Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 16 of 20

Thread: Intel 2nd gen Optane SSDs offer "multiple millions" of IOPS

  1. #1
    HEXUS.admin
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    31,709
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    2,073 times in 719 posts

    Intel 2nd gen Optane SSDs offer "multiple millions" of IOPS

    Alder Stream SSDs will have double the density and offer better than double the performance.
    Read more.

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Kingdom O Fife
    Posts
    288
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    15 times in 13 posts
    • zaph0d's system
      • Motherboard:
      • MSI X570-A Pro
      • CPU:
      • AMD Ryzen 7 2700X
      • Memory:
      • 48GB - 2X 32GB and 2X 16GB at 3200
      • Storage:
      • 480GB NVME (OS) 2TB 8 Drive sas Raid0 (Games)
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Geforce 1070
      • PSU:
      • 1000W Coolermaster
      • Case:
      • Lian Li PC-343B (Original Model)
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 Pro 64bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • 2X 55" Samsung 4k tv's
      • Internet:
      • Virgin 500Mb

    Re: Intel 2nd gen Optane SSDs offer "multiple millions" of IOPS

    Not that good considering it's supposed to be a cache between ram and drives if it's still based on nand flash, the write longevity's no going to be upto much. I'd rather wait for mram, at least that has the same kind of rewrite longevity as dram even if it's slower and is still pretty persistant.

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Posts
    400
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    9 times in 9 posts

    Re: Intel 2nd gen Optane SSDs offer "multiple millions" of IOPS

    are there any advantages for SSD using Optane? I thought that MAND memory hit the barrier of SATA3 long time ago...

    oh well this slide (bandwidth/capacity) tells me nothing, does that mean that optane persistent memory will have 40% bigger capacity and only 15% worse bandwidth?

    These PR slides...

  4. #4
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Jul 2019
    Posts
    19
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: Intel 2nd gen Optane SSDs offer "multiple millions" of IOPS

    Does this work with non Intel CPUs already?

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Posts
    267
    Thanks
    13
    Thanked
    17 times in 15 posts

    Re: Intel 2nd gen Optane SSDs offer "multiple millions" of IOPS

    Quote Originally Posted by DevDrake View Post
    are there any advantages for SSD using Optane?
    Not in desktop usage.

  6. #6
    root Member DanceswithUnix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    In the middle of a core dump
    Posts
    13,010
    Thanks
    781
    Thanked
    1,568 times in 1,325 posts
    • DanceswithUnix's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus X470-PRO
      • CPU:
      • 5900X
      • Memory:
      • 32GB 3200MHz ECC
      • Storage:
      • 2TB Linux, 2TB Games (Win 10)
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Asus Strix RX Vega 56
      • PSU:
      • 650W Corsair TX
      • Case:
      • Antec 300
      • Operating System:
      • Fedora 39 + Win 10 Pro 64 (yuk)
      • Monitor(s):
      • Benq XL2730Z 1440p + Iiyama 27" 1440p
      • Internet:
      • Zen 900Mb/900Mb (CityFibre FttP)

    Re: Intel 2nd gen Optane SSDs offer "multiple millions" of IOPS

    Quote Originally Posted by hexxer View Post
    Does this work with non Intel CPUs already?
    That was only a problem with the DIMMs AFAIK, there are plenty of SSDs out there and they should work on any computer should you want blistering storage on your NVMe modified Raspberry Pi 4.

    OFC you would probably still be better off buying a truckload of conventional SSDs for the same money to give similar aggregate performance and way more storage.

  7. #7
    Goron goron Kumagoro's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Posts
    3,154
    Thanks
    38
    Thanked
    172 times in 140 posts

    Re: Intel 2nd gen Optane SSDs offer "multiple millions" of IOPS

    Yay for the march of tech improvements. I would like to know the 4k QD1 numbers though.

  8. #8
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Posts
    63
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    2 times in 2 posts

    Re: Intel 2nd gen Optane SSDs offer "multiple millions" of IOPS

    Optane is a different kettle of fish that is much better at small 0.5K-4K files than the sort of multimegabyte transfers of media files / photos / Game files that fall better to traditional SSDs

    Windows and its make up has alot of small size files and that is where Optane shines for a very quick responsive windows system but lacks the raw performance lesser SSDs can give on larger file transfers. at those small files sizes Optane can be some 5x the speed the best ssds but 4x less on the lager files.

