OCTOBER 2014 | DEVELOP3D.

COM

CAD/CAM/CAE
WORKSTATION
SPECIAL report
Why now
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New AMD PCIe vs SATA: REMOTE

Firepro and Choosing a solid workstations
NviDIA Quadro state drive (SSD) and Teradici PCoip
GPUs on test for CAD/CAe technology
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 WORKSTATION SPECIAL REPORT
Timing is everything
With new CPUs and GPUs, faster storage and new I/O technologies, it’s
the perfect time to be buying a new workstation, writes Greg Corke
T
he launch of a new generation
of Intel Xeon processors is a
big event in the workstation
calendar. And when Intel bangs
the drum all the workstation
manufacturers dance and
suddenly there’s a whole new range of
new machines. Like dads at the disco
though, not everyone stays in rhythm. GPU
manufacturers, for example, have their own
development cycles and it’s not often these
critical 3D workstation components get
updated at the same time.
With the introduction of the Intel Haswell-
based Xeon E5 v3 series CPUs last month,
however, things are a little different.
To coincide with this major launch
there are also a whole load of AMD and
Nvidia professional GPUs rolling off the
production line at this moment in time.
And with other workstation technologies,
such as Solid State Drives (SSDs) coming
down in price and high-speed I/O
technologies becoming mainstream, it’s
certainly a very good time to be thinking
about upgrading your workstation.
So let’s have a look at each of the
technologies in turn and what they mean for
CAD/CAM/CAE and design visualisation.
Processors
Intel’s new Haswell-based Xeon E5 v3 series
chip family promises a jump in performance,
support for DDR4 memory, and more cores
— up to 18 cores in a single CPU.
First off, it’s important to note that, clock
for clock, Intel Haswell delivers more
performance than Intel Ivy Bridge that it
replaces — so don’t go comparing GHz to
GHz directly. For example, a Haswell-based
Xeon E5-1620v3 (3.5GHz up to 3.6GHz
Turbo) should comfortably beat an Ivy
Bridge-based Xeon E5-1620v2 (3.7GHz up
to 3.9GHz Turbo) in a CAD race. This speed
boost in single threaded applications is also
down to new DDR4 memory, which runs at
a speed of 2,133MHz, 14% faster than Ivy
Bridge’s 1,866MHz DDR3 memory.
Secondly, with up to 18 cores per CPU
(50 per cent more cores than the Ivy Bridge
Xeon E5 v2 Series) performance in ray trace
rendering has the potential to go off the
scale. Applications like KeyShot, V-Ray and
3ds Max (mental ray) should feast on dual
CPU workstations with a whopping 36 cores
and 72 threads.
Having this many cores in a single CPU
does reduce clock speed though with the 18
core Intel Xeon E5-2699 v3 only running at
2.3 GHz. For a better balance of performance
in single threaded and multi-threaded
applications, the eight core 3.2GHz Xeon E5-
2667 v3 and ten core 3.1GHz Xeon E5-2687W
v3 both look interesting. For single CPU
workstations, the quad core Xeon E5-1630 v3
pushes the clock speed up to 3.7GHz.
The other interesting development comes
from the workstation manufacturers, who
are offering a much broader range of CPUs
(above) The Intel ‘Haswell’ Xeon E5-2600 v3 CPU
features up to 18 cores
(top) AMD FirePro W7000 GPU with 8GB GDDR5
memory for graphics and compute
in their machines. This is particularly
noticeable in some single CPU workstations
where the core count has risen dramatically.
While most manufacturers used to limit
things to eight cores, it’s now possible to get
14 or even 18 in a single processor machine.
This should be particularly interesting
news for users of ray-trace rendering
software who will now be able to significantly
DEVELOP3D.COM/HARDWARE OCTOBER 2014 WS3
boost performance without having to invest
in a more expensive dual CPU workstation.
While the Xeon E5 v3 series is grabbing
all the headlines, Intel has also launched
some new Haswell-based Core i7 chips.
The top-of-the-line Intel Core i7-5960X
boasts eight cores and runs at a base clock
frequency of 3.0GHz (up to 3.5GHz in
turbo), while the Core i7-5930K is a six core
CPU which runs at 3.5GHz (up to 3.7GHz
in turbo). Expect these chips to appear more
in niche machines from the likes of Scan
and Workstation Specialists, and expect
them to be overclocked so they run at faster
speeds. This is something that the Tier One
manufacturers can’t offer.
GPUs
Both AMD and Nvidia have brand new
families of professional GPUs out now.
The big news is more on-board memory,
with even entry-level cards from both
manufacturers having plenty for most
CAD-centric workflows. There is also wider
support for multiple 4K displays.
Nvidia has the biggest share of this market
with all the major workstation manufacturers
offering its entire new range of Quadro KX20
and KX200 GPUs. AMD has less penetration
with the tier-one workstation manufacturers
with Dell and Fujitsu offering the biggest
choice of FirePro WX100 GPUs. You can
read more about AMD’s and Nvidia’s new
generation GPUs on pages WS8 and WS12.
Storage and I/O
Storage has also taken a big step forward –
not purely from a performance perspective
– but in terms of prices dropping and
being able to pack more drives in a single
workstation. Of course, all the action is
around Solid State Drives (SSDs), and HP in
particular is making a lot of noise about the
HP Z Turbo Drive, a mainstream SSD which
uses the PCIe interface to deliver much
faster sustained read/write speeds than
SSDs based on the bandwidth-limited SATA
interface. However, not everyone can get the
most out these fast drives. You can read more
about the potential benefits in CAD/CAM/
CAE workflows on page WS22.
Meanwhile, I/O technologies such as
Thunderbolt 2.0 are starting to become
more standard and expect to see USB 3.0
ports everywhere, rather than just a limited
few, thanks to the latest Intel chipsets.

New workstations
from The big four
Dell Precision Tower
At A GLANCE
» Three new desktop workstations
» Single CPU Precision Tower 5810
includes up to 14 CPU cores
» Dual CPU Precision Tower 7810
» Dual CPU Precision Tower 7910
» Improved acoustics by optimising
the internal fans
» Good choice of GPUs including the
entire new Nvidia Quadro family and
four new AMD FirePro W Series cards
» Updated Dell Precision Performance
Optimizer (DPPO) software
» Teradici PCoIP Workstation Access
software for occasional remote access
dell.co.uk/workstation
D F
ell has released three
new Haswell-EP
Xeon E5 desktop
workstations: the
single CPU Precision Tower
5810 and dual CPU Precision
Tower 7810 and Tower 7910.
Replacements for the
Precision T3610, T5610 and
T7610, there’s been a small
naming change, giving greater
emphasis to the ‘T’ in Tower
and grouping its dual GPU
machines closer together.
All of the chassis remain
pretty much the same but
Dell says its engineering team
has improved acoustics by
optimising the fans.
There is a much wider choice
of processors and, interestingly,
there’s been a big boost to the
number of cores on offer in its
single processor workstation.
While the Precision T3610
peaked at six cores, the
Precision Tower 5810 will go all
the way up to 14. This should
appeal to users of ray-trace
rendering software who should
be able to significantly boost
performance without having to
invest in a more expensive dual
WS4 OCTOBER 2014 DEVELOP3D.COM/HARDWARE
WORKSTATION SPECIAL REPORT
processor workstation.
Other new features include a
doubling of memory capacity
in all machines thanks to the
introduction of 32GB and 64GB
DIMMs later this year, plus
12Gbit/sec storage controllers,
kicking off with a 2.5-inch
400GB SAS SSD.
Dell is also placing a big
emphasis on software. Last year
it launched the Dell Precision
Performance Optimizer
(DPPO), which was designed to
simplify, automate and optimise
workstation settings. Dell says
the 2.0 release offers better
integration with professional
graphics as a result of it working
closely with Nvidia and AMD.
There are some new
application profiles including
Inventor and 3ds Max.
Dell is also focusing on remote
workstation access and is
offering Teradici’s new PCoIP
Workstation Access software for
$199. The software is designed to
appeal to users who want an easy
way to get remote access to their
desktop workstations on a more
casual basis. For more on this
technology turn to page WS18.
Fujitsu Celsius
At A GLANCE
» Two new desktop workstations
» Single CPU Fujitsu Celsius M740
includes up to 18 CPU cores
» Dual CPU Fujitsu Celsius R940
» Massive choice of CPUs, the most out
of all the manufacturers
» Huge choice of GPUs including all the
new Nvidia Quadros & AMD FirePros as
well as Nvidia GRID virtual GPUs
» New PCIe card features two M.2 SSDs
for fast read / write performance
» Improved acoustics
» Big choice of compute boards
including a server-class Intel Xeon Phi
fujitsu.com
ujitsu takes a slightly
different approach
to the other Tier
One manufacturers
insofar as it only has two Intel
Haswell Xeon E5 workstations:
the single processor Celsius
M740 and the dual processor
Celsius R940. Both feature an
abundance of CPUs and GPUs
— the biggest choice out of all
four manufacturers.
This is particularly noticeable
in the Celsius M740, which can
be fitted with any one of 22 Intel
Xeon chips, ranging from the
CAD-focused Xeon E5-1630v3
(4 Cores, 3.70 GHz) right up to
the Xeon E5-2699v3 (18 cores,
2.30GHz), usually found in dual
CPU workstations.
The choice of GPUs is equally
extensive with AMD FirePro
and Nvidia Quadro represented
equally in both machines.
To support such powerful
processors Fujitsu has upped
the wattage of its Power Supply
Units (PSUs) including 1,350W
and 1,700W models in the
multi-GPU capable Celsius
M740power and R940power.
More power means more heat
so Fujitsu has had to increase
cooling efficiency to reduce
noise. Big, low duty fans draw
air in at the front and expel
at the rear. Airflow has been
improved by leaving a gap above
a slimline optical drive. The
gap also means a handle could
be built into the chassis.
Both the Celsius M740 and
Celsius R940 boast a front-
loading drive bay, which can
house 4 x 3.5-inch drives or
8 x 2.5-inch drives which are
located with handy ‘Easyrails’.
Fujitsu has also added a
PCIe SSD, which it claims
offers double the read/write
performance of SATA-based
SSDs. The PCIe board features
two M.2 SSDs, which are
currently seen by the OS as
individual drives although it
may be possible to RAID them
in the future. Fujitsu already
has plans to introduce a model
with a single M.2 SSD, which
should give a lower cost of
entry, around 1.2 times that of
a standard SATA SSD.
More info on DEVELOP3D.COM
■ tinyurl.com/CelsiusM740

