First server - need advice

[joe8232]

Hi all,

I'm very new to the world of servers so I hope this question isn't too basic. I did do some searching but I apologize if this question has been answered elsewhere.

I am looking to purchase a dual processor 2U server that I intend to use as a workstation to run CPU intensive codes under Ubuntu. Having done some research, it looks like the Gigabyte R282-Z93 should be suitable. It needs to live in a rack because I want to attach it via a 10 GB network to my Synology NAS and our IT prefer rack mounts to workstation towers.

I would likely spec it with 2 32 core 7002 CPUs and 128 GB RAM (64 GB per processor). My question is actually about GPUs. I would like to VNC into the server and also ssh through the terminal. For VNC/ Remote desktop I'm assuming I would need a GPU since (I think) AMD Eypc doesn't have onboard graphics.

I'm confused about the type of GPUs I can use in a server like this. Can I use a standard gaming style GPU like a 2080? This would have the advantage of not costing a crazy amount of money like a Tesla, but also does have CUDA capabilities should I wish to experiment with that in the future. I'm confused about whether double height cards can fit (presumably sideways) in 2U enclosures and how the power delivery works - do the chassis typically come with 8 pin power adapters for example?

Thanks so much and I apologize for the basic nature of the question!

 

[BlueFox]

The main problem with using consumer cards on chassis like that is power plug orientation. Server/workstation GPUs tend to have the plugs on the rear and consumer ones on the top, which means they often don't fit in chassis like this due to the extra clearance requirements. If you only want a single GPU for CUDA, looks like a consumer one will fit on the right side of the chassis without issue. Not sure about the other two positions.

You actually will not need a separate GPU however. The motherboard has a basic GPU integrated (like nearly all servers boards) using the common AST2500 chip (which also provides IPMI functionality).

 

[joe8232]

You actually will not need a separate GPU however. The motherboard has a basic GPU integrated (like nearly all servers boards) using the common AST2500 chip (which also provides IPMI functionality).

Thank you so much for this information! That makes a lot of sense about the positioning of the plugs. This really helps me though because I didn't want to invest in a high-end GPU at the moment since my research doesn't need it, but I didn't preclude the option of it in the future.