128GB Intel Optane Memory sold as DDR4 ECC

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RageBone

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Jul 11, 2017
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Let this be a Warning to all who might think that this is ddr4, it is NOT, and it won't currently work in place of DDR4.
This is actual Intel Optane DC Persistent Memory, that is sampling since mid 2018 to select Intel customers.
Intel 128GB DDR4 288-pin Server Ram ES Engineering Sample *RARE* | eBay

Here is the STH article:
https://www.servethehome.com/intel-optane-dc-persistent-memory-sampling-today-revenue-delivery-2018/

In total there are two dimms listed by that seller, and in total those are the fourth and fifth dimms to be ever sold on ebay.
Prices were around 190$ 90$ and 180$.
Though I have to say that those 3 where from a different seller, so this is the first time this seller is selling any of these.

Good Luck!
 

wildpig1234

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Aug 22, 2016
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so you need a MB supporting it as well as wasting a slot that could have use a regular ddr4 dimm?

I think the specs of these are about as fast as ddr3?
 

RageBone

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@wildpig1234
Yes, you need platform support. Officially, that is cascadeLake in 2019.
And specs aren't jet known, since only select customers are able to buy these under NDA.
And in terms of wasting a dimm- slot, well 128GB is the smallest, so for a bit performance penalty, you get much more capacity and Non-Volatility.
 

DanP

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Jan 8, 2016
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Actually my Skylake S2600STB (Intel® Server Board S2600STB Product Specifications) supports optane memory and has dedicated slots for it... so if they are not too expensive I might give them a whirl. But since we are STHing that auction I think it will get too expensive;)
No, that board is like all the consumer / desktop boards that use the M.2 Optane's as cache for spinning disks / other storage cache. What is talked about above is a new setup that uses optane DIMM's as memory, so 2+TB of memory is possible (not quite as fast as real ddr4 but is kind of neat).
 

Patrick

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Hey guys... just as a FYI I am going to try grabbing these. Odds are I will have something to put it in very soon and the BIOS that will support them if they work as well.

I do know that some of the Optane DIMMs early firmware burned out very quickly so I am going to see if I can find somewhere to test these next week at a vendor site.
 

Rand__

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Mar 6, 2014
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No, that board is like all the consumer / desktop boards that use the M.2 Optane's as cache for spinning disks / other storage cache. What is talked about above is a new setup that uses optane DIMM's as memory, so 2+TB of memory is possible (not quite as fast as real ddr4 but is kind of neat).
Hm I am not sure whether you are correct or I am. There is a fourth slot for all memory blocks (3 channel based) and I thought to remember that I had identified the fourth as being for persistent memory, but o/c now I can't seem to find it, its not in the manual...
 

RageBone

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Jul 11, 2017
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@Patrick since you didn't answer my message, mine is currently on the way to someone else but depending on a few things, we might be able to arrange something.
Any more info on the burnout problem? Like firmware revision etc?

@Rand__
I assume those black slots are simply a leftover from the 8slot 4channel times and those are simply 2slots on one channel, and not officially for optane.

Especially since they keep all board features identical between generations to keep a clear upgrade path. So it has to have 8 dimm slots, even on 6channels.

@wildpig1234
Could be.
But don't you want everything to be in a non volatile RamDisk? Would be way faster then any reasonable m.2 raid.

Its all about daaa boooot times maaan.
 
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MiniKnight

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This discussion has gotten far from reality.

All motherboards won't support Optane.

You are going to need Cascade Lake. You'll also need a high-end part like a Xeon Platinum, maybe an "M" type CPU too in order to use these DIMMs. That's IF your firmware recognizes the ES DIMMs and we all know how picky boards are with RAM and how ES CPU's don't even work in all motherboards.

I know everyone wants them, but these aren't just plug them in and they'll work assuming they aren't duds. They're not like SSDs.

Our big server co rep told us one of our platforms won't support Optane DIMMs. He also said we should expect to spend in the platinum range for CPUs and we can't use the DIMMs in our Skylake servers.
 

RageBone

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@MiniKnight
How has this moved away from reality?
We managed to clear up Rand_ ers assumption that the black slots are specifically for optane, and he did some research and backed off and beat the "urge".

And Patrick has "claimed" them already, so yea.
Topic closed?
 

Patrick

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Busy day today.

On the burnout, OPM has limited write endurance. Optane as standard storage in a NVMe SSD has significantly more endurance than NAND. Compared to memory, and where the memory sits in the chain, it can be the target of fast write operations that wear out the media.

I do not think I "claimed" it. More like I was stating that STH's team would win the auction (we did.) We drove the price up a lot on this one.

@Rand__ the Optane Memory Support is really poor branding by Intel. That is the name for Intel NVMe Optane caching for other SSDs/ hard drives using Intel RST. You need "Intel Optane DC Persistent Memory" support for this to work. That means you will need Cascade Lake or a blessing from Intel to get a Skylake-SP system to work. The 8x DIMMs can also be used in 2x DRAM + 6x OPM support mode.

Somewhat risky, but I will see if we can get these working.
 
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wildpig1234

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Aug 22, 2016
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sold for $282... i guess a lot of people watching it and knew what it was.... That's a lot of $$ for a non working or part ..lol... also a lot of people taking chance with hundreds $? i only put in a sniper bid of $30...lol
 

T_Minus

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Feb 15, 2015
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sold for $282... i guess a lot of people watching it and knew what it was.... That's a lot of $$ for a non working or part ..lol... also a lot of people taking chance with hundreds $? i only put in a sniper bid of $30...lol
Really?

Read the post before yours it has why it went up...
 

Patrick

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OK well I now have 8 more inbound for a total of 9.

It just so happens I have a meeting Monday to discuss Cascade Lake test plan for 2019.