supermicro | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Thu, 30 Mar 2023 16:41:31 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png supermicro | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 SuperO C9Z590-CGW Motherboard Review https://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/leo-waldock/supero-c9z590-cgw-motherboard-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/leo-waldock/supero-c9z590-cgw-motherboard-review/#respond Thu, 01 Jul 2021 10:30:11 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=521178 We check out SuperO's Z590 offering, priced at over £400 - it's interesting to say the least

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KitGuru has reviewed four motherboards from SuperO over the past four years with mixed results. Before you dive into our review of the SuperO C9Z590-CGW you might find it helpful to take a walk down memory lane and check out the C9Z390-PGW, C9Z390-CG-IW, C9Z370-CG-IW or C9X299-PG300 and you will get a feel for how SuperO goes about its work. The hardware is often very good while the finished product can be quirky or, occasionally, downright annoying.

Specification

  • Processor Support: 11th Gen Intel Core Processor Family LGA1200
  • Chipset: Intel Z590
  • Memory Capacity: up to 128GB non-ECC UDIMM Non-ECC DDR4-4000+ MHz(OC) in four DIMMS
  • PCI-Express: 2x PCIe 4.0 x16 + 2x PCIe 3.0 x1 slots
  • M.2 Interface: 1 PCIe 4.0 x4 and 2x PCIe 3.0 x4 2260/2280/22110
  • On-Board SATA: 4x SATA3 ports (RAID 0, 1, 5, 10)
  • On-Board Audio: Realtek ALC1220 High Definition Audio
  • Network Controllers: 1x 1GB LAN (Intel i219V) 1x 10Gb LAN Port (Marvell AQC113C) Wi-Fi 6 + Bluetooth 5.1
  • LAN: 1x RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet LAN port 1x RJ45 10Gb Ethernet LAN port
  • USB:
    • 6x USB 2.0 ports (4 rear + 2 via headers)
    • 2x USB 3.2 Gen1 ports (2 via headers)
    • 2x USB 3.2 Gen2 ports (2 Rear Type A)
    • 3x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 ports (2 Type C)
  • Audio: 7.1 HD Jacks Optical S/PDIF out
  • Display: 1x DisplayPort 1.4a + 1x HDMI 2.0b
  • Serial Port/Header: 1x COM port (header)
  • Fans: Total of 5 PWM fan headers supporting up to 5 fans with tachometer status monitoring
  • BIOS Type: 256Mb SPI Flash EEPROM with AMI BIOS
  • Form Factor: ATX 305mm x 244mm
  • Software: SuperDoctor V Watch Dog SuperO Booster

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Supermicro SuperO Z490 Motherboard Giveaway! (closed) https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/competitions/matthew-wilson/supermicro-supero-z490-motherboard-giveaway/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/competitions/matthew-wilson/supermicro-supero-z490-motherboard-giveaway/#respond Thu, 04 Feb 2021 09:41:00 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=503401 This month, we are teaming up with Supermicro to give away a Z490 motherboard to one lucky winner. If you are preparing a new system upgrade, then this is the perfect prize...

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Update: This competition is now closed and we can announce the winner… Andrew Barber! Congratulations Andrew and thanks to all who entered.

This month, we are teaming up with Supermicro to give away a Z490 motherboard to one lucky winner. If you are preparing a new system upgrade, then this is the perfect prize. 

Supermicro is best known in the server motherboard space, but some of that expertise has now transitioned over to the gaming market. Our prize for this competition is the Supermicro SuperO C9Z490-PGW, a motherboard that delivers server quality functionality, reliability and durability, with components optimised to maximise efficiency and thermal performance.

How to Enter:

So how do you go about winning this motherboard? That part is simple, all you have to do is send an email over to ‘competitions2021@kitguru.net‘ with the subject line ‘I want to win a Z490 motherboard!‘. In the email, just let us know what CPU you would pair with this motherboard.

Also be sure to follow Supermicro Gaming on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Terms and Conditions: This competition is open to UK residents only. The competition will run from the 4th of February until the 11th of February 23.59 GMT. A winner will then be randomly picked and announced after the closing date. In compliance with GDPR, we will not collect or store any personal information as part of this competition. Once the winner has been contacted and their prize received, personal details will be deleted from our email servers. All entry emails will also be deleted from our servers after closing. Your details will not be shared, we respect your privacy.

KitGuru Says: Good luck to everyone entering, we'll be back to announce the winner later this month! 

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CES 2021: Supermicro debuts server-grade workstation based on Threadripper PRO https://www.kitguru.net/professional/workstation/dominic-moass/ces-2021-supermicro-debuts-server-grade-workstation-based-on-threadripper-pro/ https://www.kitguru.net/professional/workstation/dominic-moass/ces-2021-supermicro-debuts-server-grade-workstation-based-on-threadripper-pro/#respond Wed, 13 Jan 2021 11:00:04 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=500920 Supermicro has announced its latest workstation, the AS -5014A-TT. Based on the Threadripper Pro 3000WX series, this machine offers up to 64 cores and 128 PCIe 4.0 lanes, delivering ‘the speed and features traditionally found in dual-processor workstations.' As part of AMD's keynote at CES 2021, it was announced that the Threadripper Pro 3000WX series of …

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Supermicro has announced its latest workstation, the AS -5014A-TT. Based on the Threadripper Pro 3000WX series, this machine offers up to 64 cores and 128 PCIe 4.0 lanes, delivering ‘the speed and features traditionally found in dual-processor workstations.'

As part of AMD's keynote at CES 2021, it was announced that the Threadripper Pro 3000WX series of processors would become open to the public in March, ending the supposed exclusivity deal with Lenovo and its ThinkStation line. Supermicro has now unveiled its first Threadripper Pro workstation, based on its Super M12SWA-TF motherboard.

With support for up to the 64-core 3995WX, providing 8 DIMMs slots for up to 2TB ECC DDR4-3200 memory and the ability to install up to 4 ‘full-height, double-width, active cooling GPUs', Supermicro says this new workstation ‘dramatically boosts productivity for demanding professional workloads found in media content creation, scientific research, visualization, deep learning (DL) and artificial intelligence (AI), virtual or augmented reality (VR/AR), and 3-D modeling with real-time simulation.'.

 

There's also room for four M.2 SSDs, as well as two U.2 ports, and a total of six x16 PCIe 4.0 slots. 10GbE is directly supported, as is 1GbE. Supermicro has also included IPMI access thanks to the AST2600 server management processor, while the company is keen to emphasise the strong cooling abilities of the system – with up to 7x 120mm fans support, or 2x 360mm closed-loop liquid coolers which will be available as an option purchase.