New machines from the tier one workstation manufacturers feature Intel
Haswell-EP Xeon E5 v3 series CPUs, new GPUs from Nvidia and AMD and a
host of new I/O technologies including Thunderbolt 2 and PCIe SSDs
HP Z Workstation
At A GLANCE
» Three new desktop workstations
» Single CPU HP Z440 includes a brand
new chassis and runs quieter
» Dual CPU HP Z640
» Dual CPU HP Z840 features expanded
storage with new 2.5-inch bays
» HP Z Turbo Drive (PCIe SSD) available
as a standard option
» Good choice of GPUs including the
entire new Nvidia Quadro family and
two new AMD FirePro W Series cards
» Thunderbolt 2.0 available as an
option on all workstations
» HP Performance Advisor software
hp.com/zworkstations
H L
P has updated three
machines in its
HP Z Workstation
family. The HP
Z440, HP Z640 and HP Z840
all feature a massive choice
of Intel Haswell-EP Xeon E5
v3 series CPUs, the full range
of Nvidia Quadro GPUs and
select models from AMD’s new
FirePro family.
There’s a big focus on storage
with the HP Z Turbo Drive now
available as a standard option in
all of its machines. This PCIe
solid state drive (SSD) boasts
twice the sequential read/write
speeds of SATA 6Gb/sec SSDs.
Fast transfer of data to
external drives is also possible
with optional Thunderbolt 2.0,
which is said to be four times as
fast as USB 3.0.
The Z440 is HP’s mainstream
3D CAD workstation, featuring
a single Xeon CPU, a big choice
of professional GPUs, up to
128GB of RAM and up to four
3.5-inch drives.
Out of all the new HP
workstations it has arguably
undergone the most radical
change, with a completely
WORKSTATION SPECIAL REPORT
redesigned tool-free chassis,
smaller than the Z420 it
replaces. It has built in handles,
a 9.5mm slim optical bay and
two flexible 5.25-inch bays for
front access storage or media
card readers. There’s one
‘always on’ USB port to charge
smart phones and other devices
when the machine is off.
HP says the Z440 is also
quieter, with a new high-
performance CPU air-cooler
said to be ‘equal to or better
than’ the Z420’s liquid cooler.
The dual processor HP
Z640 and HP Z840 are more
evolutions of the HP Z620
and HP Z820, featuring
tweaked industrial design to
give consistency across whole
family of Z workstations —
desktop and mobile.
The big news is the Z840 can
now take more storage. Its four
3.5-inch drive bays, which are
tool free and feature blind mate
connectors, have been adapted
so they can support eight 2.5-
inch drives in the same space.
More info on DEVELOP3D.COM
■ tinyurl.com/HPZ440
Lenovo ThinkStation
At A GLANCE
» Three new desktop workstations
» Single CPU ThinkStation P500
which includes up to 11 drives
» Dual CPU ThinkStation P700
» Dual CPU ThinkStation P700
» Brand new chassis
» Lots of user serviceable features and
impressive customisation
» Runs cooler thanks to a brand new
thermal design
» Nvidia Quadro GPUs are standard.
AMD FirePro is a specialist option
» New Lenovo Performance
Tuner Software
lenovo.com/workstation
enovo’s new
ThinkStation P-Series
has been completely
redesigned from the
ground up. It features striking
industrial design, lots of user
serviceable features, impressive
customisation and a highly
engineered cooling system.
There are three new Haswell-
EP Xeon E5-based workstations
in the range: the single CPU
ThinkStation P500, and the
dual CPU ThinkStation P700
and ThinkStation P900.
There’s a big emphasis on
flexibility and each workstation
can be easily customised to
individual user requirements.
FLEX bays at the front
can house optical, HDD or
additional I/O ports. Inside,
the FLEX connector, a small
footprint PCIe card, will help
deliver new I/O technologies
without sacrificing a full sized
PCIe slot. An M.2 module
can host two 256GB or 512GB
SSDs, and Thunderbolt 2 will
come next year.
The P-Series is big on storage
with the P500 supporting up
to 11 drives, the P700 12 drives
DEVELOP3D.COM/HARDWARE OCTOBER 2014 WS5
and the P900 14 drives. Internal
FLEX Drive trays offer easy
access to a single 3.5-inch drive
or two 2.5-inch drives.
Unlike previous ThinkStation
generations, the handles are
totally integrated into the
main body of the chassis. For
servicing internal components,
red touch points draw the eye
to those that can be removed
without a screwdriver.
The ThinkStation P-Series is
said to run cooler than Lenovo’s
previous generation thanks to
a brand new thermal design,
which builds on the tried and
tested principle of drawing
in cool air at the front of the
workstation and expelling it
from the back.
In addition to hardware,
Lenovo has introduced its
own Performance Tuner
Software. It’s not as mature as
HP’s Performance Advisor or
Dell’s Precision Performance
Optimizer (DPPO) but should
grow in capabilities in the
coming months.
More info on DEVELOP3D.COM
■ tinyurl.com/LenovoP900
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 WORKSTATION SPECIAL REPORT
Nvidia Quadro GPUs
Greg Corke gets hands on with Nvidia’s next generation Maxwell and
Kepler Quadro GPUs and delves deeper into the Quadro ecosystem
N
vidia is back with a whole
new family of Quadro
GPUs (Graphics Processing
Units), targeting the whole
gamut of professional 3D
users, from entry-level CAD
all the way up to high-end design viz. There
are five new products in total - the Quadro
K420, K620, K2200, K4200 and K5200 - all of
which should be appearing in workstations
this month. The Quadro K6000, which
Nvidia unveiled at SIGGRAPH in 2013, will
remain the company’s flagship offering.
For two of the new cards, the ‘K’ prefix,
that Nvidia introduced two years ago to mark
the launch of its ‘Kepler’ family of Quadro
GPUs, is a touch misleading.
The Quadro K620 and K2200 are actually
based on ‘Maxwell’, Nvidia’s next generation
GPU architecture, which Sandeep Gupte,
senior director, professional solutions group
at Nvidia, describes as being phenomenal
in terms of performance per watt. Indeed,
Nvidia claims the new Quadro K2200, its
mid-range CAD offering, provides
users with a 90% performance
improvement while only
increasing max power
consumption by 25%.
The other three cards
are all based on
‘Kepler’.
The reason
for this split
family is all
down to timing.
Gupte calls it a
three-way dance involving
Nvidia, Intel and the workstation
manufacturers.
Intel is leading this waltz with its
‘Haswell-based’ Xeon E5-series CPU, which
launched at the beginning of September (see
page WS3), setting in motion brand new
workstations from Dell, HP, Lenovo, Fujitsu
and others (see page WS4). If the Intel Xeon
refresh had happened next year we may
have seen an entire family of Maxell-based
Quadros.
While the Maxwell Quadros are more
energy efficient, performance still scales
well throughout the range, says Nvidia.
Based on real-world 3D applications Nvidia
claims users should see, on average, a 40
percent performance gain, generation over
generation.
While the Quadro K2200 didn’t quite hit
WS8 OCTOBER 2014 DEVELOP3D.COM/HARDWARE
those heights in most of our hands on tests
in SolidWorks and Creo, we can appreciate
how this might be possible in some
applications and workflows.
Other than performance, the headline
story for this new generation of Quadros is
on-board memory. Discounting the Quadro
K420, which is very much an entry-level card,
the new Quadro family starts off at 2GB with
the Quadro K620.
2GB of on-board GPU memory is a
substantial amount for CAD and even some
large models should fit quite comfortably
within this envelope.
The Quadro K2200, Nvidia’s
workhorse CAD offering,
features 4GB, more than
enough for almost all
3D CAD users.
But this
additional
memory
could also
be useful for
compute workflows.
The 1.3TFLOPS of single
precision performance,
almost double that of the
K2000 it replaces, makes it
a viable option for ray trace
rendering with Nvidia iray.
The other big leap in memory comes
from the Quadro K5200, which boasts a
substantial 8GB - double that of the K5000.
This could be important for high-end design
viz users who may have previously had to
fork out for a significantly more expensive
K6000. 8GB should also be a good amount
for very complex ray trace renders.
Connectivity remains pretty much the
same as the previous generation with Nvidia
retaining DVI-I on all of its Quadro cards.
Ports for the more modern DisplayPort
standard are also included. See the specs
over the page for full details.
On test
We tested the new Quadro K2200 (4GB),
Quadro K4200 (4GB) and Quadro K5200
(8GB) with SolidWorks 2013 and Creo 2.0
using the SPECapc benchmarks.
These tests run directly inside the CAD
applications so are designed to give a much
more realistic picture of performance than
synthetic benchmarks such as Viewperf 12.
To put everything in context we also tested
the previous generation Kepler cards, the
Quadro K2000 (2GB) and K4000 (3GB).
Our test machine, a Scan
3XS GW-HT10 (see page
WS16), came with one
of the fastest CPUs
currently available
– the Core i7 4790K.
With a factory setting
of 4.0GHz, Scan has
clocked this up to an
incredible 4.4GHz giving
our GPUs plenty of headroom
to express themselves.
The SolidWorks 2013 benchmark
provides an overall score based on six
different graphics states. However, it’s
probably most useful to focus on three of
these display states: RealView disabled,
RealView, and RealView with Ambient
Occlusion.
If you are a SolidWorks user you should be
able to match these directly to your workflow,
though, of course, your models will be
different so it’s not perfect.
‘RealView disabled’ focuses on two
SolidWorks viewing modes: shaded and
shaded with edges, which renders simple
shaded models with outlines. This is one
of the most popular display modes for CAD
because it provides a very clear picture of the
geometry when modelling.
In the SolidWorks benchmark it is
important not to confuse the ‘shaded’ and
‘shaded with edges’ scores with the pure
‘shaded’ and ‘shaded with edges’ modes
in SolidWorks. ‘RealView disabled’ is the
only score in the benchmark that does not
feature RealView in some way. The ‘shaded’
and ‘shaded with edges’ scores are a bit
misleading as they actually have a RealView
element to them.
The disappointing news here is that none
of the new GPUs shows a benefit over the
 WORKSTATION SPECIAL REPORT

Nvidia Nvidia Nvidia Nvidia Nvidia Nvidia

Quadro K420 Quadro K620 Quadro K2200 Quadro K4200 Quadro K5200 Quadro K6000

Memory Size 1GB DDR3 2GB DDR3 4GB GDDR5 4GB GDDR5 8GB GDDR5 12GB GDDR5 (ECC)

Memory bandwidth 29 GB/s 29 GB/s 80 GB/s 173 GB/s 192 GB/s 288 GB/s

#CUDA Cores 192 384 640 1,344 2,304 2,880

Single Precision 0.3 TFLOPS 0.8 TFLOPS 1.3 TFLOPS 2.1 TFLOPS 3.1 TFLOPS 5.2 TFLOPS

Double Precision N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1.73 TFLOPS

PCIe 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 3.0

Number of slots 1 1 1 1 2 2

Connectors DVI-I + DP DVI-I + DP DVI-I + 2 x DP DVI-I + 2 x DP DVI-I + DVI-D + 2 x DP DVI-I + DVI-D + 2 x DP

# displays (with DP 1.2 Hub)1 2 (4) 2 (4) 3 (4) 3 (4) 4 (4) 4 (4)

Advanced Display N/A N/A N/A SDI, SYNC, Stereo 2

SDI, SYNC, Stereo 2
SDI, SYNC, Stereo2

Board Power (connector) 41W 45W 68W 108W (1 x 6pin) 150W (1 x 6pin) 225W (2 x 6 pin)

Price (ex VAT) 3

£84 £117 £315 £601 £1,296 £3,449

1 DisplayPort 1.2 multi-streaming can be used to drive multiple displays from a single DisplayPort connector 2 Optional 3 Price taken from scan.co.uk on Sept 20, 2014

previous generation K2000 or K4000. Shaded The PTC Creo 2.0 benchmark is more Quadro Mosaic
with edges mode in SolidWorks doesn’t put straightforward, testing a 1,000 part Moving beyond the desktop, Nvidia has also
a huge load on the GPU so the CPU tends automotive model in a variety of display lowered the entry point of its Quadro Mosaic
to become the bottleneck, even when it’s modes — including shaded with edges, display technology, which allows users to
clocked to 4.5GHz. This could change with shaded with reflection, hidden and no- create high definition “Power Wall” displays
exceptionally large models (particularly if the hidden lines, anti-aliasing up to 8X and edge for design review or digital mockup.
K2000’s 2GB of on board memory is maxed quality up to very high. Up to four Quadro K4200, K5200 or K6000
out) or when using 4K displays, as having It aggregates everything into two scores: GPUs and 16 displays or projectors can be
four times as many pixels on screen than wireframe and shaded and provides a synced together with the technology.
standard HD puts a significant additional ‘graphics composite’ score, which is an Nvidia previously restricted Mosaic
load on the GPU. average of the two. support to its double width cards so adding
For the Quadro K2200, K4200 and K5200 Here we see the Quadro K2200 deliver the single width Quadro K4200 into the
to truly express their power you need to turn around a 25% boost over the K2000 in both mix will not only lower the cost of entry
on real-time rendering effects. ‘RealView’ modes, with scores approaching that of but give more flexibility in space-limited
adds realism to models, providing real world the K4000. There’s a big step up with the workstations. Mosaic also requires an
materials and advanced shading, including K4200, particularly in wireframe mode, and Nvidia Quadro Sync add in board, which
self-shadowing and scene reflections. a smaller, but still significant, improvement synchronises the GPUs to ensure all the
This is popular in sectors such as product with the K5200. displays remain aligned.
design when the designer wants to get
a better feel for how a product will look
without having to render offline with a The SPECapc for SolidWorks
2013 benchmark
ray trace renderer like PhotoView 360. In
our tests the K2200 not only left the K2000
standing, but also beat the K4000 by a fair
distance. The K4200 and K5200 stepped
things up incrementally.
Ambient Occlusion takes RealView to
the next level, by increasing the realism of
shadows. The technique places shadows
based on the occlusion by other objects in
the scene. The more hidden they are, the
darker the shadows. Because of the increased
load this puts on the GPU it really gives the
new Maxwell-based K2200 an opportunity
to strut its stuff, more than doubling the
performance of the K2000. The K4200
steps this up a notch and the K5200 takes
performance to a whole new level – giving
a glimpse of its true potential for high-end
design visualisation.

