Xeon-D: Intel Avoton successor - new FreeNAS darling?

[Bastian Büttner]

I'm searching around for my next FreeNAS build since my actual one violates many recommendations given in this board (no server components, no ECC, etc.).
So I stumbled on the news that Intel announced the Avoton successor Xeon-D based on the Broadwell architecture. It's said it is something in between the Xeon E3 and the Atom SoCs and aims for low-end server boasting the new 14 nm process.

See the anandtech news here: http://www.anandtech.com/show/9070/intel-xeon-d-launched-14nm-broadwell-soc-for-enterprise

I'm not an Intel fanboy, my current server is based on an older AMD BE-2300 with 8GB DDR2-RAM, but this seems to be a good upcoming base for FreeNAS builts (ok - depending on the price tag).

Some nice specs of the SoC:
CPUs: 8-core D-1540 @ 2.0GHz; 4-core D-1520 @ 2.2 GHz
Turbo: up to 2.5 GHz
RAM: DDR4 or DDR3-L ECC and non-ECC
RAM capacity:
max 4 DIMMs per CPU
UDIMM/SODIMM: 64 GB (16 GB/DIMM) - maybe only DDR4?
RDIMM: 128 GB (32GB/DIMM)
PCIe: 24 lanes per SoC and 8 lanes per IO hub
Network: 2x 10GbE
USB: each 4x USB3.0 and 2.0
SATA: 6x SATA 3
TDP: 45 W

There are also two Motherboards shown - one from Asrock and one from SuperMicro - the latter having a supposed price of around $800-1000.

Let's see whether this system makes it's way down to homeserver prices as the Avoton did...

 

[Fraoch]

Let's see whether this system makes it's way down to homeserver prices as the Avoton did...

It did? When?

;)

 

[Ericloewe]

https://forums.freenas.org/index.ph...3-move-away-xeon-d-is-here.28267/#post-183944

Little bit of discussion already going on in the above thread. Hopefully, this will help drive down prices for 10Gb gear.
The big selling point has to be the insane amount of PCI-e connectivity, besides dual 10GbE and the traditional PCH interfaces.

 

[Bastian Büttner]

It did? When?

I found the Asrock 4-core version C2550D4I pretty tempting for € 280 here in Germany. Anyway, might just be me.
But it's like 50 € below the normal Supermicro + Core i3 4330 combo for those who don't need single thread performance.
If there wouldn't be the problems with the Marvel SATA-controller it would be my choice (since I don't need transcoding in my NAS).

https://forums.freenas.org/index.ph...3-move-away-xeon-d-is-here.28267/#post-183944

Little bit of discussion already going on in the above thread. Hopefully, this will help drive down prices for 10Gb gear.
The big selling point has to be the insane amount of PCI-e connectivity, besides dual 10GbE and the traditional PCH interfaces.

Sorry here, I saw your thread after I posted mine. I didn't check the "offtopic"-thread.
Need to realize that even the off-topic stuff is comprising more on-topic information than in many other boards ;)

 

[Fraoch]

I found the Asrock 4-core version C2550D4I pretty tempting for € 280 here in Germany. Anyway, might just be me.
But it's like 50 € below the normal Supermicro + Core i3 4330 combo for those who don't need single thread performance.

Seems to be region-specific. Here (Canada) the price has risen steadily beyond exchange rate since introduction. It was always more expensive than an X10 + low-end Xeon E3.

The new Xeon-D won't be available here for many months but at those prices I could get a Xeon E5 + motherboard for less.

 

[SeaPlusPlus]

I think 10GB ethernet is currently only intended for connecting to a switch with a large number of 1GB ports. It would be nice if /when 10GB becomes commonplace, but it will probably take a few years.