Home Server Overhaul

[Shylidi]

Alright, just need some input from people around the forum. I am planning to rework my server back-end for the house. Currently I have an older C2D and a FX machine handling server tasks (Media, HTML, Switch Management, etc. C2D is the Domain DC.)

 

That should be going away. To replace my DC I have an older Dell -Poweredge 2970. Yes I know it's a power hog, and yes I know it's loud, but I had an idea. Dangerous, I know. But instead of putting capatcitors on the fans, could I just put a fan controller in the machine and populate an external bay with a controller? A couple temperature probes and such should allow a controller to manage the heat with PWM fans right? It's CLEARLY not in a data center, so it shouldn't run hot.

 

Anyways, that is the most QUESTIONABLE concept, I'm not even sure if the server would boot. If it doesn't? No harm, no foul, I'll just move the FX machine to that job and the next server will replace the FX machine.

 

Next, I'm planning a system based around the Intel S2600CP2J Motherboard, a dual socket, 2011 board. I want to put two E5-2660 8-Core CPU's in there as a virtualization center for the house. I will migrate all the VM's there, and run them under UNRAID or something. IDK, One of them will be a gaming VM for guests as well. So that mobo, the Xeons, 64GB of HP Server Memory, as well as a GTX 970 I have sitting in my office, and other supporting hardware. Should work. Not really a question, but just a thing.

 

My main question is whether the Poweredge could even function like that. So yeah, thanks for input guys! 

[Jerped]

I recently bought a Dell R510 off ebay and it's not too loud honestly. Sure the initial boot sequence gets the ans to 100%, but after 1 or 2 minutes it get's down to an acceptable sound level. Hell, my PC when gaming is louder than the server hahahahaha

 

Before trying ghetto-mounting a fan controller, I would suggest running it first and hear what it's like. 

[brwainer]

2 hours ago, Shylidi said:

But instead of putting capatcitors on the fans

you mean resistors. Please don't put capacitors on your fans

2 hours ago, Shylidi said:

could I just put a fan controller in the machine and populate an external bay with a controller? A couple temperature probes and such should allow a controller to manage the heat with PWM fans right?

a better idea, if the server has iDRAC (Dell's name for IPMI) then you can set up a raspberry pi to control your fans by getting the temperature data via snmp from the iDRAC. The only downside of this is that your response time when the temperature increases will be longer than if you had direct probes. Also, you will probably find that even at their lowest speed, the default fans are quite loud.

 

2 hours ago, Shylidi said:

My main question is whether the Poweredge could even function like that.

You would have to make sure that the RPM pin (third pin on the fan connector) for each fan is still being connected to the motherboard header, otherwise its going to read that fan as failed, and more than one "failed" fan may prevent the system from booting.

[Shylidi]

7 hours ago, brwainer said:

you mean resistors. Please don't put capacitors on your fans

I know I was tired, putting caps on fans would be stupid. 

 

7 hours ago, brwainer said:

a better idea, if the server has iDRAC (Dell's name for IPMI) then you can set up a raspberry pi to control your fans by getting the temperature data via snmp from the iDRAC. The only downside of this is that your response time when the temperature increases will be longer than if you had direct probes. Also, you will probably find that even at their lowest speed, the default fans are quite loud.

They are. This the desire to run them at 600 RPM which is still fast enough to cool the server. 

 

7 hours ago, brwainer said:

 

You would have to make sure that the RPM pin (third pin on the fan connector) for each fan is still being connected to the motherboard header, otherwise its going to read that fan as failed, and more than one "failed" fan may prevent the system from booting.

Could I do that with the NZXT grid v2? 

[Shylidi]

9 hours ago, Jerped said:

I recently bought a Dell R510 off ebay and it's not too loud honestly. Sure the initial boot sequence gets the ans to 100%, but after 1 or 2 minutes it get's down to an acceptable sound level. Hell, my PC when gaming is louder than the server hahahahaha

 

Before trying ghetto-mounting a fan controller, I would suggest running it first and hear what it's like. 

My PC is watercooled and the fans spin at 1200 RPM at load. The room is pretty quiet, so yeah the poweredge is very loud

 

It's been the DC before. I shut it down due to the noise. 

[Nikolithebear]

11 hours ago, Shylidi said:

 

Ive looked into things like that and you can do it with a bios hack however a fan controller Im not sure.  

 

http://www.ratzblog.com/2014/08/reducing-dell-poweredge-pe-295029002800.html

 

 

[Shylidi]

5 hours ago, Nikolithebear said:

Ive looked into things like that and you can do it with a bios hack however a fan controller Im not sure.  

 

http://www.ratzblog.com/2014/08/reducing-dell-poweredge-pe-295029002800.html

 

 

I've seen this mod before, although at the time I was not too comfortable with the code. I've taken a few classes since though, and I could probably pull it off. Thanks for the link!