4 Dec 2006 Testing the machine (X7DBE-X) with 6 D-RORCs1

Evaluation of the LDCComputing Platform for Point 2

SuperMicro X7DBE-X

Andrey ShevelCERN PH-AID

ALICE DAQ (Internal report)CERN

November 2006

4 Dec 2006 Testing the machine (X7DBE-X) with 6 D-RORCs2

Purpose

Background: Test the machine Elonex Supermicro based on

motherboard X7DBE-X (2xDual Core Xeon 3.0 GHz) as LDC with 6 D-RORCs

Evaluation program: Linux installation. DATE V5 installation. D-RORC throughput with DATE. Perform a range of runs with internal D-RORC

generator and receiving through DATE. Perform a range of long runs (two days each) in

configuration with the test machine as LDC and another machine as GDC.

Quick comparison with another machine based on motherboard X6DHE-XB (Dual Xeon 2.8 MHz).

4 Dec 2006 Testing the machine (X7DBE-X) with 6 D-RORCs3

Architecture of motherboard

4 Dec 2006 Testing the machine (X7DBE-X) with 6 D-RORCs4

Supermicro X7DBE-X

4U (tower)Chassis

2x USB front, 2x USB back

Serial, PS/2Periphery

ATI Technologies Inc ES1000Graphics

120 GB, SATADisk

2x GbE, Intel 631xESC/632xESBNetwork

3x 64-bit 133MHz PCI-X, 3x PCI-X (64-bit 133 MHz)3x PCI-X (64-bit 100 MHz)

I/O

2 GB (max 32GB), 533 MHz,DDR2Memory

1333 MHzFSB

Intel 5000P (BlackFord) Chipset

2 x Dual Core Intel Xeon, cache L2 – total 4 MB

CPU

pcald44.cern.c

h

4 Dec 2006 Testing the machine (X7DBE-X) with 6 D-RORCs5

Software Installation

Linux SLC4.4 with kernel 2.6.9-42.0.3.EL.cernsmp

no specific problems: USB boot successful, BIOS – everything is OK To use D-RORC modules the BIOS setting is needed to be

changed: all PCI slots were set to 100 MHz DATE 5.25 installation

MySql mysqltcl BWidget SMI DIM Drivers: rorc and physmem

have been installed as rpm with additional scripts: DATE_basic_Install-SLC4x.bash, DATE_User_Install-SLC4x.bash, DATE_DriversInstall.bash

No specific problems

4 Dec 2006 Testing the machine (X7DBE-X) with 6 D-RORCs6

Common info about measurement

Total main memory volume = 2 GB• 1 GB for Linux (in /etc/grub.conf)• 1 GB for physmem

6 cards D-RORC rev 4 (internal data generator). All measurement were done with DATE 5.25. No

received event data were recorded to HD. The data from the database were analyzed with scripts. The pictures were built up with gnuplot.

In total there were performed 390 measurement runs. Because the figures (rates, bandwidth) are fluctuating every run was continued at least 5 minutes.

Two points: random event size with max=10**4 and max=10**6 Bytes were measured during two days each (LDC on test machine, GDC on different machine).

All measurements with randomly distributed event size were performed with event checking in DATE.

D-RORC Page Size was 10**5 Bytes.

4 Dec 2006 Testing the machine (X7DBE-X) with 6 D-RORCs7

Event rate of one card

4 Dec 2006 Testing the machine (X7DBE-X) with 6 D-RORCs8

Bandwidth of readout of one card

4 Dec 2006 Testing the machine (X7DBE-X) with 6 D-RORCs9

Example of editDb page

4 Dec 2006 Testing the machine (X7DBE-X) with 6 D-RORCs10

Example of Memory Banks page

4 Dec 2006 Testing the machine (X7DBE-X) with 6 D-RORCs11

Event rate for several cards

4 Dec 2006 Testing the machine (X7DBE-X) with 6 D-RORCs12

Bandwidth for several cards

4 Dec 2006 Testing the machine (X7DBE-X) with 6 D-RORCs13

Event rate: ConsistencyCheckLevel

4 Dec 2006 Testing the machine (X7DBE-X) with 6 D-RORCs14

Bandwidth: ConsistencyCheckLevel

4 Dec 2006 Testing the machine (X7DBE-X) with 6 D-RORCs15

Event rate: NumberOfCards, ConsistencyCheckLevel

4 Dec 2006 Testing the machine (X7DBE-X) with 6 D-RORCs16

Bandwidth: NumberOfCards, ConsistencyCheckLevel

4 Dec 2006 Testing the machine (X7DBE-X) with 6 D-RORCs17

Event rate: D-RORC Page Size

4 Dec 2006 Testing the machine (X7DBE-X) with 6 D-RORCs18

Bandwidth: D-RORC Page Size

4 Dec 2006 Testing the machine (X7DBE-X) with 6 D-RORCs19

X6DHE-XB vs X7DBE-X

Parameter name

X6DBE-XB X7DBE-X

CPU type2x Xeon 2.8 GHz, 1 MB 2x Xeon 5160 dual core, 3.0 GHz, 4

MB L2 cache

Chipset E7520 Intel 5000P (BlackFord)

FSB 800 MHz 1333 MHz

Memory 2 GB, DDR 333 2 GB, DDR-2 533 MHz

PCI I/O2x PCI-X (64/133)4x PCI-X (64/100)1x PCI-e (x4)

3x PCI-X (64-bit 100 MHz)

3x PCI-X (64-bit 133 MHz)

Network 2x GbE, BCM5721 2x GbE, Intel 631xESB/632xESB

SYSBENCH Memory bandwidth

1.5 GB/s 3.4 GB/s

RootMarks 614 1500

4 Dec 2006 Testing the machine (X7DBE-X) with 6 D-RORCs20

X6DHE-XB vs X7DBE-X (continuation)

Parameter name

X6DBE-XB X7DBE-X

Event rate for 1 D-RORC with the size 1 KB

88.9 KHz 87.2 KHz

Event rate for 6 D-RORCs with size 1 KB

6 KHz 12.2 KHz

Bandwidth of readout for 6 D-RORCs with size 10**6 Bytes

1.58 GB/sec 1.98 GB/sec

4 Dec 2006 Testing the machine (X7DBE-X) with 6 D-RORCs21

Recommendation and conclusion

Recommendation: if you need to allocate D-RORC cards in the

machine and like to have maximum bandwidth for X7DBE-X:

• it is better to avoid to use PCI slot 4 & PCI slot 5 at the same time for high

bandwidth information sources.

Conclusion In the test it was shown bandwidth (1.96 GB/sec) when all 6 D-RORC cards are in

operation and event fragment size is more 10**5 bytes when ConsistencyCheckLevel=0.

X7DBE-X shows increased event rate and bandwidth with 6 D-RORCs, also it has more CPU power in comparison to X6DHE-XB.

The configuration LDC on test machine and GDC on another machine shown about the speed 118 MB/sec with no error during two days test.

Randomly distributed event fragment size with maximum 10**6 bytes gives total bandwidth 1.53 GB/sec during two days run.

The machine on the base X7DBE-X is excellent to be used as LDC with 6 D-RORC cards.

4 Dec 2006 Testing the machine (X7DBE-X) with 6 D-RORCs22

Thank you!

Klaus Schossmaier, Sylvain Chapeland, Ulrich Fuchs and

PH/AID crew