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AXIS Alert
A severe bug has been discovered in Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2008 that may corrupt AXIS Datasets. Please do not run AXIS on the compromised systems before obtaining and installing hotfixes that are now available from Microsoft. Click here for more information.
A Quick Guide to Hardware and Operating Systems
(Revised September 10th 2008)
Advice
Please call Phil Gold (416-250-6777 Ext 224) for up to the minute information or advice, since the situation changes quickly.
What's changed recently
Intel on top - Quad-Cores now dominate
The new Core family of dual-core and quad-core chips from Intel has now supplanted the earlier Pentium IV based processors across desktops, notebooks and servers. High performance has become much more affordable. For those with deep pockets, Intel offers Core 2 Extreme processors for desktops and notebooks. These run at higher speeds than the mainstream processors we normally recommend and are not listed below.
Intel is now moving from a 65 nm process to the more efficient 45 nm process and we recommend these newer chips where available.
AMD have just introduced their third generation Opteron processor and we have tested some in house but we do not find them competitive at this time.
Windows 2000 Support
Starting February 2009, new releases of AXIS will not run on the Windows 2000 Operating System – see Operating Systems below for more information.
.NET Framework and Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable
Starting February 2009, new releases of AXIS will require the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 and Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable to be installed on your computers.
Processors
AXIS makes strong demands on the floating-point capabilities of your processor, so we will always advise you to buy the best floating-point performance you can afford. We recommend Quad-core processors where available so you can take advantage of AXIS Distributed processing.
1. Desktops
Intel Quad Core Chips
They are now available in the 45 nm process and represent outstanding value.
The following chips carry our top desktop recommendation.
- Core 2 Quad Q9650 3.00 GHz 1333 MHz Bus 12 MB
- Core 2 Quad Q9550 2.83 GHz 1333 MHz Bus 12 MB
- Core 2 Quad Q9450 2.66 GHz 1333 MHz Bus 12 MB
Intel Dual-Core Chips
Intel Core 2 Duo desktop chips generally run at higher speeds than the Core 2 Quad chips and they are recommended if you are not using distributed processing. They are now available in the 45 nm process.
The following models are recommended:
- Core 2 Duo E8600 3.33 GHz 1333 MHz Bus 6 MB Cache
- Core 2 Duo E8500 3.16 GHz 1333 MHz Bus 6 MB Cache
- Core 2 Duo E8400 3.00 GHz 1333 MHz Bus 6 MB Cache
AMD Chips
None recommended at this time.
2. Notebooks
Intel Dual-Core Chips
The 64-bit Core 2 Duo offers the best performance in a notebook chip and is now available at higher clock speeds. We recommend the new 45nm chips for their lower power consumption and larger cache size.
The following models are strongly recommended:
- Core 2 Duo T9500 2.60 GHz 800 MHz Bus 6 MB Cache
- Core 2 Duo T9300 2.50 GHz 800 MHz Bus 6 MB Cache
- Core 2 Duo SP9400 2.40 GHz 1066 MHz Bus 6 MB Cache
Core 2 Duo offers such strong performance that we now withdraw our recommendation for all other notebook processors.
AMD Dual-Core Chips
AMD notebook processors are not recommended at this time.
3. Workstations and Servers
Racks of dual-processor servers are a popular choice for scaling AXIS under Distributed Processing and Grid Computing. Where space is at a premium, Blade servers do an excellent job.
We no longer recommend the use of any single or dual-core processors, since excellent quad-core processors are now available.
Intel Xeon
For dual-processor servers, we strongly recommend the latest Intel quad-core 45nm chips, which offer lower power consumption and larger cache size than the 65 nm generation:
- Xeon X5492 3.40 GHz 1600 MHz Bus 12 MB Cache
- Xeon X5470 3.33 GHz 1333 MHz Bus 12 MB Cache
- Xeon X5482 3.20 GHz 1600 MHz Bus 12 MB Cache
- Xeon X5460 3.16 GHz 1333 MHz Bus 12 MB Cache
- Xeon E5472 3.00 GHz 1600 MHz Bus 12 MB Cache
- Xeon X5472 3.00 GHz 1600 MHz Bus 12 MB Cache
- Xeon E5450 3.00 GHz 1333 MHz Bus 12 MB Cache
- Xeon X5450 3.00 GHz 1333 MHz Bus 12 MB Cache
For quad-processor servers, we recommend the following Intel quad-core processor, but its performance does not approach the best dual-processor quad-core chips because of the slower clock speed and bus and the smaller cache:
Xeon X7350 2.93 GHz 1066 MHz Bus 8 MB CacheAMD Opteron
We do not recommend Opteron processors at this time.
