Tips

by Alex Herrera

Sponsored by

iStockphoto.com/alxpin

www.intel.com

From the editors of

www.cadalyst.com

If you think professional workstations are overpowered or

overpriced for everyday CAD applications, its time to think again.
Todays models offer power and reliability at prices starting below
$1,000 delivering a return on investment that you cant afford not
to consider. This article explains what to look for in a professional
workstation for CAD and how to get the most bang for your buck.

7 Tips for CAD Workstation Success

Heres how to select the best computer

possible to support your drafting, modeling,
rendering, and simulation applications.

omputers arent one-size-fitsall. From servers to PCs to tablets and smartphones, virtually
all digital devices share a common
foundation of computing and visualization technology yet each device is
designed for a specific type of use and
to address a specific set of computing
needs.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

With more than 25 years of
engineering, marketing, and
management experience in the
semiconductor industry,
Alex Herrera is a consultant focus
ing on high-performance graphics
and workstations. Author of frequent
articles covering the business
and technology of graphics, he
is responsible for the Workstation
Report series published by Jon Peddie
Research. He continues to advise
companies competing in fields
related to high-performance graphics
and client-centric computing.

The same goes for the professional

workstation. Unlike any other computing platform, the workstation is
purpose-built to serve the unique
needs and priorities of high-demand
professionals, especially those working
in computer-aided design (CAD). The
workstation is engineered to deliver
optimal performance, tuned to the
mission-critical applications CAD
users rely on most, from 3D modeling,
to rendering, to simulation and analysis. Its built to expand and upgrade,
so it not only supports the demands
of today, but can scale to meet bigger
challenges in the future. And above
all, a workstation offers unmatched
reliability, ingrained in the design,
construction, testing, and certification
that comes with every model.

ISV CERTIFICATION: A
WORKSTATIONS CROWN
The workstation addresses more
than a few professional priorities, but
reliability tops them all. That reliability
starts with certification by software
developers that the workstation you
buy will reliably run your software.
Systems that pass muster earn the
stamp of ISV-certified workstation
(where ISV stands for independent
software vendor, such as Autodesk or
Dassault Systmes). How does a workstation achieve that certification? The
answer is simple: testing, and lots of
it. The workstation OEM and the ISV
team up to put new system configurations through exhaustive testing at
both system and board (for example,
graphics card) levels. The certification
team runs a suite of regression tests on
each new workstation configuration
hardware and software and if the
results match previously known, good
results, then that new configuration is
deemed to be reliable and receives certification. If an error is detected, the
team isolates the bug, works to fix it,
then reruns regression tests. The cycle
continues until the entire regression
test suite passes.
The end result? Users get a system that
their ISV stands behind, one proven to
run their mission-critical applications.
On the flip side, ISVs will understand-

ably be less responsive to bugs or reliability issues that arise on noncertified

platforms. Most major workstation
vendors provide information about ISV
partners and which applications their
systems have been certified to run.
TIP

If you cant afford

subpar software
performance or computer
downtime, minimize the
likelihood of both by
selecting a workstation
that is ISV certified for
your key applications. You
can be confident that your
computer has your back!
CPU: FAST CORE
OR MANY CORES?
Architects, builders, designers, and
engineers all face the same computation bottleneck thanks to multistage,
multi-iteration CAD workflows. For
example, you tweak a form or material, then must revisualize and resimulate to ensure the changes have not
adversely affected aesthetics, integrity,
or performance. You might find yourself running design analysis as often
as you are modeling using 2D or 3D
CAD one minute, flow simulation or
clash detection the next. The slower
each stage, and the more iterations

7 Tips for CAD Workstation Success

you must execute, the longer it takes

to converge on the optimal solution.
Such a workflow is ripe for acceleration with the use of a modern central
processing unit (CPU) one that
excels at both shrinking the execution
time for each task as well as running
multiple tasks in parallel.
Modern multicore CPU technology
applies especially well to CAD workflows, which include many tasks that
parallelize well across multiple processing cores. Multithreaded applications such as rendering, finite-element
analysis, and computational fluid
dynamics all stand to benefit from
generational improvements in CPU
core count.
But thats not true for every software
solution; many common CAD computing tasks dont lend themselves
will to parallel execution on multiple
cores. Parametric modeling a staple
in every designers workflow is a primary example. For those tasks, youll
see more benefits from a well-designed
superscalar CPU core running at the
highest possible frequency.
Which option many cores or fast
core is better for the CAD professional? The answer is that accelerating
all phases of todays CAD workflow
demands not one or the other, but
both. Accordingly, virtually all workstations today are built on high-

performance Intel processors, most

commonly the Intel Xeon brand that
offers features specifically designed for
workstations. The latest Intel Xeon
Processor E5-2600 v2 Product Family
is built around the industrys premier
superscalar design, churning through
individual threads of execution. These
processors offer up to 12 cores each,
letting multithreaded CAD software
shine while allowing creative professionals to multitask as much as their
skills and workflows will allow.
TIP

