The SEQURUX L-Dev platform is a well-designed hardware platform powered by an AMD Ryzen Threadripper CPU, running Nutanix CE 2.0, and available in two different formats.
The initial option is a basic Single Node Cluster, which can be paired with one or two additional Cluster partners. These partners can be equipped with either Prism Element or Prism Central, based on your specific usage needs and available memory and CPU core resources.
The second choice involves setting up three identical systems in a three-node full cluster following the standard Nutanix full cluster Best Practices.
Although Prism Central management is great, it requires a significant amount of RAM resources to function effectively.
Personally, I solely utilize the core cluster management features in Prism Central.
Our smallest CPU option is the AMD Threadripper 7960X 24 Core, which comes with a choice of either 128GB DDR5 ECC RAM or 256GB DDR5 ECC RAM, and is accompanied by a compatible SSD storage component available in NVMe and SATA 3 formats.
We offer component suggestions that have been proven in home labs, which you can purchase at a lower cost.
Our focus is primarily on developing the high-performance AMD Threadripper platforms, as we have noticed that the Intel i5/i7/i9 choices face limitations in PCIe bandwidth. This requires a thorough understanding of PCIe lane bandwidth to determine compatibility.
For our Student single Node Home Lab kit, you will receive the switch, cables, computer, and all necessary software pre-installed on the system. We exclusively utilize the Ryzen 5900X CPU platform paired with Radeon 5600 PCIe 4 GPU, and the price for each single node cluster is $2500.
These systems are available as either Prism Central or Prism Element based, all equipped with 128GB of RAM and three SSD devices (Two NVMe M.2 SSDs and One SATA 3 2.5" SSD).
While these systems do not include monitors, keyboards, or mice, they do come equipped with the necessary 10GbE switching and NICs, along with the appropriate cables.
To fully support learning and training objectives, we recommend connecting two of these nodes to a single switch. This setup allows students to simulate both synchronous and asynchronous replication capabilities.
When you decide to order our Ryzen Po Boy or our more advanced Commercial grade AMD Threadripper platforms, one of our HCI experts will guide you through the available options.
For Bronze, Silver, or Gold HCI services, we provide assembly and installation of all necessary HCI software for a services fee.
In addition to that, we offer two configuration options for building networking switches, cables, and other connectivity solutions: Po Boy switching with SEQURUX Switches or Platinum switching with Mellanox 2010 switches for the Threadripper fare.
Every L-Dev platform we offer includes 10GbE by default, unless a request for 25GbE is made at the time of ordering.
25GbE is only supported on the NVIDIA Mellanox 2010 switch platform by our team.
For 25GbE networking, the cost is $32K for redundant switches or $18K for a single flat switch setup, including all NICs, cables, and switches.
We only offer support for L-Dev platforms with AMD Threadripper CPU.
Po Boy 10GbE switching and cabling per L-Dev node is $2,500 excl local taxes.
Our alternative L-Dev option begins with a minimum cluster of three nodes, featuring single AMD Threadripper CPU systems exclusively.
These systems are expensive because they are designed for professional Dev teams, and our high-end 96 Core L-Dev HCI Node is priced at around $48,000, excluding local taxes, and does not include the switching platform.
Once all Po Boy 10GbE switching is set up and connected, this AMD Threadripper 96-core system is priced at $50,500 per node, excluding local taxes.
These Threadripper nodes can support up to 2TB of RAM, and we have customers in Saudi Arabia who have purchased them with that specific configuration.
It's important to note that the price for 2TB of RAM is a staggering $29,995.00 per node, which is solely for the ECC RAM!
Our customer purchased our premium switching solution, which includes a pair of Mellanox 2010 switches configured for 25GbE with dual port NICs in each node. They requested our assistance in installing it in Riyadh.
We were flown to and from the destination by the customer using one of their private jets. We collaborated with their Genetic engineering team to set up all the virtual servers as needed. While we are open to such arrangements, we do expect fair compensation for our work.
The total cost for three individual node systems, each equipped with their own 25GbE switching, cabling, and NICs, and featuring 1TB of RAM per node, amounted to $170,460.91. Additionally, there was an $8500 installation fee, and the customer also covered our travel and accommodation expenses.
Our Engineering team was entertained in a very generous manner, and we can't fathom the expenses incurred.
Additionally, we invoiced $22K for training their IT staff who would be responsible for its operation. We spent 5 days on-site configuring the system and providing the training.
Several times, we provided assistance with their transportation arrangements without any charge. However, this was an uncommon occurrence. In return, they agreed to provide a reference for us to potential customers in Brunei and Taiwan, keeping us occupied for about a year.
Another option is to perform this task on older Threadripper 5 platforms using the 5965WX 24-core CPU, which is more cost-effective and runs cooler compared to the 7960WX.
Nevertheless, it is important to consider that the Threadripper 7000 CPU series no longer come with CPU pins, which is the way it should have been from the beginning!
Alternatively, consider Noctua cooling solutions, as the Dark Pro 5 model does not provide enough room for maneuvering to remove a stuck CPU sideways. Removing the CPU by pulling it off along with the heat sink can be a costly and nerve-wracking process, especially when dealing with 5000 series Threadripper CPUs with pins.
There are no issues with the 7000 series AMD CPUs because they no longer have pins.
Prices are mostly on a POA basis, and we have recently welcomed new X-Nutanix team members to meet the demand. Feel free to contact us if you would like more information.
The other day, a customer from KSA asked me why he shouldn't purchase the Nutanix NX 1175S-G9 3 node cluster instead of this option.
Here is an honest answer I am going to provide.
While the NX-1175S-G9 is a great platform, it does have some significant drawbacks.
The first thing to note is that the Intel CPU is, in fact, an Intel CPU. Furthermore, the available range of CPUs to choose from is quite limited.
Ryzen Threadripper CPUs are highly capable processors that are ideal for handling tasks related to HCI.
The second factor involves the quantity of RAM and how the Threadripper architecture interacts with high-quality server RAM.
Due to AMD's excellent chip design, all cores on a Threadripper are high-performance CPU cores.
We were amazed by how much workload these things could handle without a significant increase in CPU utilization when we assessed the performance using Nutanix X-Ray.
Another advantage of this CE model is that you can utilize a single node for proof of concept and development testing.
It is recommended to purchase a 3-node cluster with Nutanix, ensuring that it is either an HPE DX with a Single AMD EPYC CPU or a Lenovo HX equipped with a single AMD EPYC CPU.
Recently, I constructed a Threadripper CE cluster with 3 nodes and conducted a comprehensive benchmarking process on it.
Next, we tested a 3-node NX-1175S-G9 cluster equipped with the Xeon 2.5GHz 16-core CPU using the same benchmarks.
The Threadripper CE system surpassed the NX by a staggering 227%, leaving no room for comparison...
After the comparison game was over, it was evident that AMD is the superior option for any x64 activities!
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