AI in the Temperate Zone
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- AI in the Temperate Zone: Server Configuration
This article details the server configuration for the "AI in the Temperate Zone" project. It is intended as a guide for new system administrators and developers contributing to the project. This configuration focuses on reliability, scalability, and performance for computationally intensive AI workloads, specifically those modeling temperate climate ecosystems. We will cover hardware, software, networking, and storage considerations. See also Server Administration Basics for general guidance.
Overview
The "AI in the Temperate Zone" project requires significant processing power for training and running machine learning models. These models simulate complex interactions within temperate ecosystems, predicting changes based on various environmental factors. The server infrastructure is designed to handle large datasets, parallel processing, and frequent model updates. This infrastructure is housed within the Data Center Alpha facility. Understanding System Monitoring is crucial for maintaining optimal performance.
Hardware Configuration
The core of the system consists of four primary server nodes, each with identical hardware specifications. These nodes are interconnected via a high-speed network detailed in the Networking section.
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| CPU | Dual Intel Xeon Platinum 8380 (40 cores, 80 threads per CPU) |
| RAM | 512 GB DDR4 ECC Registered 3200MHz |
| GPU | 4 x NVIDIA A100 80GB PCIe 4.0 |
| Motherboard | Supermicro X12DPG-QT6 |
| Storage (OS) | 1 TB NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD |
| Storage (Data) | See Storage Configuration |
Each server node also includes a redundant power supply unit (PSU) and a dedicated IPMI interface for remote management. The entire system is monitored by Nagios for hardware failures.
Software Configuration
The operating system of choice is Ubuntu Server 22.04 LTS. This provides a stable and well-supported platform for our software stack. Core software components include:
- Python 3.10: The primary programming language for our AI models.
- TensorFlow 2.12: The machine learning framework used for model training and inference.
- PyTorch 2.0: An alternative machine learning framework for specific model architectures.
- CUDA Toolkit 12.2: NVIDIA's parallel computing platform and programming model.
- Docker 24.0: Used for containerizing applications and ensuring reproducibility. See Docker Best Practices.
- Kubernetes 1.27: Orchestrates the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. Refer to Kubernetes Documentation.
All code is managed using Git and hosted on our internal GitLab instance. Regular security updates are applied using APT.
Storage Configuration
Data storage is a critical component of the system. We employ a distributed file system to handle the large datasets required for our AI models.
| Storage Tier | Type | Capacity | Redundancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 (Active Data) | NVMe SSD RAID 10 | 4 x 4 TB = 16 TB per node (total 64 TB) | High (RAID 10) |
| Tier 2 (Archive) | SAS HDD RAID 6 | 8 x 16 TB = 128 TB per node (total 512 TB) | Medium (RAID 6) |
The active data tier stores the datasets currently being used for model training and inference. The archive tier stores historical data and model checkpoints. The distributed file system is implemented using GlusterFS, providing scalability and fault tolerance. Regular backups are performed to Offsite Backup Location.
Networking Configuration
The server nodes are connected via a 100 Gigabit Ethernet network. This high bandwidth is essential for transferring large datasets between nodes during distributed training.
| Network Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Network Interface Cards (NICs) | 2 x 100 Gigabit Ethernet (Mellanox ConnectX-7) per node |
| Switches | 2 x Cisco Nexus 9508 |
| Network Topology | Spine-Leaf |
| VLANs | Separate VLANs for management, data transfer, and public access |
A dedicated management network is used for remote access and monitoring. Firewall rules are configured using iptables to restrict access to the servers. Internal DNS is managed by Bind9.
Security Considerations
Security is paramount. The following measures are in place:
- Firewall : iptables is used to control network traffic.
- Intrusion Detection System (IDS) : Snort is deployed to detect malicious activity.
- Regular Security Audits : Performed quarterly by the Security Team.
- Access Control : Strict access control is enforced using SSH Keys and Two-Factor Authentication.
- Data Encryption : Sensitive data is encrypted at rest and in transit.
Future Expansion
We anticipate needing to expand the system in the future to accommodate growing datasets and more complex models. Planned upgrades include adding more GPU nodes and increasing storage capacity. See Future Server Upgrade Plans for details.
Server Administration
Data Center Alpha
System Monitoring
Docker Best Practices
Kubernetes Documentation
Git
GitLab
APT
GlusterFS
Offsite Backup Location
iptables
Bind9
Snort
SSH Keys
Two-Factor Authentication
Networking
Storage Configuration
Future Server Upgrade Plans
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Intel-Based Server Configurations
| Configuration | Specifications | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Core i7-6700K/7700 Server | 64 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2 x 512 GB | CPU Benchmark: 8046 |
| Core i7-8700 Server | 64 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2x1 TB | CPU Benchmark: 13124 |
| Core i9-9900K Server | 128 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2 x 1 TB | CPU Benchmark: 49969 |
| Core i9-13900 Server (64GB) | 64 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i9-13900 Server (128GB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Server (64GB) | 64 GB RAM, 2x500 GB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Server (128GB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x500 GB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Workstation | 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2 NVMe SSD, NVIDIA RTX 4000 |
AMD-Based Server Configurations
| Configuration | Specifications | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 5 3600 Server | 64 GB RAM, 2x480 GB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 17849 |
| Ryzen 7 7700 Server | 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2x1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 35224 |
| Ryzen 9 5950X Server | 128 GB RAM, 2x4 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 46045 |
| Ryzen 9 7950X Server | 128 GB DDR5 ECC, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 63561 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/1TB) | 128 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/2TB) | 128 GB RAM, 2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/4TB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/1TB) | 256 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/4TB) | 256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 9454P Server | 256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe |
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⚠️ *Note: All benchmark scores are approximate and may vary based on configuration. Server availability subject to stock.* ⚠️