[Announcement] Avalon ASIC Development Status [Batch #1]

[2112]

p9p1: flags=4163<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST>  mtu 1500
        inet xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx  netmask 255.255.255.0  broadcast xxx.xxx.xxx.255
        inet6 xxxx::xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx  prefixlen 64  scopeid 0x20<link>
        ether xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx  txqueuelen 1000  (Ethernet)
        RX packets 62921947  bytes 33087058738 (30.8 GiB)
        RX errors 0  dropped 0  overruns 0  frame 0
        TX packets 63627380  bytes 48378527420 (45.0 GiB)
        TX errors 0  dropped 0 overruns 0  carrier 0  collisions 0

Kano is trolling, but he's a constructive troll, so his message is worth replying to. I was trying to find a link to the source code of utility I used for testing, but I can't seem to locate it. It was an offshot of "ttcp".

1) RX/TX statistics in many modern NIC are always zero, unless explicitly enabled. Somebody explained to me that it has something to do with passing WHQL certification. There are (or were) apparently two levels of it: normal and certified-for-clusters. At the "normal" level it is apparently much easier to get the "compatible with Windows X" certification if errors are reported only in specific circumstances. To get uncensored statistics you'll may need to place the chip in the "enterprise" or "diagnostic" or "cluster" mode. (Not to be confused with 802.3ad link aggregation or similar stuff).

2) To get a real feel for real packet loss use "ttcp" and monitor "netstat -s". For deepest understanding use both TCP/IP and UDP/IP mode with various buffer sizes.

3) There used to be a version of "ttcp" that supported one-sided testing by connecting on the remote side to the "simple IP services": echo, discard, chargen. Nowadays they need to be enabled explicitly. They aren't really usefull for benchmarking, but they are greatly useful to see if your network hub/switch/router can really cope with many hosts talking simultaneously. Please post here if you find such an utility.

4) If you see the statistics jumping in multiplies of 16777216 instead of 1 then don't assume that the driver is majorly broken. It may simply use incorrect byte order. So swap the byte order by hand or write a short script to do byte swap.

5) Some older Unix-compatible systems still have the spray/sprayd pair of programs used for packet loss testing. You may need to explicitly enable it, but it is a very easy to use program.

Have fun.

[1714886383]

1714886383

[kano]

Meanwhile on my not very expensive D-Link DGS-1008D GBit switch my desktop is connected to:

http://media.gdgt.com/img/product/12/9ry/dgs-1008d-oqx-460.jpg

p9p1: flags=4163<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST>  mtu 1500
        inet xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx  netmask 255.255.255.0  broadcast xxx.xxx.xxx.255
        inet6 xxxx::xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx  prefixlen 64  scopeid 0x20<link>
        ether xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx  txqueuelen 1000  (Ethernet)
        RX packets 62921947  bytes 33087058738 (30.8 GiB)
        RX errors 0  dropped 0  overruns 0  frame 0
        TX packets 63627380  bytes 48378527420 (45.0 GiB)
        TX errors 0  dropped 0 overruns 0  carrier 0  collisions 0

16:10:52 up 4 days,  2:51, 33 users,  load average: 1.36, 1.43, 1.48

Yep I prefer switches ...

Well - if newer kernels hide errors - my older one (name hidden to protect the innocent) doesn't seem to:

... my internet connection (linux box bridged using rpppoe) that runs through an old switch to my ADSL modem

eth1      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx 
          inet addr:10.xxx.xxx.xxx  Bcast:10.xxx.xxx.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          inet6 addr: xxxx::xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx/64 Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:601281065 errors:37121 dropped:76234 overruns:37121 frame:0
          TX packets:565768303 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:19 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
          RX bytes:397893249118 (370.5 GiB)  TX bytes:282719849762 (263.3 GiB)
          Interrupt:18 Base address:0xa000

07:36:19 up 112 days, 15:43

I see errors there ... to be expected ...

But the link to the main switch at home (D-Link DGS-1016D)

http://media0.symbios.pk/d-link-16-port-gigabit-rackmountable-switch-10-100-1000-m-dgs-1016d-1001.jpg

eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx 
          inet addr:xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx  Bcast:xxx.xxx.xxx.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          inet6 addr: xxxx::xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx/64 Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:687446826 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:719410978 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
          RX bytes:315374024750 (293.7 GiB)  TX bytes:434255477859 (404.4 GiB)
          Interrupt:18 Base address:0x2000

I see none.

[Aseras]

the errors you are squabbling over are insignificant, you could get half a million drops and not even notice it.

[thorvald]

Please use this only for Avalon ASIC Development Status

Regards
Thor

[flynn]

2) To get a real feel for real packet loss use "ttcp" and monitor "netstat -s". For deepest understanding use both TCP/IP and UDP/IP mode with various buffer sizes.

It's called "nttcp" or "nuttcp" on my box (Debian squeeze)

[leiyplane]

Can first batch of Avalon ASIC reach even higher speed than current 66GHash at final stage?

[BitSyncom]

Can first batch of Avalon ASIC reach even higher speed than current 66GHash at final stage?

final stage? This is hard to say at the moment, we will keep the community updated however.

In addition, I've been getting questions regarding our shipping schedule and which "batch" the Order on the shop belongs to.

Inventory. Avalon learned from the mistake of our competitors and since conception has decided to release small order batches of 300 ( a number solely based on our estimated capacity) and only when a batch is close to finished, we will begin the sales of the next batch. When a new batch is announced, there will be another thread. In short, any units ordered so far, until further notice is part of batch #1, which is currently scheduled to ship at Jan 14th. In addition, as people fail to follow up with their orders, there are still some units left in the store, so if you missed your chance originally, now it's the time.

