[MITgcm-support] Next Generation Opteron Cluster

[Dierk Polzin]

Hello List,

We are pricing out a new cluster with 8 compute nodes, AMD just came  
out with a next generation of Dual Core Chips in August that are  
streamlined in design and IO bandwidth. They use a new F Socket with  
1207 connectors pads not pins versus the old Socket 940.
http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ProductInformation/ 
0,,30_118_8796_14309,00.html

The new F socket will allow you to upgrade chips to Quad core in 2007  
and uses DDR2 RAM up to 667 .

Here is the pricing for the follow CPUs in the nodes -
  AMD 2212     Dual core   2.0 Ghz   -   Saving    $0    (base node  
cost)
  AMD 270      Dual core   2.0 Ghz   -   Saving    $(195) (cost more  
than 2212)
  AMD 252      Single core 2.6 GHz   -   Saving    $(245) (cost more  
than 2212)
  AMD 248      Single core 2.2 GHz   -   Saving    $310

So in essence, we get more compute cores and faster RAM and a path  
for upgradability if we go with the new F Socket and the next  
generation Opteron 2212, what are the possible downsides?

QUESTIONS:
1. We have heard reports that MITgcm does not perform well on first  
generation of Dual Opteron chips like the 270..  Apparently there  
were io bandwidth bottleneck issues.. Does anyone have a great answer  
to why this is.

2. We understand that MITgcm may not be NUMA aware and not able to  
dispatching a process on the same node for the duration of the  
processes' life using local memory.  Does anyone know more about this  
with MITgcm and how and if it can be fixed with compiler flags etc?

3. What compiler do we need in order to optimize our code?
FLEXnet licensed-managed, the PGI Server compilers parallelize for up  
to 16 processors (auto-parallel SMP, OpenMP, and HPF).
If we run using MPI do we even need to worry about being node-locked  
to 16 processors. 16 is what we will have with 8 compute nodes.

Portland Group Academic Pricing
http://www.pgroup.com/pricing/ae64L.htm
CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT KIT - 16 cpu -   $2799
PGI SERVER COMPLETE 16 cpu -- $2799
PGF77/PGCC  -- $1999
PGF77       -- $1199

Thanks for your interest and comments


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    Dierk Polzin
    mailto:dtpolzin at wisc.edu    608-334-3574 cell
   Skype: saildirk
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