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To simply extend any 1U or 2U server to contain multiple 2-slot, full-height GPUs especially for sharing, you will have to utilize some dedicated hardware solutions just because of the bounded physical space and power limitation of all these form components. Here is the complete guide and several choices to easily get this:
1. Use an External PCIe Expansion Chassis
An external PCIe expansion chassis lets you link various GPU servers to any 1U or 2U server with the help of a high-speed interface such as PCIe. All these expansion chassis can easily house a lot of GPUs and simply link to the specific server either through a solo or several PCIe slots.
– Steps to Guide You to Use an External PCIe Expansion Chassis:
1. Choose an Appropriate Expansion Chassis: Opt for a chassis that easily supports multiple 2-slot, full-height GPUs. Make sure that it has sufficient power and a cooling system to benefit the servers you want to use.
2. Link to the Server: Utilize a PCIe adapter or cable to link the expansion chassis to the PCIe slot of the chosen server. Several advanced servers and also chassis support exclusive high-speed interconnects for high-performance.
3. Install GPUs in Expansion Chassis: Arrange the GPUs in the expansion chassis as per the instructions of the manufacturer. Make sure that all power connectors and cooling systems are properly arranged.
4. Configure the Server: After installation, change the BIOS/UEFI settings of the server according to you and then install crucial drivers to identify and use the GPU server in the external chassis.
5. Install Needed Software: Install all necessary GPU drivers (like AMD or NVIDIA) and any needed software to easily see GPU sharing, like vGPU software or NVIDIA GPU Cloud (NGC), especially for virtualization.
2. Utilize GPU Nodes or GPU Blade Servers
Various data centers utilize GPU nodes or blade servers that can be easily installed in the similar rack in which 1U/2U servers are present. All these servers are fully dedicated to GPU-heavy workloads and can also be shared over any network.
– Steps to Easily Integrate GPU Blade Servers:
1. Choose GPU Blade Servers: Select the best GPU Blade servers that benefit the specific number of servers and are appropriate for your current infrastructure.
2. Link to the Network: Make sure that all these GPU blade servers are linked to the similar network as the 1U/2U servers, ideally with a powerful connection such as 10/40/100 Gigabit Ethernet or InfiniBand.
3. Configure Resource Sharing: Utilizes different software such as Docker, Kubernetes, or CUDA-X AI of NVIDIA to set up remote GPU resource distribution and sharing between different servers.
4. Install and Arrange Virtualization Tools: Install required tools like NVIDIA vGPU mainly for virtualization technology if you want to share crucial GPU resources with numerous virtual machines or users.
3. Use GPU Virtualization Software
If physical expansion is not possible, remember utilizing GPU virtualization software to easily share current GPU servers across various heavy workloads or operators.
– Guide to Apply GPU Virtualization:
1. Install GPU Virtualization Software: Various tools such as AMD MxGPU, NVIDIA vGPU, or some open-source substitutes such as KubeVirt let many virtual machines or users share a specific GPU.
2. Configure the Host Server: Install the server’s OS and also require a virtualization layer (such as KVM, Hyper-V, or VMware vSphere) to allow easy GPU sharing.
3. Allocate GPU Resources: Organize the software to allot all GPU resources powerfully according to the need, user preference, or workload necessity.
4. Consider Power and Cooling Needs
Connecting various servers, either internally or with the help of an expansion chassis, will enhance power usage and produce a lot of heat. You must have sufficient power and cooling systems to avoid hardware failure or choking.
– Ensure Sufficient Power Supply: Always check that the power supply unit (PSU) in your GPU server or expansion chassis can handle the complete power of all installed GPU servers.
– Improve Cooling Solutions: Install extra server cooling solutions like liquid cooling, high-capacity fans, or enhanced management of airflow in the GPUs rack to maintain their temperatures inside the limits.
5. Utilize PCIe Riser Cards (Limited Option)
If your chassis has very constrained space then you might utilize PCIe riser cards to simply change the configuration of the servers. However, this is mainly compatible for 2U servers and not the best option for various 2-slot, full-height GPUs.
– Install PCIe Riser Cards: Utilize PCIe riser cards to arrange GPUs horizontally inside the dedicated server. This can let more servers in a limited space but may still be restricted by the physical size and power usage of the server.
6. Deploy Networked GPU Servers
Acknowledge deploying networked GPU servers that can be easily retrieved by your 1U/2U servers via a reliable network connection.
– Configure GPU Servers: Deploy those servers that are developed specially to host many GPUs, which can be shared across a single network.
– Utilize High-Speed Networking: Use high-speed network connections such as NVMe over Fabrics, 100 Gigabit Ethernet, or InfiniBand to reduce latency and increase data outcome.
Conclusion
To extend any 1U or 2U server for multiple full-height, 2-slot GPUs, with the help of an external PCIe expansion chassis, the best GPU servers or Blade servers are the most compatible choices. Make sure that you consider power consumption, cooling, and connection needs to get high-performance and scalability.