[CoinHoarder]

final stage? This is hard to say at the moment, we will keep the community updated however.

In addition, I've been getting questions regarding our shipping schedule and which "batch" the Order on the shop belongs to.

Inventory. Avalon learned from the mistake of our competitors and since conception has decided to release small order batches of 300 ( a number solely based on our estimated capacity) and only when a batch is close to finished, we will begin the sales of the next batch. When a new batch is announced, there will be another thread. In short, any units ordered so far, until further notice is part of batch #1, which is currently scheduled to ship at Jan 14th. In addition, as people fail to follow up with their orders, there are still some units left in the store, so if you missed your chance originally, now it's the time.

For anyone that's interested, it looks like there are 3 units left in the store that will ship with the first batch.

avalon-asic.com

[Raize]

Inventory. Avalon learned from the mistake of our competitors and since conception has decided to release small order batches of 300 ( a number solely based on our estimated capacity) and only when a batch is close to finished, we will begin the sales of the next batch. When a new batch is announced, there will be another thread. In short, any units ordered so far, until further notice is part of batch #1, which is currently scheduled to ship at Jan 14th. In addition, as people fail to follow up with their orders, there are still some units left in the store, so if you missed your chance originally, now it's the time.

Okay. I have 5 Icarus I'd like to trade-in to reserve 5 Avalon. I've sent at least 3 emails asking how to do this and have not gotten any replies so I'm making my problems public. Was the talk about using Icarus as a credit fake or are you planning on honor it?

[purplesquid]

Okay. I have 5 Icarus I'd like to trade-in to reserve 5 Avalon. I've sent at least 3 emails asking how to do this and have not gotten any replies so I'm making my problems public. Was the talk about using Icarus as a credit fake or are you planning on honor it?

Trade-Ins. Avalon believes in continuing the trust that have build up with our old customers. Reinstating our policy of $300 per Icarus, $400 per Lancelot, limited one FPGA trade-in per ASIC unit. The trade-in program will continue to be available and will apply to 1st-gen Avalons when the time comes.

Important Notice
Trade-in projct:

any icarus or lancelot user can trade-in their icarus or Lancelot mining board for 300USD (icarus) or 400USD (lancelot). every new 60G mining machine can only trade-in one old mining board. this project will start after mass-production.

trade-in is NOT available for pre-orders.

There are no trade-ins for this first pre order batch, but trade-ins will be available for the first mass order batch, as far as I can interpret.

[Raize]

Okay. Sorry, I seem to have gotten confused, the price changed and I figured this was not still the preorder batch. It makes sense if you need the cash to not do tradeins at this time.

[Frequency]

final stage? This is hard to say at the moment, we will keep the community updated however.

In addition, I've been getting questions regarding our shipping schedule and which "batch" the Order on the shop belongs to.

Inventory. Avalon learned from the mistake of our competitors and since conception has decided to release small order batches of 300 ( a number solely based on our estimated capacity) and only when a batch is close to finished, we will begin the sales of the next batch. When a new batch is announced, there will be another thread. In short, any units ordered so far, until further notice is part of batch #1, which is currently scheduled to ship at Jan 14th. In addition, as people fail to follow up with their orders, there are still some units left in the store, so if you missed your chance originally, now it's the time.

For anyone that's interested, it looks like there are 3 units left in the store that will ship with the first batch.

avalon-asic.com

it magically disapeared???

[BitSyncom]

it magically disapeared???

Seems people have purchased those. I've just gone through and canceled a lot of pending orders from more than 10+ days ago that's still in the system, so there are some more units in stock now.

[thorvald]

Any news regarding the devices ?

Regards
Thorvald

[michaelmclees]

Yeah.  I'm curious about these.  What will they look like?

[BitSyncom]

Any news regarding the devices ?

Regards
Thorvald

I suppose the competition has ruined the "no news is good news" statement. We are on schedule and is not currently running into any problems or having new development speeding up our timeline. I could post some facility photos, but I feel that's a childish move and proves nothing. Alas, if there is demand from the community, I'll be happy to show off our truly state of the art equipment used to produce the Avalon.

Yeah.  I'm curious about these.  What will they look like?

Mmm, exactly finish and metal used in the device is not final as of yet, but the dimension is most likely 375 x 375 x 150mm. It's a compact little thing.

[Kuma]

I suppose the competition has ruined the "no news is good news" statement. We are on schedule and is not currently running into any problems or having new development speeding up our timeline. I could post some facility photos, but I feel that's a childish move and proves nothing. Alas, if there is demand from the community, I'll be happy to show off our truly state of the art equipment used to produce the Avalon.

For myself I'd like to see some photos. It's not about necessity to prove anything, I just like fab photos and it makes this thread more colourful. 

Mmm, exactly finish and metal used in the device is not final as of yet, but the dimension is most likely 375 x 375 x 150mm. It's a compact little thing.

The dimensions sounds great, but pretty please not the white colour case for Avalon . Titanium or black should be best .

[Turbor]

I would like to see some pics too 

[PuertoLibre]

I suppose the competition has ruined the "no news is good news" statement. We are on schedule and is not currently running into any problems or having new development speeding up our timeline. I could post some facility photos, but I feel that's a childish move and proves nothing. Alas, if there is demand from the community, I'll be happy to show off our truly state of the art equipment used to produce the Avalon.

For myself I'd like to see some photos. It's not about necessity to prove anything, I just like fab photos and it makes this thread more colourful. 

I have pretty much the same sentiments.

[BitSyncom]

I've uploaded the full album here. http://imgur.com/a/KPBTl

and updated the front page.