The AS -5014A-TT is listed as ‘coming soon'. below for a full list of specifications:

Processor Support AMD Ryzen™ Threadripper™ PRO 3000WX Series Processor

Up to 64 Cores, CPU TDP up to 280W

Memory 8 DIMM slots; up to 2TB Registered ECC DDR4-3200MHz Memory
Graphics Up to 4x double-width PCIe Gen 4 GPUs
Storage 4 x 3.5”/2.5” SATA

4 x M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 4

2 x 2.5” SATA (front access)

Front I/Os 2x USB 2.0

2x USB 3.2 Gen 1

2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type C

Mic and Headset

Network 1x RJ45 10GbE

1x RJ45 1GbE

Available Expansion 6x PCIe x16
Power Supply 2000W 80Plus Platinum Power Supply
Remote Access IPMI with ASPEED AST2600
Dimensions 535x573x222mm
Liquid Cooling 360mm closed-loop CPU liquid cooling (optional)

KitGuru says: If you've had your eye on Threadripper Pro but didn't fancy a ThinkStation, this workstation from Supermicro could appeal.

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Supermicro unveils new SuperServer for 3rd Gen Xeon processors https://www.kitguru.net/professional/server/christopher-nohall/supermicro-unveils-server-for-3rd-gen-xeon-scalable/ https://www.kitguru.net/professional/server/christopher-nohall/supermicro-unveils-server-for-3rd-gen-xeon-scalable/#respond Mon, 22 Jun 2020 12:00:13 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=472979 Supermicro has launched a new X12 generation 4-socket SuperServer designed to accommodate the new 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processors. The new SuperServer is capable of supporting “four 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processors, up to 18TB of System Memory Capacity, 24 Hot-swap NVM-e drives, and Enhanced Security”. Last week, Intel announced its new 3rd Gen …

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Supermicro has launched a new X12 generation 4-socket SuperServer designed to accommodate the new 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processors. The new SuperServer is capable of supporting “four 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processors, up to 18TB of System Memory Capacity, 24 Hot-swap NVM-e drives, and Enhanced Security”.

Last week, Intel announced its new 3rd Gen Xeon Scalable processors and now Supermicro has announced a new X12 generation 4-socket server that is designed for the new series. The server features support for 100Gb/s networking together with “OCP3.0 compliant Advanced IO Module form-factor” as well as Root-of-Trust (RoT) implementation which enhances security.

The server is capable of handling up to a total of 112 Xeon cores with its 4 CPU sockets, while the server interconnects have been doubled from 3 UPI lanes to 6 UPI lanes to improve system latency and throughput. Supermicro's SuperServer also supports up to ten PCI-E expansions or six single-width GPU cards and 2000-watt high-efficiency power supplies, as well as four swappable fans.

Image credit: SuperMicro

“As Supermicro’s first X12 generation system, this new 4-socket server is our most robust enterprise-class platform featuring the most powerful Intel Xeon Scalable Processors, Intel Optane DC Persistent Memory, and a new silicon based Root-of-Trust implementation for enhanced security” said Charles Liang, CEO and president of Supermicro. “This new SuperServer provides a powerful and trusted foundation for your most secure and mission critical workloads in enterprise, cloud-scale, or hybrid environments.”

Pricing and availability details for the SuperServer have yet to be announced. The official press release from Supermicro can be read HERE.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What are your thoughts on the new X12 generation 4-socket server from Supermicro?

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SuperO Pro Gaming Z490 motherboard arrives alongside Intel 10th Gen CPUs https://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/matthew-wilson/supero-pro-gaming-z490-motherboard-arrives-alongside-intel-10th-gen-cpus/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/matthew-wilson/supero-pro-gaming-z490-motherboard-arrives-alongside-intel-10th-gen-cpus/#respond Wed, 13 May 2020 16:46:53 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=466754 We have another Z490 motherboard to add to the growing list, this time from Supermicro's gaming sub-division- SUPERO. The SuperO Pro Gaming C9Z490-PGW launches this week alongside the new 10th generation of Intel Core-series desktop processors.  Supermicro is best known in the server motherboard space, but some of that expertise is transitioning over to the …

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We have another Z490 motherboard to add to the growing list, this time from Supermicro's gaming sub-division- SUPERO. The SuperO Pro Gaming C9Z490-PGW launches this week alongside the new 10th generation of Intel Core-series desktop processors. 

Supermicro is best known in the server motherboard space, but some of that expertise is transitioning over to the gaming market. The SUPERO Pro Gaming motherboard aims to deliver ‘server quality' functionality, including unmatched reliability, durability and optimised components to maximise efficiency and thermal performance.

One area where this is made clear is in the VRMs, with SUPERO's integrated VRMs coming over from workstation-grade motherboards. All PCIe x16 and RAM slots are reinforced for additional protection and better connectivity for components, you also get support for 10G and WiFi 6 for networking.

Those in need of lightning fast storage will also find two M.2 SSD slots. The Z9Z490-PGW also comes with USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C support, which is capable of a maximum 20Gb/s bandwidth. We don't have pricing or shipping details just yet, but you can find the full spec-sheet for this motherboard, HERE.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Do any of you already have experience with Supermicro or SUPERO motherboards? What do you think of them? 

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Can SuperMicro rule the gaming and desktop motherboard markets? https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/andrzej/can-supermicro-rule-the-gaming-and-desktop-motherboard-markets/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/andrzej/can-supermicro-rule-the-gaming-and-desktop-motherboard-markets/#respond Mon, 11 Feb 2019 10:46:00 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=403619 Vik Malyala is the Senior Vice President in charge of Field Applications Engineering and Business Development for SuperMicro. We were lucky enough to be invited to the company's headquarters in Silicon Valley for an exclusive interview with Vik about the company's drive into new markets. With over 3,200 employees across the globe, Vik told us …

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Vik Malyala is the Senior Vice President in charge of Field Applications Engineering and Business Development for SuperMicro. We were lucky enough to be invited to the company's headquarters in Silicon Valley for an exclusive interview with Vik about the company's drive into new markets. With over 3,200 employees across the globe, Vik told us how they are increasing investment into engineering, their lab facilities and manufacturing capacity. Watch the video below for the full interview, as we pick out the highlights for you here.

Back in the late 90s, SuperMicro boards were a standard choice for builders who wanted to make a performance system – alongside the Quantum Fireball hard drive, Matrox Millennium graphics card and a VisionMaster 17″ CRT screen. SuperMicro's focused changed to workstations, servers and storage solutions.

We asked Vik why he wants the headache of developing consumer-space solutions in the near future. He acknowledged that this a very good question and told us that most people are using SuperMicro on a daily basis – whether they know it or not. Video distribution, cloud based systems and even some of the processors in your PC would not be possible without SuperMicro. We also learned that iMax theatres across the world utilise SuperMicro hardware to deliver a cinema experience like no other.

Gaming is all about performance, so what can SuperMicro realistically offer?

Vik explained that, currently, everything is DDR4, but this will transition to DDR5 very soon. Changes in PCI-Express will also be important, whether you are looking to add GPUs, next generation solid state drives or even to improve the overall speed/throughput of your network. Today's PCI-Express Gen-3 will give way to Gen-4 pretty soon, giving graphics cards twice the bandwidth they have today. SuperMicro is working with its partners to bring these (and other) technologies to market in a quick and stable way.

