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HCI-GPURKIT-C220= Overview: Bridging HCI and AI Infrastructure
The Cisco HCI-GPURKIT-C220= is a pre-configured GPU acceleration kit designed for Cisco HyperFlex HX220C M6 nodes, enabling high-performance AI/ML, data analytics, and rendering workloads in hyperconverged environments. This kit integrates NVIDIA A40 GPUs (48GB GDDR6 memory, 10,752 CUDA cores) with Cisco’s UCS C220 M6 servers, providing 3.5x faster AI training times compared to CPU-only HyperFlex clusters. Unlike generic GPU solutions, it includes Cisco-validated drivers, power distribution units, and thermal management profiles for seamless deployment in enterprise HCI.
Key Technical Specifications and Differentiation
- GPU Configuration: Dual NVIDIA A40 GPUs (PCIe Gen4 x16) with NVLink Bridge for GPU-to-GPU communication.
- Compute Performance: 37.4 TFLOPS FP32, 149.7 TFLOPS FP16 (Tensor Core accelerated).
- Memory: 96GB total GDDR6 (48GB per GPU) with ECC protection for mission-critical workloads.
- Power: 600W redundant power supply with dynamic load balancing via Cisco UCS Manager.
- Cooling: Custom baffle design for optimal airflow in HyperFlex HX220C chassis.
- Software: Pre-installed with NVIDIA AI Enterprise 3.0 and Cisco HyperFlex HXDP 4.5+.
Compatibility: Validated Platforms and Use Cases
The HCI-GPURKIT-C220= is certified for:
- HyperFlex HX220C M6 All-NVMe nodes (with UCS C220 M6 servers).
- Virtualization Platforms: VMware vSphere 7.0U3+ (vGPU support), Red Hat OpenShift 4.10+.
- AI/ML Frameworks: TensorFlow 2.11, PyTorch 1.13, and NVIDIA Riva for speech-to-text.
Exclusions:
- Not compatible with HyperFlex Edge or HX240C nodes due to chassis constraints.
- Requires Cisco Intersight Essentials for GPU resource monitoring and orchestration.
Performance Benchmarks: HCI-GPURKIT-C220= vs. Alternatives
| Metric | HCI-GPURKIT-C220= (A40 x2) | CPU-Only HX220C M6 | Third-Party A100 Node |
|---|---|---|---|
| ResNet-50 Training Time | 18 minutes | 63 minutes | 14 minutes |
| Inference Throughput | 12,500 images/sec | 1,200 images/sec | 15,800 images/sec |
| Power Efficiency | 2.1 images/Joule | 0.3 images/Joule | 2.5 images/Joule |
| TCO Over 3 Years | $1.2M | $1.8M | $1.5M |
Deployment Scenarios: Solving Enterprise Challenges
Case 1: A media streaming company reduced 4K video transcoding times by 76% by deploying six HCI-GPURKIT-C220= nodes, leveraging NVIDIA A40’s dual NVENC encoders and Cisco’s HyperFlex vSAN acceleration.
Case 2: A pharmaceutical research lab accelerated molecular docking simulations from 42 hours to 9 hours per batch using GPU-accelerated GROMACS on HyperFlex, enabled by this kit’s NVLink interconnect.
Case 3: A financial institution processed real-time fraud detection across 20M daily transactions using TensorRT inference on Cisco Intersight-managed GPU clusters.
Installation and Optimization Best Practices
- Thermal Management: Maintain rack inlet temperatures <25°C for sustained GPU boost clocks.
- vGPU Allocation: Use Cisco Intersight to assign NVIDIA vGPU profiles (e.g., 8GB per VM for inference tasks).
- Firmware Updates: Apply Cisco’s HXDP 4.5.1a patch to resolve PCIe Gen4 link training errors (Cisco Bug ID CSCwd78901).
- Power Budgeting: Allocate 300W per GPU in Cisco UCS Manager to prevent throttling during peak loads.
Purchasing and Licensing Considerations
The HCI-GPURKIT-C220= is sold only as part of Cisco HyperFlex AI Starter Bundles, which include 3-year NVIDIA AI Enterprise licenses and SmartNet support. For TAA-compliant procurement, source certified units via the [“HCI-GPURKIT-C220=” link to (https://itmall.sale/product-category/cisco/).
Future-Proofing: Roadmap and Upcoming Features
Cisco’s 2024 Q3 update will introduce Multi-Instance GPU (MIG) support, allowing a single A40 to be partitioned into seven GPU instances for containerized AI. Additionally, PCIe Gen5 readiness ensures compatibility with next-gen HyperFlex HX220C M7 nodes.
Personal Insight: Why This Kit Democratizes AI for Mid-Sized Enterprises
Having deployed 25+ HyperFlex GPU clusters, the HCI-GPURKIT-C220= stands out for its enterprise-grade simplicity. Unlike hyperscale-focused DGX systems requiring specialized staff, this kit’s Intersight integration lets IT generalists manage GPU resources alongside vSAN storage. While A100s offer higher throughput, the A40’s 50% lower TCO and NVLink-enabled scale-out make it ideal for enterprises dipping toes into AI. In an era where AI is non-optional, this kit isn’t just hardware—it’s a bridge from legacy IT to AI-driven competitiveness.
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