Balance your CPU

spending on core speed
and number of cores in
the way that best supports
your key software
applications.
GPU PLAYS CRITICAL ROLE
Its past time to dispel the myth that
consumer-grade graphics processing
units (GPUs) are just as good for CAD
as professional GPUs. Its a common
misconception, and one that can lead
to a decision that will drag down in
more ways than one an otherwise
powerfully equipped CAD machine.
Yes, its true that the two products
share core hardware and software
technologies. Thats a good thing,

because it allows providers of systems

and silicon to deliver best-in-class
products from one shared investment
in technology. But the similarities end
there, because the professional GPU
draws from that core technology differently, fine-tuned to deliver the performance and accuracy that optimize
CAD applications.
Premier CAD software providers certify
relatively few GPUs for use with their
applications, including AutoCAD,
Autodesk Revit, SolidWorks, and
other popular titles, and virtually all
vendor-certified GPUs are professional
caliber. What does certification buy?
First and foremost is piece of mind
from knowing that your combination
of GPU and software has been tested
and tuned for optimal performance
and reliability.
What could happen if you select the
wrong graphics card for your software? Your choice could lead to a
dramatic and critical drop in performance. For example, consider 3D rendering in AutoCAD. Its Conceptual
visual style employs the Gooch shader,
created specifically to render technical
illustrations. Gaming GPUs have little
reason to render a fast, high-quality
Gooch shader, but workstation-caliber
GPUs do.
To strike an even more stark contrast,
think 2D. While cutting-edge games

abandoned 2D long ago, it remains a

staple graphics mode in nearly all corners of the CAD field, and especially
in architecture and construction. And
thats why a gaming GPU, for example,
isnt equipped to quickly and accurately
render Smooth lines in AutoCAD.
Without compatible hardware, such
rendering doesnt just slow a tad, it
plummets. Thats because a solution
such as AutoCAD will turn off hardware acceleration all together should it
detect a noncertified GPU.
Its not just hardware that makes
graphics different for pros, its the
driver as well. Optimal driver design
takes into account which drawing
calls are most commonly requested
and fast-tracks the common code
paths of execution. Those paths are
dramatically different for games than
they are for an elevation-rendering or
stress-analysis tool, and shorter paths
mean less execution overhead per
drawing call. The end result? Professional drivers are slower on games,
and gaming drivers are slower on CAD.
Workstation-class GPUs offer a wide
range of performance, with prices that
may surprise (in a good way). Take
the Intel HD Graphics P4600, the
only Autodesk-certified solution thats
integrated in select Intel Xeon CPUs.
For the CAD pro on a budget, its a
sensible way to gain the benefits of a

7 Tips for CAD Workstation Success

professional graphics solution without

spending extra for a discrete add-in
graphics card.
TIP

Selecting the wrong

GPU doesnt just limit
your software performance
it can actually cause
your software to perform
poorly. Avoid consumergrade GPUs these days,
theres no reason to opt for
those and choose a GPU
thats certified to support
your key CAD software.

(ECC) memory can detect and correct

single-bit errors that occur in memory.

pennies per gigabyte, hard drives are

solid performers.

How often might such an error

appear? One study (DRAM Errors in
the Wild: A Large-Scale Field Study)
found that one in three computers
will encounter at least one correctable
memory error per year. But without
the on-board ECC functionality to correct that error, an hour-long mechanical stress or air-flow simulation could
yield the wrong answers. Even if that
error is caught on examination of
results or by repeating a simulation,
it still means an hour wasted and
thats one hour too much given todays
busy schedules.

Solid-state drives. But the HDDs

performance pales in contrast to a
relatively new option, the solid-state
drive (SSD). Available from Intel and
others, SSDs are constructed not of
spinning platters of magnetic media
but of an array of SRAM chips, and
they offer bandwidth of two to three
times that of the HDD and read latencies far lower than those of conventional hard drives all leading directly
to bottom-line performance gains. In
mobile workstations, SSDs add the
benefit of better shock resistance.

TIP

FAST, RELIABLE MEMORY

Workstations set the bar when
it comes to high-capacity, maximum-performance memory. Sharing
DNA with servers, workstations can
boast raw horsepower well beyond
what the home or office PC can
achieve for example, accommodating dual CPUs coupled with up to 256
GB of 1866-MHz DDR3 memory.
But capacity isnt the workstations
only advantage when it comes to a
CAD machines system memory.
Featured exclusively on maximumreliability Intel Xeon workstations
and servers, Error Correcting Code

Insure yourself against

the pitfalls of memory
errors by selecting an Intel
Xeon processor paired
with ECC memory.
STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES
FOR WORKSTATIONS ONLY
And what sort of storage subsystem
should CAD professionals be considering today when configuring their
workstations? Theres the venerable
and ubiquitous hard disk drive (HDD),
still alive and well. Beyond their huge
capacities available at mind-boggling

With such compelling advantages in

performance and reliability, combined
with prices that continue to fall, SSDs
are becoming the norm and no doubt
will eventually become the rule.
RAID. Adding RAID to your storage
set-up is a cost-effective way to ensure
data protection and access. If youre
an individual or small business and
manage your own IT, you should seriously consider a RAID configuration.
RAID is no longer an exotic computing technology limited to high-end
boutique computers and big-budget
applications. Today, its inexpensive,
it can improve performance and its
only available on workstations.

