Systems
Origin 3000 / Onyx 3000
Introduction
General
The Onyx/Origin 3000 series is a family of modular graphics supercomputers and servers. They are successors to the Onyx 2 and Origin 2000 line. The systems are not built from single boards that are plugged into a back- or midplane like the SGI classics Onyx or Challenge (L/XL) used to. The Onyx/Origin system components are divided into rackmountable bricks that are connected with cables and router bricks integratet into a complete system.
Basic server models which appear in SGI marketing papers are Origin 3200, 3400 and 3800 as well as the cluster solution Origin 3200C. Graphics supercomputers appearing in the same way are Onyx 3200, 3400 and 3800.
History
- 2000, July
- Onyx/Origin 3000 series introduced
- 2001, May
- 500 MHz MIPS R14000 processor announced for Onyx/Origin 3000
- 2001, June
- DMediaPro video options introduced
- 2002, January
- Introduction of InfinitePerformance graphics option for Onyx 3000 systems.
- 2002, February
- New Processor available: 600 MHz R14000A
- 2002, November
- A higher density version of the system is available (Origin/Onyx 3900) which allows 4 times as many CPUs on the same space.
- 2003, October
- EOP announced for Origin/Onyx 3200/3800 to be March 31, 2004.
New PIMM upgrade announced with 800MHz CPU. - 2006, July
- End of production announced for the Origin 3900. Last systems to be shipped until end of March 2007
Compute
C-Brick (Compute Node)
General
C-Bricks contain the processors and memory of SGI Origin/Onyx 3000 systems. Each C-Brick contains CPUs of a specific type (all the same), but it is allowed to mix C-Bricks with different CPU types in a system though. The Compute Node contains one Printed Circuit Board, that includes the node electronics, L1 controller, power regulators and memory sockets. The processors are housed on seperate PIMM boards, that also contain the second level cache.
Processors
| CPU Board | Processor | Number | Clockspeed | Cache (d/i) | Cache (2nd) | Floating Point |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IP35 | R12000 | 2 | 400 MHz | 32kb / 32kb | 8MB | onboard |
| IP35 | R12000 | 4 | 400 MHz | 32kb / 32kb | 8MB | onboard |
| IP35 | R14000 | 2 | 500 MHz | 32kb / 32kb | 8MB | onboard |
| IP35 | R14000 | 4 | 500 MHz | 32kb / 32kb | 8MB | onboard |
| IP35 | R14000A | 2 | 600 MHz | 32kb / 32kb | 8MB | onboard |
| IP35 | R14000A | 4 | 600 MHz | 32kb / 32kb | 8MB | onboard |
| IP35 | R16000 | 2 | 800 MHz | 32kb / 32kb | 8MB | onboard |
| IP35 | R16000 | 4 | 800 MHz | 32kb / 32kb | 8MB | onboard |
| IP35 | R16000 | 2 | 1 GHz | 32kb / 32kb | 8MB | onboard |
| IP35 | R16000 | 4 | 1 GHz | 32kb / 32kb | 8MB | onboard |
Memory Specifications
Type: DDR-SDRAM DIMMs (proprietary) Sockets: 8 (4 * 2 sockets) Minimum configuration: 512 MB (2 * 256 MB modules) Maximum configuration: 8192 MB (8 * 1024 MB modules)
Up to 128 processors the systems may be equipped with Standard memory DIMMs ("standard" relative to the O3000 series), systems with more CPUs need Meta memory DIMMs.
Brick Specs
Size: 3U
Front: L1 system controller
hot-swappable cooling fans
Back: 1 NUMAlink channel
1 Xtown2 channel
1 DB9 console connector
1 USB L1 connector
processor status LED
CX-Brick (Compute Node)
General
The CX-Brick is an upgraded version of the compute node intended for the Origin 3900. The CX brick can contain up to 16 processors, it is functionally equivalent to 4 C-Bricks and 1 R-Brick. A CX brick contains 4 node boards (up to 4 CPUs each) and one router board (equivalent to R-Brick). 4 of the routers NUMAlink ports are used internally, 4 are available for external connections.