Right now, Intel Optane offers IOPS and throughput that are hard to beat from a large-scale storage device. Taking that to the next level, Apache Pass (Optane DC Persistent Memory) will begin to offer new possibilities in the enterprise space, but that too could also transition to other product lines. We’re talking about mass storage in a DIMM format, that can reduce traditional storage latencies by a factor of 100, according to Vik.

Vik told us that because everything is developed in-house, SuperMicro has complete control over every aspect of a product. Combining all of these new technologies – using what they have learned from the server/workstation markets – is what Vik calls “SuperMicro's Secret Sauce”.

But that's all Intel-based, right?

According to Vik, when AMD came back into the market with Naples and EPYC, he had the broadest spectrum of solutions available in the market on the day of launch.

Regardless of platform, Vik believes that the initiatives happening around 5G, IoT, Mission Learning and Artificial Intelligence are going to create many opportunities for SuperMicro and its entire partner eco-system. There will be devices that are close to the edge, other devices that will sit close to the core of the data centre and yet other devices that will sit in between. Each will be different, whether that’s to do with form factor, processing power or efficiency etc. None of these products will be sitting in isolation. That’s where SuperMicro’s experience in creating complete, flexible solutions comes into play. Vik told us that they are in a unique position to provide end-to-end, next-gen solutions.

Where will we see this claimed advantage in the real world?

Vik told us that many software companies are looking to take advantage of these platforms. For example, autonomous driving, where a lot of machine training needs to take place – as well as a a lot of inference – which requires a lot of GPUs. SuperMicro already has  systems that can take everything from a single GPU through to a single physical system with 16 GPUs.

These solutions have been created in close co-operation with nVidia and Intel – as well as the other technology partners who are involved in developing autonomous driving solutions. All of these need a solution that is fully vetted and one that’s based on open standards, where interoperability issues are being addressed by all the partners involved. Vik said that when an Independent Software Vendor (ISV) chooses a SuperMicro platform for this kind of mission critical application, they don’t have to spend time wondering if it will work. The guesswork has been taken out of the equation.

Data centres back in the late 80s had the air conditioning whacked up to full, all the time, trying hard to keep the ambient under 24 degrees. This is no longer the case according to Vik. We were told that as long as the processors themselves are operating within chosen parameters (for example under 70 or 80 degrees), then the ambient temperature can be allowed to go up – which makes the whole centre ‘greener'.

There is only one mother Earth, Vik explained, and we want to make sure she stays green and healthy. SuperMicro is on a mission to use less power in the data centre for the computers themselves, to reduce the need for air conditioning – and to implement a ‘Resource Saving Architecture’ which allows applications to span multiple generations/types of hardware.

It is a vision being driven by SuperMicro, according to Vik. To bring the latest technologies to market early, to reduce the environmental impact of data centres (while still allowing for the highest performance & densities) and to do all of this without breaking the client's bank.

Asked if SuperMicro could reclaim its former glories in the gaming/desktop space, Vik explained that they had created market leading products for High Performance Computing (HPC), OEM solutions and InfraStructure as a Service – so he was extremely confident about the consumer market.

He told us that in 2016 SuperMicro was thinking about the market and planning. In 2017 they started to bring new products to market and in 2018 they managed to set a new world record for performance.

“In 2019, we will put the peddle to the metal”, said Vik. “Setting the record itself showed that ‘we are here’, but it doesn’t mean anything unless we bring the right product to the customer. We’re here to make an impact”.

KitGuru says: Competing with the likes of Asus, MSI, Gigabyte and ASRock won't be easy, but SuperMicro is not new to motherboards – so this won't be a ‘launch from a standing start'. If they can bring knowledge from their server/workstation experience across to the consumer space – then it will be interesting to see some genuinely fresh competition in the gaming/performance space.

 

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Supermicro SuperO C9Z390-CG-IW Motherboard Review https://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/ryan-martin/supermicro-supero-c9z390-cg-iw-motherboard-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/ryan-martin/supermicro-supero-c9z390-cg-iw-motherboard-review/#respond Mon, 21 Jan 2019 10:03:17 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=399778 How well does Supermicro's "pint-sized Powerhouse" stand up to scrutiny?

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The mini-ITX form factor continues to get more powerful as competition between AMD and Intel has driven up processor core counts over the past few years. With Intel's newest Core i9 9900K it is now possible to pack 8 cores and 16 threads into a diminutive mini-ITX motherboard. More cores mean more power consumption so concerns about reliable power delivery and quality construction are paramount, concerns Supermicro hopes to allay with the SuperO C9Z390-CG-IW.

This isn't Supermicro's first foray into mini-ITX territory, just last year the company released the C7Z370-CG-IW, its Z370 mini-ITX motherboard. On close inspection the differences between its Z370 and Z390 mini-ITX offerings are few and far between, nonetheless, Supermicro has used Intel's Z390 chipset as an opportunity to refresh the VRM design and tweak some aspects of the layout.

As with most mini-ITX motherboards geared towards a gaming audience there's precious little space for differentiation and product segmentation. Supermicro adds RGB lighting and a touch of SuperO branding as well as companion SuperO Booster software for overclocking, but beyond that it could easily be a workstation motherboard.

The main highlight of Supermicro's Z390 option, compared to the Z370 predecessor, is the re-designed VRM for handling higher power-draw processors. Unlike the “big four” motherboard vendors (ASRock, ASUS, Gigabyte and MSI) Supermicro is able to implement genuinely different VRM designs for the consumer space. Likely due to its historical supplier relationships in the enterprise and server markets.

In its previous generation Z370 mini-ITX motherboard the VRM was based on an unusual Monolithic Power Systems solution. With the new Z390 mini-ITX motherboard the implementation is based on a Infineon (Primarion) controller and MOSFETs, very similar to what Supermicro implemented on the SuperO C9X299-PG300, except on a smaller scale.

Prospective buyers can rest assured then that the Supermicro SuperO C9Z390-CG-IW will deliver on quality, but in the past it hasn't been component quality that has been Supermicro's Achilles' heel. Let's see how Supermicro gets on with another shot a conquering the consumer mini-ITX space.

