GIGABYTE a provider of server hardware for high performance computing has released two new 4U GPU servers: the 8 x SXM2 GPU G481-S80, and the 10 x GPU G481-HA0. Both products offer some of the highest GPU density of this form factor available on the market.
As artificial intelligence is becoming more widespread in our daily lives, such as for image recognition, autonomous vehicles or medical research, more organisations need deep learning capabilities in their datacentre. Deep learning requires a powerful engine that can deal with the massive volumes of data processing required. GIGABYTE is proud to provide our customers with two new solutions for such an engine.
Dual Intel Xeon Scalable Processors
Both G481-S80 and G481-HA0 are powered by dual Intel Xeon Scalable processors, with up to 28 cores per CPU. Each socket supports the highest CPU thermal design power requirement of 205W, as well as Intel's Omni-Path connection technology to eliminate CPU to network latency. Six memory channels per CPU with two DIMM slots per channel are supported for DDR4 memory. Maximum memory capacity will depend on your CPU model with a maximum of 1.5TB per CPU.
GPU capacity and interconnection
The G481-S80 accommodates up to 8 x SXM2 form factor GPUs, such as NVIDIA Volta V100 or Pascal P100, with support for NVLink GPU to GPU interconnection, offering higher bandwidth, more links, and improved scalability. For example, a single NVIDIA Tesla V100 GPU can support up to six NVLink links with a signaling rate of 25 GB/second in each direction, equaling a total bandwidth of 300 GB/sec.
Meanwhile, the G481-HA0 can accommodate a massive 10 x PCIe GPGPU cards. Both these systems offer maximum GPU density available in this form factor currently available on the market.. Both these systems offer maximum GPU density available in this form factor currently available on the market.
Expansion for GPU to network interconnect
Located in the rear of the G481-S80’s GPU bay are 4 x PCIe expansion slots to support network connectivity, such as InfiniBand for RDMA (Remote Direct Memory Access), permitting high-throughput, low latency GPU to network connectivity for each GPU pair.
Meanwhile for the G481-HA0, in addition to a PCIe expansion slot offered in the rear suitable for networking expansion, the user may choose to install additional networking connection possibilities in one of the PCIe expansion slots instead of a GPU card (for example, they may choose to install 8 x GPU cards and 2 x additional networking cards such as InfiniBand or 10 / 25 / 50 / 100 Gb Ethernet).
Additional networking and expansion options
The G481-HA0 features dual 10Gb/s BASE-T LAN ports (Intel X550-AT2) in the rear as standard. The G481-S80 does not feature this as standard but features a rear OCP mezzanine expansion slot to provide additional networking connectivity options.
Both the G481-S80 and the G481-HA0 also feature dual 1Gb/s BASE-T LAN ports (Intel I350-AM2) at the front of each unit, as well as 1Gb dedicated management LAN ports in both the front and rear, giving the user connection flexibility depending on their cable routing arrangement.
Storage
The G481-S80 features 10 x 2.5” hot-swap drive bays in the front, which can support 4 x ultra-fast NVMe drives via U.2 connection, and 6 x drives via SATA/SAS. Meanwhile, the G481-HA0 offers storage capacity and flexibility, with 10 x 2.5” hot-swap drive bays available for up to 8 x 2.5” NVMe drives and 2 x 2.5” SATA/SAS drives (or the customer may choose an alternative combination such as 6 x NVMe and 6 x SATA/SAS). Featured below the 2.5” storage drive area are a further 12 x 3.5” SATA/ SAS hot swap drive bays.
Both models also feature a PCIe expansion slot in the front above the storage area to attach a hardware or software RAID card, with a battery backup unit slot for additional data protection.
Power and cooling
These models have been designed for excellent cooling efficiency with a dual fan wall (12 fans in total) between the GPU and CPU area to create a large airflow tunnel, and these fans are also hot-swappable. Reliability wise, the G481-S80 features 4 x 80 PLUS Platinum 2200W power supply units, 3 units for a N + N redundancy, while the G481-HA0 features 3 x 80 PLUS Platinum 2200W power supply units for a N + 1 redundancy.
