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> My workstation is ECC on a libreboot/KGPE Is it all-AMD? If it is, could you link to your setup? I am looking to build an all-AMD workstation this year and I

> My workstation is ECC on a libreboot/KGPE Is it all-AMD? If it is, could you link to your setup? I am looking to build an all-AMD workstation this year and I need all the PCIe lanes that I can get.

mindslight 5y ago
This would usually be a tangent, but it's quite apropos to the main topic. My workstation is the last amd64 hardware without ME/PSP. It's a few generations old - dual Opteron 6380's with 112G of RAM. I couldn't get it to train with 8 sticks of RAM, but it's solid and reliable with 7. Last time I stuck a Kill-a-watt on it, I think it draws around 140W at idle. An alternative to it would be something like the Raptor Talos. https://libreboot.org/docs/hardware/kgpe-d16.html https://libreboot.org/docs/hardware/kgpe-d16.html https://www.coreboot.org/Board:asus/kgpe-d16 https://www.coreboot.org/Board:asus/kgpe-d16 It's got 5 usable PCIe slots (including the physically-flipped "PIKE" one), I think a total of 40 PCIe lanes from both sockets that I believe you could theoretically split out with the maximum amount of bifurcation, since the BIOS is Free Software. My new Ryzen build is for a personal server that resides at a lower trust level, and targets around 30W draw. B550 motherboards generally have around 28 PCIe lanes going to expansion slots (20 from the proc, 8 from the chipset). The best you can do for number of slots is to bifurcate the main "graphics" x16 into 3 x4 slots (maybe 4 with a non-APU) using a "VROC" card, but the BIOS has to support that (Gigabyte and Asus seem to generally, but check manual). I believe X570 motherboards have a few more PCIe lanes coming from the chipset. If you really need more PCIe lanes, I hear Threadripper/EPYC is the way to go. But I don't have any personal experience. If you just need more PCIe slots, you can find PCIe x1 -> four slot switch-based splitters inexpensively on ebay/aliexpress.
- pdimitar 5y ago
  I see. Thanks a bunch, definitely bookmarking your comment. I have a bit more requirements for hardware but your setup might actually turn out awesome for a server. > Last time I stuck a Kill-a-watt on it, I think it draws around 140W at idle Another tangent (sorry!): do you know of good power meters that don't have to sit right at the outlet? I really need several but I want them to have extensions because I want to glue them on my wall and monitor them in real time, not having to stick my ass in the air while trying to crawl under my desk (where all the outlets are), just so I can see the measurements.
  - mindslight 5y ago
    I'd probably just get an appropriate power strip and some Kill-a-watts. Alternatively you could look at smart devices with energy monitoring. The TP-LINK HS110 connects to wifi and measures current, power, and total energy with a community-documented local-network protocol [0], but they have been discontinued and prices shot through the roof. The replacement is KP115 but I have no idea if it still uses the same protocol or not. And I have no idea how accurately any of these devices handle weird (eg non-resistive) current waveforms. [0] it wants to connect to "cloud" as well, but works fine without giving it Internet access.

> My workstation is ECC on a libreboot/KGPE Is it all-AMD? If it is, could you link to your setup? I am looking to build an all-AMD workstation this year and I need all the PCIe lanes that I can get.

mindslight 5y ago

This would usually be a tangent, but it's quite apropos to the main topic. My workstation is the last amd64 hardware without ME/PSP. It's a few generations old - dual Opteron 6380's with 112G of RAM. I couldn't get it to train with 8 sticks of RAM, but it's solid and reliable with 7. Last time I stuck a Kill-a-watt on it, I think it draws around 140W at idle. An alternative to it would be something like the Raptor Talos. https://libreboot.org/docs/hardware/kgpe-d16.html https://libreboot.org/docs/hardware/kgpe-d16.html https://www.coreboot.org/Board:asus/kgpe-d16 https://www.coreboot.org/Board:asus/kgpe-d16 It's got 5 usable PCIe slots (including the physically-flipped "PIKE" one), I think a total of 40 PCIe lanes from both sockets that I believe you could theoretically split out with the maximum amount of bifurcation, since the BIOS is Free Software. My new Ryzen build is for a personal server that resides at a lower trust level, and targets around 30W draw. B550 motherboards generally have around 28 PCIe lanes going to expansion slots (20 from the proc, 8 from the chipset). The best you can do for number of slots is to bifurcate the main "graphics" x16 into 3 x4 slots (maybe 4 with a non-APU) using a "VROC" card, but the BIOS has to support that (Gigabyte and Asus seem to generally, but check manual). I believe X570 motherboards have a few more PCIe lanes coming from the chipset. If you really need more PCIe lanes, I hear Threadripper/EPYC is the way to go. But I don't have any personal experience. If you just need more PCIe slots, you can find PCIe x1 -> four slot switch-based splitters inexpensively on ebay/aliexpress.

pdimitar 5y ago
I see. Thanks a bunch, definitely bookmarking your comment. I have a bit more requirements for hardware but your setup might actually turn out awesome for a server. > Last time I stuck a Kill-a-watt on it, I think it draws around 140W at idle Another tangent (sorry!): do you know of good power meters that don't have to sit right at the outlet? I really need several but I want them to have extensions because I want to glue them on my wall and monitor them in real time, not having to stick my ass in the air while trying to crawl under my desk (where all the outlets are), just so I can see the measurements.
- mindslight 5y ago
  I'd probably just get an appropriate power strip and some Kill-a-watts. Alternatively you could look at smart devices with energy monitoring. The TP-LINK HS110 connects to wifi and measures current, power, and total energy with a community-documented local-network protocol [0], but they have been discontinued and prices shot through the roof. The replacement is KP115 but I have no idea if it still uses the same protocol or not. And I have no idea how accurately any of these devices handle weird (eg non-resistive) current waveforms. [0] it wants to connect to "cloud" as well, but works fine without giving it Internet access.