Supermicro SuperO C9Z390-CG-IW
Form Factor mini-ITX, 17cm x 17cm
CPU Socket LGA 1151 v2
CPU VRM PWM
Infineon Primarion PXE1520CDN 5+2 (VCore + iGPU) phase controller
CPU VRM MOSFETs
7 x Infineon TDA21470 with 7 Inductors
Chipset Intel Z390
Memory DDR4, 2 DIMMs, up to 32GB, up to 4000MHz+ with OC
On-board Graphics Intel UHD Graphics (on supported CPUs)
Discrete Graphics Single Graphics Card Configurations Only
Expansion Slots 1 x PCIe 3.0 X16
Storage 2 x M.2 (Supports PCIe 3.0 x4 or SATA III, both up to 2280)
4 x SATA III 6Gbps (Intel Z390)
USB  5 USB 3.1 (4 Rear [1 Type-C], 1 Front, via Intel Z390)
4 x USB 3.0 (2 Rear, 2 Front, via Intel Z390)
Networking  Intel I219V Gigabit LAN
Intel Wireless-AC 9560 AC1730 Dual Band WiFi with Bluetooth 5.0 (CNVi)
Audio Realtek ALC1220 7.1 channel HD Audio
RGB 1 x  12v G R B
1 onboard RGB lighting zone (side strip near MB 24 pin)
Fan Headers  2, all support 3/4 pin fans (1 x CPU, 1 x SYS)
Rear I/O 1 x PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Combo
2 x USB 3.0 5Gbps (Blue)
3 x USB 3.1 10Gbps (Red)
1 x USB 3.1 10Gbps Type-C
1 x DisplayPort 1.2
1 x HDMI 2.0
2 x WiFi/Bluetooth Antennae
5 x Analogue Audio Jacks
1 x S/PDIF Optical Audio
1 x RJ45 Gigabit LAN
UEFI  128Mb UEFI AMI

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CES 2019: Leo takes a tour around Supermicro/SuperO’s new motherboard lineup https://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/matthew-wilson/ces-2019-leo-takes-a-tour-around-supermicro-superos-new-motherboard-lineup/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/matthew-wilson/ces-2019-leo-takes-a-tour-around-supermicro-superos-new-motherboard-lineup/#respond Fri, 11 Jan 2019 16:33:04 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=400964 As we were wrapping up our rounds at CES today, Leo stopped by to visit the Supermicro/SuperO suite. Lately, the company has been dipping its toes into the consumer motherboard market, expanding beyond server-grade hardware. We were able to take a peek at the full lineup. Supermicro has a wide range of motherboards for the …

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As we were wrapping up our rounds at CES today, Leo stopped by to visit the Supermicro/SuperO suite. Lately, the company has been dipping its toes into the consumer motherboard market, expanding beyond server-grade hardware. We were able to take a peek at the full lineup.

Supermicro has a wide range of motherboards for the consumer market, some of which fall under the ‘SuperO' brand name. At the top of the pile is the X9Z390-PGW, which is currently the highest ranked motherboard on HWBot for extreme overclocking on the Intel Core i9-9900K. Another high-end option from the company is the X9X299-PG300, which is an X299 motherboard for Intel's Core-X series of CPUs, delivering up to 300-watts in power with added in IPMI remote management functionality for remote desktop connections.

Supermicro is also highlighting the Mini-ITX SuperO C9Z390-CG-IW this week, with RGB LEDs. If you need something a bit bigger, then the X9Z390-CG and CGW models are both ATX instead, with support for Intel 8th Gen and 9th Gen processors. These three boards are all designed for mainstream gamers, so they will be amongst the most cost effective in the lineup.

While Supermicro is chasing the consumer market a bit more this year, the company is still developing server/workstation gear. The X11SPA-T supports Intel's Xeon Scalable Processors, with a full twelve RAM slots, support for Intel Optane, four M.2 SSD slots and support for up to seven graphics cards. Of course, 10-gigabit ethernet capabilities are also included.

KitGuru Says: Supermicro has quite the lineup of motherboards this week, although for the time being, the focus seems to be on Intel platforms rather than AMD. Perhaps we'll see further expansion on that front in the future.

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KitGuru Advent Calendar Day 26: Win a SuperMicro Z390 motherboard (closed) https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/competitions/matthew-wilson/kitguru-advent-calendar-day-26-win-a-supermicro-z390-motherboard/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/competitions/matthew-wilson/kitguru-advent-calendar-day-26-win-a-supermicro-z390-motherboard/#respond Thu, 27 Dec 2018 11:43:31 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=399346 For day 26 on the KitGuru Advent Calendar, we have teamed up with Supermicro to give away a brand new Z390 motherboard- a perfect step in upgrading your rig for the year ahead.

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Update: This competition is now CLOSED. Thanks to all who entered. Our winner today is James Godfrey!

We are starting to wind down the 2018 KitGuru Advent Calendar. We've had some great prizes along the way and lots of happy winners. Today, we have teamed up with SuperMicro to give away a Z390 motherboard, a perfect first step in upgrading your PC for the year ahead

SuperMicro traditionally has more of a presence in the server market but they are starting to expand further into the consumer space. Today, you'll have the chance to win a SuperMico C9Z390-PGW, which supports Intel's 8th Gen and latest 9th Gen Core processors.

Entering this giveaway is simple, all you need to do is head over to THIS POST on our Facebook page and leave a comment. We plan to have a new discussion topic each day, today we are asking you guys to tell us what CPU you would like to pair with this motherboard!

A winner will be picked randomly tomorrow, so get your entries in fast!

KitGuru Says: Thanks to all of the readers for supporting us throughout 2018, and thanks to SuperMicro for supporting . We'll be back tomorrow to announce a winner! 

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Supermicro investigation finds no evidence of Chinese spy chips in its hardware https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/damien-cox/supermicro-continues-to-deny-that-its-hardware-is-compromised-with-chinese-spy-chips/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/damien-cox/supermicro-continues-to-deny-that-its-hardware-is-compromised-with-chinese-spy-chips/#respond Fri, 14 Dec 2018 12:15:21 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=398494 Back in October, California-based hardware supplier Super Micro Computer was accused of distributing components compromised with Chinese microchips developed for spy purposes. Concluding its investigations earlier this week, Supermicro has deemed these reports “wrongful,” finding no malicious hardware within its supply. Bloomberg’s report alleges that as many as 30 US companies were affected by the …

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Back in October, California-based hardware supplier Super Micro Computer was accused of distributing components compromised with Chinese microchips developed for spy purposes. Concluding its investigations earlier this week, Supermicro has deemed these reports “wrongful,” finding no malicious hardware within its supply.

Bloomberg’s report alleges that as many as 30 US companies were affected by the rice grain-sized chip supposedly housed within server motherboards – a claim which Amazon Web Service (AWS) and Apple immediately denied in official letters to Congress. US Homeland Security and the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) in turn agreed with the two companies.

Our very own grumpy guru Leo criticised the likelihood of such an infiltration less than a day after the report emerged, highlighting the inability to know where the compromised PCB would inevitably end up. You can watch the video below:

Supermicro, which took the brunt of the accusation, has since attempted to dismiss reports of “bad actors” by inviting a third-party investigation, which concluded on December 11, 2018. “After thorough examination and a range of functional tests, the investigations firm found absolutely no evidence of malicious hardware on our motherboards,” reads the post.

The company reaffirmed its stance on security, explaining that it tests products “at every step of the manufacturing process,” including “every layer of every board.” Supermicro employees are even on-site with any contractors on the assembly line, conducting regular inspections. At no point does any employee receive unrestricted access to the design of a motherboard, leaving no room for tampering.

Sadly, Supermicro has a long way to go in recovering its share prices, which dropped over 40% after Bloomberg's initial story broke. These findings, as well as continuous backing from official sources, have begun the company’s arduous climb back up.

