We're about to order a new fileserver that will run OmniOS. The vendor is proposing a host based on AMD EPYC 9135 Processor 16-core 3.65GHz 64MB Cache (200W). Near as I can tell that's fine. Am I missing any critical gotchas?

How much RAM?

They're suggesting 12x32GB. That's spendy so I'm suggesting 6x32GB instead, with growth after prices go down should they ever do so.

The main gotchas I'd expect are potential CPU gotchas, though I must admit I'm not very familiar with newer hardware.

Neither am I. I gave up trying to keep track of all the variations and varieties years ago.

If it's not proprietary information: your previous fileserver, serving how many clients?, has how much RAM? and which CPU or CPUs (if more than one) does it use?

That's not really the question here. I just need to know if this CPU will run OmniOS well.

All of our existing servers are Intel based, and also several years old, so they're not really in the picture for this new server.

I need to go for now. I'll check back in the morning (my time) to see if any red flags have been raised. I appreciate any information that can be provided about the issue.

ENOMAD: We're using a lot of EPYC CPUs at Oxide, FWIW. I don't know about that one in particular, but we're pretty committed to making any modern AMD CPU work, so let us know if you have trouble.

Despite all my persuasion to convince my friend not to buy a used IBM x3550 M2 server, he did. Now he thinking about installing OmniOS on it. As this is an old hw, I assume there won't be much trouble to get OmniOS working on it, but I never messed with real server grade hw. Is there anything we should watch out for?

Persuade him to get hearing protection.

He said he have a room extra for the loud equipment.

And sometimes he will need to work in that room.

I'm serious. I have the M5 generation of the same line of servers (sold by Lenovo), and before I decomm'd it, it was unbearably loud. Even at a good distance. Shut behind a door, it was bearable - just.

For what was probably years I cooked, chatted on Discord, brushed my teeth and merried my useless life away to that "music". Nobody ever noticed it on the voice calls, but I don't think my hearing will ever completely recover.

I didn't believe the people who told me the same thing. And then it happened to me.

I told the same to him, still he bought it.

OmniOS will probably be fine.

If he wears hearing protection any time he goes into the server room.

Thanks for the hint.

@nomad -> Your bigger problem will be NICs and devices. What NICs are on that thing's mobo?

Or is it all cards? If its all cards, your desired line-speed will influence which card(s) you pick.

thanks jclulow

danmcd, Broadcom NetXtreme 25-Gigabit Ethernet Network Adapter P225P - PCIe 3.0 x8 - 2x SFP28 will be the production NICs.

the quote doesn't say the model of the 10G NICs but we'll only be using that to image the host to start (if even for that).

[illumos-gate] 17827 Update libsff values -- Jason King <jason.brian.king⊙gc>

ENOMAD: Ick. Broadcom (bnxt) isn't supported yet. THere's been mutterings of doing it

I'm assuming those 25Gbits are on the mobo?

no, they're an added card. The mobo has unidentified 10G NICs.

What does `prtconf -d` have to say?

we don't have the hardware yet

they're putting the quote together now.

Any pages you can point me at?

If you're capped at 25Gbit that's good to know: Intel XXV710 would work with i40e. And there are Mellanox and/or Chelsio ones that can dumb-down to 25Gbit even if they hit 100.

(mlxcx and cxgbe respectively)

We have a Juniper switch with 100GB ports. I'm trying to split one of those into multiple NICs so I don't have to do things with VLANs to the host itself.

the idea is to have multiple NICs on the host talking with the single NIC on the switch.

danmcd: I'm in the process of building a Genoa system using the GENOAD8X-2T/BCM board. It has built-in BCM57416, so I'm hoping at some point either Robert or I can get that driver in some form of basic working order.

I know, but I think ENOMAD wants it ASAP.

I understand. I was just putting it out there more as a heads up.

No idea when/if it will happen, but I do have some motivation to make it work at this point.

thanks rzezeski. Our situation is challenged by the rapidly rising RAM & SSD prices.

[illumos-gate] 17767 bhyve: implement transitional virtio devices -- Andy Fiddaman <illumos⊙fn>

[illumos-gate] 17782 bhyve: viona network device multi-queue support -- Andy Fiddaman <illumos⊙fn>

I think we're still funding OmniOS to some extent. I don't know if that would help expedite support.

I really appreciate all the feedback and support I'm getting.

now that the big project I've been working on at work is almost done (which itself was preempted by even bigger project), I'm hoping I can finish up the Intel E810 support soon(ish)

oooh, excellent.

I have some 800-series HW in $WORK so I might be able to help with testing and/or other things.

cool.. we have a couple in house as well.. though not sure which variants specifically offhand (or which exist, if any)

it's been like a year or so since I've looked at it, but I _think_ most of the remaining work was all the hoops to setup the card.. I think i got most of the TX/RX bits done (thought might be a bit left there to do as well)..

The only good/bad on tx/rx on it was the data path was the same as the x710.

Warts and all.

heh yes

and while not on the datapath, the whole context thing is awful (from a programming perspective).. thank you do doing that :)

err for doing that

Hopefully what I left you was at least a reasonable starting point.

oh it was

I have not looked at that for some time. Probably not since 2019?

on a vaguely related note has anyone looked at what it would take to get speed negotiation going in the i40e driver for the x710? Or is that a bottomless pit filled with lovecraftian horrors?

My connection to the outside world goes through one, and I've had to stick a switch in between the router and the ONT because the link doesn't stay up (possibly due to busted autonegotiation in the x710)