECC memory with I7 processors but when upgrading computers at telescopes we are switching to Xeon processors with ECC.
== Hard Disk Drives ==


The 9 TB drive  was the cost effective choice in 2020 and is being used for replacements and storage upgrades.  Allowing 4 slots at this capacity provides 48TB online, exceeding our current needs for  several years.


All new drives are Seagate Enterprise (formerly Constellation) class SATA drives.  
Note that the commodity Seagate Barracuda line is not as reliable and has had in our uses an MTBF of about 2 years.  We have not had only 1 enterprise-class drive failure since implementing them in 2012 and an specified MTBF of 5 years does seem to be a realistic expectation in practice.




The 4 TB drive  was the cost effective choice in 2016.  In early 2018, an  8 TB drive was the same ~$200 price and is being used for replacements and storage upgrades.  Allowing 6 slots at this capacity provides 48 TB online, exceeding our current needs for  several years.
== GPUs and Graphics ==


Note that the commodity Seagate Barracuda line is not as reliable and has had in our uses an MTBF of about 2 years.  We have not had only 1  Enterprise drive failure since implementing them in 2012.
Where needed we have  NVIDIA Pascal and Kepler architecture  GPU cards installed on some processing workstations, but not on the main data storage and web server systems.  This technology is evolving rapidly, and for affordable small scale uses the Quadro series of graphics cards  is still useful.  New or replacement systems would probably use the NVIDIA RTX cards, and the RTX A2000 with 6 GV of GDDR6 and 4 display port outputs is available, but in limited quantities, for $700 retail in December 2021.

Revision as of 21:38, 19 December 2021


Computer systems that run the telescopes, store data, and provide remote analysis for users are currently built in house from standard components selected for the best performance/price ratio. The selections in use now were made in Fall 2017 and have been working well since then (currently December 2021). The main servers mtkent1 and mtkent3 which archive data are Supermicro servers. Typically useful lifetimes for hardware before failure or obsolescence is 3 to 5 years though recently these systems have been more reliable, with only two failures out of about 12 attributed to environmental heat stress. Nevertheless, computers at the telescopes may be smaller modular fanless units where proximity to electronics such as cameras, filter wheels, and focusers encourage short cable runs.


Servers

The Supermicro 1U Intel Xeon servers accomodate 4 hot-swap drives. Assembled and tested systems are availalble from from Servers Direct for a price that is competitve with building one from parts, without the risk.


Workstations

Used for data analysis, given the size of datasets and processing needs of a photometry run, workstations require large memory access, multiple processing cores, and storage of 10 TB or more. We prefer Xeon processors with ECC memory, trading speed of the consumer Intel core series for reliability and lower power consumption of the high end server CPUs. The preferred design for new hardware is an Intel W-1390 Rocket Lake processor with an LGA 1200 socket requiring a W580 motherboard chipset, available as of late 2021 for $540. The Supermicro MBD-X12SCA-5F motherboard which accommodates this processor provides USB 3.0, dual Ethernet, and up to 128 GB of error-correcting ECC memory for $510. This motherboard is in ATX format, and the Supermicro workstation chassis CSE-732D3-903B 900 W of power and only 21 DB of noise accomodates this board for $400. Currently 32 GB of DDR4 ECC UDIM costs $120, and the large 14 TB Seagate Exos drives are $330. With these components, a very useful workstation using 11th generation Intel processing with 64 GB of memory would cost $2220 to build from components.

Used for machine control, simpler, lower cost, and compact mini- or micro-chassis computers are the preferred choice and are being used to replace computers at the telescopes as they age or fail. For these, small HP or Dell systems which are supported by the University's purchasing agreements can be found for less than $1000. HP Elitedesk business computers with a Core I5 processor are available used for $300 with 16 GB of DDR4 non-ECC memory and USB 3.0, perfect for telecope operation, and inexpensive enough to maintain on-site spares. Used HP 800 G3 mini formfactor "desktop" computers with Intel I7, 32 GB of DDR4, and 1 TB NVme SSD plus WiFi cost about $600 in December 2021. The issue with these smaller devices for instrument control is that typically older generations have one Ethernet port, but they are usually run headless in our applications so the display technology should not be a factor in selecting them.


Hard Disk Drives

All new drives are Seagate Exos (formerly Enterprise or Constellation) class SATA drives.


The 9 TB drive was the cost effective choice in 2020 and is being used for replacements and storage upgrades. Allowing 4 slots at this capacity provides 48TB online, exceeding our current needs for several years.

Note that the commodity Seagate Barracuda line is not as reliable and has had in our uses an MTBF of about 2 years. We have not had only 1 enterprise-class drive failure since implementing them in 2012 and an specified MTBF of 5 years does seem to be a realistic expectation in practice.


GPUs and Graphics

Where needed we have NVIDIA Pascal and Kepler architecture GPU cards installed on some processing workstations, but not on the main data storage and web server systems. This technology is evolving rapidly, and for affordable small scale uses the Quadro series of graphics cards is still useful. New or replacement systems would probably use the NVIDIA RTX cards, and the RTX A2000 with 6 GV of GDDR6 and 4 display port outputs is available, but in limited quantities, for $700 retail in December 2021.

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