Processors
| CPU Board | Processor | Number | Clockspeed | Cache (d/i) | Cache (2nd) | Floating Point |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IP35 | R14000 | 4, 8, 12 or 16 | 500 MHz | 32kb / 32kb | 8MB | onboard |
| IP35 | R14000A | 4, 8, 12 or 16 | 600 MHz | 32kb / 32kb | 8MB | onboard |
| IP35 | R16000 | 4, 8, 12 or 16 | 800 MHz | 32kb / 32kb | 8MB | onboard |
| IP35 | R16000 | 4, 8, 12 or 16 | 1 GHz | 32kb / 32kb | 8MB | onboard |
Memory Specifications
Type: DDR-SDRAM DIMMs (proprietary) Sockets: unknown Minimum configuration: unknown Maximum configuration: 32 GB
Up to 128 processors the systems may be equipped with Standard memory DIMMs ("standard" relative to the O3000 series), systems with more CPUs need Meta memory DIMMs.
Brick Specs
Size: unknown
Front: L1 system controller
Reset Switch
NMI Switch
hot-swappable cooling fans
Back: 4 R-to-R / R-to-C Xtown2 connectors
4 Xtown2 XIO connector
1 DB9 console connector
1 USB L1 connector
processor / link / power status LED
Expansion
I-Brick
General
I-Bricks provide Origin/Onyx 3000 systems with basic I/O functionality:
- 1 system disk
- 1 drivebay for optional disk (mirroring of system disk)
- CD-ROM
- 5 PCI slots (hot pluggable): 3 33MHz on one bus, 2 66MHz on the other
one of these is occupied by the fibre channel card required for the internal drives - synchronization for graphics cards
- 2 Xtown2 ports to connect to C-Brick (1.2GB/second)
- 2 external USB ports
- 1 10/100Base-T Ethernet port
- IEEE 1394 ports
Brick Specs
Size: 4U
Front: L1 system controller
CDROM access
hot-swappable cooling fans
Back: 2 Xtown2 ports (to C-brick)
1 serial port
2 USB ports
1 RJ45 ethernet port (10/100Base-T)
1 IEEE 1394 port
1 RT0 / RT1
1 fibre channel input
1 fibre channel daisy chain
access to FC drive housing
access to 5 PCI slots
IX-Brick
General
IX-Bricks provide Origin/Onyx 3000 systems with basic I/O functionality:
- 1 system disk
- 1 drivebay for optional disk
- 1 DVD-ROM
- 10 PCI slots on 5 64bit/133MHz PCI-X busses
- Ultra160 SCSI disk interface
- 2 external USB ports
- 1 Gigabit Ethernet port
Brick Specs
Size: 4U
Front: L1 system controller
DVD-ROM access
hot-swappable cooling fans
access to SCSI drive housing
Back: 2 Xtown2 ports (to C-brick)
2 serial ports
1 RJ45 ethernet port
1 SCSI connector
access to 10 PCI slots
P-Brick (PCI Expansion)
General
PCI based I/O expansion:
- 12 hot-plug PCI expansion slots (carriers needed/included)
- 6 PCI busses, 2 33MHz or 66MHz slots each
- supports 3.3V or universal PCI cards
- 2 I/O interface connectors
PCI cards
Some of the available expansion cards
- Ultra2 SCSI Single-ended card (2 ports)
- Fibre Channel card (copper or fiber optic)
- Gigabit Ethernet 100/1000 (copper or fiber optic)
- 8 port Digital Audio
- 4 port fast ethernet (100Base-T)
- ATM OC3 card
- ATM OC12 card
Brick Specs
Size: 4U
Front: L1 system controller
hot-swappable cooling fans
Back: 2 Xtown2 connectors (to C-Brick)
access to 12 PCI slots
X-Brick
General
XIO based I/O expansion:
- 4 expansion slots for XIO cards
- 2 Xtown2 ports (I/O Interface)
XIO cards
Some of the available expansion cards
- Single Port Serial HIPPI card
- FDDI Dual Attach single port card
- Single Port GSN half or full bandwidth
- DMediaPro DM3
- Digital Video
- VME card (6U)
- VME card (9U)
- Four-port ATM OC3 card
- ATM OC12
- Gigabit Ethernet
Brick Specs
Size: 4U
Front: L1 system controller
hot-swappable cooling fans
Back: 2 Xtown2 connectors (to C-Brick)
access to XIO slots
Graphics
G-Brick
General
A G-Brick is a enclosure, that is built to include up to 2 InfiniteReality graphics pipelines (one with 2RM, another with 4RM). It requires 1 C-Brick and 1 I-Brick for each of the installed pipelines. Onyx 3000 systems can have either G or V bricks, but not both.
