The Most Complex GPU Situation

[LtStaffel]

Hello,

 

I have a server and am going to start putting GPUs in it, but I don't know what GPUs to use.

Server Specs:

Spoiler

2x 4-Core Xeons @ ~1.6Ghz

8x 2Gb DDR2 RAM

2x 500Gb HDD

1x Raid controller

1x DRAC card

1x RX 480 on the way

1x GTX 980 on the way

3x PCI 8x slots available

4x HDD slots available

2x 750W PSUs

All running on Windows Server 2012 R2

 

Uses:

Spoiler

1. Everything except gaming (who games on a server besides Linus?)
2. Rendering blender (my poor GTX 750ti...)
3. Cracking passwords (and walnuts with the weight of this thing)
4. Storing dictionaries (gotta crack passwords)
5. Scraping websites (with a toothpick)
6. Storing databases (gotta store results)
7. Learning deeply (gotta learn from passwords and websites)
8. Mining coins (if profitable)
9. Making coffee (a necessity for programmers)
10. Accelerating programs (another necessity for programmers)
11. Baking cookies (a possibility with the power this thing will take...)
12. Saving time (but not money)

Requirements:

Less than or equal to ~$400

All Nvidia from here on out because I need CUDA support and they're better for deep learning

 

Non-issues:

PCI Bandwidth

Power

Using mined cards

Using used cards

 

What makes this complex?:

I care about the best cores, best memory bandwidth, best core clock, etc, all at once. Further, those PSUs in the server don't have PCI connectors as far as I'm aware. So the GPUs will need their own PSU.

 

Ideas:

4x GTX 1050ti (better total hashrate than 1060)

2x GTX 1060 3Gb

Waiting (for the GTX 1070ti in the hopes it will drop 1070 prices, and also for cybermonday)

 

Suggestions/thoughts/comments/praises/advice/three-cents/ideas/questions/creative-insults?

[m0k]

i thought hashrate was a metric used for coin mining?
is that the same metric used for deep learning? (or is mining a form of "Deep learning")

[Bananasplit_00]

those 1050TIs should crank out more hashes then the 1060 3GB will, if PCIe bandwith isnt an issue then you can just add in another card later still can you not?

[LtStaffel]

15 minutes ago, mok said:

i thought hashrate was a metric used for coin mining?
is that the same metric used for deep learning? (or is mining a form of "Deep learning")

It is a metric for coin mining, but I am going to guess that it is also relevant to password cracking

I don't know what relation it has to deep learning, but people use 1060s and 1070s to great success in deep learning for their personal rigs. So I figure as long as I just get an nvidia GPU, it'll be more than enough.

[LtStaffel]

3 minutes ago, Bananasplit_00 said:

those 1050TIs should crank out more hashes then the 1060 3GB will, if PCIe bandwith isnt an issue then you can just add in another card later still can you not?

With two 1050tis and my RX 480 I wouldn't have any PCI slots left unless I started splitting. That of course, is an option. If you know more about that I'd like to hear it

[Bananasplit_00]

6 minutes ago, LtStaffel said:

With two 1050tis and my RX 480 I wouldn't have any PCI slots left unless I started splitting. That of course, is an option. If you know more about that I'd like to hear it

cant you just run them off USB to 1x risers? or is that not enough bandwith?

[LtStaffel]

12 minutes ago, Bananasplit_00 said:

cant you just run them off USB to 1x risers? or is that not enough bandwith?

I think you're thinking of 1x to 16x. Right now I have 8x. Prevously I was looking at making a mining build so I see your point, and yes, I will need to use risers because they can't just fit into the server as it is (2U not GPU server). They would also be enough badnwidth. The issue is the amount of slots, three. If I could split them into 4x, or even 1x, that'd be fine because like you said, I could rise them 16x because I don't care about bandwidth. I just don't know anything about splitters. Do you? I'm open to recommendations (hence this thread)

[RoryDash]

1050ti's for the sake of having two GTX cards and spreading the work load.

[LtStaffel]

1 hour ago, RoryDash said:

1050ti's for the sake of having two GTX cards and spreading the work load.

