is the era of crunching farms over?

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Profile arkayn
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Message 1009541 - Posted: 28 Jun 2010, 23:58:01 UTC
Last modified: 29 Jun 2010, 0:04:00 UTC

I have 12 cores total and a RAC of 174k or so. Puts me in the garden stage.

Of course that is only 3 actual computers with 2 video cards.

T7200
Q8200+ATI5830
X4-630+ATI4830

Well, I have a 6 core processor, and two GTX 480's with 480 cores each. I even water them night and day, so you may as well sign me up for a farm with a rig of one.

Steve


My 5830 has 1120 shader units, the 4830 only has 640 shader units.

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Message 1009544 - Posted: 29 Jun 2010, 0:04:51 UTC

2 thoughts..

1: ATI cards seem vague as to how many cores are inside...

2: I think the answer to the initial question "Is the era of crunching
farms over?" is..... Not even close.


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Message 1009551 - Posted: 29 Jun 2010, 0:16:08 UTC - in response to Message 1009544.  

It seems that the farms aren't dead, just evolving. (Very quickly) :)
Steve
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Crunching as a member of GPU Users Group.
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Message 1009575 - Posted: 29 Jun 2010, 1:30:12 UTC

Looks like I have 30 cores, but just a sharecropper....LOL
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Message 1009578 - Posted: 29 Jun 2010, 1:34:11 UTC - in response to Message 1009575.  

Looks like I have 30 cores, but just a sharecropper....LOL

LOL...No shame in that, as long as you have the rights to the plow.
"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."

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Message 1009581 - Posted: 29 Jun 2010, 1:37:06 UTC - in response to Message 1009578.  

Looks like I have 30 cores, but just a sharecropper....LOL

LOL...No shame in that, as long as you have the rights to the plow.

Each and every one of them, I also get to fix them all.
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Message 1009583 - Posted: 29 Jun 2010, 1:43:20 UTC

Let's see. Three rigs that are used for other applications....

I have a (small) patch of weeds.




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Message 1009585 - Posted: 29 Jun 2010, 1:45:39 UTC - in response to Message 1009583.  

Let's see. Three rigs that are used for other applications....

I have a (small) patch of weeds.



'S OK.....in some parts, dandelions are known as good vittles.
And I know some folks make a dandy dandelion wine.

"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."

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Message 1009683 - Posted: 29 Jun 2010, 9:35:21 UTC - in response to Message 1009512.  

1 compute resource = flowerpot
2 -> 4 = planter
5 -> 29 = garden
30+ = farm


I object to being a flowerpot ;)
Need to get that GPU up again...
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Message 1009688 - Posted: 29 Jun 2010, 10:54:38 UTC - in response to Message 1009512.  

Agricultural farms often produce more than one crop, I see no sense in restricting the definition to S@H only or BOINC only.

My idea would be something like:

1 compute resource = flowerpot
2 -> 4 = planter
5 -> 29 = garden
30+ = farm
                                                                Joe



Hmmn, in this case, i was a large farm & now down to a garden.... :(
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Message 1009690 - Posted: 29 Jun 2010, 10:59:52 UTC
Last modified: 29 Jun 2010, 11:02:50 UTC

I think Phud is right in that the large farm, unless business based, is coming to an end.

I think there are 3 reasons for the reduction -

1. The newer more powerful, but less power hungry, rigs coming out (more cores & more efficient cores). This means more can be produce for less power, and the older rigs will be pensioned off;

2. The increasing price of electricity is bumping up against what crunchers can justify for their crunching hobby, when balanced against all other demands for cash. This works against the older rigs, especially the hot power hungry P4 series, with lower science and RAC outputs;

3. Finally, the price and performance of GPUs versus the science and RAC that can be produced means the purchase of newer rigs has a lower cost alternative as an option. The through put of an appropriate GPU leaves the CPU way way behind in power demand and science/RAC produced.

Just my 1p's worth.
It's good to be back amongst friends and colleagues



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Message 1009755 - Posted: 29 Jun 2010, 14:31:59 UTC - in response to Message 1009690.  