    So horses for cources so to speak in an ideal world Optane as boot drive than something like an Samsung Evo and a 2nd drive.

  9. #9
    Moosing about! CAT-THE-FIFTH's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Not here
    Posts
    32,042
    Thanks
    3,909
    Thanked
    5,213 times in 4,005 posts
    • CAT-THE-FIFTH's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Less E-PEEN
      • CPU:
      • Massive E-PEEN
      • Memory:
      • RGB E-PEEN
      • Storage:
      • Not in any order
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVEN BIGGER E-PEEN
      • PSU:
      • OVERSIZED
      • Case:
      • UNDERSIZED
      • Operating System:
      • DOS 6.22
      • Monitor(s):
      • NOT USUALLY ON....WHEN I POST
      • Internet:
      • FUNCTIONAL

    Re: Intel 2nd gen Optane SSDs offer "multiple millions" of IOPS

    I am sure it willl cost millions of pennies too.

  10. #10
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    21
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: Intel 2nd gen Optane SSDs offer "multiple millions" of IOPS

    I think Optane SSDs will continue to be "niche" products, chiefly
    because of their superior latencies and costs, but not much else
    compared to what's now available from the competition.

    The evolution of "4x4" bifurcation using full x16 PCIe expansion slots
    has enabled direct paths to multi-core CPUs, eliminating the need for
    dedicated Input-Output Processors and "hardware" RAID controllers.

    Just using mathematical probability, the flood of multi-core CPUs
    has inevitably resulted in one or more relatively "idle" CPU cores
    which can then be scheduled by the OS to process one or more x4 devices
    wired directly to an x16 PCIe expansion slot.

    Now that PCIe 4.0 has become standard, the efficiency of each x4 M.2 drive
    will also depend more and more on the efficiencies of the chipset and device drivers.

    We did a low-cost experiment recently, and installed a Highpoint SSD7103
    in an empty PCIe 3.0 expansion slot in a refurbished HP Z220 workstation.
    The RAID-0 array consisted of 4 x Samsung 970 EVO Plus M.2 SSDs.

    [link not allowed here.]

    All components were off-the-shelf, and the SSD7103 was the single
    most expensive component. Only challenge was switching the BIOS to UEFI,
    but we knew about that requirement in advance, and it only required
    one change in the default factory BIOS settings.

    The SSD7103 does not use "4x4" bifurcation, because it is designed
    to support booting from industry-standard x16 PCIe 3.0 expansion slots
    where 4x4 bifurcation is not supported.

    We migrated Windows 10 to that RAID-0 array with the latest licensed
    edition of Partition Wizard, which has worked wonderfully for us
    every time.

    On that system with all stock settings, CDM measured READs at 11,687.72 MB/second:

    [link not allowed here]

    It boots up really fast too.

    Bottom Line: that experiment was a roaring success. If I had the money,
    I would love to try a similar experiment with 4 of the latest Optane M.2 drives,
    particularly if they support PCIe Gen4.

  11. #11
    root Member DanceswithUnix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    In the middle of a core dump
    Posts
    13,010
    Thanks
    781
    Thanked
    1,568 times in 1,325 posts
    • DanceswithUnix's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus X470-PRO
      • CPU:
      • 5900X
      • Memory:
      • 32GB 3200MHz ECC
      • Storage:
      • 2TB Linux, 2TB Games (Win 10)
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Asus Strix RX Vega 56
      • PSU:
      • 650W Corsair TX
      • Case:
      • Antec 300
      • Operating System:
      • Fedora 39 + Win 10 Pro 64 (yuk)
      • Monitor(s):
      • Benq XL2730Z 1440p + Iiyama 27" 1440p
      • Internet:
      • Zen 900Mb/900Mb (CityFibre FttP)

    Re: Intel 2nd gen Optane SSDs offer "multiple millions" of IOPS

    Quote Originally Posted by PMMEASURES View Post
    Windows and its make up has alot of small size files and that is where Optane shines for a very quick responsive windows system
    The thing is, Windows itself is just awful at small file handling. That one of the reasons that servers tend to run Linux, but with Linux the caching of filesystems and their metadata in ram so so good that for most uses a standard SSD is just fine.