DEVELOP3D.COM/HARDWARE OCTOBER 2014 WS9

 WORKSTATION SPECIAL REPORT
The new Nvidia
Quadro family
GPU compute
In addition to throwing complex CAD
models around on screen, all of the new
Quadro cards are capable of performing
compute operations in CUDA- or OpenCL-
accelerated applications. However, this
statement does need a bit of clarification.
Firstly, we’re only really talking about ray
trace rendering here, rather than computer
aided engineering (CAE), as the new Quadro
cards are only tuned for single precision
operations.
For Finite Element Analysis (FEA) or
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in
applications like Ansys and Simulia Abaqus
you need double precision, which you only
get with the Quadro K6000 or Tesla compute
boards.
Secondly, if you want to be realistic about
GPU compute, don’t even think about using
the Quadro K420 or K620. The Quadro
K2200 is really the entry point, but to really
get your teeth into ray trace rendering,
you’d probably need a K5200 or K6000, even
multiple high-end GPUs. You can get a good
gauge of relative performance by checking
out the single precision performance figures
in the chart above, measured in TFLOPs.
For GPU compute in workstations, Nvidia
used to have a very defined marketing
message, which it called Nvidia Maximus.
This originally meant a Quadro graphics card
for interactive 3D graphics and a Tesla GPU
compute card for rendering or simulation.
Everything was tied together with a software
driver, which also told each application which
GPU resources to use.
This message has softened over the years
and now Nvidia simply refers to it as ‘multi
GPU’. Gupte says Maximus did a great
job of educating the market with a simple
message, but doesn’t feel Nvidia needs to
be so descriptive anymore, in terms of what
GPUs to use.
Adam Scraba, senior product manager
at Nvidia, provides more detail. “The way
we told the world about it was ‘model and
simulate’ (maybe at the same time) or ‘model
and render’ (maybe at the same time). And
WS10 OCTOBER 2014 DEVELOP3D.COM/HARDWARE
a lot of people got it and that’s how they
worked,” he explains. “We found, almost
overwhelmingly, that people just wanted
to scale their work up. They just wanted to
scale the simulation or the rendering power.
And that really lent itself to just amassing
of bunch of GPU resources and scaling
your work across it, as opposed to ‘that is
a resource for something’ and ‘that is a
resource for something else’.”
Of course, not all design viz users can
afford expensive multi GPU systems and, we
can imagine how Tesla might not resonate at
the lower end of the market.
However, now with the introduction of
the new cards, and a broader multi GPU
message, two Quadro K2200s could probably
do a decent job for a SolidWorks user who
also wants to render with the Iray-enabled
Bunkspeed Pro.
From a workflow perspective two Quadro
GPUs should certainly work well, but GPU
resources can sit idle when models aren’t
being moved about on screen. This is in
contrast to AMD who does a seamless job of
juggling graphics and compute tasks on a
single FirePro GPU. You spin a model and
it instantly responds, even when a ray trace
render is being number crunched in the
background. In short, users don’t have to buy
two cards.
That’s not to say you can’t do graphics
and compute on a single Quadro GPU but
you would likely find applications fighting
for GPU resources, which can interrupt
modelling workflows. Of course, there’s
nothing to stop you rendering overnight,
after you’ve gone home.
Nvidia iray
GPU compute is nothing without application
support and here Nvidia scores much higher
than AMD. Nvidia iray, a GPU-accelerated
photorealistic ray trace renderer based on the
company’s proprietary CUDA technology,
is used in a number of applications. These
currently include Bunkspeed Pro, Catia Live
Rendering, Autodesk 3ds Max Design, Maya
(iray for Maya from 0x1 Software) and Maxon
Cinema 4D (m4d plug-in).
Nvidia says it is working with ‘many other
software developers’ and there should be
some announcements soon. Gupte wouldn’t
be drawn on specifics but told DEVELOP3D:
“Could AEC be one of those markets that
might be super interested in that type of
thing?”
Users can render with iray locally on the
workstation using one or more Quadro or
Tesla GPUs. The image refines with each
pass, just like a CPU renderer, and can take
minutes, even hours to get a decent image,
depending on the output resolution and
GPU power at your disposal.
However, Nvidia has a vision to provide a
much more interactive experience directly
inside the design application - real-time ray
tracing in the true sense.
“The goal here is that the render window
should basically just become part of the
viewport,” says Sean Kilbride, technical
marketing manager, workstation and
PSG product reviews. “Instead of seeing
wireframe mode, instead of seeing shaded
mode, we want to be able to work with
materials completely realistically,” he
explains demonstrating a scene inside
Maya that refines, almost instantly, into a
photorealistic, ray traced render as soon as he
stops moving the model on screen.
Of course, this takes a huge amount of
compute resources, far more than you can
get inside a single workstation, so this is
where Nvidia’s VCA (Visual Computing
Appliance) with eight high-performance
GPUs, comes into play.
For the demo, a cluster of these GPU-
laden appliances are being put to work – a
render farm worth tens, if not hundreds of
thousands of dollars. This huge compute
resource is being accessed over the Internet,
directly from within Maya, but Nvidia says
its VCA will most likely be used over LAN
or WAN. This is partly because the data
first needs to be uploaded and only then are
small incremental changes sent - camera
movements, for example.
While the focus is currently on remote
 WORKSTATION SPECIAL REPORT

rendering, Gupte hinted that there may be

other local workflows that Nvidia is looking to SPECapc SolidWorks 2013 benchmark (bigger is better)
‘remote’ or extend to ‘the cloud’. Describing Test machine: Intel Core i7 4790K (clocked to 4.4GHz), 16GB RAM, 250GB Samsung 840 EVO SSD, Win 7 64 Professional. Driver 340.52

GPU rendering as ‘the best starting point’

for remote computation, we wonder if Nvidia Quadro K2000 6.26
could also be working with CAE software Quadro K4000 7.60
Graphics Composite Quadro K2200 8.84
developers to offer one click workflows for
Quadro K4200 9.65
remote FEA or CFD. Quadro K5200 10.83

Conclusion Quadro K2000 6.45

Nvidia looks to have delivered another Quadro K4000 8.24
RealView Graphics Quadro K2200 9.95
impressive family of desktop GPUs for CAD
Quadro K4200 11.07
and other 3D applications. Quadro K5200 12.81
Indeed, from our initial round of testing,
the Quadro K2200 and Quadro K4200 Quadro K2000 6.41
should certainly pique the interest of product Quadro K4000 8.25
development professionals - PTC Creo users Shadows Quadro K2200 9.95
Quadro K4200 11.08
in general and SolidWorks users who work Quadro K5200 12.87
with graphics intensive viewing modes.
While the Quadro K5200 sets new records Quadro K2000 6.99
in both benchmarks, it is probably overkill for Quadro K4000 11.29
most CAD users. Instead, it is best suited to Ambient Occlusion Quadro K2200 16.40
Quadro K4200 20.13
design viz workflows where the GPU is really
Quadro K5200 27.14
pushed to its limits.
Meanwhile, with a significant increase in Quadro K2000 6.13
memory at the lower end of the range, even Quadro K4000 7.47
the entry-level Quadro K620 (2GB) should be Shaded Quadro K2200 8.79
Quadro K4200 9.54
able to handle some pretty hefty CAD models.
Quadro K5200 10.81
The combination of Kepler (K420, K4200,
K5200) and Maxwell (K620 and K2200) for Quadro K2000 6.39
this new generation of GPUs doesn’t appear Quadro K4000 7.73
to have impacted performance in any way, Shaded With Edges Quadro K2200 8.89
Quadro K4200 9.76
with our benchmark figures scaling nicely
Quadro K5200 10.85
through the range.
However, with the Quadro K2200 drawing Quadro K2000 5.56
a mere 68W of power, while delivering Quadro K4000 5.50
impressive performance, it certainly looks RealView Disabled Quadro K2200 5.51
Quadro K4200 5.57
like Nvidia’s Maxwell architecture has much
Quadro K5200 5.53
to offer from a performance/watt perspective.
With such a significant increase in
performance across the range one would 0 5 10 15
(Above) In SolidWorks the Quadro K2200, K4200, and K5200 demonstrate excellent performance
in graphics-intensive workflows with RealView and Ambient Occlusion enabled but appear to
20 25 30
expect Nvidia to be shouting about it offer no real performance benefit over the K2000 or K400 in the RealView disabled portion of
from the rafters, but the company was the test, which focuses on pure shaded plus edges mode, as used in SolidWorks
uncharacteristically reticent to push (Below) In PTC Creo the Quadro K2200 delivers 25% more performance than the Quadro K2000.
The Quadro K4200 delivers 26% more performance than the Quadro K4000
benchmark figures at the launch in July.
In a marked change from Quadro launches
of old it preferred instead to push the SPECapc PTC Creo 2.0 benchmark (bigger is better)
message that Quadro is more than just Test machine: Intel Core i7 4790K (clocked to 4.4GHz), 16GB RAM, 250GB Samsung 840 EVO SSD, Win 7 64 Professional. Driver 340.52

a desktop graphics card - it’s the ‘Visual

Computing Platform’, says Gupte.
In saying this Gupte is mostly talking about
Nvidia GRID, the overarching brand that
includes remote gaming and VDI (virtual
desktop infrastructure) technology as well as
physical GPUs.
GRID is a powerful brand, but when you’ve
spent over a decade building up Quadro as
a marque of reliability, performance and
certification for professional graphics, it’s
clear Nvidia feels there is work to do here to
align its messaging.
We imagine Maxwell-based GRID cards
are on the agenda and wonder if they might
harness the Quadro brand in some way.
Quadro K2000 5.98
Quadro K4000 7.78
Graphics Composite Quadro K2200 7.50
Quadro K4200 9.80
Quadro K5200 10.57
Quadro K2000 6.74
Quadro K4000 8.18
Shaded Graphics Quadro K2200 8.56
Quadro K4200 9.98
Quadro K5200 10.96
Quadro K2000 5.30
Quadro K4000 7.41
Wireframe Graphics Quadro K2200 6.57
Quadro K4200 9.62
Quadro K5200 10.20

■ nvidia.com/quadro

DEVELOP3D.COM/HARDWARE OCTOBER 2014 WS11

 WORKSTATION SPECIAL REPORT

AMD Firepro GPUs

AMD unveils new professional GPUs, optimises its graphics and compute workflows
and seeks professional CAD apps for its Mantle graphics API. Greg Corke reports

I
t has been close to six months
since AMD released the FirePro
W9100, but the graphics giant has
now completed its next generation
professional GPU family with the
introduction of four new cards.
The entry-level FirePro W2100 and W4100,
plus the mid-range FirePro W5100 and
W7100 join the ultra high-end FirePro
W9100 and high-end FirePro W8100 that
was also launched earlier this year.
The big story is that these cards are
brimming with on-board memory; double
that of the previous generation. Even the
entry-level FirePro W2100 comes with 2GB,
which should allow CAD users to load up all
but the biggest models into GPU memory.
Then, in the so-called mid-range, the FirePro
W7100 takes things up to a whopping 8GB.
While it’s hard to imagine any CAD-centric
graphics workflows using anywhere near
this amount of GPU memory, 8GB does
offer serious potential for GPU compute in
simulation and ray trace rendering apps. It
also adds in a good level of future proofing.
The entry-level AMD FirePro W2100, a
replacement for the ageing FirePro V3900, is
being touted to large engineering firms who
want to kit out 100s or 1,000s of engineers
with professional grade GPUs.
AMD is pitching the card as a cost effective
alternative to integrated Intel graphics and at
£100 is certainly aggressive on pricing.
With a claimed performance improvement
of up to 67% over the FirePro V3900, plus
certifications for all the major 3D CAD tools,
AMD is presenting it as an entry-level option
for users of Inventor, SolidWorks, NX, Creo,
Catia and others.
The low profile card has 2GB of onboard
memory and support for 4K displays. It has
two DisplayPort 1.2 outputs.
AMD calls the 2GB FirePro W4100 a new
class of professional GPU – ‘a mid-range
CAD card with an entry-level price’ (£112).
Like the FirePro W2100, the W4100 is also
a low profile card so it will fit into a small
form factor workstation chassis, such as the
Dell Precision T1700 or HP Z230. AMD
has yet to announce which workstation
manufacturers will be taking it up, but it
should be an interesting proposition for
this sector, which has historically been very
limited in its entry-level GPU options.
The W4100 can support up to four 4K
displays and features four outputs (mini
DisplayPort rather than DisplayPort,
presumably so they can all fit onto the low
profile card).
The AMD FirePro W5100 is the new mid-
range workhorse CAD card which boasts
4GB of on board memory, a huge amount for
most CAD workflows.
With 1.4TFLOPS of single precision
performance it also has potential for GPU
compute and should do a fairly decent job
of accelerating OpenCL-based ray trace
renderers, such a V-RAY RT. It can support
up to four 4K displays with DisplayPort 1.2.
AMD calls the FirePro W7100 ‘the ultimate
engineering and media and entertainment
solution’. It features a whopping 8GB
of on-board memory, double that of the
W7000 it replaces, which not only means it
can deal with giant graphics datasets, but
makes it a serious contender for handling
complex, single precision, OpenCL compute
workloads.
At time of writing AMD hadn’t nailed down
the single precision performance figures

Test Drive: Ray trace render in

Vray-RT for 3ds Max

Graphics & compute (left) and visualise in

real time with
on a single GPU Lumiscaphe (right)

The AMD FirePro W8100
and FirePro W9100 are not
only designed for interactive
3D graphics. Both cards
are also optimised for
heavy-duty compute tasks.
Think OpenCL-accelerated
ray trace renderers or
simulation solvers.
Thanks to AMD’s
Graphics Core Next (GCN)
architecture you don’t
have to choose between
graphics or compute
though. Both cards can
handle up to eight compute
tasks and one graphics
task at the same time and,
most importantly, switch
dynamically between them.
This means the GPU
could be number crunching
through a ray trace render
but still respond almost
instantly when you start to
rotate a 3D model.
This is all great in theory
so we decided put this to
the test using the pre-viz
ray trace renderer, V-Ray
RT 2.5 for 3ds Max 2014
and SolidWorks 2014 for
interactive graphics. We
used Microsoft Process
Explorer to track what
resources were being used
in the FirePro W9100 GPU
and FRAPS (fraps.com) to
record the 3D performance.
Selecting V-RAY RT
(OpenCL) as the ActiveShade
renderer, 100% of the
FirePro W9100’s resources
set to work on rendering the
scene. While it crunched its
way through the ray trace
render we loaded up a large
assembly in SolidWorks,
turned on RealView
and started moving the
model around on screen.
Impressively, it responded
instantly, and could be
rotated very smoothly.
With FRAPS we recorded
the frame rate, with and
without V-Ray RT. Amazingly
there was only a small
performance drop of around
5% with the ray trace
renderer running in the
background.
However, as SolidWorks
doesn’t really stress the
FirePro W9100 too much
(Process Explorer only With a complex operations and starts you’re not spinning models
showed 25% GPU resource automotive styling model them again as soon as the around on screen.
utilisation) we upped the GPU resource utilisation graphics task stops. But when you can set
ante with Lumiscaphe P3D went up to 100%, with the Overall, our tests indicate them to work on compute
v5.1, a high-end design FirePro W9100 delivering that AMD has done an intensive tasks and
viz tool that delivers an impressive 60FPS. When exceptional job of turning experience no discernible
exceptional quality Vray-RT was turned on it the humble ‘graphics card’ lag when you need a burst
interactive graphics with dropped down to 30FPS but into a true multi purpose of power for 3D graphics, it
real-time reflections and most importantly, the model processor. opens up the GPU to a whole
transparency. Compared still felt very responsive. In traditional 3D new world of possibilities.
to SolidWorks it takes Under the hood the FirePro workflows powerful GPUs Now AMD just needs the
real-time visualisation to a driver momentarily pauses like the FirePro W8100 and OpenCL applications so it is
whole new level. some of the compute W9100 often sit idle when supported more widely.