The workload will pin them at 100% no matter what I do, does that change your suggestion?

[Bananasplit_00]

49 minutes ago, LtStaffel said:

I think you're thinking of 1x to 16x. Right now I have 8x. Prevously I was looking at making a mining build so I see your point, and yes, I will need to use risers because they can't just fit into the server as it is (2U not GPU server). They would also be enough badnwidth. The issue is the amount of slots, three. If I could split them into 4x, or even 1x, that'd be fine because like you said, I could rise them 16x because I don't care about bandwidth. I just don't know anything about splitters. Do you? I'm open to recommendations (hence this thread)

put PCIe to USB cards in it, and go from those?

[LtStaffel]

40 minutes ago, Bananasplit_00 said:

put PCIe to USB cards in it, and go from those?

I'm not sure I understand. PCIe to USB like this, I follow. I lose you at going from there to PCIe?

[Bananasplit_00]

1 hour ago, LtStaffel said:

I'm not sure I understand. PCIe to USB like this, I follow. I lose you at going from there to PCIe?

things like this exist, just plug in a 6pin or SATA for the base and plug in the USB and BAM! GPU connected

[LtStaffel]

Just now, Bananasplit_00 said:

-snip pic-

things like this exist, just plug in a 6pin or SATA for the base and plug in the USB and BAM! GPU connected

I knew those existed, but I can take the USB out of the PCI-USB adapter and plug it into the PCIe to USB hub?

[Bananasplit_00]

Just now, LtStaffel said:

I knew those existed, but I can take the USB out of the PCI-USB adapter and plug it into the PCIe to USB hub?

you can plug what i linked, right into what you linked

[LtStaffel]

Just now, Bananasplit_00 said:

you can plug what i linked, right into what you linked

Okay, I think we're on the same page...

I'll have to look into it then, it'd help out with a lot of things.

[Bananasplit_00]

Just now, LtStaffel said:

Okay, I think we're on the same page...

I'll have to look into it then, it'd help out with a lot of things.

its how most extreme mining rigs are set up, but with a LOT more USB ports per PCI adapter and a LOT more cards

[LtStaffel]

1 hour ago, Bananasplit_00 said:

its how most extreme mining rigs are set up, but with a LOT more USB ports per PCI adapter and a LOT more cards

If the PCI USB card is well powered, then is it necessary to power the risers?

Or if the PCI USB card is not powered, then would powering the risers be pointless?

[Bananasplit_00]

2 minutes ago, LtStaffel said:

If the PCI USB card is well powered, then is it necessary to power the risers?

Or if the PCI USB card is not powered, then would powering the risers be pointless?

USB straight up can not deliver the 75Ws that come from a PCIe slot, therefor the need for the power. the hub might or might not be powered depending on the amount of ports and quality of it

[LtStaffel]

Just now, Bananasplit_00 said:

USB straight up can not deliver the 75Ws that come from a PCIe slot, therefor the need for the power. the hub might or might not be powered depending on the amount of ports and quality of it

Okay, so do I need a high quality one to keep what little bandwidth USB will have in comparison to PCI up to par across all the ports?

[Bananasplit_00]

Just now, LtStaffel said:

Okay, so do I need a high quality one to keep what little bandwidth USB will have in comparison to PCI up to par across all the ports?

nah anything should work, quality generally just adds more ports. just make sure its the same speed(2.0, 3.0, 3.1) or faster then the risers you get

[LtStaffel]

9 minutes ago, Bananasplit_00 said:

nah anything should work, quality generally just adds more ports. just make sure its the same speed(2.0, 3.0, 3.1) or faster then the risers you get

Thank you for the suggestion overall, I'm probably going to do it. Beats cutting a whole in the lid of my server

As far as my GPU situation, I just won 980 off eBay, so that answers my GPU question until I get more funds.

[RoryDash]

14 hours ago, LtStaffel said:

The workload will pin them at 100% no matter what I do, does that change your suggestion?

True but let's say the 1060 as a single card is 25-30% better than a 1050ti, even then it makes more sense to use the two 1050ti's because they will give you better returns than a single mildly better card