How Dell PowerEdge XE9680 Accelerates AI and High Performance Computing
Tue, 11 Apr 2023 21:37:45 -0000
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The Dell PowerEdge XE9680 is a high-performance server designed to deliver exceptional performance for machine learning workloads, AI inferencing, and high-performance computing. In this short blog, we summarize three articles that showcase the capabilities of the Dell PowerEdge XE9680 in different computing scenarios.
Unlocking Machine Learning with Dell PowerEdge XE9680
The first article, which I co-wrote with Liz Raymond, Naye Yoni, and Frank Han, describes how Dell PowerEdge XE9680 can unlock machine learning performance by delivering high-speed processing and efficient training of machine learning models. Based on our testing, we concluded that Dell PowerEdge XE9680 can help organizations unlock the full potential of their machine learning workloads:
Unlocking Machine Learning with Dell PowerEdge XE9680: Insights into MLPerf 2.1 Training Performance
Accelerating AI Inferencing with Dell PowerEdge XE9680
The second article, also co-written with Liz Raymond, Naye Yoni, and Frank Han, focuses on how the Dell PowerEdge XE9680 can accelerate AI inferencing using various models to make predictions or decisions. Our testing found that the Dell PowerEdge XE9680 can help organizations achieve faster and more accurate AI inferencing:
Accelerating AI Inferencing with Dell PowerEdge XE9680: A Performance Analysis
Accelerating High Performance Computing with Dell PowerEdge XE9680
The third article, co-written with Frank Han, showcases how Dell PowerEdge XE9680 can accelerate high-performance computing (HPC) by leveraging parallel processing techniques to solve complex problems. It focuses on the system's impressive performance in the HPL benchmark, which measures HPC performance. We concluded that the Dell PowerEdge XE9680 can help organizations achieve faster and more efficient HPC performance, enabling them to solve complex problems in less time:
Accelerating High-Performance Computing with Dell PowerEdge XE9680: A Look at HPL Performance
Author: Delmar Hernandez, Server Technologist
Related Blog Posts
Can CPUs Effectively Run AI Applications?
Fri, 03 Mar 2023 20:06:28 -0000
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Due to the inherent advantages of GPUs in high speed scale matrix operations, developers have gravitated to GPUs for AI training (developing the model) and inference (the model in execution).
With the scarcity of GPUs driven by the massive growth of AI applications, including recent advancements in stable diffusion and large language models that have taken the world by storm, such as ChatGPT by OpenAI, the question for many developers is:
Are CPUs up to the task of AI?
To answer the question, Dell Technologies and Scalers AI set up a Dell PowerEdge R760 server with 4th Gen Intel® Xeon® processors and integrated Intel® Deep Learning acceleration. Notably, we did not install a GPU on this server.
In this blog, Part One of a two-part series, we’ll put this latest and greatest Intel® Xeon® CPU just released this month by Intel® to the test on AI inference . We’ll also run AI on video streams, one of the most common mediums to run AI, and pair industry specific application logic to showcase a real-world AI workload.
In Part Two, we’ll train a model in a technique called transfer learning. Most training is done on GPUs today, and transfer learning presents a great opportunity to leverage existing models while customizing for targeted use cases.
The industry specific use case
Scalers AI developed a smart city solution that uses artificial intelligence and computer vision to monitor traffic safety in real time. The solution identifies potential safety hazards, such as illegal lane changes on freeway on-ramps, reckless driving, and vehicle collisions, by analyzing video footage from cameras positioned at key locations.
For comparison, we also set up the previous generation Dell PowerEdge R750 server and ran the AI inferencing object detection workload on both servers. What did we learn?
Dell PowerEdge R760 with 4th Gen Intel® Xeon® Processors and Intel® Deep Learning Boost delivered!
Let’s find out about the generational server comparison.
The following charts show the performance gain from the last gen to the current gen server. The graph on the left shows inference-only performance, while the middle graph adds video decode. Finally, the graph on the right shows the full application performance with the smart city solution application logic.
The performance claims are great. But what does this mean for my business?
Dell PowerEdge R760 and Scalers AI smart city solution results show that for a similar application, users can expect the Dell PowerEdge R760 server to perform real-time inferencing on up to 90 1080P video streams when it is deployed. Dell PowerEdge R750 can handle up to 50 1080P video streams, and this is all without a GPU. Although GPUs add additional AI computing capability, this study shows that they may only sometimes be necessary, depending on your unique requirements, such as how many streams must be displayed concurrently.
Given these results, Scalers AI confidently recommends using Dell PowerEdge R760 with 4th Gen Intel® Xeon® Processors and Intel® Deep Learning Boost for AI computer vision workloads, such as the Scalers AI Traffic Safety Solution using object detection, because they fulfill all application requirements.
