Upgrading; 7700k kit vs 11600KF kit - unraid compatibility? No igpu? What happens if GPU is 100% utilized by VM (it's passthrough to the VM) - AND a plex docker wants to use 10-25% of total performance for a transcode? Gen4 nvme m2 - pool or vm drive?

[hellasus0001]

I basically have 2 ATX size computers, one is already an unraid server, but I want to add two GPU's for passthrough to VM's (don't currently run any) and I have two sets of hardware.
I want to have 1 server, and 1 client (my macbook m1, accessing VMs remotely and on LAN to the VM for 3ds work and sometimes play games and use discord with friends)

The rest will be sold, since it's wasting away for me to have 2 computers if 1 can do the job.

 

I would prefer to upgrade since it's a fair upgrade except for 1 thing I need to know:
What happens when a VM is using 100% of the passthrough GPU, to say render some 3dsmax file - and plex starts transcoding a 4k 80mb/s bitrate movie - the only hardware able to transcode this is the RTX card. What happens when there is no igpu or secondary gpu good enough for the transcode; and both a docker and the VM is trying to use the gpu?

This is the main question in terms of keeping the i7 or using the improved kit in all other ways with the i5 below.

Storage situation

• 4xironwolf 4tb disks, 1 of which is parity.
• No pool/cache disk today.
• Slots for 5+ more 3,5" disks in the case.
• Would you waste a slot on a 1tb 2,5" WD blue drive for long term storage (might not want it in the array - it will be sigificantly slower and more prone to dying early than any other drive, rather i would mount it alone and have it used for storing more valuable data and then sync it to a onedrive 1tb cloud account - is that a good use of it, and is it worth having it for a place to drop important things i want uploaded in the cloud drive in that single share? It's barely worth selling it, nobody wants it really, and it's brand new, return shipping was too expensive so I kept it - and this is the only use I can think of - if it dies all data will be synced with the cloud, unlikely to just die while syncing, at least?
• 2x m2 slots for ssd pool/&/or vm drive, if I change to the i5 kit I would likely buy a Kingston 1TB 7,300/6,000MB/s /w up to 900K/1M IOPS?

Is it worth using this as a pool drive & should i use my second m2 intel 660p 512gb with 1500/1000 MB/s /w 90K/220K IOPS - for the Win11 VM? Or is the performance negligible if I had the VM on the much faster gen4 pool drive, OOOR should I use the gen4 for Win11 and 512gb for pool/dockers etc? Will I actually notice a difference in either of these situations, should I use both as pool, and use the 512gb drive for less important things, VMs and dockers on the faster disk? appdata too? temp downloads on the 512gb drive or idk, what would you do?

Dedicated GPU & items being installed with either setup:

• GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER™ GAMING X TRIO - I want it to be passthrough to a win11 VM for max performance, as well as CPU passthrough. At least 16gb ram, maybe more? How much would you give it if you had 32gb? The server will be used less intensely while I'm running the VM generally, so how much would you need to save for unraid and the dockers to not crash and burn?

• GT 710 (thought it could be useful for osx vm's to play around, but will the 1gb support the latest macos 12 - if not, i might not install it unless theres other reasons to have it installed?)

 

**Current unraid hardware:**

• i7 7700k (igpu intel 630 - (H.265) 10 bit 4:2:0 codec supported)
• 4 cores, 8 threads /w 256kb L2 cache per core, shared 8mb L3 cache.  - 4,2ghz, 4,5ghz turbo
• 32gb ram mixed 2133mhz or something, max 2400mhz
• Realtek RTL8111H Ethernet
• 4 sata ports (needs sata pcie card to add any more 3,5" drives)
• No dedicated GPU

 

**Newer hardware I want to use if possible **

• i5 11600kf - no igpu.
• 6 cores, 12 threads, 512kb of L2 cache per core, 12mb shared L3 cache, 3.9ghz /w turbo to 4.9ghz.
• Intel AVX-512 literally twice as good as the i7's version (avx-2)?
• Supports 128gb ddr4, currently own 32gb 3200mhz.
• Supports PCIE gen4 x4 m.2 on one slot, gen3 on the second.
• 6 sata ports. 2 available before needing pcie card.
• Intel I219-V Ethernet

 

 

Quote

"The AVX-512 instruction set increases the size of a CPU's register to enhance its performance. This boost in performance enables CPUs to crunch numbers faster, allowing users to run video/audio compression algorithms at faster speeds."