WS12 OCTOBER 2014 DEVELOP3D.COM/HARDWARE

 WORKSTATION SPECIAL REPORT

AMD FirePro AMD FirePro AMD FirePro AMD FirePro AMD FirePro AMD FirePro
W2100 W4100 W5100 W7100 W8100 W9100

Memory Size 2GB GDDR3 2GB GDDR5 4GB GDDR5 8GB GDDR5 8GB GDDR5 (ECC) 16GB GDDR5 (ECC)

Memory bandwidth 28.8 GB/s 72 GB/s 96 GB/s TBC 320 GB/s 320 GB/s

#GCN processors 320 512 768 1,792 2,560 2,816

Single Precision 0.40 TFLOPS 0.64 TFLOPS 1.43 TFLOPS TBC 4.2 TFLOPS 5.24 TFLOPS

Double Precision 0.025 TFLOPS 0.040 TFLOPS 0.089 TFLOPS TBC 2.1 TFLOPS 2.62 TFLOPS

PCIe 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0

Number of slots 1 1 1 1 2 2

Connectors 2 x DP 4 x mini DP 4 x DP 4 x DP 4 x DP 6 x mini DP

# displays (with DP 1.2 Hub)1 2 4 4 4 (TBC) 4 (6) 6

Advanced Display N/A N/A N/A Framelock/Genlock Stereo, Frame/Genlock Stereo, Frame/Genlock

Board Power (connector) 26W 50W <75W <150W (1 x 6pin) 220W (2 x 6pin) 275W (6 pin + 8 pin)

Price (ex VAT) £100 3

£112 3
£300 3
TBC £1,220 2
£2,0352

1 DisplayPort 1.2 multi-streaming can be used to drive multiple displays from a single DisplayPort connector 2 Price taken from scan.co.uk on Sept 20, 2014 3 Price taken from overclockers.co.uk on Sept 20, 2014

of the W7100 but, with its predecessor the on board. AMD says the release of the much
W7000 delivering 2.4 TFLOPs, we expect
it to be in the order of 3.0 TFLOPs. It can
more mature OpenCL 2.0 later this year will
change this. AMD Mantle:
also support up to four 4K displays with In the product development space key a new graphics
DisplayPort 1.2.
It is due to ship a little later than the other
applications that currently support OpenCL
include V-Ray RT from Chaos Group,
API for CAD?
cards, which should out very soon, but will Simulia Abaqus, and NX Nastran. However, AMD is starting to push Mantle, its brand new
graphics API, into the professional space. Mantle is
still be available this year. AMD previewed a new OpenCL 2.0-based ray designed to offer an alternative to the established
trace renderer at SIGGRAPH, which could OpenGL and DirectX APIs that are used by virtually
Graphics and compute potentially plug into any CAD application. all 3D games and CAD applications. In its basic form
a graphics API allows the graphics card driver to
Ever since AMD introduced its Graphics While GPU compute is theoretically communicate with a 3D application.
Core Next (GCN) architecture it has been possible on all the new FirePro cards, the But why do we need another API? As Mantle
trying to get the message out there that AMD W2100 and W4100 lack the raw power to is brand new, and optimised for AMD’s GCN
architecture, it is designed to be faster and more
FirePro is not just for graphics anymore; it make them serious options. efficient than OpenGL or DirectX. And, according
also does compute — and can handle both Single precision applications, such as ray to an interesting report on Tom’s Hardware
at the same time on a single GPU. This is trace rendering, should run pretty well on (tinyurl.com/Mantle3D), it has the potential to
increase performance on systems with slower
in contrast to Nvidia’s multi GPU approach the AMD FirePro W5100 or W7100, but
multi-core host processors.
where one GPU is dedicated for graphics and you’ll probably need the FirePro W8100 or AMD has initially pushed Mantle in the 3D games
another (or others) are used for compute. W9100 if you’re really serious about GPU sector, a market where it has excellent penetration
AMD took a little while to properly compute — or want to accelerate double in gaming PCs and consoles. However, the fact
that it is turning its attention to professional
implement this into its drivers and the tests precision applications, such as CAE solvers. applications could be big news.
we did back in September 2012 showed it still Multiple GPUs can also be used in a single With DirectX and OpenGL, graphics performance
had work to do (tinyurl.com/GPUcompute). machine, which are sometimes branded as in 3D CAD software is almost always dictated by
the speed of the CPU — that’s why 3D performance
However, the good news is that it now AMD FirePro Ultra Workstations. ramps up with the GHz of the CPU, rather than its
works very well. Set a complex ray trace AMD’s focus on supporting graphics and cores. Mantle, on the other hand, is designed from
render going in V-RAY RT, which uses 100% compute concurrently on a single GPU the ground up to work with multi-core CPUs, so
performance should also rise as you add more cores.
of the GPU’s resources, and your 3D CAD presents an interesting conundrum for If AMD manages to bring 3D CAD software
model will still respond instantly when you product development professionals. developers on board with Mantle it could deliver a
try to move it about on screen. This is not If it wasn’t hard enough finding the best step change in 3D performance. However, because
the API is optimised for AMD’s GCN architecture
only when using a product like SolidWorks, GPU to match your 3D graphics workflow —
and will work best on AMD FirePro GPUs, would
which puts relatively low graphics demands today and into the future — choosing a GPU CAD software developers really back an AMD
on the GPU, but even in Lumiscaphe P3D, a to also match compute workflows that may technology in a market that is still dominated by
high-end design viz application which really or may not materialise in the future throws Nvidia Quadro GPUs?
One could argue that, a) it’s not unheard of for
taxes the GPU. See box out for more details. up a whole new challenge. Our best advice it 3D software to support multiple graphics APIs
The problem — at least in the product to think about the ‘now’ and keep a close eye so Mantle could potentially be made available
development arena — continues to be a lack on how OpenCL touches your application alongside OpenGL and b) if your CAD software is
in the cloud, with only pixels being streamed to
of application support. AMD backs the ‘open’ stack later. You can always buy an additional the desktop, it really doesn’t matter what GPU
OpenCL standard, which suffers from slow, FirePro GPU in the future. designers and engineers are using on the desktop.
committee driven development, and it has We look forward to testing out the new We look forward to seeing how this develops.
taken a while for software developers to come FirePro GPUs in the coming months.

DEVELOP3D.COM/HARDWARE OCTOBER 2014 WS13

 WORKSTATION SPECIAL REPORT
Yoyotech
Proteus W8100 WS
With its FirePro GPU, this single CPU desktop offers an interesting alternative to a
dual Xeon workstation, but is let down by a disappointing case. By Greg Corke
Y
oyotech made its DEVELOP3D
debut last year with the
M-cube WS, a compact CAD
workstation that packed a
real punch. Now it has traded
those sleek orange lines for
something that looks altogether more
industrial – a full size desktop workstation
tuned for high-end graphics and compute.
The Proteus W8100 WS gets its name
from AMD’s powerful new professional
GPU, the FirePro W8100. This 220W,
double height board boasts 8GB GDDR5
memory making it ideal for handling
massive datasets in high-end 3D design
viz applications such as 3ds Max or Maya.
Indeed, it hardly broke into a sweat in
our SPECapc SolidWorks benchmark,
delivering an impressive score of 16.40 in
the Ambient Occlusion composite test, fully
loaded with realistic materials and lighting.
However, the 220W double height board is
far more than just a graphics card. Thanks
to the FirePro’s adaptable GCN architecture,
it can also double as a compute board,
number crunching in OpenCL-accelerated
applications including DS Simulia Abaqus
and Siemens NX Nastran (for simulation) or
V-Ray RT (for ray trace rendering).
The interesting thing about the FirePro
W8100 is you can do graphics and compute
at the same time. Set it to work on a ray trace
render and it’s still responsive when you
need to spin your 3D model on screen (see
page WS12 for more info).
Alongside the hugely powerful GPU there’s
a six-core Core i7-4930K CPU, overclocked
to 4.2GHz. This Ivy Bridge chip is a good
all-rounder, offering a good clock speed and
still plenty of cores to support multi-threaded,
CPU-based ray trace renderers or CAE solvers.
However, with new six and eight-core Haswell
The front
grille looks
nice but hides
important
buttons
WS14 OCTOBER 2014 DEVELOP3D.COM/HARDWARE
Core i7 chips literally just out, you may want to » Intel Core i7 4930K (clocked to 4.2GHz) (six cores)
talk to Yoyotech about other options. » 32GB (4 x 8GB) 2,400Mhz G-Skill Trident memory
The CPU is liquid cooled, thanks to a » AMD FirePro W8100 GPU (8GB) (13.352.1009 driver)
self-contained Corsair H100i cooling unit. » 250GB Samsung SSD 840 PRO + 2TB Seagate Solid
There’s a huge fan at the front to draw air State Hybrid Drive (SSHD)
» MSI Z79A-GD45 Plus Socket 2011 motherboard
over the storage and GPUs, and one at the
» 518 x 232 x 562mm
back for the CPU. The bundled CorsairLINK
» Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
software gives users one-touch control
» 3 year silver warranty (1st year parts/labour RTB - 2nd
over the cooling system, while monitoring & 3rd year labour only RTB. Gold and Platinum available
internal temperatures.
There are profiles for Quiet, Balanced and £2,750 (ex VAT)
Performance, all of which are directly linked yoyotech.co.uk
to fan speed (and indeed fan noise). There’s
the obvious temptation to set to Quiet, but » CPU benchmarks (secs - smaller is better)
CAM (Delcam PowerMill) 1) 134 2) 170 3) 223
this might not deliver sufficient cooling
Rendering (3ds Max Design 2011) - 149
when hammering the powerful internals.
» Graphics benchmarks (bigger is better)
By getting a feel for the system users will be
CAD (SolidWorks 2013 - SPECapc graphics composite) - 6.90
able to match the settings to their different
CAD (Creo 2.0 - SPECapc graphics composite) - 6.68
workflows, but this might be a tad too
complicated for some.
For storage, the machine has a classic
two-drive set up, but with a twist. The capabilities typically found in dual CPU
256GB Samsung SSD 840 Pro for OS and workstations.
applications is standard fare, but the 2TB But then there’s the disappointing chassis.
Seagate Solid State Hybrid Drive (SSHD) data The good news is Yoyotech does offer a
drive is basically a normal hard drive with variety of other cases, from manufacturers
8GB of MLC NAND flash memory bolted on including Corsair, Fractal design and
to cache ‘hot’ data. We’re not sure how useful Coolermaster, so there should be some
this will be for CAD data workflows, but it’s an decent alternatives there.
interesting technology nonetheless.
For a workstation that sets you back just The XFX Type 01
under £3,000 the case is disappointing. chassis is a bit
It looks and feels plasticky and the side disappointing
panels are flimsy. In addition, what at first
look like handles to move the machine
around are actually just for decoration and
have no structural strength. If this added
to the aesthetic we might understand but
the whole case isn’t exactly a looker. Even
the minimal front grille, its best feature,
hides important functional buttons (we
inadvertently reset the machine when
trying to open the DVD drive). The saving
grace is four nicely spaced USB ports on
top with space to rest external drives.
Overall, Yoyotech has assembled a
specialist workstation, which offers an
interesting proposition to users of design
visualisation or simulation software.
Taken on its own the FirePro W8100
is just a powerful graphics card, but if
you work with an OpenCL-compatible
application it could be a more cost
effective way to get high-end compute
 ,QWHOp&RUHDZL3URFHVVRU
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6WDUWLQJDWe VWD\FRQQHFWHGZLWK,QWHO,QVLGHp
,QWHOWKH,QWHO/RJR,QWHO,QVLGH,QWHO&RUHDQG&RUH,QVLGHDUHWUDGHPDUNVRI,QWHO&RUSRUDWLRQLQWKH86DQGRURWKHUFRXQWULHV