Now that we have shown highly effective object detection on a CPU, what about a more compute-intensive complex model such as segmentation?
Here we are running segmentation on 10 streams, while displaying four streams on the more complex segmentation model.
As you can see, CPUs are up to the task of running AI inference on models such as object detection and segmentation. Perhaps more important for developers, they offer the flexibility to run the full workload on the same processor, thereby lowering the TCO.
With the rapid growth of AI, the ability to deploy on CPUs is a key differentiator for real-world use cases such as traffic safety. This frees up GPU resources for training and graphics use cases.
Check in for Part Two of this blog series as we discuss a technique to train a transfer learning model and put a CPU to the test there.
Resources
Interested in trying for yourself? Get access to the solution code!
To save developers hundreds of potential hours of development, Dell Technologies and Scalers AI are offering access to the solution code to fast-track development of AI workloads on next-generation Dell PowerEdge servers with 4th Gen Intel® Xeon® scalable processors.
For access to the code, reach out to your Dell representative or contact Scalers AI!
To learn more about the study discussed here, visit the following webpages:
• Myth-Busting:
Can Intel® Xeon® Processors Effectively Run AI Applications?
• Accelerate Industry Transformation:
Build Custom Models with Transfer Learning on Intel® Xeon®
• Scalers AI Performance Insights:
Dell PowerEdge R760 with 4th Gen Intel® Xeon® Scalable Processors in AI
Authors:
Steen Graham, CEO at Scalers AI
Delmar Hernandez, Server Technologist at Dell Technologies
Discover Your Servers’ Untapped AI Potential: PowerEdge Offering Accelerated AI Adoption
Wed, 24 Apr 2024 15:32:16 -0000
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Imagine a world where machines comprehend our needs before we even express them—where AI drives innovation, and data centers form the beating heart of cutting-edge technology. That world is becoming increasingly lucid with every passing hour. In a world where technology is advancing at lightning speed, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a game-changer. By delivering solutions that range from self-driving cars to personalized recommendations, AI is transforming industries and changing lives. But with great power comes great demand for computing resources. As the thirst for AI-driven solutions grows, so does the need for powerful servers that can handle the intense computational demands. The journey to this AI-driven utopia starts with a simple question: How can we turbocharge existing servers to tackle the AI revolution?
And what if we told you that the solution lies within your very own data center? That's right. The key to unlocking the true power of AI workloads might be hiding in plain sight. Welcome to the world of Dell PowerEdge servers.
At Dell Labs, we are obsessed with innovation. Our team of passionate engineers embarked on a mission to push the boundaries of what our PowerEdge servers could do. And boy, did we make a discovery that left us in awe!
By exploring the depths of server BIOS settings and fine-tuning them for AI workloads, we witnessed an astounding transformation. The performance boost was nothing short of extraordinary. Our engineers tinkered with these BIOS settings and uncovered hidden gems. These BIOS settings, often used for multitasking, proved to be the secret sauce for AI inferencing tasks. When we thoroughly tested industry-standard AI workloads against these settings, the server's performance skyrocketed like never before.
So, what does this mean for you? It means you may already have a secret weapon in your data center—Dell PowerEdge servers with Intel CPUs! Whether you're already harnessing the power of the latest PowerEdge servers or planning your next investment, our proven optimizations are set to maximize your returns. We've done rigorous testing and distilled the results into simple accessible settings that you can apply yourself. Alternatively, let us tailor your server's configuration at the point of purchase to unlock its full potential right out of the box. Imagine the possibilities: real-time facial recognition, ultra-fast data analysis, and predictions that can change the game for your business. The hidden power of your servers is waiting to be unleashed, and it's easier than you might think.
AI is the future, and you have a front-row seat to the revolution. With Dell PowerEdge servers optimized for AI workloads, you can embrace the full potential of AI without breaking a sweat. Your existing infrastructure holds the key to supercharging your journey in the fast-paced world of AI, where every advantage counts. PowerEdge servers have the untapped potential to fuel your AI ambitions like never before. The key to unlocking this hidden power lies in BIOS tuning—a simple yet powerful technique. Embrace this hidden power within your servers and join the ranks of AI pioneers to tap into the immense possibilities that await. The future is now, and your Dell PowerEdge servers are ready to lead the way.
Ready to dive into the secrets of BIOS tuning and its impact on AI performance? Our team has shared the magic of BIOS tuning with you in our comprehensive white paper. Let’s explore the fascinating world of AI together and see what's possible when you unleash the full power of your Dell PowerEdge servers.
To learn more about this groundbreaking solution and how it can revolutionize AI, see this Direct from Development Tech Note: Unlock the Power of PowerEdge Servers for AI Workloads: Experience Up to 177% Performance Boost!
Author:
Shreena Bhati, Product Management Intern