ANSYS FLUENT Performance Comparison: AMD Opteron vs. Intel XEON

Categories:

AMD Opteron 6308 & INTEL XEON e5-2690 Comparison using ANSYS FLUENT 14.5.7

Note: The information and data contained in this article was complied and generated on September 12, 2013 by PADT, Inc. on CUBE HVPC hardware using FLUEN 14.5.7.  Please remember that hardware and software change with new releases and you should always try to run your own benchmarks, on your own typical problems, to understand how performance will impact you.

A potential customer of ours was interested in a CUBE HVPC mini-cluster. They requested that I run benchmarks and garner some data on a two CPU’s. The CPU’s were benchmarked on two of our CUBE HVPC systems. One mini-cluster has dual INTEL® XEON e5-2690 CPU’s and another mini-cluster has quad AMD® Opteron 8308 CPU’s. The benchmarking was only run on a single server using a total of 16 cores on each machine. The same DDR3-1600 ECC Reg RAM, Supermicro LSI 2208 RAID Controller and Hitachi SAS2 15k RPM hard drives were used on each system.

clip_image002clip_image004clip_image006clip_image008

CUBE HVPC Test configurations:

Server 1: CUBE HVPC c16
  • CPU: 4, AMD Opteron 6308 @ 3.5GHz (Quad Core)
  • Memory: 256GB (32x8G) DDR3-1600 ECC Reg. RAM (1600MHz)
  • Hardware RAID Controller: Supermicro AOC-S2208L-H8iR 6Gbps, PCI-e x 8 Gen3
  • Hard Drives: Supermicro HDD-A0600-HUS156060VLS60 – Hitachi 600G SAS2.0 15K RPM 3.5″
  • OS: Linux 64-bit / Kernel 2.6.32-358.18.1.e16.x86_64
  • App: ANSYS FLUENT 14.5.7
  • MPI: Platform MPI
  • HCA: SMC AOC-UIBQ-M2 – QDR Infiniband
    • The IB card installed however solves were run distributed locally
  • Stack: RDMA 3.6-1.el6
  • Switch: MELLANOX IS5023 Non-Blocking 18-port switch
Server 2: CUBE HVPC c16i
  • CPU: 2, INTEL XEON e5-2690 @ 2.9GHz (Octa Core)
  • Memory: 128GB (16x8G) DDR3-1600 ECC Reg. RAM (1600MHz)
  • RAID Controller: Supermicro AOC-S2208L-H8iR 6Gbps, PCI-e x 8 Gen3
  • Hard Drives: Supermicro HDD-A0600-HUS156060VLS60 – Hitachi 600G SAS2.0 15K RPM 3.5″
  • OS: Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
  • App: ANSYS FLUENT 14.5.7
  • MPI: Platform MPI

ANSYS FLUENT 14.6.7 Performance using the ANSYS FLUENT Benchmark suite provided by ANSYS, Inc.

The models we used can be downloaded from the ANSYS Fluent Benchmark page link: http://www.ansys.com/Support/Platform+Support/Benchmarks+Overview/ANSYS+Fluent+Benchmarks

Release ANSYS FLUENT 14.5.7 Test Cases  (20 Iterations each):
  • Reacting Flow with Eddy Dissipation Model (eddy_417k)
  • Single-stage Turbomachinery Flow (turbo_500k)
  • External Flow Over an Aircraft Wing (aircraft_2m)
  • External Flow Over a Passenger Sedan (sedan_4m)
  • External Flow Over a Truck Body with a Polyhedral Mesh (truck_poly_14m)
  • External Flow Over a Truck Body 14m (truck_14m)
Chart 1: Total Wall Clock Time in seconds: (smaller bar is better)

clip_image011

Chart 2: Average wall-clock time per iteration in seconds: (smaller bar is better)

clip_image015

 

Summary:

Are you sure?