    Optane is good for those cases where your data is too big to reasonably cache but you want more speed, so you can store or cache on Optane which whilst way more expensive than flash in conventional SSDs is much cheaper than RAM. That is a pretty narrow use case.

  12. #12
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    21
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: Intel 2nd gen Optane SSDs offer "multiple millions" of IOPS

    > Optane is good for those cases where your data is too big to reasonably cache but you want more speed, so you can store or cache on Optane which whilst way more expensive than flash in conventional SSDs is much cheaper than RAM. That is a pretty narrow use case.

    Excellent point. It also appears to me that Optane R&D took longer and
    was more expensive to develop, than Intel had projected. Then,
    Intel's initial products were too small and only used x2 PCIe 3.0 lanes,
    further restricting M.2 performance.

    I can't prove this, but the outcome appears to have resulted from
    a lack of sufficient understanding among Intel's product marketing
    and advertising groups. That was the impression I was left with.

    The latter groups did predict performance metrics that did not materialize,
    and those disappointments were not quickly forgotten.

    Then there was that devastating "dangle the dongle" review by Allyn Malventano,
    during his evaluation of Intel's VROC implementation. Intel should have hired
    Allyn during their initial Optane R&D!

    Moreover, the last three years have also demonstrated very stiff competition
    from Samsung et al. chiefly the Samsung 970 Pro NVMe M.2 models. The latter
    came very close to saturating x4 PCIe 3.0 lanes @ ~3,500 MB/second READs.

    (8,000/8.125)x4 = 3,938.5 MB/second MAX HEADROOM
    (PCIe 3.0 uses a 128b/130b "jumbo frame": 130 bits/16 bytes = 8.125 bits/byte)

    It should shortly be very interesting to benchmark Optane devices that
    also support the PCIe 4.0 standard. Intel could, in theory, expand
    that small use "niche" by upping capacity (which appears to be happening)
    and maintaining the same or similar low latencies at Gen4.

    Lastly, the prices will need to come down for a lot more potential buyers and
    developers to take notice, and have a real incentive to put Gen4 Optanes
    into production applications. Intel's competitors in this storage sector
    are certainly not standing still.

    Now that he's working at Intel, look for more exhaustive benchmarks
    from Allyn Malventano.

  13. #13
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    21
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: Intel 2nd gen Optane SSDs offer "multiple millions" of IOPS

    Another experiment that I believe Intel can afford to do,
    whether or not the results inspire Intel to offer a retail product,
    is a variation on triple-channel DIMM slots.

    The Optane DIMMs can be dedicated to the third channel,
    and those Optane DIMMs can be formatted with a "Format RAM"
    option in the UEFI/BIOS during a fresh OS install.

    Years back we submitted a Provisional Patent Application
    for a "Format RAM" option to enhance standard BIOS subsystems
    (before UEFI became standard). But, that concept assumed
    volatile DRAM hosting a memory-resident OS.

    Allyn Malventano knows about that Patent Application,
    because I shared it with him many months ago, and
    his comment about "hybrid" RAM subsystems showed to me
    that he did understand the basic idea completely.

    Because Optane DIMMs are non-volatile, they appear to offer
    a superior alternative for such a memory-resident OS.

    Intel's experiment with such a setup should compare
    the performance that can be achieved by hosting an OS
    on a Gen4 "4x4" add-in card, e.g. by populating same
    with a variety of different M.2 NVMe drives --
    to enable apples-to-apples comparisons.

    My reason for suggesting the latter was the CDM measurement
    we did with G.SKILL DDR3-1600 in our refurbished HP Z220:
    the Highpoint SSD7103 was actually FASTER than DDR3
    by a factor of ~2-to-1, on certain metrics.

