The Supermicro X11DAi-N is a workstation motherboard that may simply as simply be used as the bottom of an workplace tower server or a rackmount server. The Supermicro X11DAi-N affords loads of PCIe slots for graphics playing cards, a Thunderbolt 3.0 port, and audio outputs equip this heavy hitter for workstations. On this evaluation, we’re going to see a really versatile providing that ought to be in your record of potential motherboards for Intel Xeon Scalable (codenamed “Skylake-SP”) processors. In case you are a inventive skilled, engineer, scientist, or deep studying/ AI researcher and are on the lookout for a workstation motherboard, this ought to be in your record.
Supermicro X11DAi-N Workstation/Server Motherboard Specs
Earlier than we get to the evaluation, listed below are the important thing specs from Supermicro’s product web page.
KHey Options:
- Intel Xeon Scalable Processors., Twin Socket P (LGA 3647) supported, CPU TDP help 205W, 2 UPI as much as 10.4 GT/s
- Intel C621
- As much as 2TB 3DS ECC RDIMM and DDR4-2666MHz, As much as 2TB 3DS ECC LRDIMM, in 16 DIMM slots
- 4 PCIe 3.0 x16,
- 2 PCIe 3.0 x8
- M.2 Interface: PCIe 3.0 x4
- M.2 Type Issue: 2260, 2280, 22110
- M.2 Key: M-Key,
- 2 PCIe 3.0 NVMExpress x4 Inside Port(s)
- 1 VGA port(s)
- Intel C621 controller for 10 SATA3 (6 Gbps) ports; RAID 0,1,5,10
- Twin 1GbE LAN from C621
- Type Issue: E-ATX 12″ x 13″ (30.48cm x 33.02cm)
As you’ll be able to see, there’s a lot happening with this motherboard so allow us to get to the evaluation.
Supermicro X11DAi-N Workstation/Server Motherboard Overview
Supermicro retail containers are easy and proper to the purpose. To see what motherboard included, we should have a look at the label on the facet of the field. This methodology helps to maintain prices down however does require some homework on our half to analysis what boards have what options we wish. Realistically, most of those motherboards are going to be bought by VARs and resellers or can be bought on-line so this matter-of-fact packaging mannequin is most well-liked.
Allow us to open up the retail field and check out the contents.
The highest compartment holds the motherboard, and we discover all of the equipment on the facet or beneath the motherboard. Right here is the fundamental record of equipment:
- 6x SATA cables
- 1x I/O Backplane
- 1x Plastic Bag with M.2 mounting pins
- 1x Fast Reference Sheet
Allow us to take the motherboard out and get a have a look at the Supermicro X11DAi-N. One can see the 2 massive LGA3647 sockets which might be barely offset to permit for higher airflow. It’s nonetheless possible that CPU1 airflow will warmth CPU2, and that’s going to be normal on newer generations of motherboards as a result of socket dimension and variety of DDR4 DIMMs slots.
Every socket has eight DDR4 DIMM slots for a complete of 16 on the motherboard. The six blue DDR4 DIMM slots subsequent to every CPU are for the six channels of the Intel Xeon Scalable platform. These are those we suggest totally populating. The 2 black slots flanking every CPU socket enable for a second DIMM to be put in in a reminiscence channel. We solely suggest utilizing this if you happen to want extra capability. Now we have seen the seventh and eighth DIMM slot additions on this technology to realize parity to the eight, decrease velocity DDR4 DIMM slots of the Intel Xeon E5 V3 and V4 generations. New Intel platforms have extra bandwidth with six DIMMs put in per CPU than older generations had with eight.
The X11DAi-N contains well-defined options, and structure is what we’d count on. There aren’t any predefined or labeled CPU fan headers. Nevertheless, two headers situated on the decrease proper, and two extra on the high left reminiscence slots. These are labeled Fan 1 and a pair of, 5 and 6, these perform effectively for CPU fan management.
Right here we see our Supermicro 2U lively warmth sinks (half quantity SNK-P0068APS4) put in and related to fan headers. These warmth sinks usually are not overly massive, which permits airflow throughout the reminiscence slots through chassis followers.