I think Phud is right in that the large farm, unless business based, is coming to an end.

I think there are 3 reasons for the reduction -

1. The newer more powerful, but less power hungry, rigs coming out (more cores & more efficient cores). This means more can be produce for less power, and the older rigs will be pensioned off;

2. The increasing price of electricity is bumping up against what crunchers can justify for their crunching hobby, when balanced against all other demands for cash. This works against the older rigs, especially the hot power hungry P4 series, with lower science and RAC outputs;

3. Finally, the price and performance of GPUs versus the science and RAC that can be produced means the purchase of newer rigs has a lower cost alternative as an option. The through put of an appropriate GPU leaves the CPU way way behind in power demand and science/RAC produced.

Just my 1p's worth.

And I was thinking how nice it would be to be able to put a GTX480 in each slot available...If I only had some money.....LOL

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Message 1009759 - Posted: 29 Jun 2010, 14:39:04 UTC - in response to Message 1009690.  

When a GT240 that costs £70 (US$100) and only uses 50W when used for crunching doubles the RAC of a Q6600. Then it makes a lot of sense to at least reduce the farm size.
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Message 1009838 - Posted: 29 Jun 2010, 19:11:24 UTC

I'd say just 2 machines would qualify as a farm, especially if they're on all the time for the purposes of SETI, even if they're used for other things (like er posting on forums...).
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Message 1009845 - Posted: 29 Jun 2010, 19:36:17 UTC

Just read through this thread and to throw my two penny worth in.
I have 3 rigs at home with GPU's in.
Can be seen from mt stats.
My electric bill just came in for the last 3 months.
£415
No other electric used apart from the tv and the washing machine, no one else in the house since my wife died in April.
I concider that quite an investment.
I crunch for S@H only.
I don't concider that a farm but I suppose that they have a bigger RAC than most.
Maybe if your RAC is over 50K per day it could be classed that way.


Dave



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Message 1010018 - Posted: 30 Jun 2010, 15:35:23 UTC - in response to Message 1009845.  


I don't concider that a farm but I suppose that they have a bigger RAC than most.


I guess this is one of those times when you can tell someone they have a nice RAC and you won't get slapped. :D
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Message 1010021 - Posted: 30 Jun 2010, 15:39:27 UTC - in response to Message 1010018.  

I don't concider that a farm but I suppose that they have a bigger RAC than most.

I guess this is one of those times when you can tell someone they have a nice RAC and you won't get slapped. :D

I would definitely love a geek woman with a nice RAC. :D
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Message 1010024 - Posted: 30 Jun 2010, 15:47:17 UTC - in response to Message 1010021.  

hey quit staring at my RAC!
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Message 1010030 - Posted: 30 Jun 2010, 16:16:41 UTC - in response to Message 1009845.  
Last modified: 30 Jun 2010, 16:28:24 UTC

Just read through this thread and to throw my two penny worth in.
I have 3 rigs at home with GPU's in.
Can be seen from mt stats.
My electric bill just came in for the last 3 months.
£415
No other electric used apart from the tv and the washing machine, no one else in the house since my wife died in April.
I concider that quite an investment.
I crunch for S@H only.
I don't concider that a farm but I suppose that they have a bigger RAC than most.
Maybe if your RAC is over 50K per day it could be classed that way.


Dave


It's sad to hear that you lost your wife.

It's very sad to lose a loved person.

My sincere condolence, to your whole family and you.



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Message 1010042 - Posted: 30 Jun 2010, 18:11:44 UTC - in response to Message 1010023.  

Yes the era of crunching farms is over

Full stop!



Depends on you definition of "Farm"
More the a couple computers or cuda cards
Is not the normal home setup
beyond that its how many Wu you crunch in a day
I crunch 25-30 wu per day with out any gpu cards
Hardly a full blown farm but at least a nice garden

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Message boards : Number crunching : is the era of crunching farms over?


 
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