Video Option
HD-GVO
The High Definition Graphics Video Output Option attaches to the DG5 board on Infinite Reality graphics subsystems in Onyx 2 and Onyx 3000. It consists of a TMDS video output daughtercard, a breakoutbox and a TMDS optional input. The video option offers real time graphics to video output in various high definition formats.
Brick Specs
Size: 18U
Front: L1 controller
Back: access to the cardcage
2 Ktown2 connectors
V-Brick
General
A V-Brick can contain one or two InfinitePerformance graphics subsystems (~VPro V12). Onyx 3000 systems can have either V or G bricks, but not both.
Brick Specs
Size:
Front: L1 controller
hot-swappable cooling fans
Back: access to the graphics hardware (4 slots, 2 each)
2 Xtown2 connectors
Scalable Graphics Compositior
General
The Scalable Graphics Compositor (SGC) can recieve 2 or 4 DVI digital video inputs and combine them into a single video output with increased performance. Input is provided by 2 or 4 InfinitePerformance graphics pipelines (in V-Brick) that render only a part of the full screen.
Brick Specs
Size: 2U
Front: -
Back: 4 DVI inputs
1 13W3 analog output
1 DB9 stereo port
1 BNC Genlock input
1 BNC Genlock loop
1 BNC Swap Ready port connector
Router
R-Brick
General
R-Bricks ("routers") are required to build a system from more than 2 C-Bricks. If a system contains only a single C-Brick obviously no router is required, if there are two C-Bricks in a single system they can be directly connected.
Different router versions:
- 6-port router - used to support up to 32 processors as in Origin 3400 or Onyx 3400 systems
- 8-port router - used to support up to 128 processors as in Origin 3800 or Onyx 3800 systems
- metarouter - for systems over 128 processors
Brick Specs
Size: 2U
Front: L1 system controller
hot-swappable cooling fans
Back: 1 USB L1 connector
8 R-to-R / R-to-C Xtown2 connectors
CB1 circuit breaker
Other
N-Brick
The N brick can connect up to 4 C-Bricks to up to 4 G-Bricks an can be used in place of I- or X-Bricks when the additional I/O functions of these are not required.
Ports:
- 4 Xtown2 ports to connect up to 4 C-Bricks
- 4 Xtown2 ports to connect up to 4 G-Bricks
Brick Specs
Size: 2U
Front: L1 controller
hot-swappable cooling fans
Back: 8 Xtown2 connectors
D-Brick (Disk Brick)
General
The D-Brick is a harddisk enclosure for use in Origin/Onyx 3000 systems. JBOD ("Just a Bunch Of Disks") storage:
- 12 dual-ported fibre channel sleds (hot-pluggable)
- 2 hot-pluggable 400W power supplies and redundant fans
The basic functionality of the drives is controlled by a Enclosure System Interface / Operator module which is accessible from the back of the system. It shows status information for the drives (as a whole) and allows to switch the brick into service mode.
Instead of that solutions like the TP-9100 storage system can also be used, if advanced features like RAID are required.
Brick Specs
Size: 4U
Front: 12 slots for disks in drivesleds
Back: 1 ESI/ops panel
2 LRC modules
2 powersupply/cooling modules
System Controller
The L1 system controller is part of each brick (except D-Brick) and reports status information to the L2 system controller which has a touchscreen panel to display information and control the systems operation.
A L2 system controller is placed only in racks that contain C-bricks. It is inside the rack just below the "roof" and doesn't occupy any place that could be used by bricks otherwise. The display attached to the front door is also a touch display.
Size: 0U
Connectors: 1 PWR
1 ICMB
1 RJ45 10/100Base-T Ethernet
1 LCD display
4 USB L1 ports
1 DB9 console port
1 DB9 modem port
Power Bay / Power Distribution Unit / Power Distribution Strip
These parts provide the system with the required power. The Power Bay contains up to 6 hot swappable powersupplies and provides the Bricks of the system with power (48VDC). It is connected to a wall outlet using a Power Distribution Unit.
width: 44,45 cm / 17.5" height: 12,95 cm / 5.1" (3U) depth: 62,23 cm / 24.5" weight: ? kg / 72 lbs
The Power Distribution Unit (3400 and 3800 configurations) and Strip (all) allow to distribute power to system components that have their own powersupplies and don't have to rely on power provided by the Power Bays (such as the D-Brick for example).
Chassis
General
Airflow
All modules ("Bricks") of Onyx/Origin 3000 systems have the air intake and in most cases even the cooling fans on the front. The cool air is blown from the front through the module and out to the back where the cables are attached. All modules must provide self-cooling with airflow from front to rear as the racks do not have any cooling facilities of their own.
Short Rack
The short rack offers 17U of configurable space and features 19-inch EIA standard mounting rails.
width: 64,77 cm / 25.5" height: 91,44 cm / 36.0" depth: 91,44 cm / 36.0" weight: ? kg / ? lbs
Tall Rack
The tall rack offers 39U of configurable space and features 19-inch EIA standard mounting rails. It is used for configurations with more than 8 processors or.
width: 76,20 cm / 30.0" height: 188,60 cm / 74.25" depth: 130,80 cm / 51.50" weight: ? kg / ? lbs
Problems
Operating System
Choosing an operating system.
The Origin 3000 line is supported in IRIX 6.5 beginning with IRIX 6.5.15 up to the final release IRIX 6.5.30. Origin 3900 support was added in IRIX 6.5.19.
Regardless of the system configuration it is always recommended to use IRIX 6.5.30.
Links
SGI Press Releases
- 2002, January - SGI Announces the World's Fastest Graphics-InfinitePerformance Graphics [www.sgi.com]
- 2002, November - SGI leads supercomputing renaissance Origin 3900 [www.sgi.com]
- 2002, November - New SGI High-Productivity, High-Density System Makes Supercomputing more Deployable Origin 3900 [www.sgi.com]
SGI Website
Websites
- Futuretech: Origin 300/3000 Series - Ian Maplesons Origin 3000 page
Manuals
For additional documentation on software, optional hardware or upgrading instructions see SGIs technical publications library.
- SGI 3000 Family Site Planning Guide
- SGI 3900 Server Site Planning Guide
- SGI Origin 3000 Series Owners Guide
- SGI Onyx 3000 Series Graphics System Hardware Owners Guide
- SGI Origin 3000 Series Technical Configuration Owners Guide
- SGI InfinitePerformance Scalable Compositor Owner's Guide
- InfiniteReality4 Addendum to Silicon Graphics Onyx2, SGI Onyx 3000 Series, and SGI Onyx 300 Guides
- Cx Brick Addendum
Articles
- NUMAflex Modular Design Approach
Article by John R. Mashey that describes the architecture, it's history and how it all does fit together.