The decrease left nook is the place we discover the storage ports, 10 SATA III (6 Gbps) ports, and two NVMe slots simply to the best of the orange SATA ports. These orange SATA ports are essential as a result of they’ll present energy on to SATADOMs. Utilizing this expertise, one can set up a pair of SATADOMs, for instance as mirrored boot units, while not having to put in SATADOM energy cables. There are headers for such cables however they’re troublesome to swap in a cramped case. The powered SATADOM headers are a lot simpler to make use of.
Along with these two orange SATA ports, there are eight white 7-pin SATA connectors. In case you are utilizing a 1U or 2U system with SATA III exhausting drives or SSDs, that is loads of storage while not having so as to add an extra host bus adapter. That saves on each energy and price.
The NVMe ports are Oculink headers which we’re seeing to see in methods from extra distributors with this technology. Whereas the system has an M.2 NVMe SSD slot and several other PCIe enlargement slots, the addition of the 2 onboard headers is sweet. Now we have seen Supermicro methods the place there are two hot-swap 2.5″ NVMe bays on the rear of the chassis for extra capability/ cache drives reminiscent of in our Supermicro SuperStorage SSG-5029P-E1CTR12L 2U Storage Server Assessment.
The interior USB 3.0 Kind-A header subsequent to the SATA ports is a superb characteristic for workstations which have {hardware} license FOBs which might be tied to USB keys. Placing them inside a case affords some measure of security.
By way of PCIe enlargement, the Supermicro X11DAi-N has six PCIe 3.0 slots. Beginning on the fringe of the motherboard, we discover slot primary.
- (CPU1) Slot1/Slot2 – PCI-Categorical 3.0 x16 slots
- (CPU2) Slot3/Slot5 – PCI-Categorical 3.0 x16 slots
- (CPU2) Slot4/Slot6 – PCI-Categorical 3.0 x8 Slots
When you solely have one CPU put in, you’ll use the PCIe slot subsequent to the sting of the motherboard when utilizing enlargement playing cards; this appears reversed from different boards. To unlock full PCIe performance, you will have two CPUs put in. Supermicro additionally has a Thunderbolt 3.0 header for Thunderbolt help.
The M.2 NVMe SSD drive mounting system is similar we noticed on the X11DPi-NT motherboard we reviewed earlier. We like this higher than the earlier technology easy screw mechanisms that used borderline microscopic screws to safe NVMe SSDs.
Trying on the rear IO ports, we discover:
- 1x Legacy VGA
- 4x USB 3.0
- 7.1 HD Audio with S/PDIF optical output
- 2x 1GbE LAN Ports
- 1x USB 3.1 Kind C
- 1x USB 3.1 Kind A
That’s actually a tremendous array in comparison with a few of the competitors within the class. There are each ample USB 3.0 rear ports together with two USB 3.1 ports spanning each Kind A and Kind C connectors. Supermicro additionally has entrance panel headers for USB 3.0 and USB 2.0.
Networking is offered by the Intel C621 chipset. Consequently, we see twin 1GbE ports. IPMI performance makes use of a shared LAN performance as a substitute of a devoted port. We predict many purchasers of those motherboards are going to make use of add-in playing cards for high-speed networking.
Supermicro X11DAi-N Workstation/Server Motherboard BIOS and Distant Administration
The Supermicro X11DAi-N affords setup flexibility with its built-in IPMI and iKVM. We don’t see workstation motherboards usually which have IPMI included as an ordinary characteristic. These are normal options we discover on most Supermicro motherboards, however we really feel it’s worthy to notice these options as many different manufacturers don’t embody this, or in the event that they do we discover totally different SKU’s or require a dongle which provides prices.
Having IPMI on workstations can have a profound influence. For IT admins, it permits the distant set up of OSes and BIOS tweaks for distant troubleshooting at a really low stage. Moreover, after a workstation is used for a desktop, many are re-purposed into pedestal servers. Having IPMI makes this transition simple as there’s onboard video and iKVM performance for distant administration.