InterPro E-Series - E200HWE [v3]
» 2 x Intel Xeon
E5-2698v3 CPU
(16 cores) (2.30GHz)
» 64GB ECC DDR-4
2133MHz memory
» Nvidia Quadro K5200
GPU (8GB GDDR5)
» 480GB Intel 530
SSD + 2 x 3TB Seagate
Enterprise ES.3 HDDs
» Microsoft Windows 7
Professional 64-bit
» 3 year Return to
Base (RTB) warranty
£7,775 (ex VAT)
ipworkstations.com
» CPU benchmarks
(secs - smaller is better)
CAM (Delcam PowerMill)
1) 174 2) 175 3) 185
Rendering (3ds Max) 54
» Graphics (bigger is better)
CAD (SolidWorks) 7.25
CAD (Creo 2.0) 7.37
Scan 3XS GW-HT10
» Intel Core i7 4790K
(Quad Core) CPU
clocked to 4.4GHz
» 16GB, 2,133MHz
Corsair DDR3 memory
» Nvidia Quadro K4200
GPU (4GB GDDR5)
» 250GB Samsung
SSD 840 EVO + 2TB
Seagate Barracuda
7,200RPM HDD
» Microsoft Windows 7
Professional 64-bit
» 3 year warranty (1st
Year Onsite, 2nd & 3rd
Year Return to Base)
£1,458 (ex VAT)
3xs.scan.co.uk
» CPU benchmarks
(secs - smaller is better)
CAM (Delcam PowerMill)
1) 128 2) 192 3) 268
Rendering (3ds Max) 171
» Graphics (bigger is better)
CAD (SolidWorks) 9.65
CAD (Creo 2.0) 9.8
WS16 OCTOBER 2014 DEVELOP3D.COM/HARDWARE
WORKSTATION SPECIAL REPORT
O
ne of the most significant
advancements in Intel’s New
‘Haswell’ Xeon E5-2600v3 is
the number of CPU cores on offer.
While the ‘Ivy Bridge’ Xeon E5-
2600v2 family peaked at 12 cores, the
new Xeons go all the way up to 18.
For most CAD users this will be of
little interest but if you’re heavily into
design viz and spend a big chunk of
your day producing photorealistic ray
trace renders then it’s big news.
The problem with packing more
cores into a single CPU is that the
GHz has to drop. And we all know
having a high GHz CPU is essential
for system performance, CAD and
other single threaded applications.
Finding the right balance can
be a challenge, particularly when
you factor in cost. Kitting out this
InterPro workstation with two 18
core Intel Xeon E5-2699v3 CPUs
(2.3GHz up to 3.6GHz) for example
would set you back £8,875. However
dropping down to two 16 core Intel
Xeon E5-2698v3 CPUs (2.3GHz up to
3.6GHz), at the heart of this review
machine, brings the price down to a
slightly more palatable £7,775.
It might cost a fair packet, but the
potential performance benefits of
Haswell over Ivy Bridge are huge.
In 3ds Max Design 2015 our scene
rendered in an incredible 54 secs,
streaks ahead of anything we’ve seen
S
can should be given a lot of
credit for bringing overclocking
into the mainstream. What
used to be a specialist treatment for
custom workstations is now done as a
matter of course by the Bolton-based
manufacturer. And it does it very well.
The Intel Core i7 4790K is the
latest chip to get the overclocking
treatment. This quad core CPU
already runs at an impressive 4.0GHz
(a first for Intel) but with some
tinkering Scan has pushed it up to a
permanent 4.4GHz.
To keep things running cool, Scan
uses a Corsair Hydro H80, a sealed,
closed loop water CPU cooler, which
is very efficient at extracting the heat
generated by this 88W CPU. Working
together with a 120mm Corsair Air
Series SP120 PWM Quiet Edition
fan, noise is kept to an absolute
minimum, even at peak load.
This latest incarnation of the 3XS
before. It’s hard to put an exact figure
on the performance improvement due
to differences in the mental ray trace
renderer, but we reckon there’s around
a 20%-25% performance increase
when pitting the ‘Haswell’ E5-2698 v3
against the ‘Ivy Bridge’ E5-2697 v2 (12
cores @ 2.7GHz up to 3.5GHz).
Despite hammering all 16 cores,
the Xeon E5-2698v3s still manage
to maintain a turbo clock speed of
2.8GHz during long term testing.
Fan noise in the InterPro E-Series -
E200HWE [v3] remained relatively
low, despite running both CPUs flat
out for over an hour.
Our review machine might lack the
raw GHz of an Intel E5-2687W v3
(10 cores @ 3.1GHz up to 3.5GHz)
but it still put in a good shift in our
CAD/CAM-focused tests. In Delcam
Powermill it was around 35% slower
than the Scan 3XS below, which is the
fastest single CPU workstation we’ve
ever seen. However, once you start
running two, three, even four tests
at the same time it starts to show its
pedigree, leaving the Scan 3XS trailing
and barely slowing down at all.
The Interpro is no slouch when
it comes to graphics. Paired with
a high-end Nvidia Quadro K5200
GPU it delivered good scores in our
SolidWorks and Creo benchmarks,
but the lower GHz processor does
throttle the performance a fair bit.
GW-HT10 workstation is targeted
directly at CAD users. With a brand
new Nvidia Quadro K4200 GPU, there
is plenty of 3D graphics power for
large assembly modelling. For those
whose graphics demands are more
modest, scale down to a K2200 and
shave £304 off the cost of the machine.
Storage is fast, courtesy of a
Samsung SSD 840 EVO, but it could
be improved on if you are a heavy
user. Upgrading to a Samsung SSD
850 PRO for an additional £46 will
not only offer faster sustained write
speeds but give you peace of mind
thanks to a ten year warranty. See
page WS22 for more on this SSD.
It will come as little surprise that
the 3XS GW-HT10 excels in terms of
performance. For CAD, it delivered
exceptional scores in our SolidWorks
and Creo 3D graphics tests and when
number crunching in our single
Delcam PowerMill test.
InterPro’s chassis of choice is the
Supermicro CSE-732D4-903B, a
simple mid-sized tower. It lacks the
finesse of a tier one manufacturer, but
it’s easy to get access to drives thanks
to a 90-degree rotatable HDD cage.
The machine is heavily laden
with storage: a fast 480GB Intel 530
Series SSD for operating system and
applications and two 3TB enterprise
class 7,200RPM Seagate ES.3 SATA3
drives. These are mirrored in a RAID
1 array to keep data safe should one
drive fail.
Overall, InterPro has delivered a
powerful niche machine targeted
directly at design viz specialists. It’s
perfectly tuned for incredibly fast ray
trace rendering and while the single
threaded performance takes a hit it’s
not as slow as one might expect.
The good news is InterPro offers
the full range of Intel Xeon E5-2600
v3 Series CPUs so you can match it
to your workflows and indeed your
budget. The processor that we’ve
got our eye on is the Intel Xeon E5-
2697v3 (14 cores @ 2.6GHz up to
3.6GHz). It should deliver your ray
trace renders in roughly the same
time but, with the additional 0.3GHz,
will make a significant difference to
overall system performance. And the
best news is that it will take £500 off
the cost of your machine bringing it
down to £7,275.
Overall, the Scan 3XS GW-HT10 is
an excellent choice if you are looking
for a powerful mainstream CAD
workstation. With a few tweaks here
and there you can fine-tune the spec
but the impressive performer that is
the Intel Core i7 4790K looks to be the
current processor to beat for CAD.
 WORKSTATION SPECIAL REPORT
Teradici WorkstatioN
Access software
Use a desktop workstation but sometimes need to access it from the meeting room,
shop floor or home? Teradici might have something for you. Greg Corke reports
A
ccessing a workstation
remotely is a hugely
powerful capability. You
can use your 3D CAD
workstation wherever you
go – think shop floor, client
office, or at home. With pixel streaming
technology there is no need to check
data out of the vault or lug your powerful
workstation from design office to meeting
room. Providing you have an adequate
network connection you can use your 3D
CAD software wherever you like, on any
device, including tablets and think clients.
The downside is remote workstations can
be incredibly complex to set up. Talk to your
average designer about datacentres, racks,
hypervisors and virtual machines and the
eyes soon glaze over.
But remote workstations don’t have to be
complex. If you just want to dip in your toes
but need something more powerful than
GoToMyPc or Remote Desktop Connection,
which are optimised for office applications
rather than 3D CAD, then a new software
tool from Teradici might pique your interest.
WS18 OCTOBER 2014 DEVELOP3D.COM/HARDWARE
Teradici’s reliably named Workstation
Access Software is a purpose built tool that
uses the established PCoIP protocol to add
a remote access capability to your 3D CAD
desktop workstation, on demand.
Unlike the company’s PCIe host cards,
which provide dedicated hardware for
compressing, encrypting and sending IP
packets over a network, the new Workstation
Access Software does everything in
software. It’s a big change in tack for a
company that has been extolling the virtues
of hardware-based compression since 2007,
but Teradici is looking to expand its reach
and introduce a whole new set of users to
remote workstations.
The big target is the small and medium
enterprises (SMEs) — design, engineering,
and architecture firms with less than 100
desktop workstations that don’t want to
jump head first into a data centre solution.
Everything about the Workstation
Access Software is designed for ease of
deployment. Teradici reckons it takes just
five minutes to get up and running and that
includes installing software on both host
and client. No special network settings are
required to run it over LAN, it claims.
Things get a bit more complicated when
you want to access the workstation over the
Internet. You’ll first need to ‘VPN in’, so your
network will need that capability. However,
next year Teradici’s software will include its
own VPN of sorts, just for PCoIP data, which
should further break down the barriers for
more technically challenged firms.
The host software runs as a background
service in Windows — and as far as the
average user is concerned, that’s about
it. Next, punch the IP address of the host
workstation into the PCoIP software client,
click connect and — hey presto —you
can access your 3D CAD software on any
Windows or Apple OS X machine. Android
and iOS clients will come next year.
The software can support up to two
monitors (up to 2,560 x 1,600 resolution) at
a frame rate of up to 30 frames per second
(FPS), half that of Teradici’s hardware-based
solution. CAD model rotation should still
be relatively smooth at this speed but it is
unlikely to give users as good an experience
 WORKSTATION SPECIAL REPORT
Teradidi is looking to provide an easy
way to access your desktop workstation
remotely, so you can run CAD software
such as PTC Creo from anywhere
as they would get with a hardware solution.
A low latency, high bandwidth
connection is a given, but there are some
other considerations for maximising
performance. As everything is done in
software, on a single CPU core, a higher
GHz processor at both ends should lead to a
better user experience.
Performance can be improved by adding
a Zero client at the end point – perhaps a
permanent fixture in the boardroom.
The software will currently work best with
Nvidia GPUs in the host workstation – those
with driver version 332.76 or later. This
enables it to grab the pixels direct from the
GPU frame buffer, rather than the graphics
driver, which effectively removes one step in
the process. In theory, this reduces the CPU
overhead and increases performance.
Teradici recommends the Quadro K4000 or
higher although the software does work with
other Nvidia GPUs. AMD FirePro GPUs are
compatible but users will need to wait until
next year before the software can grab pixels
from the frame buffer in a similar way.
With Teradici’s hardware-based solution
users are given control over performance
ENTER @ surveymonkey.com/s/D3D-WSREPORT
settings — prioritising frame rate or quality.
This capability hasn’t yet been fully exposed
in the Workstation Access Software, though
experienced IT administrators are able to
dive in and change settings in an ADM
file. Next year, Teradici will make it easier
to tweak performance / quality settings by
adding a user friendly PCoIP control panel.
Availability
Teradici doesn’t have the channel to push
this product out to market so is partnering
with workstation manufacturers. Dell
is currently the only one, and offers the
software as a cost option on its Precision
workstations, but Teradici is talking to other
partners as well. These could be smaller,
boutique workstation manufacturers as well
as the bigger players, though HP is unlikely
to be among them as it already has its
Remote Graphics Software (RGS) that ships
free with all HP Z Workstations.
The software is currently only available in
the US for $199, plus a mandatory $40, for
one year support and software upgrades.
It will be rolled out to Europe in December
and the rest of the world next year.
Conclusion
This is an interesting development from
Teradici who has always championed the
use of dedicated hardware for compressing
a mobile
WIN workstation
H730 Mobile workstations
up for grabs
EACH Worth £1,600!
DEVELOP3D.COM/HARDWARE OCTOBER 2014 WS19
and uncompressing pixels.
Teradici sees its Workstation Access
Software as a gentle introduction to remote
workstations — for users that are attached
their desktop workstations, but want to
access them remotely on occasion.
Once the software has been proved out
and embedded in workflows, Teradici hopes
customers will look at some of its more
powerful remote workstation solutions.
An obvious upgrade would be to invest in
a Teradici PCIe card and zero client, which
should deliver a better user experience on
low latency connections. However, Teradici
also has a big focus on data centres, and
already has plans to extend the reach of the
Workstation Access Software to support
multiple users on virtualised workstations.
As far as this initial software release is
concerned it is clear it’s a work in progress.
However, with the promise of built in PCoIP
VPN, high-level support for AMD FirePro
and Nvidia Quadro GPUs and user friendly
controls for tweaking settings, it looks like
things will progress quickly.
The software may be new, but the PCoIP
protocol it relies on is very mature. Teradici
is keen to explain this is a tried and tested
technology for a workstation-class remote
access experience. We look forward to
testing it out to see how it performs.
■ teradici.com
2 FUJITSU
Celsius
 WORKSTATION SPECIAL REPORT

