Dirk Broer
09-20-2017, 01:27 AM
Oracle has a new CPU that might be interesting for crunchers like us (though I think it will be too expensive).
It is a 32-core CPU, but unlike the 32-core EPYC that can run two threads per core, it can run an astounding EIGHT threads per core.
This make a system with a single M8 CPU capable of running 256 threads at a time.
But it turns out that eight threads per core is nothing new in Sparc-land:
https://content.hwigroup.net/images/editorial/600/011182_screenshot_193.jpg
Looks like we need to look for a Sparc server when there is a server pull!
Now to the BOINC side of this.
The Sparc architecture can run various OS-es: FreeBSD, OpenBSD, Solaris and Linux.
BOINC clients for FreeBSD are known, projects far less -and mostly for x86 architecture.
But there is FreeBSD/Sparc64 (https://www.freebsd.org/platforms/sparc.html)
BOINC clients for OpenBSD are less known, projects even lesser than less -and mostly for x86 architecture.
Still there is OpenBSD/Sparc64 (https://www.openbsd.org/sparc64.html)
BOINC clients for Solaris can be found, but projects apart from Seti?
Oracle has a Solaris for Sparc CPUs (http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/server-storage/solaris10/downloads/index.html) (of course!)
Everyone knows that there are Linux BOINC clients, but is there BOINC for Linux/Sparc?
Linux/Sparc (http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/server-storage/linux/downloads/oracle-linux-sparc-3665558.html) is offered by -surprise- Oracle!
I'll go hunting for projects with SPARC applications. If I find one outside of Seti@Home, I'll let you know...
A bit disconcerting that a given Oracle Admin can either burn-in or decommission a Solaris server equipped with Sparc M7's and run 4096 Seti WUs at a time...
It is a 32-core CPU, but unlike the 32-core EPYC that can run two threads per core, it can run an astounding EIGHT threads per core.
This make a system with a single M8 CPU capable of running 256 threads at a time.
But it turns out that eight threads per core is nothing new in Sparc-land:
https://content.hwigroup.net/images/editorial/600/011182_screenshot_193.jpg
Looks like we need to look for a Sparc server when there is a server pull!
Now to the BOINC side of this.
The Sparc architecture can run various OS-es: FreeBSD, OpenBSD, Solaris and Linux.
BOINC clients for FreeBSD are known, projects far less -and mostly for x86 architecture.
But there is FreeBSD/Sparc64 (https://www.freebsd.org/platforms/sparc.html)
BOINC clients for OpenBSD are less known, projects even lesser than less -and mostly for x86 architecture.
Still there is OpenBSD/Sparc64 (https://www.openbsd.org/sparc64.html)
BOINC clients for Solaris can be found, but projects apart from Seti?
Oracle has a Solaris for Sparc CPUs (http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/server-storage/solaris10/downloads/index.html) (of course!)
Everyone knows that there are Linux BOINC clients, but is there BOINC for Linux/Sparc?
Linux/Sparc (http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/server-storage/linux/downloads/oracle-linux-sparc-3665558.html) is offered by -surprise- Oracle!
I'll go hunting for projects with SPARC applications. If I find one outside of Seti@Home, I'll let you know...
A bit disconcerting that a given Oracle Admin can either burn-in or decommission a Solaris server equipped with Sparc M7's and run 4096 Seti WUs at a time...