“We appreciate the industry support regarding this matter from many of our customers, like Apple and AWS. We are also grateful for numerous senior government officials, including representatives of the Department of Homeland Security, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Director of the FBI, who early on appropriately questioned the truth of media reports,” concludes Supermicro.

KitGuru Says: While it’s sad to see a company’s share price suffer from unfounded allegations, it’s good to see how thorough Supermicro has been about the reports. At this point, it seems that Supermicro is in the clear, hopefully those responsible for the initial accusations are held accountable. 

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Supermicro SuperO C9X299-PG300 Motherboard Review https://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/ryan-martin/supermicro-supero-c9x299-pg300-motherboard-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/ryan-martin/supermicro-supero-c9x299-pg300-motherboard-review/#respond Tue, 21 Aug 2018 10:09:22 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=382686 Server-infused expensive VRMs and 10 Gigabit LAN

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With Intel's X299 platform supporting up to 18-core processors with 165-watt thermal design power, high-quality motherboards with capable power delivery are essential. One company that has long been engineering motherboards for high core-count and high power consumption scenarios is Supermicro.

This respected server vendor has also been manufacturing consumer motherboards since Intel's Z87 generation (2013) and its latest foray into the consumer market is for Intel's X299 chipset with its SuperO C9X299-PG300.

The Supermicro SuperO C9X299-PG300 differs from the typical X299 motherboard from the “big four” of ASUS, ASRock, Gigabyte or MSI. It is immediately clear from the design and presentation of the product that Supermicro's design ethos is server-influenced.

There's something inherently reassuring about a motherboard from a company that hasn't yet mastered the art of gaming gimmicks or marketing, fancy aesthetics and novelty features. The C9X299-PG300 is “more server” than gaming, even if Supermicro have attempted to shape it as a gaming product using the SuperO branding. Think of SuperO to Supermicro along the same lines as what ROG is to ASUS.

There are plenty of high-end connectivity options worthy of X299 including Aquantia 10 Gigabit LAN, dual M.2 slots with cooling, dual U.2 slots, USB 3.1 Type-A and C and Realtek ALC 1150 based audio. The real surprise is Supermicro's decision to fit onboard RGB lighting, which can be controlled by the “SuperO Booster” software, as this suggests more thought has gone into the consumer positioning of this motherboard than just branding.

A quick skim of Supermicro's C422 chipset offerings, that's the chipset that uses the same LGA2066 socket as X299 but for Xeon enterprise processors only, confirms that no obvious rebranding has taken place. Let's see how Supermicro's purpose-built consumer motherboard for Intel X299 stands up to scrutiny.

Supermicro SuperO C9X299-PG300 
Form Factor ATX,  30.48cm x 24.38cm
CPU Socket LGA 2066
Chipset Intel X299
Memory DDR4, 8 DIMMs*, up to 128GB, 2666MHz+ (faster speeds with overclocking/XMP)
*4 DIMMs only on 28-lane CPUs
On-board Graphics None
Discrete Graphics Up to 4-Way graphics card configurations (Nvidia or AMD)
Expansion Slots 4 x PCIe 3.0 X16 (8x/0x/16x/16x or 8x/8x/8x/16x for 44-lane CPUs, 0x/4x/8x/16x for 28-lane CPUs)
1 x PCIe 3.0 X4 (X1 electrical)
Storage 6 x SATA III (via X299 chipset)
2 x M.2 (supports PCIe 3.0 X4 32Gbps, no SATA)
2 x U.2*
*On 44-lane CPUs U.2 #1 shares bandwidth with PCIe slot #1, U.2 #2 has dedicated x4 CPU lanes. On 28-lane CPUs U.2 #1 is unavailable and U.2 #2 uses bandwidth from PCIe slot #3
USB 2 x USB 3.1 (1 Type-C, 1 Type-A, all via ASM3142, 2 Rear)
6 x USB 3.0 (4 Rear, 2 Front, all via Intel X299)
4 USB 2.0 (2 Rear, 2 Front, all via Intel X299)
Networking 1 x Intel I219-V Gigabit LAN RJ45
1 x Aquantia AQC107 10 Gigabit LAN RJ45
Audio Realtek ALC 1220 7.1 Channel HD Audio
RGB Onboard RGBs (three zones)
2 x 12v G R B connectors
Fan Headers 5, all support 3/4 pin PWM/DC fans (2 x CPU, 3 x SYS)
Rear I/O 1 x PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse combo port
2 x USB 2.0 (black)
2 x USB 3.0 (blue)
2 x USB 3.0 (red)
1 x USB 3.1 Type-A (Red)
1 x USB 3.1 Type-C
1 x Intel Gigabit LAN RJ45
1 x Aquantia 10 Gigabit LAN RJ45
5 x Audio Jacks
1 x Optical S/PDIF
UEFI 128Mb UEFI AMI

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Supermicro SuperO C7Z370-CG-IW : King of Servers delivers Mini-ITX https://www.kitguru.net/components/leo-waldock/supermicro-supero-c7z370-cg-iw-the-king-of-servers-delivers-a-mini-itx/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/leo-waldock/supermicro-supero-c7z370-cg-iw-the-king-of-servers-delivers-a-mini-itx/#respond Fri, 17 Aug 2018 07:58:42 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=382607 Supermicro are known for their high grade server boards, but can they create a great MINI ITX board?

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If you ask a PC enthusiast to name brands of gaming motherboards they may well list ASRock, Asus, EVGA, Gigabyte and MSI, however they are unlikely to mention SuperO. Supermicro is known and respected for its Server and Workstation hardware whereas its SuperO brand for gaming products are more obscure. The SuperO C7Z370-CG-IW is Supermicro’s first Gaming Mini-ITX board and it has that extra frisson of interest as very few people will know the name.

This motherboard uses the Z370 chipset to support the desktop 8th Gen. Coffee Lake family of CPUs along with a single graphics slot, two desktop DDR4 DIMMs and a pair of smart aluminium heat sinks on the chipset and VRMs.