FUJITSU Celsius H730

This mainstream CAD-class mobile workstation offers some unique
features for security and maintenance. Greg Corke reports

W
hile Dell and HP covermachine’s 16GB can be expanded to 32GB, Enterprise and security
all bases in mobile thanks to two free DIMM slots. The modular bay is standard across
workstations, from The Intel Core i7-4800MQ processor offers Fujitsu’s entire range of
lightweight ultra solid performance, running at a nominal Lifebook E Line business-
mobiles to 17-inch clock speed of 2.7GHz and Turbo Boosts class laptops (13.3”,
desktop replacements, up to 3.8GHz. With four cores and eight 14” and 15.6”models)
Fujitsu takes a different tack. The Japanese threads there’s also good potential for ray so the Celsius H730 fits
manufacturer focuses exclusively on the trace rendering, as demonstrated in our 3ds nicely into a corporate environment,
volume market with entry-level to mid-range Max rendering test. making IT management simple. All four
3D CAD users all catered for by a single For top performance you can up this to a machines use the same docking bay as well
workstation-class laptop. Core i7-4910MQ (2.9 GHz, up to 3.9 GHz), so hot desking is easy.
The mobile workstation in question is though this will add a premium. As an enterprise-class laptop it will come as
the Fujitsu Celsius H730 — a solid 2.9kg While other manufacturers have started to little surprise that the Celsius H730 is big on
machine, 380 x 257 x 36mm in size and dabble with ultra high-res displays, Fujitsu security. The machine comes with a whole
with a 15.6-inch screen. It features a has gone with a tried and tested 15.6-inch range of data and access protection features
simple design, with a grey lid, brushed LED-backlit (Full HD) anti glare screen. It including hard drive encryption, remote
aluminium wrist rest and trademark red may not excite like a modern QHD+ (3,200 disable and erase and tracking via WiFi or
stripe. It also manages to pack in some good x 1,800) panel does but the quality is good 3G — should you have the optional Mobile
customisation and innovative features not and the pixel density far more palatable broadband module installed.
seen on other machines. for viewing non-optimised menus, icons The icing on the cake is the PalmSecure
and toolbars. You can also connect up to an palm vein authentication system. Simply
THE SPECS external monitor, via DisplayPort or VGA. hover your hand over the sensor next to the
Component-wise, the H730 has plenty There’s a whole host of storage options – keyboard and it authenticates each registered
to offer. There’s a good choice of Nvidia Solid State Disks (SSDs), Solid State Hybrid user in seconds due to the unique patterns of
Quadro GPUs, including our test machine’s Drives (SSHDs) and Hard Disk Drives veins in the palm. Fujitsu claims palm vein
2GB Quadro K1100M. This mid-range (HDDs), from 128GB up to 1TB. One 2.5-inch authentication is more reliable and more
graphics chip should do a good job for small drive comes as standard but an additional secure than fingerprint sensors. We certainly
to medium-sized CAD assembly modelling drive can be added at the expense of the optical found it very easy to use and setup.
and delivered good solid scores in our drive thanks to a modular bay that clips out It only takes a minute to enrol your hand in
SolidWorks and PTC Creo tests. For a bit easily. Sadly, there’s no room for a small the Workplace Protect software and getting
more power there’s the optional Quadro footprint mSATA SSD. authenticated as a user takes seconds, though
K2100M or, for 2D or basic 3D, the entry- The modular bay has plenty of other options. you’ll need to learn exactly where to hold your
level Quadro K510M. In addition to an optical drive or second 2.5- hand. You can even get into position before
Memory is as one would expect on a inch drive it can house a second battery or a Windows boots up so as soon as the log in
mainstream mobile workstation. Our review hollow weight saver. screen appears your hand is already being
scanned. It’s certainly much quicker and
easier than typing in a password.
Fujitsu Celsius H730 MSI WS60 20J
Maintenance
Processor (CPU) Intel Core i7-4800MQ (2.70GHz, 4 cores) Intel Core i7-4710HQ (2.50GHz, 4 cores)
Another standout feature of the Celsius H730
Memory (RAM) 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3 L 1,600MHz 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3 L 1,600MHz is also the most simple — a removable dust
Graphics (GPU) Nvidia Quadro K1100M (2GB GDDR5) Nvidia Quadro K1100M (2GB GDDR5) cover on the back of the machine that lets you
Display 15.6-inch, LED backlight, 1,920 x 1,080 15.6-inch 1,920 x 1,080, anti-reflective easily clean out the fluff that gathers around
the fan and heat sink.
Drives 256GB SSD 128GB M.2 SATA SSD + 1TB 2.5-inch HDD
As most laptop owners will know, if you
Size / Weight 380 x 257 x 24.8-31.9mm / 2.75Kg 390 x 266 x 19.9mm / 1.9kg don’t do this regularly airflow is restricted
Operating System Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit and the fan has to work harder. You not only
Warranty 3 years collect and return 3 year: parts, labour, collect and return end up with a noisy workstation and reduced
Website www.fujitsu.co.uk www.msi.com/product/workstation battery life but the CPU and GPU can be
throttled to protect them against overheating,
CPU Benchmarks (bigger is better)
and the whole machine slows down.
CAM (Delcam PowerMill 2010) i) 191 ii) 296 iii) 415 i) 176 ii) 272 iii) 386
For a process that is so important, cleaning
Rendering (3ds Max Design 2011) 266 241 most mobile workstations is remarkably
Graphics benchmarks (bigger is better) hard. It requires you to take off the back of the
CAD (SolidWorks 2013) 4.08 4.55 machine and unscrew the fans before you can
even get to the heatsink. And because this can
CAD (PTC Creo 2.0) 4.27 4.98
take a good 10 minutes you don’t do it nearly
Price (ex VAT) £1,580 £1,699
as often as you should.

WS20 OCTOBER 2014 DEVELOP3D.COM/HARDWARE

 WORKSTATION SPECIAL REPORT
The Celsius H730’s dust cover simply clips
off so you can go to work with a pair of tweezers
in seconds. Fujitsu reckons you can even use a
small handheld vacuum cleaner to remove the
smaller dust particles.
This might sounds like a small thing, but
one shouldn’t underestimate the importance
of keeping your machine free from dust so
it can run at optimum performance. I find it
hard to believe that other mobile workstation
manufacturers haven’t done something similar.
In USE
The full-sized island style keyboard includes
a numeric keypad for that all-important
engineering input. There’s not a lot of
movement on the keys but it’s very comfortable
to use. The trackpad is a also pleasure to work
with and its three buttons have just about the
right amount of give.
To the top right of the keyboard there’s an
EcoButton, which allows you to instantly
go into power saving mode. It’s completely
configurable, so you can choose what gets
switched off (WLAN, LAN, audio and the DVD
drive) or turned down (display brightness and
CPU performance).
There are four USB ports (3 x USB 3.0 and
1 x USB 2.0) distributed around the machine.
When the machine is on you can charge
from any port, but when it’s off only from the
‘Anytime USB’ port. This single port can be
configured to charge with or without the AC
adapter connected giving flexibility on the road.
Conclusion
If you’re after a good all-round machine for
CAD on the go then the Fujitsu Celsius is
an excellent choice. There are some great
features, including the palm vein secure,
modular bay and (our personal favourite)
the dust cover. The only downside is when it
comes to storage. With no support for mSATA
those who want two drives in their machine
(an SSD for operating system and applications
and a HDD for data) will do so at the expense
of a DVD or second battery.
MSI WS60
MSI delivers mainstream CAD performance in a
slimline 15.6-inch chassis. Greg Corke reports
F
inding the right balance between
performance and portability is
always a challenge for mobile
workstations. We all get excited
about powerful CAD laptops, but this
enthusiasm tends to wane when you have
to lug one around for the day.
The good news is we are now starting to
see a new generation of mobile workstations
that deliver a compelling combination of
size, weight and performance.
Dell broke new ground last year with
the Precision M3800 (tinyurl.com/D3D-
M3800), which delivered impressive 3D
CAD performance in a slimline 15.6-inch
chassis. Now MSI is getting in on the act
with the WS60, a highly mobile 15.6-inch
machine that weighs a mere 1.9kg and is
only 19.9mm thick, almost half that of a
mainstream 15.6-inch mobile workstation.
The magnesium alloy chassis feels strong
and stiff. Looks-wise, it is understated in its
styling with a brushed black metal finish.
It looks nice out of the box but is very
prone to fingerprint smudging.
It’s is a definite improvement over the
chunky plastic MSI GT60-20K we reviewed
in April but doesn’t match the Dell
Precision M3800 for style or slenderness.
It has certainly upped the ante in terms of
spec though. First off it features a powerful
Intel Core i7-4710HQ (2.50GHz, 4 cores),
only a couple of models down from the top
end CPU you’ll find in a mainstream 15.6-
inch mobile workstation.
There’s no trade off in GPU though with
the Nvidia Quadro K2100 (2GB) matching
the best you’ll find in a HP ZBook 15.
There is a compromise in memory
though, with the MSI WS60 maxing out at
16GB, half that of a standard 15.6-inch, but
this should still be plenty for mainstream
assembly modelling. All of this translates
to solid performance, backed up by good
scores in our benchmark tests.
Despite packing in so much power into a
small envelope, MSI has done a pretty good
job on acoustics. Dedicated fans for both
CPU and GPU mean it doesn’t get too loud
or too hot, even under heavy loads. However,
fans do run all the time, even when writing
a Word doc, which is a little annoying.
For a laptop of this size it is impressive
that it can pack in three drives and our
128GB M.2 SSD and a 1TB HDD is a
good combination. It’s a shame there’s no
option for a 256GB M.2 SSD as the GBs
soon add up when fully loaded with CAD
DEVELOP3D.COM/HARDWARE OCTOBER 2014 WS21
software, but a second 128GB SSD can be
added to form a fast 256GB RAID 0 array.
For larger capacities, third party M.2
SSDs can be bought for user upgrades
but this is far from easy. In addition to the
10 plus screws on the back panel, you’ll
need to remove the motherboard, which
is very fiddly. Resellers, such as Scan or
Workstation Specialists should be able to
do this for you though.
The HD (1,920 x 1,080) IPS matte panel
is a joy to use, but there’s an optional
WQHD+(2,880 x 1,620) should you want
to venture into 3K territory.
The keyboard is solid and comes with
a numeric keypad, great for engineering
input. It’s RGB backlit so you can change
the colour of the glow around the keys and
customisable so multi-key shortcuts can
be assigned to a single key.
The touchpad is less impressive and we
found the cursor jumped about at times,
which is not ideal for precise CAD work.
The WS60 is well connected. With 3 x
USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt 2.0 there are
plenty of options for peripherals, but no
DVD drive. Thunderbolt doubles as a
mini DisplayPort, which together with
HDMI, means you can connect up to two
external displays.
All in all, MSI has done an excellent
job in delivering a workstation-class
laptop in a slimline chassis. There’s no
other machine of this class that is so well
equipped in terms of CPU and GPU.
MSI may have made its name
in gaming laptops, but
that doesn’t mean
the WS60 is just a
GS60 with Quadro
graphics. As a sign
of how seriously the
company is taking the
workstation market,
the WS60 is a certified
CAD workstation, for
SolidWorks and other
applications.
 WORKSTATION SPECIAL REPORT

SSDs: PCIe vs SATA

PCIe Solid State Drive (SSDs) are certainly grabbing the headlines but what
is the reality for users of CAD/CAM/CAE software? Greg Corke investigates