That was the question Eric proposed to me after he reviewed the data and read this blog article before posting. I told him “yes I am sure data is data, and I even triple checked.” I basically re-ran several of the benchmarks to see if the solve times came out the same on these two CUBE HVPC workstations. I went on to tell Eric , “For example, lets dig into the data for the External Flow Over a Truck Body with a Polyhedral Mesh (truck_poly_14m) benchmark and see what we find.”

Quad socket Supermicro motherboard

4 x 4c AMD Opteron 6308 @3.5GHz

Dual socket Supermicro motherboard

2 x 8c INTEL e5-2690 @2.9GHz

clip_image002[1] clip_image004[1]

The INTEL XEON e5-2690 INTEL CPU dual socket motherboard is impressive; it may have been on the Top500 list of some of the fastest computers in the world ten years ago. Anyways, so after each solve I captured the solve data and as you can see below. The AMD Opteron wall clock time was faster than the INTEL XEON wall clock time.

So why did the AMD Opteron 6308 CPU pull away from the INTEL for the ANSYS FLUENT solve times? Lets take a look at couple of reasons why this happened. I will let you make your own conclusions.

  • Clock Speed, but would a 10.4GHz difference in total CPU speed make a 100% speedup in ANSYS Fluent wall-clock times?
  • Theoretical total of:
  • AMD® OPTERON 6308 = 16 x 3.5GHz = 56.0 GH
  • INTEL® XEON e5-2690 = 16 x 2.9GHz – 46.4 GHz
  • The floating point argument? The tic and tock of the great CPU saga continues.
  • At this moment in eternity, it is a known fact that the AMD Opteron 6308 and many of its brothers, have one floating point unit per two integer cores. INTEL has one integer core per one floating point core. However what this means to ANSYS CFD users in my MIS/IT simpleton terms is the AMD CPU was simply able to handle and process more data in this example.
  • It’s possible that there were more integer calculations required than floating point? If that is the case then the AMD CPU would have had eight pipelines for integer calculations. The AMD Opteron is able to process four floating point pipelines. While the INTEL CPU can process eight floating point pipelines.

Let us look at the details of what is on the motherboards as well.  4 data paths vs 2 can make a difference:

Dual socket Supermicro motherboard

2 x 8c INTEL e5-2690 @2.9GHz

Quad socket Supermicro motherboard

4 x 4c AMD Opteron 6308 @3.5GHz

Processor Technology 32-Naometer 32-Naometer SOI (silicon-on-insulator) technology
HyperTransport™ Technology Links

Quick Path Interconnect Links

Two links at up to 8GT/s per link up to 16 GB/s direction peak bandwidth per port Four x16 links at up to 6.4GT/s per link
Memory Integrated DDR3 memory controller – Up to 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth per socket
Number of Channels and Types of Memory Four links at up to 51.2GB/s per link Four x16 links at up to 6.4GT/s per link
Number of Channels and Types of Memory Quad channel support Quad channel support
Packaging LGA2011-0 Socket G34 – 1944-pin organic Land Grid Array (LGA)
Current pricing of the CPU’s

Here is the up to the minute pricing for each CPU’s. I took these prices off of NewEgg and IngramMicro’s website. The date of the monetary values was captured on September 12, 2013.

  • AMD Opteron 6308 Abu Dhabi 3.5GHz 4MB L2 Cache 16MB L3 Cache Socket G34 115W Quad-Core Server Processor OS6308WKT4GHKWOF
    • $499.99 x 4 = $1999.96
  • Intel Xeon E5-2690 2.90 GHz Processor – Socket LGA-2011, L2 Cache 2MB, L3 Cache 20 MB, 8 GT/s QPI,
    • $2010.02 x 2 = $4020.40

STEP OUT OF THE BOX,
STEP INTO A CUBE

PADT offers a line of high performance computing (HPC) systems specifically designed for CFD and FEA number crunching aimed at a balance between cost and performance. We call this concept High Value Performance Computing, or HVPC. These systems have allowed PADT and our customers to carry out larger simulations, with greater accuracy, in less time, at a lower cost than name-brand solutions. This leaves you more cash to buy more hardware or software.