Run Times (* Recommended)
Here are some estimated run times for a small AXIS batch job:
Notebook Processors |
Clock Speed | Time |
Mobile Pentium 4 |
3.06 GHz |
450 secs |
| Pentium M (Centrino) | 1.70 GHz | 470 secs |
| Pentium M Model 770 | 2.16 GHz | 318 secs |
| Core Duo T2600 (dual-core) | 2.16 GHz | 145 secs |
| Core 2 Duo T7200 (dual-core) | 2.00 GHz | 136 secs |
| Core 2 Duo T7500 (dual-core) | 2.20 GHz | 123 secs |
| Core 2 Duo T7700 (dual-core) | 2.40 GHz | 118 secs |
| Core 2 Duo T7800 (dual-core) | 2.60 GHz | 110 secs |
| Core 2 Duo T9300* (dual-core) | 2.50 GHz | 111 secs |
| Core 2 Duo T9500* (dual-core) | 2.60 GHz | 108 secs |
| Core 2 Duo SP9400 (dual-core) | 2.4 GHz | 111 secs |
| AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-56 (dual-core) | 1.80 GHz | 200 secs |
| AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-66 (dual-core) | 2.30 GHz | 163 secs |
Desktop Processors |
Clock Speed | Time |
| Pentium 4 (Northwood) | 3.00 GHz | 398 secs |
| Pentium 4 Model 570 | 3.80 GHz | 353 secs |
| Pentium D 950 (dual-core) | 3.40 GHz | 195 secs |
| Athlon 64 Model 3200+ | 2.00 GHz | 328 secs |
| Athlon 64 Model 4000+ | 2.40 GHz | 270 secs |
| Athlon 64 X2 5000+ (dual-core) | 2.60 GHz | 139 secs |
| Athlon 64 X2 5600+ (dual-core) | 2.80 GHz | 125 secs |
| Core 2 Duo E6750 (dual-core) | 2.66 GHz | 100 secs |
| Core 2 Duo E6850 (dual-core) | 3.00 GHz | 93 secs |
| Core 2 Duo E8400* (dual-core) | 3.00 GHz | 89 secs |
| Core 2 Duo E8500* (dual-core) | 3.16 GHz | 87 secs |
| Core 2 Duo E8600* (dual-core) | 3.33 GHz | 84 secs |
| Core 2 Quad Q6600 (quad-core) | 2.40 GHz | 60 secs |
| Core 2 Quad Q6700 (quad-core) | 2.66 GHz | 55 secs |
| Core 2 Quad Q9450* (quad-core) | 2.66 GHz | 50 secs |
| Core 2 Quad Q9550* (quad-core) | 2.83 GHz | 47 secs |
| Core 2 Quad Q9650* (quad-core) | 3.00 GHz | 45 secs |
Servers Using Distributed Processing |
Clock Speed | Time |
| Opteron 280 (2 dual-core processors) | 2.40 GHz | 78 secs |
| Opteron 285 (2 dual-core processors) | 2.60 GHz | 73 secs |
| Opteron 2356 (2 quad-core processors) | 2.30 GHz | 37 secs |
| Opteron 2360 (2 quad-core processors) | 2.5 GHz | 34 secs |
| Xeon 5150 (2 dual-core processors) | 2.66 GHz | 52 secs |
| Xeon 5160 (2 dual-core processors) | 3.00 GHz | 47 secs |
| Xeon E5345 (2 quad-core processors) | 2.33 GHz | 33 secs |
| Xeon X5355 (2 quad-core processors) | 2.66 GHz | 31 secs |
| Xeon X5365 (2 quad-core processors) | 3.00 GHz | 29 secs |
| Xeon E5472* (2 quad-core processors) | 3.00 GHz | 26 secs |
| Xeon X5472* (2 quad-core processors) | 3.00 GHz | 26 secs |
| Xeon X5460* (2 quad-core processors) | 3.16 GHz | 25 secs |
| Xeon X5470* (2 quad-core processors) | 3.33 GHz | 23 secs |
| Xeon X5482* (2 quad-core processors) | 3.20 GHz | 23 secs |
| Xeon X5492* (2 quad-core processors) | 3.40 GHz | 22 secs |
| Xeon E7340 (4 quad-core processors) | 2.40 GHz | 17 secs |
| Xeon X7350* (4 quad-core processors) | 2.93 GHz | 15 secs |
| Opteron 880 (4 dual-core processors) | 2.40 GHz | 42 secs |
| Opteron 885 (4 dual-core processors) | 2.60 GHz | 40 secs |
| Opteron 8218 (4 dual-core processors) | 2.60 GHz | 39 secs |
| Opteron 8220 (4 dual-core processors) | 2.80 GHz | 38 secs |
| Opteron 8356 (4 quad-core processors) | 2.30 GHz | 19 secs |
| Opteron 8360 (4 quad-core processors) | 2.50 GHz | 18 secs |
These tests can be quite sensitive to the types of jobs run in AXIS, and to the disk drives and memory systems in the PC. For multiple processors and cores, distributed processing is turned on using the automatic helper option.