T
here has been a lot talk recently
about PCI Express (PCIe) Solid
State Drives (SSDs). These
high-performance storage
devices are a headline feature
in the Mac Pro, MacBook Pro
and the latest HP Z desktop and HP ZBook
mobile workstations. But what are they and
what do they mean for CAD/CAM/CAE?
PCIe is the high-speed computer bus
traditionally used for Graphics Processing
Units (GPUs). It offers much higher data
transfer speeds than the SATA 3.0 standard
on which most Hard Disk Drive (HDDs) or
SSDs are based.
SATA 3.0 has pretty much hit its limits as
far as sustained read / write performance
is concerned. 500MB/sec to 550MB/sec is
the most you can squeeze out of any SATA-
based SSD, whereas entry-level PCIe SSDs
can reach two to three times these speeds,
easily hitting 1,500MB/sec.
Just because the PCIe bus overcomes the
bandwidth limitations of SATA 3.0 it does not
necessarily translate to better performance
in real world applications. A PCIe SSD will
certainly allow you to copy and paste 20GB
of 3ds Max assets far quicker than a SATA
3.0 SSD, but you will not see such obvious
benefits in most CAD-centric workflows.
Opening a SolidWorks assembly, for
example, will not be faster with a PCIe SSD.
In fact, disk I/O plays a relatively small role
in this operation as the CPU does most of
the work, uncompressing and compiling
part and assembly files.
PCIe SSDs come into their own when
large amounts of data need to be shifted
around quickly (think tens or even hundreds
of GB). They can become even more
important when datasets become too big to
be held in system memory (RAM). When
this happens uncompressed data needs
to be moved in and out of temporary swap
space that resides on the SSD and the
higher bandwidth can certainly help.
In the professional space there are a few
workflows where PCIe SSDs really show
their worth. Video editing and compositing
is the big one, particularly when working
with uncompressed 4K content.
For design and engineering, complex
simulation and point cloud data processing
are two prime examples.
Point cloud processing
Point cloud datasets can become extremely
large, often consisting of hundreds of
individual laser scans that are stitched
together to capture buildings, cars and other that might benefit from PCIe storage,
complex physical products in incredible 3D
detail. This could be for reverse engineering, generation and volume selection.
inspection, to reference an existing part, or
to document a physical form.
Processing this data needs a powerful
workstation and dedicated software to
convert, register and manipulate exceptionally
large models. For manufacturing, there’s
Geomagic Studio, PolyWorks Inspector and
RapidForm XOS. For the built environment
– buildings, bridges, roads, etc. – one of the
leading tools is LFM Server.
LFM has long recognised that SSDs deliver
exceptional performance benefits over
HDDs. However, much less has been said
about the benefits of using PCIe SSDs over
SATA SSDs. We decided to test this out in
some common workflows in LFM Server.
We compared two SSDs: a 1TB Samsung
SSD 850 Pro (SATA 3.0) with a 480GB OCZ
RevoDrive 350 (PCIe).
Both SSDs are pitched as being
workstation-class, however, the OCZ
RevoDrive 350 boasts far superior sustained
read/write performance: up to 1,800MB/s
sequential read and up to 1,700MB/s
sequential write compared to the Samsung
SSD 850 Pro’s 550MB/sec and 520MB/sec.
The random read/write speeds do not vary
as much between these two drives, as this
has less to do with the PCIe interface and
more to do with the controller inside the
drive. See box out page WS24 for the full
specifications.
We identified three point cloud processes
including scan conversion, dataset
The OCZ RevoDrive 350 showed its biggest
benefit when converting seventeen 100-
200MB scan files, where it was 17% faster
than a Samsung SSD 850 PRO.
Performance benefits in dataset generation
(combining individual datasets into a single
project file) were less pronounced with
RevoDrive 350 only 6% faster.
Interestingly, there was no benefit at all in
volume selection where a specific volume in a

Workstation-class Toshiba’s 19nm Multi-Level

Cell (MLC) flash memory
endurance. OCZ rates the
RevoDrive 350 for 50GB/day
(Real-time Accelerated
Processing of I/O
Samsung’s new 32 layer
3D V-NAND flash memory

Solid State driveS and multiple LSI SandForce

The OCZ RevoDrive 350 is a
PCIe SSD that plugs straight
into a desktop workstation’s
motherboard, just like a
GPU. It takes up a single
PCIe Gen. 2 x8 slot and
comes in three capacities
(240GB, 480GB, 960GB).
The drive stands out
for its sustained read /
write performance, which
makes the most of the PCI
interface. The 480GB and
960GB models boast a
maximum of 1,800
MB/sec read and
1,700MB/sec write,
while the 240GB is
significantly slower
(1,000MB/sec read,
950MB/sec write).
Random read /write
performance scales more,
with the 960GB model
peaking at 135,000 IOPS
(read) and 140,000 IOPS
(write) and the 240GB
model significantly slower
at 45,000 IOPS (read) and
80,000 (write).
The SSD
features
2282 controllers, which
are essentially configured
together in a RAID 0 array.
There are four on the 480GB
and 960GB models and two
on the 240GB — hence its
slower rated performance.
The design is based on
the enterprise-grade OCZ Z
Drive 4500, but it
doesn’t boast the
same levels
of
of host writes for 3 years.
The Samsung SSD 850 PRO
is a 2.5-inch SATA 3.0 SSD
that can be used inside
desktop and mobile
workstations. It comes in
four capacities (128GB,
256GB, 512GB and 1TB).
The drive boasts good
sequential read / write
speeds of 550MB/sec and
520GB/sec, which push
the limits of the SATA 3.0
interface. The 128GB model
has a slower write speed of
470MB/sec.
Random read / write
performance is also good
(100,000 IOPS read and
90,000 IOPS write)
Performance can be
boosted with ‘RAPID’
Data) mode, enabled
in Samsung’s bundled
technology, which stacks
flash memory cells on top of
Magician software. It uses each other in layers, instead
up to 4GB of workstation of shrinking down transistors
system memory (rather in the traditional way.
than the SSD) to serve up According to Samsung,
frequently used data. shrinking had reached
The 850 PRO scores a stage where it was
highly in terms of expensive and unreliable.
endurance with a warranty
that covers customers
for 40GB of drive writes
per day for ten years,
double that of its
predecessor the
840 PRO.
Better
endurance is
thanks to

WS22 OCTOBER 2014 DEVELOP3D.COM/HARDWARE

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 WORKSTATION SPECIAL REPORT

low-res point cloud is loaded up in full detail.

Read the full article on our sister website, Samsung SSD 850 PRO OCZ RevoDrive 350
AEC Magazine (tinyurl.com/SSD-LFM).
Capacity (GB) 1TB (also available in 128GB, 256GB & 512GB) 480GB (also available in 240GB & 960GB)

Interface SATA 3.0 (6Gb/s) PCI Express Gen. 2 x8

Simulation
Users of simulation software are potentially
the big beneficiaries of fast PCIe storage as
the datasets involved can be extremely large.
It is not uncommon for Finite Element
Analysis (FEA) solvers to read and write
hundreds of Gigabytes of data in a single
run. And there can also be big demands on
I/O in post processing and generating the
massive results files.
While we don’t have any test results to
share, we have heard anecdotally how RAID
0 SATA SSD arrays can help reduce solve
times. RAID 0 groups together multiple
drives, increasing bandwidth and effectively
doing the same thing as PCIe. The
performance gains we have heard are not
huge (10-30%), as disk I/O only accounts for
part of the overall solve time, with fast CPU
and memory essential to the process.
CAD and general workflows
When it comes to general application and
system performance PCIe SSDs are less
likely to show any real benefit over SATA-
based SSDs.
In fact in our SolidWorks tests the OCZ
RevoDrive 350 lagged slightly behind
the Samsung SSD 850 PRO, loading an
assembly 3% slower. And for ‘pack and go’,
a routine that packages up parts with an
assembly it was 7.5% slower.
The CAD dataset comprises 200 part files
mostly ranging from 200k to 2MB with a
few larger assemblies. This appears to show its rated level of drive writes. Indeed, back
that the 850 PRO is better at handling small in July, Samsung shared some long-term
read / write operations.
PCIe storage excels when shunting large
amounts of data around. In our simple ‘copy’
test, the OCZ Revodrive 350 was 24% faster
copying 2.2GB of SolidWorks data and 44%
faster copying 5GB of 3ds Max data. The
performance gain is less with SolidWorks
data, presumably because it comprises
smaller files: 4,000 part and assembly files 4500. Prices start around £2,000 for an
compared to 30 larger files in 3ds max.
Drive endurance
With point cloud processing, simulation
or any other workflow where you might
be writing hundreds of GBs per day, drive
endurance is a very important consideration. PRO. The 845DC Pro costs around US$800
SSDs are typically rated in terms of the
amount of data that can be written over
their lifetime — Tera Bytes Written (TBW).
This can also be expressed in terms of GB
written per day, backed up by a warranty of a demanding workstation workflows.
set number of years.
Endurance is where you typically start to
see the difference between consumer- and
professional-grade SSDs, but it can also be a deliver big benefits over SATA SSDs in some
TBW / Warranty
Sequential read/write performance
4k random read/write performance
Website
CAD tests (lower is better)
File copy: 5GB 3ds Max files (secs)
File copy: 2.2GB SolidWorks data (secs)
SolidWorks Pack and Go
SolidWorks Assembly load
Point cloud tests (lower is better)
LFM Server scan conversion
LFM Server Dataset generation
LFM Server Volume selection
Price (ex VAT)1
1 Price taken from scan.co.uk on Oct 3, 2014
big differentiator in workstation-class SSDs.
The OCZ RevoDrive 350 is rated at 50GB
of writes per day over a three-year warranty
period. This is a decent level for most CAD
users but if you’re heavily into simulation or
point cloud processing — workflows where
the RevoDrive should give the most benefit
— then it could come up short.
Samsung, on the other hand, has taken
endurance to a new level for a desktop
focused SSD. The 850 PRO is rated at 40GB
per day over ten years.
Of course, it is unlikely that your drive
will suddenly stop working when it hits
endurance figures where an 850 PRO had
written over 1,300TB and was still going.
In saying that, those with particularly
write-intensive workflows may wish to
consider an enterprise-class SSD, usually
deployed in a server or data centre.
OCZ has a couple of enterprise-class PCIe
SSDs in its portfolio, including the Z-Drive
800GB model. It also offers enterprise class
SATA SSDs, including the Intrepid 3000.
While such high prices might be
unrealistic for most workstation users,
Samsung recently launched an ‘affordable’
datacentre-class SSD, based on the 850
for a 400GB model and is rated at ten
entire Drive Writes Per Day (DWPD) over
a five year life. This equates to 4TB per
day — a colossal amount for even the most
Conclusion
There is little doubt that PCIe SSDs can
40GB/day for 10 years 50GB/day for 3 years
Up to 550 / 520 MB/s Up to 1,800 / 1,700 MB/s
Up to 100,000 / 90,000 IOPS Up to 90,000 / 140,000 IOPS
samsung.com/ssd ocz.com
20.5 11.4
10.4 7.9
15.9 17.2
73.4 76.0
452 374
642 602
80 82
£400 (512GB model = £237) £479 (960GB model = £786)
workflows. For pure file copy operations
they win hands down and there are
potentially big performance gains in video
editing, complex engineering simulation
and point cloud processing.
However, in most real world CAD
workflows, particularly when there is a
combination of CPU and I/O operations,
the benefits will be far less pronounced.
Sometimes there are no benefits at all.
Indeed, the Samsung SSD 850 PRO looks
to be the best option for mainstream CAD
with a much lower cost per GB and better
endurance than the OCZ RevoDrive 350.
There are also many firms that work
with much larger datasets, which
sometimes cannot fit into system memory.
This should increase the importance of
fast I/O, but if your workstation can take
it, try to expand system memory first as it
is relatively cheap.
When SSDs started to displace HDDs as
the primary workstation drive it was one
of the most important transformations in
years. Suddenly workstations felt infinitely
more responsive, due to random read/write
performance going off the scale. But this
was down to a fundamental shift in storage
technology from a mechanical to digital
system.
The move from SATA to PCIe SSDs is
far less dramatic, so our closing thoughts
would be — do not get blinded by the
breathtaking read/write performance
figures. Make sure you understand your
workflows, then consider your endurance
requirements and apply your workstation
budget accordingly. PCIe SSD storage still
comes at a premium so you will want to
make sure you are getting the most from
your investment.