RAID mode 1 mirrors your data on

two drives, protecting your data and
your business should one drive fail.
Your machine can still operate on
one drive, meaning you can, at least
temporarily, keep working to deliver
on tomorrows deadline even if one
drive fails today. If your IT environment
already has effective data protection,
RAID can still offer benefits. RAID 0
doesnt provide the data security of
RAID 1, but it can cut your AutoCAD
or Autodesk Revit retrieval times in
half. Cant cut any corners in storage
performance or data security? Then
choose RAID 5 or RAID 1+0 (aka,
RAID 10) storage, which combines
both redundancy and distributed data
across drives to deliver the best of both
worlds: single drive failure tolerance
and higher-access bandwidth.
TIP

When it comes to
data storage options,
workstations offer some of
the best. Consider the SSD
for improved performance
and reliability over the
standard HDD, and
seriously consider RAID if
you need a cost-effective,
viable option for protecting
your data.

7 Tips for CAD Workstation Success

INVEST IN THE
LATEST HARDWARE
Sharing core technology with PCs,
servers, and supercomputers has its
benefits. Economy of scale is one,
allowing all users to benefit from one
massive investment in research and
development, which among other
benefits puts workstation platforms
on an aggressive 12- to 18-month
refresh cycle. Each new generation
introduces CPUs that deliver roughly
50% more cores than their predecessors and that might run 20% faster,
GPUs that double their FLOPS, and
memory and storage capacity that
grows geometrically.
But that doesnt mean a CAD professional needs to replace his or her
machine every year to maintain a
system thats competitive. A mid-life
workstation upgrade to add memory
and storage or swap in a new CPU or
GPU can go a long way. That ease of
expansion and upgrade is yet another
reason to opt for a workstation.
Deskside workstations typically offer
more in the way of add-in card slots,
memory sockets, and drive bays; in the
case of premium models, youll get far
more.
And try not to let bad memories of
servicing a computer deter an opportunity to upgrade today. Years ago,
there were too many standards and

interfaces, awkward jumpers and

settings, poor access, and proprietary
connectors. One would rather watch
system performance fade than risk the
headaches and potential downtime of
attempting an upgrade. Today, this situation is vastly improved: Workstation
internal access and component installation are a straightforward process;
opening the chassis, extracting the
old, installing the new, and updating a
driver is not only painless, but usually
toolless.
TIP

The workstation you

buy today will be better
by leaps and bounds than
systems that were available
only 1218 months ago
but will serve you well for
years to come thanks to
easy expandability and
upgradeability.
ROI: PRICE TAG COST
Ultimately, the choices that go into a
computer purchase are no different
than for any other capital asset. Its all
about return on investment.
The investment in a workstation is
often lower than for any other platform, including PCs. For applications
that cannot sacrifice an ounce of
throughput or reliability and there

are more than a few a $5,000 or

$10,000 workstation is the ultimate
no-compromise computing tool. But
those are the exceptions, not the rule.
With starting prices below $1,000,
workstations today are no longer the
exorbitantly priced machines of the
past.
Still, the workstation is not about
being the least expensive machine
to acquire; its about being the least
expensive to operate over its lifetime.
Purchasing an ISV-certified system and
graphics processor means you can
have the utmost confidence that the
IT department wont face any obscure
bugs or compatibility issues. Technologies such as RAID and ECC virtually
eliminate crashes and errors caused by
storage or memory failure. IT management is simpler, whether it comes to
swapping or upgrading components,
expanding capacity, or coordinating
enterprisewide driver updates. Over
the life of the system, the costs of not
investing in a workstation can easily
swamp whatever modest savings you
garnered on the day of purchase.
As for the R in ROI, a workstations
return is the form of improved productivity. It doesnt matter the discipline, be it construction, design, or
engineering, schedules are as tight
as the computation is demanding.
How many dollars has your business

wasted if an engineer or designer sits

idle during computer downtime or
when performance slows to a crawl?
How much faster could you deliver a
project if each design/simulate/render
cycle could run a few minutes faster?
A more productive team can take on
more jobs, get them done faster, and
leave customers happier.
TIP

As is true for many

major investments,
assessing the true cost of a
workstation requires that
you consider the price tag
as well as the long-term
benefits and paybacks.
Lower lifetime expenditures, higher
productivity, fewer headaches: These
are promises that can be delivered only
by a machine thats designed and certified for professional use. Now more
than ever, the workstation is the right
computing tool for CAD.
Intel, the Intel logo, and Intel Xeon are registered
trademarks of Intel Corp. in the U.S. and/or other
countries. Autodesk, AutoCAD, and Autodesk
Revit are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc.
SolidWorks is a registered trademark of Dassault
Systmes SolidWorks Corp. All other trademarks
are the property of their respective owners.
2013 Longitude Media, LLC. Reproduction in
whole or in part is strictly prohibited without written
permission of the publisher.