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Specification:
Chipset: Intel Z370 Express
CPU support: Intel LGA1151 8th Gen Core i7/i5/i3 processors (up to 120W TDP)
Memory Capacity: 2x 288-pin DDR4 DIMM slots up to 32GB DDR4 Non-ECC Un-Buffered memory
Memory Frequency: up to DDR4-2666MHz
Supports Intel Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) DIMM (Up to 3733+MHz)
SATA support: 4x SATA3.0 (6Gbps) with RAID 0, 1, 5, 10 via Intel Z370 Chipset
PCI-Express:
1x PCIe 3.0 x16 slot
2x PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 (2260/2280/22110)(M-key)

Input/Output
USB 6x USB 3.0 ports (4 rear, 2 via header)
1x USB 3.1 Type A port (rear)
1x USB 3.1 Type C port (rear)
Display: 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.2
Keyboard/Mouse PS/2 connector for mouse and keyboard
On-Board Audio: Realtek ALC1220 7.1 HD Audio
Ethernet: Intel i219V Gigabit
Wi-Fi: Realtek 802.11ac
2x PWM fan headers
Form Factor: Mini-ITX 170mm x 170mm
Software SuperDoctor V, SuperO Booster Utility

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CES 2017: SuperMicro unveils passively cooled mini-ITX PC https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/gaming-rig/jon-martindale/ces-2017-supermicro-unveils-passively-cooled-mini-itx-pc/ https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/gaming-rig/jon-martindale/ces-2017-supermicro-unveils-passively-cooled-mini-itx-pc/#respond Fri, 06 Jan 2017 12:18:19 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=316735 SuperMicro has shown off a new passively cooled cube concept PC at CES 2017. Complete with some strong internal hardware and a compact chassis, the system has the potential to be a powerful little gaming PC that is devoid of noise entirely. While SuperMicro might be mostly focused on the creation of servers, that doesn't …

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SuperMicro has shown off a new passively cooled cube concept PC at CES 2017. Complete with some strong internal hardware and a compact chassis, the system has the potential to be a powerful little gaming PC that is devoid of noise entirely.

sueprmicro04

While SuperMicro might be mostly focused on the creation of servers, that doesn't mean it doesn't know what it's doing with gaming PCs too. This latest conceptual design contains an Intel Core i5-7500 CPU, paired off with a GTX 1060 graphics card and a brand new Kaby Lake motherboard of the mini-ITX form factor.

sueprmicro01 sueprmicro03

While hardware like this would usually take at least some measure of active cooling, what's most impressive about this SuperMicro build is that it doesn't have a single fan in its design. Instead if features a large mesh of aluminium fins which help natural air current dissipate the heat that builds up inside.

sueprmicro02

Although usually concept builds don't make it further than a trade show like CES, we're told that this PC should end up going on sale for around £1,000, though when is anyone's guess.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Normally I would say that quiet fans are enough to get by, but having run a pump-whining Fury X for a while, the idea of a passive system sounds pretty nice. 

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Supermicro C7Z170-SQ Motherboard Review https://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/rikki-wright/supermicro-c7z170-sq-motherboard-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/rikki-wright/supermicro-c7z170-sq-motherboard-review/#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2016 09:00:37 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=281452 Hitting the mid-high end market hard is the Supermicro C7Z170-SQ. Taking inspiration from the past and adding modern components is sure to rock the competition with server grade components, high-speed M.2 and USB-C 3.1 included.  Perched precariously at £210, the Supermicro C7Z170-SQ looks to be the motherboard that has been thrown unprepared into a market …

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Hitting the mid-high end market hard is the Supermicro C7Z170-SQ. Taking inspiration from the past and adding modern components is sure to rock the competition with server grade components, high-speed M.2 and USB-C 3.1 included. 

C7Z170-sq (21)

Perched precariously at £210, the Supermicro C7Z170-SQ looks to be the motherboard that has been thrown unprepared into a market saturated by RGB lights and features that would make NASA technicians quiver at first sight. However, it’s not all about additional utilities, sometimes a great performing unit only needs top quality components derived from servers and that’s what Supermicro is betting on with this addition to the line up.

Unlike a lot of the competition, the feature list is short and safe. Networking is being handled by the Intel I219V and the Realtek ALC1150 codec handles audio. Alongside these, the C7Z170-SQ packs a high-speed M.2 port for the highly popular NVMe SSDs and a USB-C 3.1 port for future functionality.

With a rich heritage, has Supermicro packed enough into the C7Z170-SQ to be considered as a worthy option? Let’s find out.

Features:

  • Up to 64GB DDR4 3000MHz+ support.
  • USB 3.1 Type-C for up to 10GBps data transfer.
  • Single M.2 slot to utilise super faster NVME SSD performance of over 10GB/s.
  • Intel I219V Gigabit networking for fast and consistent networking connection.
  • Realtek ALC 1150 sound codec provides ultra clear audio for all scenarios.
  • Server heritage providing years of experience and the best components.
  • Onboard speaker and DEBUG LED: Simplified audible troubleshooting combined with easy to read codes.
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Steve Tyson gives an exclusive interview about cloud gaming https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/andrzej/steve-tyson-gives-an-exclusive-interview-about-cloud-gaming/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/andrzej/steve-tyson-gives-an-exclusive-interview-about-cloud-gaming/#respond Wed, 11 Feb 2015 10:26:08 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=235111 On a small scale, many of us have seen nVidia's GRID gaming in action – in the guise of Shield. The principal is simple: Centralise the hardcore processing and provide entertainment to users on (almost) any device they wish to use. Steve Tyson is the Cloud Gaming guru for Supermicro and we were lucky enough to …

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On a small scale, many of us have seen nVidia's GRID gaming in action – in the guise of Shield. The principal is simple: Centralise the hardcore processing and provide entertainment to users on (almost) any device they wish to use. Steve Tyson is the Cloud Gaming guru for Supermicro and we were lucky enough to get him into the KitGuru studio to discuss his company's plans for the future.

Steve has a long history of successfully helping game-related products into the market. Examples include  his work with Metrowerks, Freescale and Motorola on compiler/debugging solutions which were used by Nokia in its wireless products, as well as being a VP for Phonetic Arts (before it was acquired by Google), a company that developed speech synthesis technology for game development.

We've heard a lot about HP and Dell's involvement in GRID gaming, but an extensive search of their sites revealed no products.

The same search on Superrmicro's site reveals not only complete ‘Ready To Go‘ hardware, but also that Supermicro has been running extensive GRID sampling programmes for serious customers who want to evaluate the opportunity for themselves.

Discuss on our Facebook page, over HERE.

KitGuru says: Right now, there are too many niggles outside of nVidia/Supermicro control – namely communication dropouts that ISPs etc will cause. That said, as the networks get faster and faster, random lag will reduce and the market opportunity for this kind of solution will grow. Also on Supermicro's side is the advent of Pascal in 2016 and future evolutions of nVidia's graphics architecture. 

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Supermicro unveils X99 mainboard with optional USB 3.1 10Gb/s ports https://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/anton-shilov/supermicro-unveils-intel-x99-mainboard-with-optional-usb-3-1-10gbs-ports/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/anton-shilov/supermicro-unveils-intel-x99-mainboard-with-optional-usb-3-1-10gbs-ports/#comments Thu, 05 Feb 2015 04:53:50 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=234122 Supermicro, a leading manufacturer of high-end mainboards for workstations and servers, has revealed its first motherboard based on Intel Corp.’s X99 core-logic. The new platform not only supports Intel’s latest Core i7 Extreme and Xeon processors and overclocking capabilities, but can be equipped with USB 3.1 ports with 10Gb/s bandwidth. The Supermicro C7X99-OCE-F mainboard (in …

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Supermicro, a leading manufacturer of high-end mainboards for workstations and servers, has revealed its first motherboard based on Intel Corp.’s X99 core-logic. The new platform not only supports Intel’s latest Core i7 Extreme and Xeon processors and overclocking capabilities, but can be equipped with USB 3.1 ports with 10Gb/s bandwidth.