Let CUBE HVPC by PADT, Inc. quote you a configuration today!

Categories

Certified Elite Channel Partner

Get Your Ansys Products & Support from the Engineers who Contribute to this Blog.

Product Development
Platinum Partner

Technical Expertise to Enable your Addictive Manufacturing Success.

PADT’s Pulse Newsletter

Keep up to date on what is going on at PADT by subscribing to our newsletter.


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Phoenix Analysis and Design Technologies, 7755 S. Research Dr., Tempe, AZ, 85284, https://www.padtinc.com. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact

Share this post:

Upcoming Events

03/29/2023

8th Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference

03/29/2023

Structural Updates in Ansys 2023 R1 - Composites, Fracture & MAPDL

03/28/2023

8th Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference

03/27/2023

8th Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference

03/26/2023

8TH Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference

03/24/2023

Arizona BioPreneur Conference | Spring 2023

03/22/2023

2023 Arizona MedTech Conference

03/22/2023

Optimize Jigs & Fixtures with Additive - Webinar

03/15/2023

3D Design Updates in Ansys 2023 R1 - Webinar

03/08/2023

Competitive Advantages of 1D/3D Coupled Simulation - Webinar

03/01/2023

High Frequency Updates in Ansys 2023 R1 - Webinar

02/22/2023

Additive Advantages in Aerospace - Webinar

02/15/2023

Structural Updates in Ansys 2023 R1 (1) - Webinar

02/09/2023

IME 2023: MD&M | WestPack | ATX | D&M | Plastek

02/08/2023

IME 2023 MD&M | WestPack | ATX | D&M | Plastek

02/07/2023

IME 2023 MD&M | WestPack | ATX | D&M | Plastek

01/27/2023

Arizona Photonics Days, 2023

01/26/2023

Arizona Photonics Days, 2023

01/26/2023

TIPE 3D Printing | 2023

01/26/2023

Venture Cafe Phoenix Talent Night - Job Fari

01/26/2023

VFS 2023 Autonomous/Electric VTOL Symposium

01/25/2023

Arizona Photonics Days, 2023

01/25/2023

Building A.M.- Utah: Kickoff!

