Does RAID card & RAM benefit optimization process?

[molecool]

I am about to buy one of those nasty new 8x 2.93Ghz Apple MacPros for enhanced optimization number crunching power - mmwwuuhhaaahaaa!!

Now, the question I have is this - when configuring my system I have the option of adding a RAID card. Is there a lot of I/O involved (i.e. drive access) when doing an optimization run in NinjaTrader? If so, I assume a RAID card would speed up the process.

The other consideration is RAM - I have no compunction about squeezing 8 or 16 GB into this new setup BUT from what I remember Windows OS only is able to use about ~3.5GB - no matter how much physical RAM you actually have. That was related to Windows XP and I'm not sure if Vista has the same limitation.

I assume you guys have been dealing with this issue inhouse as well. If you could configure a 'perfect' system for NT6 optimization purposes, which one would you pick? Please bear in mind that my strategies have a minimum of 6 parameters which I vary by at least 2 standard deviations, so sometimes a run takes a whole night (and often crashes in the process due to memory limitations).

Finally, the processor question: I'm considering the most expensive option - the 8x 2.93Ghz option which should kick some serious butt. However, not knowing how NT handles multiple threats internally, would I waste my money? In other words - would an 4x 2.93Ghz system perform 90% as fast when running optimizations?

I don't expect you guys to have tested all this but some general input would go a long way.

Thanks!

Michael

[NinjaTrader_Ben]

Hello,

I will have someone reply to your post on Monday. Thank you for your patience.

[NinjaTrader_Bertrand]

Hi Michael, quick drive access (i.e. Raid 0+1) would be more noticable in overall performance that directly in optimizations. But I think it's valuable and gives added secuirty and performance with the right setup. For a processcor it's hard to say per se, but an up to date MS based multicore machine with 4 GB quick RAM should do it, since NinjaTrader 7 will be fully optimized to take advantage of those architectures.

[molecool]

How about NT6?

NinjaTrader 7 will be fully optimized to take advantage of those architectures.

Thanks Bertrand - but NT7 is a while out if I understand it correctly - I have not even received an invite to the beta program (am I on the list?). Will NT6 benefit in any way?

[NinjaTrader_Bertrand]

Hi Michael, we'll post on the forums when NinjaTrader 7 is ready for betatesting.

NinjaTrader 6.5 supports multicore architectures as well, but the thread handling is limited to the OS level, so in contrast to this NT 7 will take full advantage as it optimized to do so.

[ctrlbrk]

Michael,

Check out this thread:

http://www.ninjatrader-support2.com/vb/showthread.php?t=11432&highlight=benchmark

It might be useful. I have a Core i7 920 overclocked to 3.8Ghz, 12GB, a 3Ware 9690-SA with (4) 32GB SSD R0, and (2) 750GB R1... the drives and memory did not help NT.

Mike

[ctrlbrk]

The other consideration is RAM - I have no compunction about squeezing 8 or 16 GB into this new setup BUT from what I remember Windows OS only is able to use about ~3.5GB - no matter how much physical RAM you actually have. That was related to Windows XP and I'm not sure if Vista has the same limitation.

BTW, CPU speed is more important with Ninja than memory. There is roughly a 1.4GB limit with NT 6.5 and NT 7 since it is a 32-bit process.

Any 64-bit machine can support more than 3GB of memory. Any new install should be 64-bit in my opinion. Vista x64 has been fine for me, and I am now running Windows 7 x64. If you do other things with your machine, I would recommend at least 4GB.

Mike

[sefstrat]

Indeed, my system specs are similar to ctrlbrk, [email protected], 12GB, SSD, RAID 5 velociraptors, etc.. basically the fastest system you can create without active phase cooling and still ninja is slow at times because it can only use about 10% of my resources due to lack of multithreading.

I have discovered recently that NT runs noticably faster if I run it inside a virtual machine with 32bit OS as opposed to the primary OS which is 64bit Win7.

I then run another demo copy on the primary OS which I use for strategy development, backtesting etc.. now I only have problems with crashing due to memory leaks once or twice a week instead of twice a day.

Can't wait for NT7..

[ctrlbrk]

I agree with sefstrat, which is why I also use multiple VM's under my main OS (Windows 7 x64). It takes three or four simultaneously doing backtesting to max out my machine.

It is a lot of work to sync everything up, but worth it if I can be twice as productive each day, or more. With VMware's Unity, it is a very seamless experience.

Mike