WS24 OCTOBER 2014 DEVELOP3D.COM/HARDWARE

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 WORKSTATION SPECIAL REPORT
Fujitsu Celsius C620
with Teradici PCoip
Greg Corke get hands on with Fujitsu’s 1U rack workstation, which offers
a relatively simple solution for remote CAD over a one-to-one connection
R
emote workstations
are currently one of the
industry’s hottest topics.
Put the workstation in the
data centre and benefit from
better security, centralised
IT management and flexibility in how and
where workstation resources are deployed.
Most of the buzz is around workstation
virtualisation, where CPU (and increasingly
GPU) resources are carved up to form
multiple Virtual Machines (VMs). It’s all
about supporting the biggest density of 3D
CAD users on a rack in the data centre.
But workstation virtualisation can be
incredibly complex. There is no one size fits
all solution and tuning the virtualisation
stack for bespoke 3D CAD workflows takes a
great deal of specialist knowledge.
With this in mind there’s plenty to say
for keeping things simple. A one-to-one
connection between the rack
workstation in the data
centre and a thin client
on the desk is not
only easier to deploy
but is widely regarded
to deliver the best user
experience. It is essential for the
3D CAD software to feel responsive or
it will negatively impact the productivity of
designers and engineers.
One-to-one connections typically rely on
Teradici PCoIP, a mature remote technology
that sends pixels rather than CAD data from
rack workstation to end point. Everything
is done in hardware — a dedicated Teradici
chip takes the graphics output from the
workstation’s GPU and converts into
encrypted IP packets for transmission
over the network. Client-side the data is
decrypted and converted back into pixel
information to be displayed locally.
The rack workstation
From a hardware perspective, most rack
workstations are designed with flexibility
in mind. With two high-end Intel Xeon
E5-2600 series CPUs, two high-end GPUs
and hundreds of gigabytes of RAM the Dell
Precision Rack 7910 and HP DL380z virtual
workstation, for example, are both geared
towards workstation virtualisation. They
can also deliver very good performance on
WS26 OCTOBER 2014 DEVELOP3D.COM/HARDWARE
a one-to-one connection, but the high-end different to a desktop workstation, the key
specs will most likely be overkill if you components are very familiar. It comes
simply want to run CAD remotely. with a choice of Intel Xeon E3-1200 v2
Japanese manufacturer Fujitsu takes a series CPUs, all with four CPU cores. Our
different approach. Its Celsius C620 rack test machine’s Intel Xeon E3-1280v2 has a
workstation is tuned for CAD over a one- nominal clock speed of 3.6GHz.
to one connection using Teradici PCoIP For memory, the Celsius C620 can support
technology. It’s essentially a mainstream CAD a maximum of 32GB RAM with 4 x 8GB
workstation that has been crammed into a DIMMs. This is pretty light for a rack
1U server chassis. It can support workstation workstation but will be more than enough
virtualisation but it is certainly not its forte. for most CAD workflows over a one to one
connection.
On test There’s plenty of space for storage and a
Remoting a workstation is all well and good massive choice of 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch drives,
in theory but how does everything work in including SATA SSDs and HDDs and SAS
practice? To find out Teradici helped us set HDDs. Our machine was kitted out with
up a Fujitsu Celsius two 128GB SSDs, mirrored (RAID 1) so you
C620 on our don’t have a single point of failure. With
room for four 2.5-inch drives in total there’s
also potential for more complex
RAID arrays.
For graphics, there’s
only room for one double
height GPU, but there is a
huge choice: from entry-level
2D (Nvidia Quadro K410), right up
to high-end 3D (Nvidia Quadro K5000).
Our test machine’s AMD FirePro W5000 is
at the sweet spot for mainstream 3D CAD.
standard You can also plug in an Nvidia Tesla card for
office network, GPU compute, but you’d then need to rely
which comprises six on Intel graphics.
desktop machines, a printer, and a ZyXEL Fujitsu does support the Nvidia GRID K2,
GS-1100-24E switch. We also plugged in a but with only four CPU cores and 32GB of
Fujitsu Futro L420 Thin Client. memory there’s not really too much scope for
virtualisation.
The Celsius C620 With everything tied together with
The Fujitsu Celsius C620 is a 1U device, Windows 7 Professional 64-bit this is
designed specifically to sit in a rack inside pretty standard desktop CAD workstation
a data centre. While the form factor is very specification. The magic happens when you
softly does it: The Windows and OSX client
Recognising that its customers need With the software client Teradici variety of different devices on
flexibility at the end point, Teradici acknowledges that the user demand. Teradici also has an Apple
also offers a free software client experience is unlikely to be as good as iOS and Android version in the
for Windows or OSX, which can be when hardware is used at both ends. pipeline so users will be able to get
used instead of a zero client like the A zero client, for example, can decode access to 3D CAD tools on a tablet.
Fujitsu Futro L420. a maximum of 200 megapixels The Teradici PCoIP Software client
The Teradici PCoIP Software per second whereas the software is not to be confused with the new
client is primarily seen as a client can do up to 50 megapixels Teradici Workstation Access Software,
complementary solution, for per second. The performance also which is designed to give any desktop
occasional use — to connect workers depends on the speed of the CPU in workstation a remote capability
over VPN at home, for example. the client machine. without having to install a Teradici
However, Teradici also has some However, it does gives its customers PCIe card. You can read more about
customers using it over LAN. the flexibility to connect from a this on page WS18.
 WORKSTATION SPECIAL REPORT

plug in a Teradici TERA2220 low profile The zero client Connection Broker, for user authentication
PCIe card, which transforms the machine The Fujitsu Futro L420 sits on the user’s and access. It will also give each machine an
into a remote workstation proper. desk to provide remote access to the Celsius easily recognisable name.
The TERA2220 is different to most PCIe C620 using PCoIP. It has no operating As we only had one machine on our
cards insofar as it doesn’t need a Windows system, instead using a Teradici TERA2321 network, connection was easy. Double
driver. Instead of communicating with zero client for image decompression and click on the host and the Windows desktop
the GPU over the PCIe bus it connects decoding and to feed back mouse and appears instantly.
externally using a custom mini DisplayPort keyboard input. To begin with, our experience was far
cable. Each and every frame it receives from The machine is tiny — a mere 45 x 130 from perfect. There was a slight lag when
the GPU is turned into encrypted IP packets x 150 mm in size — and only consumes opening individual windows and while our
and sent out over the network via the card’s 19W at peak so gives off very little heat. It is SolidWorks assembly was moving fluidly
built in Ethernet port. passively cooled so doesn’t make a sound so around on screen the model was pixelated –
The TERA2220 uses dedicated hardware is perfect for quiet design offices. like a heavily compressed JPG.
for this task — a PCoIP processor and In addition to Ethernet the Futro L420 This is all quite normal as Teradici’s
512MB ECC memory. This is why Teradici has four USB ports. Keyboard and mouse Dynamic Network Adaptation technology
technology is regarded to be faster than take two up while the other two are free kicks into action every time a new
competitive technologies that do all of this for peripherals — a USB memory stick, connection is made. It assesses the
in software. If each frame can be processed a Wacom tablet, or a 3DConnexion network in terms of latency and bandwidth
quicker — and we’re talking milliseconds SpaceMouse, for example. then fine-tunes the settings to give the best
or less here — then the experience for the As data security is one of the major reasons user experience.
end user will be better, particularly In our tests it only took a minute
on low latency networks where
there is a natural delay because of
 or so for everything to settle
down and then we really couldn’t
distance. Deploying a number of Celsius C620s tell that we weren’t working on
For our test, the monitor should be easier than a full-scale Virtual a normal desktop workstation.
resolution was set at standard HD Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solution, The machine was responsive and
(1,920 x 1,080), but the TERA2220
is actually capable of going up
which needs more specialist knowledge image quality was perfect (though
with only one machine on the
to 2,560 x 1,600. With two mini  network we acknowledge this
DisplayPort inputs it can also drive wasn’t a proper real-world test).
two HD displays. for putting workstations in the datacenter It is possible to set manual limits, not only
For more screens Teradici has a quad it is possible to lock down all of these USB to cut down on auto-tuning but to fine tune
display card, the TERA2240, which can ports blocking read / write access to external the user experience. This could be in terms
handle two at 2,560 x 1,600 or four at 1,920 USB drives. This can help protect against IP of bandwidth, image quality or frame rates,
x 1,080, but this puts increased demands on theft or infection by malware. for example, and is particularly useful on low
bandwidth. PCoIP may be an advanced technology, but bandwidth / low latency connections.
The Celsius C620 is connected to the the way in which the Futro L420 connects to Tuning is typically carried out by an
network via two Ethernet ports: one for the the Celsius C620 is actually quite primitive. In administrator using the PCoIP management
TERA2220 card, which only transmits PCoIP its basic form it is done with a MAC address, console, which runs in a web browser. Devices
data, and the other for the workstation itself a unique number used to identify devices on can be managed individually or in groups,
which does everything else. a network. Switch on the thin client and the including firmware updates and the like.
The Celsius C620’s Ethernet port is gigabit user is presented with a list of MAC addresses Some control can also be given to end users
as standard, but if you want extra fast access for all the workstation hosts that are available. thanks to the PCoIP host software driver,
to a PDM data vault for example, an optional MAC addresses are pretty cryptic so make a small Windows app installed on the host
10 Gigabit network card is available. sure you have a good memory or keep a list of workstation. This gives users control over
The box also features data centre how they relate to each physical workstation. image quality and performance as well as
management capabilities via an integrated It’s possible to hard wire a thin client to a giving statistics on network performance.
Remote Management Controller (iRMC S3) specific machine but this means much less Most users won’t need to touch these
that allows administrators to monitor and flexibility in how and where centralised settings, certainly on low latency networks,
manage the machine remotely regardless of workstation resources are deployed. but the control is there if needed.
whether the server is powered on. It’s also As the numbers grow, managing a pool of
possible for the user to power up a machine remote workstations becomes much harder. Beyond local networks
from the thin client, though most data You’ll need to invest in third-party broker Running a Fujitsu Celsius C620 with
centres tend to run 24/7. software, such as VMware View or Leostream Teradici PCoIP technology over LAN

DEVELOP3D.COM/HARDWARE OCTOBER 2014 WS27

 WORKSTATION SPECIAL REPORT
shouldn’t present too many challenges
providing there is a decent network in
place. The real test comes when moving
further away from the data centre.
Rack workstations are often used between
sites, even countries, providing firms with a
centralised workstation resource.
With all data stored in one data centre this
can make managing a complex PDM or
PLM system much easier as you don’t have
to sync huge amounts of data between sites.
It can also help reduce IT management
costs, as workstation support is not
required on every site.
While a hardware-based Teradici PCoIP
solution is widely regarded to be the most
forgiving on low latency networks —
delivering a better user experience than a
software based remote technology — putting
distance between the data centre and end
point still presents some challenges.
Ad hoc access, such as working from home
or at a client premises, is possible over a
public Internet connection but for a persistent
multi-site deployment a direct Multiprotocol
Label Switching (MPLS) is recommended.
While bandwidth can always be bought, there
is no getting round latency over particularly
large distances. Teradici tests and supports
latencies up to 250ms, but you will likely need
a lot less than this for a good user experience.
As latency increases users may experience
a lag on the mouse cursor, which can make
it very hard to move 3D models into position
quickly and accurately. For latencies over
50ms Teradici recommends using a local
mouse pointer so there’s no round trip delay.
This is available as a tick box option in the
Teradici host software.
Conclusion
Fujitsu is somewhat unique in the expanding
world of remote workstations insofar as it is
the only Tier One manufacturer that offers
Rack workstations
for virtualisation
With the rise of 3D a massive number of CAD
optimised virtualisation capable virtual workstations
technologies from Citrix, from a single Rack 7910.
VMWare and Nvidia, plus The machine has less GPU
new Intel CPUs, it’s now power than its predecessor,
feasible to serve ten or the Precision R7610, with
more CAD users from a support for two Nvidia GRID
single rack workstation. K2A GPUs. Dell explains
that this was a small, but
Dell Precision Rack 7910 necessary trade off in
is a 2U workstation that order to support iDRAC
supports up to two Intel (integrated Dell Remote
Haswell Xeon E5-2600v3 Access Controller), a data
processors. With up to centre-level lights-out
eighteen cores per CPU management technology,
and 512GB (soon to be 1TB) and VMWare, both critical
of DDR4 memory, there is for Dell’s rack workstation
huge potential to deliver offering moving forward.
WS28 OCTOBER 2014 DEVELOP3D.COM/HARDWARE
(Left) Image Quality Preference settings let you choose
between smoother motion (higher frame rate) or
sharper image (higher image quality)
(Above) Fire up the Fujitsu Futro zero client and the
user is presented with a list of MAC addresses for the
available workstation hosts
a 1U rack solution, designed primarily for a Its Celsius M740 and Celsius R740 desktop
one-to-one connection. workstations currently fill this role, as they
The Fujitsu Celsius C620 might lack the can be kitted out with Nvidia GRID GPUs
flexibility of the Dell Precision Rack 7910 and rack mounted (5U), but they are not
or HP DL380z virtual workstation, which dedicated rack solutions. It will be interesting
can both support an impressive density of to see which direction Fujitsu goes in next.
users and spawn different virtual machines
as needs change. However, it still offers a
compelling solution if all you want to do is FUJITSU CELSIUS C620
put your workstations in the data centre. » Intel Xeon E3-1280v2 (3.6GHz) (quad core)
Deploying a number of Celsius C620s » 32GB (4 x 8GB) memory
should be far easier than a full-scale Virtual » AMD FirePro W5000 GPU (4GB)
Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solution, which » 2 x 128GB Solid State Drives (SSDs) (RAID 1)
» Teradici TERA2220 low profile PCIe card
needs more specialist knowledge. This is a
» 431 x 683 x 44 mm
big benefit for smaller firms, and with PCoIP
» Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
hardware at both ends users should also have
» 3 year on site warranty
the best experience on low latency networks.
Importantly, you can still reap the general
£2,114 (ex VAT)
benefits of a data centre workstation — that
of keeping data secure, centralising IT, and FUJITSU Futro L420
not needing to shunt huge CAD/CAM/CAE » Teradici TERA2321 with 512MB memory
datasets across LAN or WAN. » 45 x 130 x 150 mm
Looking at the bigger picture, one could » 3 year on site warranty
argue that Fujitsu has a gap in its Celsius
workstation portfolio by not offering a £256 (ex VAT)
dedicated, scalable data centre VDI solution. fujitsu.com
The HP DL380z Gen8
virtual workstation HP DL380z Gen8
is said to offer all the
security and centralised
Virtual Workstation
management benefits of
the mature HP DL380p
2U server, but has been
optimised specifically for
high-end 3D graphics.
It can support from one
to eight workstation-class
users per system.
There’s a choice of dual
Intel Xeon E5-2600 v2 CPUs Dell Precision Rack 7910
(6 to 12 core), up to 384GB
of 1,866 MHz, DDR3 SDRAM
and two double width Nvidia
GPUs, including the GRID K2.
We expect HP will release a
Gen9 version later this year
that will feature new Intel
Haswell Xeon E5-2600v3
processors.