01/25/2023

TIPE 3D Printing | 2023

01/25/2023

VFS 2023 Autonomous/Electric VTOL Symposium

01/24/2023

VFS 2023 Autonomous/Electric VTOL Symposium

01/24/2023

TIPE 3D Printing | 2023

01/18/2023

2023 AZ Tech Council Golf Tournament

12/21/2022

Simulation Best Practices for 5G Technology - Webinar

12/14/2022

Digital Twins Updates in Ansys 2022 R2 - Webinar

12/08/2022

Tech the Halls - AZ Tech Council Holiday Mixer

12/07/2022

Electric Vehicle and Other Infrastructure Update Panel

11/30/2022

SPEOS Updates in Ansys 2022 R2 - Webinar

11/23/2022

Simulation Best Practices for Electronics Reliability - Webinar

11/16/2022

Discovery Updates in Ansys 2022 R2

11/10/2022

VentureCafe Phoenix Panel: Venture Capital in AZ

11/08/2022

2022 GOVERNOR’S CELEBRATION OF INNOVATION AWARDS + TECH SHOWCASE

11/03/2022

VentureCafe Phoenix Panel: Angel Investment in AZ

11/02/2022

High & Low Frequency Electromagnetics Updates in Ansys 2022 R2

10/26/2022

Simulation Best Practices For Chip-Package-System Design & Development

10/20/2022

Nerdtoberfest 2022

10/19/2022

2022 Southern Arizona Tech + Business Expo

10/19/2022

LS-DYNA Updates in Ansys 2022 R2 - Webinar

10/17/2022

Experience Stratasys Truck Tour - Clearfield Utah

10/14/2022

ASU School of Manufacturing Systems and Networks - Formal Opening Cele

10/14/2022

Experience Stratasys Truck Tour - Midvale Utah

10/12/2022

Experience Stratasys Truck Tour - Littleton Colorado

10/06/2022

Fluids Updates in Ansys 2022 R2 - Webinar

10/05/2022

Experience Stratasys Truck Tour - Colorado Springs

09/29/2022

White Hat Life Science Investor Conference - 2022

09/28/2022

2022 AZBio Awards

09/28/2022

Simulation Best Practices for Rotating Machinery Design & Development

09/21/2022

ExperienceIT NM 2022

09/21/2022

Additive Updates in Ansys 2022 R2 - Webinar

09/14/2022

Rocky Mountain Life Sciences Investor & Partnering Conference

09/08/2022

Ansys Optics Simulation User Group Meeting - Virtual

09/08/2022

Ansys Optics Simulation User Group Meeting

09/07/2022

SI & PI Updates in Ansys 2022 R2 - Webinar

08/31/2022

Simulation Best Practices for Developing Medical Devices - Webinar

08/24/2022

Mechanical Updates in Ansys 2022 R2 - Webinar

08/10/2022

Tucson after5 Tech Mixer: Ruda-Cardinal

08/05/2022

Flagstaff Tech Tour, 2022

08/02/2022

2022 CEO Leadership Retreat

08/01/2022

2022 CEO Leadership Retreat

07/27/2022

Thermal Integrity Updates in Ansys 2022 R1 - Webinar

07/20/2022

Simulation Best Practices for the Pharmaceutical Industry - Webinar

07/14/2022

NCMS Technology Showcase: Corpus Christi Army Depot

07/13/2022

NCMS Technology Showcase: Corpus Christi Army Depot

07/13/2022

Additive & Structural Optimization Updates in Ansys 2022 R1 - Webinar

07/07/2022

Arizona AADM Conference, 2022

06/29/2022

LS-DYNA Updates & Advancements in Ansys 2022 R1 - Webinar

06/23/2022

Simulation Best Practices for Wind Turbine Design - Webinar

06/15/2022

MAPDL Updates & Advancements in Ansys 2022 R1 - Webinar

06/01/2022

Mechanical Updates in Ansys 2022 R1 - pt. 2 Webinar

05/26/2022

Modelling liquid cryogenic rocket engines in Flownex - Webinar

05/25/2022

SMR & Advanced Reactor 2022

05/25/2022

05/24/2022

SMR & Advanced Reactor 2022

05/19/2022

RAPID + tct 2022

05/19/2022

Venture Cafe Roundtable: AI & Healthcare

05/18/2022

Tucson after5 Tech Mixer: World View

05/18/2022

RAPID + tct 2022

More Info

05/18/2022

Signal & Power Integrity Updates in Ansys 2022 R1 - Webinar

05/18/2022

Simulation World 2022

05/17/2022

RAPID + tct 2022

05/11/2022

Experience Stratasys Manufacturing Virtual Event

05/04/2022

Mechanical Meshing Updates in Ansys 2022 R1 - Webinar

04/27/2022

04/22/2022

12TH ANNUAL TUCSON GOLF TOURNAMENT

04/21/2022

04/20/2022

Additional Fluids Updates in Ansys 2022 R1

04/20/2022

Experience Stratasys Tour – Tempe Arizona

04/18/2022

Experience Stratasys Tour - Flagstaff Arizona

04/14/2022

D&M West | MD&M West

04/13/2022

D&M West | MD&M West

04/13/2022

Experience Stratasys Tour - Albuquerque New Mexico

04/12/2022

D&M West | MD&M West

04/12/2022

Experience Stratasys Tour - Los Alamos New Mexico

04/12/2022

Optimizing Engineering Workflows f​​​​or Propulsion System Design

Search in PADT site

Contact Us

Most of our customers receive their support over the phone or via email. Customers who are close by can also set up a face-to-face appointment with one of our engineers.

For most locations, simply contact us: