GPU virtualization

[wan59]

we need a AMD 3970X platform to support 5 people to work in the same time(each one has two 2K monitors, using DP fiber link to GPU directly), but the motherboard can only support 4 GPUs, what can we do now? can UNRAID support GPU virtualization? if UNRAID can do that, we only need about two better GPUs(just for lighting the monitors: ). 

[Alphahelix]

Hi wan59

 

If your motherboard have PCIe slots, one option is to use PCIe extenders.

 

But you my have a hard time finding a case to mount them in. But a mining rig could do the trick.

 

/Alphahelix

[wan59]

8 minutes ago, Alphahelix said:

Hi wan59

 

If your motherboard have PCIe slots, one option is to use PCIe extenders.

 

But you my have a hard time finding a case to mount them in. But a mining rig could do the trick.

 

/Alphahelix

but I already asked the sellers, they told me  that the motherboard can only support 4 GPUs, no mather how many extenders I use.

[Alphahelix]

Unless you can be more specific about the setup it is hard to help more. It will be a whole lot if ifs and perhaps.

[wan59]

22 minutes ago, Alphahelix said:

Unless you can be more specific about the setup it is hard to help more. It will be a whole lot if ifs and perhaps.

just like he said‼ it seems that unraid has not achieved it yet ? then intel 6258R*2+1650*10 is my only option at this point  

[thenonsense]

You've got several different options.  Either swap your motherboard to one with 5 slots (I'm not sure one exists) or use PCI bifurcation to split a slot.  I believe this is your best bet.  Now, you'll possibly run into bottlenecks depending on how PCIe 4.0 handles 8 lanes for a GPU (assuming you split a 16x slot) versus video encoding throughput.  If the loss in bandwidth corresponds to a loss in encoding speed, you can tie that to dollars lost per unit time.

I would research PCIe 4.0 bifurcation.  Then of course research what PCIe lanes go to which CCX's on the Zen 2 die (I believe Zen 2 uses uniform access for both memory and PCIe via the IO module on the socket, so this isn't actually. problem).  Split everything so you manage CCX's properly and avoid CPU communication cross-die or cross CCX if possible, and you're gold.