Distant administration entry is similar as different Supermicro motherboards, enter the IP tackle and login with ADMIN/ADMIN.
The Supermicro X11DAi-N can run beneath iKVM or VGA outputs as you’ll count on methods like this is able to.
Take a look at Configuration
Our fundamental check configuration for this motherboard;
- Motherboard: Supermicro X11DAi-N
- CPU: 2x Intel Xeon Gold 6134
- GPU: ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 STRIX
- Cooling: 2x 2U Supermicro X11 Purley Platform CPU Warmth Sink – Energetic Kind
- RAM: 12x Micron 16GB Low Profile
- SSD: OCZ RD400
- OS: Home windows 10 Professional
We’ll observe that this motherboard has eight DIMM slots per CPU however we’re solely utilizing 6 slots. The Intel Xeon Scalable platform has six reminiscence channels, up from 4 on the earlier technology. Utilizing six DIMMs permits us to fill reminiscence channels for max efficiency in 1DPC mode.
Allow us to transfer on to our benchmark outcomes.
AIDA64 Reminiscence Take a look at
AIDA64 reminiscence bandwidth benchmarks (Reminiscence Learn, Reminiscence Write, and Reminiscence Copy) measure the utmost achievable reminiscence information switch bandwidth.
General outcomes are stable with these CPUs.
Cinebench R15
Listed below are our Cinebench R15 outcomes:
The Intel Xeon Gold 6134 CPUs we use are low core depend, high-clock velocity variations. Cinebench tends to favor extra cores with further L1 caches.
Geekbench 4
Geekbench 4 measures the compute efficiency of your GPU utilizing picture processing to pc imaginative and prescient to quantity crunching.
These numbers are a lot greater than we see with Intel Xeon Silver collection CPUs.
PCMark 8
With PCMark 8 you’ll be able to check the efficiency of all kinds of PC, from tablets to desktops. With 5 separate benchmark exams plus battery life testing, PCMark 8 helps you discover the units that supply the proper mixture of effectivity and efficiency. PCMark 8 is a whole PC benchmark for house and enterprise.
One other stable outcome.
PassMark 9
PassMark PerformanceTest permits you to benchmark a PC utilizing quite a lot of totally different velocity exams; it exams the whole PC and all its elements.
General, we are able to see a quantity simply shy of 6500 ranking factors which is excellent.
Supermicro X11DAi-N Workstation/Server Motherboard Energy Consumption
Energy consumption can fluctuate a big quantity relying on processors used and the variety of HDDs/ SSDs/ enlargement playing cards used. Right here we check only a fundamental system.
For our exams, we use AIDA64 Stress check which permits us to emphasize all points of the system. We don’t stress check the GPU in these exams.
- OS Idle: 132W
- AIDA64 Stress Take a look at: 394W
Conclusion
Supermicro’s launch of workstation motherboards based mostly on the brand new Intel Xeon Scalable platform affords spectacular characteristic lists. Like we noticed on the X11DPi-NT new Oculink ports, and M.2 drives supply up appreciable storage enlargement capabilities for workstation methods. The X11DAi-N options sufficient PCIe slots that three double-width graphics playing cards such because the NVIDIA GTX 1080 Ti that are common with the deep studying / AI builders.
The Supermicro X11DAi-N is the baseline twin processor workstation motherboard from Supermicro that may match into a variety of system setups with its versatile characteristic record, distant operation or native desktop methods being the primary use case.
General the X11DAi-N makes a terrific workstation motherboard with loads of choices. For IT admins who’re managing the workstations of deep studying/ AI researchers or inventive professionals remotely, having IPMI and the power to remotely monitor, preserve and troubleshoot methods at a low-level is a game-changing characteristic. At simply over $500 avenue worth, we see this as a reasonably priced constructing block for an expert workstation. The efficiency positive aspects of the brand new structure particularly in reminiscence bandwidth constrained purposes or those that have software program that may make the most of AVX-512 may be beautiful.