The Supermicro C7X99-OCE-F mainboard (in ATX form-factor) supports all modern LGA2011 v3 (socket R) microprocessors, including Core i7, Xeon E5-2600 v3 and E5-1600 v3 along with automatic overclocking. The motherboard features eight 288-pin DDR4 DIMM slots for up to 64GB of DDR4 memory at up to 3.30GHz frequency, four PCI Express x16 slots (run at 16/16/0/8 or 16/8/8/8), ten Serial ATA-6Gb/s ports, Intel i210-AT dual port Gigabit Ethernet, Realtek ALC1150 8-channel audio, TPM module, eight USB 3.0 ports, Aspeed AST2400 BMC (for IPMI only) graphics adapter and so on.

One of the key selling points of the Supermicro C7X99-OCE-F (in addition to very high build quality and reliability) is upgradeability of four USB 3.0 ports to USB 3.1 ports with 10Gb/s bandwidth using special host controllers. At present this is a BOM option for OEMs, but in a couple of months’ time Supermicro may release a new version of the mainboard with USB 3.1 type-C connectors for the channel market.

supermicro_x99_intel_lga2011_mainboard

Unlike the majority of Intel X99 motherboards from other manufacturers, the Supermicro C7X99-OCE-F does not feature extreme overclocking capabilities since it is aimed at desktop, server and workstation markets. Still, it can overclock microprocessors in both automatic and manual modes.

The new mainboard will hit the market shortly. Pricing is unknown, but traditionally SuperMicro motherboard are considerably more expensive than competing solutions due to positioning for servers and workstations.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Systems powered by the C7X99-OCE-F will be among the first PCs on the market with USB 3.1 10Gb/s ports. While you will not be able to buy a version of the C7X99-OCE-F with USB 3.1 type-C connectors just now (still, some of such platforms will probably slip to the channel market), it is very pleasant to see that the new version of USB is making progress in terms of the adoption. If you are looking for a high-quality platform for a workstation or a gaming PC and have no plans for heavy overclock, then the Supermicro C7X99-OCE-F should be considered.

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Supermicro prepares to render more of Hollywood https://www.kitguru.net/professional/workstation/bill-smyth/supermicro-prepares-to-render-more-of-hollywood/ https://www.kitguru.net/professional/workstation/bill-smyth/supermicro-prepares-to-render-more-of-hollywood/#respond Tue, 25 Mar 2014 07:27:13 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=182951 One of the biggest releases of 2014 will be the Hollywood extravaganza Jupiter Ascending. With a special effects budget likely to be larger than the GDP of some small countries, you might be wondering what kind of hardware sits in the background to make it all possible. KitGuru got some idea from Super Micro's Dev …

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One of the biggest releases of 2014 will be the Hollywood extravaganza Jupiter Ascending. With a special effects budget likely to be larger than the GDP of some small countries, you might be wondering what kind of hardware sits in the background to make it all possible. KitGuru got some idea from Super Micro's Dev Tyagi over at CeBIT 2014.

Back toward the end of the Pentium 4's life, there was a move to smaller, simpler, more parallel computing units that came from the Banias development team in Israel. Although clocks and power draw dropped, the overall effect was a significant boost in performance. For 2013, Intel had 5 server CPU launches scheduled and two of them were for Atom-based processors. At CeBIT 2014, Supermicro was showing off the kind of systems you can create when you use a lower wattage CPU and simply pack a huge number of them together into the same chassis.

For those outside the server workspace, when you see ‘U', it means a single unit of space that you would buy/rent in a server farm. How much compute power you can pack into each U that you pay for, determines your costs/profitability.

On that basis, if your processing requirement needs an absolute stack of i86 cores, then Supermicro's 6U 112-node MicroBlade could be interesting. It's an extreme-density, ultra energy-efficient micro server system loaded with Intel Atom C2000 series SoC processors, each of which can have up to 8 cores. This modular Blade architecture is designed to maximises rack utilisation by offering 112 independent power-conserving nodes – with each one dropping as low as 10W.

That means, in a 42U rack, you can enable up to 784 servers.

If you think that's a lot, then you'll be impressed to know that it's also possible to double that density – with 224 Intel Atom-based nodes.

In July 2014, a new Hollywood blockbuster will hit our screens. Jupiter Ascending has a stellar cast – and is a Wachowski twins epic – so special effects are part and parcel of the overall experience.

By continuously innovating – constantly adding in more power per node – the time taken to render a section of film will reduce. Which decreases costs and increases productivity.

Super-Micro-Avoton-CeBIT-2014-KitGuru

“Our latest server innovations are leading the industry for energy efficiency, density, and manageability for maximized performance per watt, per dollar, per square foot,” said Charles Liang, President and CEO of Supermicro. “Our new Intel Atom based platforms including the 6U 112-Node MicroBlade and 3U 24-Node MicroCloud are defining the future of green computing with solutions that support a wide range of workloads in Enterprise, extreme scale-out Data Center, Cloud and SMB applications. Additionally with next generation platforms supporting NVMe, 12Gb/s SAS3 and native 10GbE/40GbE, Supermicro offers the world’s most extensive range of advanced power conserving server, storage and networking solutions on the market”.

“The rate at which we're able to increase the power available within these systems is amazing”, said Dev Tyagi, General Manager at Supermicro (right, below). “The innovation never stops and the systems just keep on getting faster”.

Dev-Tyagi-Super-Micro-Marius-Tudor-Fusion-IO-CeBIT-2014-KitGuru

Supermicro's work in this field is absolutely adored by Intel.

Shannon Poulin, Intel vice-president and general manager of Data Center Group marketing told us, “Supermicro is taking maximum advantage of Intel's latest innovations to offer their customers compelling solutions optimised for today’s diverse set of application workloads, space and budgetary requirements”.

But, within any system, you will still have bottlenecks.

Also on the Supermicro stand we caught up with Marius Tudor (left, above), who heads up Strategic Partnerships for a company called Fusion-IO. From what we can tell, Fusion-IO has never seen two components joined together without thinking “Hey, bet we can make that faster by adding memory some memory”.

Marius told us, “Flash memory optimises industry-standard servers to deliver maximum application performance and system efficiency”.

If you're an IT professional and wondering just how much better Fusion-IO can make your world, Marius' company offers a free tool called ioTurbine, which helps you model the performance improvements that you're likely to find by installing various Fusion-IO products around your system installation.

One of the physical products that Marius pointed out was his ioDrive Octal product which can add more than 5TB of memory to a system, using a single PCI Express slot.

Impressive.

Going back to Hollywood, while there's no guaranteeing the plot for Jupiter Ascending, the enormous amount of special effects are likely to shine, rendered with some help from high-end Supermicro kit.

Jupiter-Ascending-Mila-Kunis-KitGuru

.
KitGuru says: The enthusiast community tends to focus on single CPU systems where ‘expensive' is anything over £2,000. The kind of technology that Hollywood is using for rendering is absolutely amazing. We can't wait to see the final results when Jupiter Ascending gets released in July.

Comment below, in the KitGuru forums or join over 174,000 fellow technology lovers over at Facebook.

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Supermicro 7047AX-TRF/72RF SuperWorkstation Preview https://www.kitguru.net/professional/workstation/james-morris/supermicro-7047ax-trf72rf-superworkstation-preview/ https://www.kitguru.net/professional/workstation/james-morris/supermicro-7047ax-trf72rf-superworkstation-preview/#comments Tue, 21 Jan 2014 11:20:54 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=155934 At KitGuru we are used to analysing the very first products in each new line-up. By and large, they come into the KitGuru Lab in the same way that they would off the shelf when one of our readers makes a purchase later. Today we have a very unusual first look at a product. It …

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At KitGuru we are used to analysing the very first products in each new line-up. By and large, they come into the KitGuru Lab in the same way that they would off the shelf when one of our readers makes a purchase later. Today we have a very unusual first look at a product. It has been finalised, but there's no way to know how it will be configured for a customer – as SuperMicro can customise almost every aspect of a server.

A few years ago, the consumer and workstation ranges from Intel were released at similar times, as they were based on variants of the same core architecture. While the Core and Xeon ranges do still benefit from parallel core developments, the release dates are now far apart.

As a result, the Xeon processors based on Intel's Ivy Bridge architecture are only just arriving, whilst the mobile and desktop platforms have been transitioning over to Intel's Haswell for a few months now.

Our first taste of the new Ivy Bridge workstation and server processor comes from one of the heavyweights of server and workstation hardware – Supermicro. As a manufacturer of both motherboards and chassis, Supermicro is in a position to provide a more integrated solution than some of its competitors, at least in theory.

The Supermicro 7047AX-TRF/72RF SuperWorkstation comes in a chassis that can be deployed either as a pedestal tower, or as a 4U rack mounted unit, which could be handy if you plan on using a bunch of them in a render farm, or need a transportable system built into a cabinet flight case. However, the processors inside this chassis are the main stars of the show.

Supermicro 7047AX-TRF/72RF SuperWorkstation comes in an absolutely bullet-proof chassis.

.System Specification

Case: Supermicro CSE-747TG-R1K28B-SQ 4U rack mountable tower.
Power Supply: 1280W Redundant High-efficiency Digital Power Supplies w/ PMBus 1.2.
CPU: Dual Intel® Xeon® Processor E5-2687W v2 3.40GHz @ 3.536GHz Ivy Bridge-EP CPUs.
Motherboard: Super X9DAX-iF (Socket R LGA 2011) Motherboard.
Cooler: Passive.
RAM: 64GB DDR3 1600MHz ECC REG RoHS (8x 8GB).
Hard Drive: 2TB Western Digital 7,200rpm hard disk.
Graphics Card: AMD FirePro W5000 2048MB Graphics Card.
Sound: Stereo.
Optical Drive: 24x DVD+/-RW SATA Drive.

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Supermicro Ready To Go with nVidia Grid solutions https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/jules/supermicro-ready-to-go-with-nvidia-grid-solutions/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/jules/supermicro-ready-to-go-with-nvidia-grid-solutions/#respond Wed, 30 Oct 2013 12:44:20 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=159877 Comparing the parallel computing performance of a graphic card to a CPU is like comparing the shoe-wearing ability of a centipede to a human. While the applications and environments around the GPU don't always allow it to maximise throughput, there is enough processing power under the bonnet to let it rip through some tasks in …

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Comparing the parallel computing performance of a graphic card to a CPU is like comparing the shoe-wearing ability of a centipede to a human. While the applications and environments around the GPU don't always allow it to maximise throughput, there is enough processing power under the bonnet to let it rip through some tasks in a way that CPUs may never be able to manage. KitGuru parses a new update from Supermicro and ponders the significance.

Earlier today, Supermicro UK announced that the latest addition to its Ready To Go (RTG) server range was a family of products based on nVidia's Grid Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI).

In the past, applications like autoCAD, Bunkspeed, PTC Creo, Synerscope and Insight Earth would run on a local machine for one person. Now these applications can be virtualised and run remotely – without losing responsiveness or any of the multimedia experience.

Miodrag Relic, head of marketing for Supermicro in the UK, updated us to say “As our Ready To Go range continues to evolve, the addition of VDI servers with nVidia Grid shows we are delivering leading edge technologies to the market well ahead of the curve”.

For the right kind of task, the set up proposed by Supermicro seems very appealing. More appealing is the price that Supermicro is making available around the launch.

Faheem Karim, Head of Sales at Supermicro UK told us, “With 50% off as an introductory offer, customers wanting to run a proof of concept with nVidia's Grid solution will not find a better time to access VDI”.

To understand the way nVidia's solution is being positioned and to which markets, it's probably best to speak with VP Walter Mundt-Blum.  He said “Grid gives users of virtualised desktops the performance, stability and compatibility of hardware-accelerated graphics. Remote users involved in everything from product design to manufacturing to supply chain management can now enjoy the benefits of desktop and application virtualisation with nVidia Grid technology”.

Sure, Grid will be available from a number of suppliers, but Supermicro's Relic was keen to point out that his RTG systems come with a comprehensive SLA (Service Level Agreement) that includes next day delivery and enhanced warranty services as standard. Nice to know that if you hit an issue, it can be resolved quickly and efficiently – especially when you're spending the big bucks.

KitGuru gaming enthusiasts (and we know you're one of them!), will also be glad to know that Grid has other applications in the online space, including cloud gaming technology. Right now, we all stream video etc to our compute-enabled devices, well with Grid, you will also be able to play 3D games where the core runs remotely – each frame being encoded and transmitted in real time. Nice.

Supermicro Grid solutions include Ready To Go models RZ-1240i-NVK1 and RZ-1240i-NVK2, which means:-

  • Support for Ivy Bridge Xeon E5-2600 v2 CPUs
  • 1U form factor with optimised thermals
  • Compatibility with virtualisation solutions from Citrix, Microsoft and VMware
  • 1800W Redundant Power Supplies designed to run at significantly higher efficiencies of up to 94+, which Supermicro claims will reduce energy loss and the total cost of ownership
  • Internal optimisation for additional power saving
  • The special 50% off promotion seems to run from 28th October for 50 days

For more technical and contact information, you can check this page.

Despite appearances, Supermicro marketing guru, Miodrag Relic, is really happy with the power being delivered by his company's nVidia Grid-based solutions
Despite appearances, Supermicro marketing guru Miodrag Relic, is really happy with the power being delivered by his company's nVidia Grid-based solutions. And the fact that they are ‘Ready To Go'

.
KitGuru says: The UK's National House Building Council recently used nVidia's Grid technology to completely revamp their IT infrastructure – including virtualisation to allow 500 workers from across the country to work in a flexible, seamless way. If this is the kind of solution you have been considering – then it's hard to ignore a 50% price cut on key hardware.

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