Question Custom Build Egpu/Network Server for multiple PC's

[WillowTheWizard]

Hello everyone, I am wanting to build a custom server that works as an EGPU for any of the computers that can access it on my network at home. I am on a journey learning about custom builds and GPU's and I have stumbled upon an aspect that I could do with some help with. I have bought an old Dell Optiplex 7010 with the Q77 chipset motherboard and was wanting to put a couple of graphics cards into it as part of its upgrades. I am humming and harring about what graphics card to use but have sort of settled on the idea of 2x 2080 TI's or 2x1660's. I don't want to push the i7 3770 processor that I'm going to upgrade it with and I will max out it's ram capabilities. I am doing this as a hobby/experiment to get used to building computers before tackling a workstation custom build for Graphics Art Work but want to learn all about how it all works as well. Most importantly not electrocuting myself of shorting the local district ontop of wasting cash. I don't want to NVLink them with SLI and I think I read somewhere that the motherboard is Crossfire ready. I'm assuming that means AMD cards can be linked but does that also mean that multiple Nvidia cards can be run from the one motherboard when not linked. Also am I asking too much from the tech. Later I hope to turn it into a server/Egpu. Any feedback will be awesome, thanks for your time.

 

[kanewolf]

Hello everyone, I am wanting to build a custom server that works as an EGPU for any of the computers that can access it on my network at home. I am on a journey learning about custom builds and GPU's and I have stumbled upon an aspect that I could do with some help with. I have bought an old Dell Optiplex 7010 with the Q77 chipset motherboard and was wanting to put a couple of graphics cards into it as part of its upgrades. I am humming and harring about what graphics card to use but have sort of settled on the idea of 2x 2080 TI's or 2x1660's. I don't want to push the i7 3770 processor that I'm going to upgrade it with and I will max out it's ram capabilities. I am doing this as a hobby/experiment to get used to building computers before tackling a workstation custom build for Graphics Art Work but want to learn all about how it all works as well. Most importantly not electrocuting myself of shorting the local district ontop of wasting cash. I don't want to NVLink them with SLI and I think I read somewhere that the motherboard is Crossfire ready. I'm assuming that means AMD cards can be linked but does that also mean that multiple Nvidia cards can be run from the one motherboard when not linked. Also am I asking too much from the tech. Later I hope to turn it into a server/Egpu. Any feedback will be awesome, thanks for your time.

Separate computers won't act as an eGPU for another computer in most cases. The GPU has to be tied into the OS in most cases to be used. You could remote to a host, and the GPU could be used to render the desktop, but wouldn't be used to render by a program running on the host you have remotely accessed.

 

[WillowTheWizard]

Separate computers won't act as an eGPU for another computer in most cases. The GPU has to be tied into the OS in most cases to be used. You could remote to a host, and the GPU could be used to render the desktop, but wouldn't be used to render by a program running on the host you have remotely accessed.

So if my workstation was the main server running the program (s) and with the GPU's, then any user who logs in can get the workstation to complete whatever tasks they want done. Would I be needing to install server software on the workstation or would remote access from another device be sufficient? And also I suppose remotely accessing the workstation can mean from anywhere. Now I'm thinking of firewalls and network administration,this project just seems to keep growing and growing. Thank you for your ideas.

 

[kanewolf]

So if my workstation was the main server running the program (s) and with the GPU's, then any user who logs in can get the workstation to complete whatever tasks they want done. Would I be needing to install server software on the workstation or would remote access from another device be sufficient? And also I suppose remotely accessing the workstation can mean from anywhere. Now I'm thinking of firewalls and network administration,this project just seems to keep growing and growing. Thank you for your ideas.

Depends on the OS. Windows desktop (win 10, etc) only allow ONE login. Even the specific application is important. Most software won't use hardware acceleration for a remote connection. Rendering video, might use the GPU, but gaming might not. MANY variables and this is not a trivial problem.

 

[WillowTheWizard]

Depends on the OS. Windows desktop (win 10, etc) only allow ONE login. Even the specific application is important. Most software won't use hardware acceleration for a remote connection. Rendering video, might use the GPU, but gaming might not. MANY variables and this is not a trivial problem.

If I was to run a Linux/Unix open source server software or windows server 2k software then I might be better off custom building as a server rather than a workstation. I've never used server software before so I'll be taking a huge leap into the unknown and my skills with Ubuntu are pretty trash to be honest. I am using a Nimbustor NAS at the moment and the apps that run that are awesome, they just work in the background and keep everything right. Maybe there is server software similar. Do you think that a firewall would be overkill or do you know of any home network sized firewalls that aren't rack sized and cost a fortune. Thank you so much for your help by the way.

 

[kanewolf]

If I was to run a Linux/Unix open source server software or windows server 2k software then I might be better off custom building as a server rather than a workstation. I've never used server software before so I'll be taking a huge leap into the unknown and my skills with Ubuntu are pretty trash to be honest. I am using a Nimbustor NAS at the moment and the apps that run that are awesome, they just work in the background and keep everything right. Maybe there is server software similar. Do you think that a firewall would be overkill or do you know of any home network sized firewalls that aren't rack sized and cost a fortune. Thank you so much for your help by the way.

What do you believe a dedicated firewall will provide you?
All home routers have a firewall built-in.

 

[WillowTheWizard]

What do you believe a dedicated firewall will provide you?
All home routers have a firewall built-in.

I just thought that they were a dedicated piece of equipment set with a specific task that added to the other firewalls and that the dedicated firewalls software controlled how all the smaller firewalls work. Also being a dedicated system I also assumed that their was support with the software that the firewall company provides so if there was a hack attempt then they could respond accordingly. sounds like I was on the wrong page. I think I'm maybe looking at it as future proofing incase my business needs expand and I don't want to have to buy again for a better system if I build it with expansion in mind. Maybe I'll be better off with an Egpu. 😂 😂 I've gone full circle again... thank you once again 👍👍