This table should be used as a rough guide only.
I also want to draw your attention to some factors that can stand between you and good performance:
- HyperThreading . We strongly recommend that you turn off Intel HyperThreading. Windows 2000 does not support it properly, which can lead to large performance penalties. Windows 2003 and Windows XP do support it properly but it will still adversely affect AXIS run time. Intel has dropped HyperThreading from the entire range of Core 2 processors but will be reintroducing an improved version in Q4 2008.
- Real time virus checking . This can cause a massive slowdown in AXIS run times – up to four times slower. We suggest you add the directories that AXIS writes to into your exclusion list if you must run real time scanning. These directories include the directory where AXIS is installed, the SPARE directory, the Dataset Path and the location of the Import / Export database.
For details, please see: www.ggy.com/support/kbase/kbdetails.asp?searchterm=&articleid=271 - Formula Tables Accelerator . To get the best performance if you are using Formula Tables, remember to install the .NET Framework and turn on the Formula Tables Accelerator.
- Network bandwidth and latency . We recommend a fast network – at least 1Gbps for distributed processing or GridLink. To check whether your network is providing good performance, you can run this simple test. Run an AXIS batch recalculation, without distributed processing, on identical datasets residing in two locations – first in the same machine where AXIS is running, and then in a location across the network. If the two times vary by more than 5%, then you have a problem. Please contact GGY for details.
How much memory you need depends on how many different applications you like to run simultaneously. AXIS needs at least 384 Meg per processor core. Memory has become very inexpensive recently. More memory is better, as it will allow you to multitask more efficiently. If you are buying a new machine, or you expect to run several applications at once, it is better to buy 512 Meg per processor core or higher.
If you are running the Stochastic Processing Module, you will need extra memory. We recommend at least 1 GB of memory per processor core.
Windows Vista, the latest desktop operating system from Microsoft, is very hungry for memory. We recommend 2GB of memory if you use Vista, since it needs the best part of a gigabyte of memory for itself before AXIS is even loaded.
AXIS allows you to export assumptions and projections. This can take up a lot of disk space. We suggest a minimum of 60 Gigabytes for a laptop and 120 Gigabytes for a desktop computer, not because AXIS needs this much space, but because these disks are extremely inexpensive today. The AXIS System files take up about 300 Megabytes. You can now get drives for laptops with capacities of up to 250 Gigabytes. For desktops, you can get drives of up to 1 Terabyte each (and you can get 4 drives into 1 PC!).
AXIS requires a screen resolution of 1024 by 768 (XGA) or higher.
For a laptop we recommend at least a 14-inch screen and for a desktop a 17-inch LCD screen – the bigger the better.
We distribute AXIS and all updates via the Internet. If you do not have a good Internet connection we can supply AXIS on a CD. This CD can be read in any optical drive.
Operating Systems
We currently support and recommend Windows XP, Windows 2003 Server, Windows 2008 Server, Windows HPC Server and Windows Vista. We have found them to be very stable and much easier to manage than previous versions of Windows.
AXIS new releases no longer support Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME or Windows NT.
We currently support Windows 2000, but please note that new AXIS releases will no longer run on Windows 2000 (Server or Professional) starting February 2009.
Also starting February 2009, we will require all computers running AXIS to have two new components installed:
- .NET Framework 3.5. Version 3.5 can coexist with earlier versions of the .NET Framework which should not be removed since they may be required for earlier versions of AXIS. Windows 2000 does not support Version 3.5 of the .NET Framework which is one of the prime reason we will no longer support this version of the operating system. Note that Microsoft has not been releasing Service Packs for Windows 2000 since 2005.
- Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable. New versions of AXIS will be built using latest Microsoft Visual C++ compiler and will require this library to be installed on every computer.
Please note that both components are free of charge and are available for download from Microsoft web site:
Information for IT Professionals
For further information for IT Support click here: www.ggy.com/faq/techinfo.asp
Recommended Hardware for a GridLink Farm
You may be considering a 16 core farm or a 128 core farm, or something in between. We strongly recommend you to consider your future needs before setting up even a small farm, so that you can continue to use the hardware you choose now as part of the larger farm you may need tomorrow. Please review this document for further information on hardware requirements:
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