 

Is there any compability issues with the newer hardware, or the ethernet connection? Does unraid, docker, vm's etc utilize AVX-512? It seems pretty good on paper anyway.. 

 

Is it worth to get more than 32gb ram for intended use? (I'd have to sell the current sticks and get sticks with higher ram per slot to upgrade, but if it's worth it to run the VM better + dockers, I would consider getting 64gb)

 

Is it very bad to lose the igpu 630 HD? Maybe. Hopefully not? If there's issues when my win11 VM uses 100% gpu power for something & docker app wants to use like 10-25% of its power for a transcoding job?

If it's not a big deal, and the i5 hardware is compatible overall - then it's obvious to me that I'll change it.

 

What's your advice on any or several on my choices?

 

Thanks in advance

Edited September 21, 2022 by hellasus0001
added question about 2,5" drive use case

[hellasus0001]

Seems that the VM + docker using the same card at once is impossible. GTX 1660 is the cheapest alternative, possibly quadro 620, both of which costs almost as much as a new CPU, the i5 11600K with igpu has an Intel UHD Graphics 750, i dont know what the i5 11600kf could be worth 2nd hand, but the difference is basically so low i might as well sell it and buy a new 11600K with the 750 UHD - which is enough for any plex transcoding.

 

Still curious what you guys think about 32gb ram; how much could i give the VM for best performance possible when im working? Would you buy a gen4 ssd or just keep the 600p + 660p (both 512gb) or get one gen4 for that high performance pool disk / would you dedicate one m2 for the VM, or keep it unassigned and use it as storage for the VM?

 

I am not happy that a 20 dollar mistake a year ago will cost me a lot to upgrade today, but it is how it is

[hellasus0001]

Installed the i5 11600kf, no power limits and 3000mhz ram, 2x ssd nvme, 4 ironwolf 4tb, one 2,5" 1tb WD blue  - and the RTX 2070 super. I installed 7 fans total. overkill? Maybe two could be removed - and I had to, and I had to change GPU to gt710 only, and disconnect one nvme on a PCIe card. That's when the PC could boot at all.

Wtf? I thought that a Seasonic Focus GX 750W 80+Gold Semi-passive (Bought 2020-03-23) would handle my current hardware and at least more than 5 drives?! I have enough space for 10 (!!) More 3,5" and am planning to gradually fill up the array, as a student i can't spend too much so the idea was to get almost new drives for good deals over time ..

 

 

Now I don't know what to do, am I gonna be forced to sell my psu for one with better 12v rails for the 15 eventual drives I could fit? And enough for an RTX 2070super, i5 taking 65-120w (I bought an 11400 with UHD 730 for transcoding, its rated 65w tdp but MB unlocks it to use around 100-120w at most, slightly less than 11600kf but thats probably not the issue because the computer literally does not start without me disconnecting several fans and removed GPU completely to use GT710??? And it's still on the edge of booting or not pretty much!

 

What the hell am I supposed to do?

Please help me 🙏

I need someone's knowledge on what psu will handle more drives at boot and the hardware sometimes being used close to the max capacity.

(Gaming and rendering VM)

 

Is 15 drives so unrealistic? What's your advice? I can't afford to downgrade the XL big tower with ATX card and keep my massive GPU - it's simply too expensive to sell my things and buy bigger drives, I am already spending beyond my budget if I replace PSU - but I will if it enables me to run at least 10-15 drives.

 

The only other option is to keep two computers - one with i7 7700k and RTX 2070super and 32gb ram at 2400mhz - on a Corsair cx 500 psu and one 512gb 660p nvme.

And one with an i5 11400 with 1tb gen4 pool nvme and drives only.  It would be possible with current hardware I own, but I wouldn't get 170e for selling the i7+ram+mb+cooler, or 50e for that case. I would ofc not need to sell the good psu yet (?) And only have spent 130e on the 1tb pool nvme.

 

Advice? Keep two computers or use one with better psu?