First Generation Optane Pmem w/ 3rd generation Xeon?

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ylwrocket

New Member
May 1, 2021
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I was trying to get an answer to if first gen Optane (rebranded to Series 100 by intel) will work with the new 3 series motherboards and Xeons. I cannot find an answer anywhere that seems definitive, even calling support at Intel. It was very clear that tech just read me the compatible processor list, but in a way that left me very unsure if his answer was correct or if Intel just didn't bother to update their compatibility list.

Has anyone tried running the old Pmem on a new server? Both Series 100 and 200 Optane claim to be same interface, but if it is true that the Optane isn't compatible this was a bit of a rough purchase given it lasted one generation. An ideal result would be it just runs at the slower Series 100 speed but works.

If anyone has a Gen3 setup in the NoVa area I have Gen 1 Pmem and would be willing to try it out if you are.
 

NateS

Active Member
Apr 19, 2021
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Sacramento, CA, US
I'm 95% sure it'll work. If you look at old Intel roadmaps, Ice Lake (now launched as part of 3rd Gen) was originally due out years ago, before 200 series Optane Pmem existed, but it was very late because 10nm was very late.

If you want 100% certainty, I can ask around at work tomorrow -- I work for Intel on Optane, though I'm on the SSD side rather than the Pmem side, so I don't know for sure off the top of my head. But I can find out, and also pass the word along to marketing folks to update their compatibility lists.
 

ylwrocket

New Member
May 1, 2021
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Nate, hugely appreciate you asking. The frontline tech was just reading what I could read online, but I also "feel" it should work, just hasn't been certified and not desired from a selling of pmem point of view.

If it does work, let's keep it to ourselves on this forum for 2 months as I want to buy 100TB of the pmem on ebay....
 

NateS

Active Member
Apr 19, 2021
159
91
28
Sacramento, CA, US
So, I haven't been able to find a definitive answer, but I'm much less confident than before that it'll work. I haven't been able to find any internal documents showing anyone has tried it, and very likely there's a reason for that. If I get a for sure yes/no, I'll report back, but so far it's looking like probably not.