Tesla External PCI e-16 slot box?

Accelerated Computing CUDA CUDA Programming and Performance
1

In my PC, I have a PCI E-16 slot but there is not enough space to put Tesla C1060. (It actually needs double space… External Image )

Do you have any experience to use an external slot box for Tesla?
I found some external PCI e-16 slot boxes but I am not sure if it is possible to use them for the GPU boards.
And I wonder if there is any solution for external computing board configurations…
Or for the multiple GPU system, how do you build the system with a single PCI e-16 slot?
No solution with a single slot?

2

See if there are PCI-e Extender cables …so you can connect the TESLA from outside…and even power it from external SMPS.

3

This is exactly what NVIDIA sells (sold?) as the Tesla S1070. It is an external box with one or two PCI-Express x16 interface cards you plug into your computer.

Have you found other vendors for external PCI-Express boxes? I’d be curious to see links if you have them.

4

I found these at SIGGRAPH. It’s an external box with support for 2 double wide cards. Cable length is only about 60cm, but they’re working on a optical fiber version.

They use one host slot and have a switch in the box to share it with four (single-width) slots. Price depends on bandwdth… x16 is $1900, x8 is $1300, x1 is $870.

5

We will shortly be getting a few Dell Enclosures for testing.

6

Wow, didn’t know about those, thanks!

Too bad it only takes the smaller M1060/M2050 form factor cards, but of course that’s why those cards were designed.

7

Awesome! (but whoa, not in my price range yet) This is my favorite part:

“ExpressCard 34 in a laptop/notebook”

So now there is finally a solution for “docking” your notebook with a fast CUDA-capable GPU while sitting at your desk, although it is only PCIe x1 speeds.

8

Awesome! (but whoa, not in my price range yet) This is my favorite part:

“ExpressCard 34 in a laptop/notebook”

So now there is finally a solution for “docking” your notebook with a fast CUDA-capable GPU while sitting at your desk, although it is only PCIe x1 speeds.

9

Yes, I asked about these too. It is indeed x1 only (makes sense) but at least it’s an option. That box is $1070. (Heh, I had the sales guy write down all the prices…)

10

Yes, I asked about these too. It is indeed x1 only (makes sense) but at least it’s an option. That box is $1070. (Heh, I had the sales guy write down all the prices…)

11

I’ve been planning to make one of these…eventually:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/gaming-sof…xperiences.html

EDIT: Seems the company mentioned in that post has something a little better now: http://www.harmonicinversion.com/products/…;product_id=191

12

I’ve been planning to make one of these…eventually:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/gaming-sof…xperiences.html

EDIT: Seems the company mentioned in that post has something a little better now: http://www.harmonicinversion.com/products/…;product_id=191

13

Hah! Now that is in my price range. :)

14

Hah! Now that is in my price range. :)

15

Geez, that x1 extender does seem reasonable! I’d also go for one if they did the same thing to move a full PCIe slot outside the case, even if it were just x4 or something.
Thanks, Profquail!

16

Geez, that x1 extender does seem reasonable! I’d also go for one if they did the same thing to move a full PCIe slot outside the case, even if it were just x4 or something.
Thanks, Profquail!

17

hmm I’m curious, how many of this high-end cards can one merge into one PCIe-x16 connector without loosing performance? How do I figure this out?

18

hmm I’m curious, how many of this high-end cards can one merge into one PCIe-x16 connector without loosing performance? How do I figure this out?

19

It depends very much on your app. If they don’t need (much) PCIe transfer, then it won’t affect you much at all. Some apps are limited by PCIe, and those would be worst case for such extenders which switch lanes to share bandwidth between devices.

20

It depends very much on your app. If they don’t need (much) PCIe transfer, then it won’t affect you much at all. Some apps are limited by PCIe, and those would be worst case for such extenders which switch lanes to share bandwidth between devices.