  14. #14
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Posts
    36
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    1 time in 1 post

    Re: Intel 2nd gen Optane SSDs offer "multiple millions" of IOPS

    I'm going to address all your posts, not just this one.

    Quote Originally Posted by supremelaw View Post
    > Optane is good for those cases where your data is too big to reasonably cache but you want more speed, so you can store or cache on Optane which whilst way more expensive than flash in conventional SSDs is much cheaper than RAM. That is a pretty narrow use case.
    1. RAID setups increase latency, and with a drive as low of a latency as Optane, the increase is significant. The much oft-touted small file random reads increase in latency by 1.5-2x after RAID. Sure the sequential increases with RAID 0. That's a trade-off the user has to be willing to accept.

    2. You are saying the performance claims did not materialize. They claimed 1000x over NAND. Actually the NVMe(PCIe) devices fall way short of it, and its about a 10x gain(10us vs 100us).

    How about the DIMMs?

    Optane DIMMs are at 180-300ns latency. That's 300-500x improvement against the fastest NAND SSDs, and may be 1000x compared to SATA ones. Even against NVMe Optane SSDs its 30-50x improvement. The performance claims are met.

    Of course some less knowledgeable folk may have expected 1000x increase in bandwidth. Not even HBM2 offers that much.

    The latencies are the important part and that sort of gains are transformational, not just an evolution. Your 7GB/s PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD still has 100us read latency. So what? Data still needs to be loaded from RAM. Your SDRAM from 1995 can do things your 2020 SSDs can't do because of none other than latency.

    Optane DIMMs will be fast enough to have a system where the OS is installed and the boot times be at near zero(hundreds of milliseconds, since it does not need to load from memory).

    3. You cannot compare a PCIe RAID setup to Optane because PCIe and NAND will NEVER reach latencies possible with Optane on a DIMM interface.

    DRAM has latencies of under 100ns. RAM-tweaked Intel platforms can reach 50ns. That's 1500-2000x better than the 980 Pro NVMe. Benchmarks like CrystalDiskMark are suited to storage, not for hyper-fast DRAM supplements.
    Last edited by DavidC1; 18-08-2020 at 10:25 PM.

  15. #15
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    21
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: Intel 2nd gen Optane SSDs offer "multiple millions" of IOPS

    > You cannot compare a PCIe RAID setup to Optane

    I'm not sure to what "comparison" you are referring there.

    Can you clarify, please?

    If the "comparison" is between the PCIe bus and DIMM channels,
    then yes I agree that such a comparison is "apples-to-oranges"

    The clock rates are different, and the number of parallel wires
    is also different, for starters.

    I was simply referring to a "4x4" x16 add-in card
    populated with 4 x Optane M.2 drives e.g.
    ASRock Ultra Quad M.2 card and Hyper Quad M.2 card,
    assuming a chipset that also supports bifurcation.

    (Highpoint's SSD7103 is not an apples-to-apples comparison,
    because it hosts its own "PLX-type" switch, which is
    intended to eliminate the need for bifurcation support
    in a chipset.)

    Other "4x4" AIC vendors are now announcing Gen4 support
    and the PCIe 5.0 standard isn't too far off.

    Yes, Optane DIMMs are also a useful place to host a ramdisk
    and standard file system.

    And, I continue to expect a useful experiment is
    a "Format RAM" feature in a UEFI BIOS, e.g. dedicating
    Optane DIMMs to a third channel in a triple-channel
    memory subsystem hosting a memory-resident OS.


    Many thanks for your valuable comments above!


    p.s. The next comment was not mine:

    > Optane is good for those cases where your data is too big to reasonably cache but you want more speed, so you can store or cache on Optane which whilst way more expensive than flash in conventional SSDs is much cheaper than RAM. That is a pretty narrow use case.

  16. #16
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    21
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: Intel 2nd gen Optane SSDs offer "multiple millions" of IOPS

    FYI
    Google optane dimm performance
    found 510,000 results today

    So, there is plenty of reading available
    for anyone interested in such questions as the
    number of "early adopters" -- particularly
    large data centers / cloud service providers.

    I was saddened to read how much money Intel
    has lost on Optane during the preceding 3 calendar
    years.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •