Server RAM: Late night poll/request for votes

[Phas3L0ck]

RAM is cheap right now, and of the type I need (DDR4 2400MHz ECC) I found two different versions with the exact same capacity, and at the exact same price.

One version is standard, righteously displaying its chips and PCB and all- in standard size, and the other one is shorter in height and includes a heatsink much like the RAM from older systems, providing some extra cooling to the chips (though the thermal difference is debatable given the smaller size)

 

I like both versions, and availability is good, but I can't decide which form to get...

[TheBean]

in servers (i'm assuming rack mounted), airflow is hard to come by. so low profile is going to be better for you. 

[Haro]

I would go for the low profile one because if I had a server rack and I needed to let's say swap my ram quickly I would not need to worry about the heatsink interfering with the modules

[Phas3L0ck]

1 minute ago, Saksham said:

in servers (i'm assuming rack mounted), airflow is hard to come by. so low profile is going to be better for you. 

Keep in mind that servers typically conform to the SSI standard, and airflow to the RAM is fine by design.

It doesn't matter much which profile I do use, but the heat-spreader makes the DIMM slightly thicker and may reduce airflow given the small size... but hey, LP is cute compared to the standard size! So... mostly a question of thought here...

[Phas3L0ck]

3 minutes ago, TofuHaroto said:

I would go for the low profile one because if I had a server rack and I needed to let's say swap my ram quickly I would not need to worry about the heatsink interfering with the modules

You have it completely backwards!  The LP is smaller, and has a heatspreader. Both of which could make it harder to reach or remove.

The standard one has no heatspreader, and is easy to remove and install.

Also, this is the kind of RAM that will NEVER need to be swapped.

[Haro]

2 minutes ago, Phas3L0ck said:

The LP is smaller, and has a heatspreader.

I was talking about the cpu heatsink / cooler 

[Phas3L0ck]

4 minutes ago, TofuHaroto said:

I was talking about the cpu heatsink / cooler 

That's not really a problem. While mainboards may look to have small tolerances, they're actually pretty roomy when you get to know them. This is what I have:

[Haro]

Just now, Phas3L0ck said:

That's not really a problem. While mainboards may look to have small tolerances, they're actually pretty roomy when you get to know them.

Well then either way it depends on the clearance that you have 

Imo I would go for the LP but if both are the same specs it won't hurt to get either the LP or the taller one

[Phas3L0ck]

4 minutes ago, TofuHaroto said:

Well then either way it depends on the clearance that you have 

Imo I would go for the LP but if both are the same specs it won't hurt to get either the LP or the taller one

Here is something that might help you help me decide; one of the factors in my choice is allocation of available airflow in the first place;

The standard size would get the most airflow, and the low profile would likely get the least airflow because of physical dimension and density.

I need to get A LOT of air to my specialty 1.5U size heatsink to cool my insane CPU, but I also want the RAM to have some air to prevent a real overload.

[Haro]

1 minute ago, Phas3L0ck said:

low profile would likely get the least airflow because of physical dimension and density.

Oh I would kind of say this is a problem but since it has a heatsink 

Heat dissipation will be alot better 

3 minutes ago, Phas3L0ck said:

I need to get A LOT of air to my specialty 1.5U size heatsink to cool my insane CPU, but I also want the RAM to have some air to prevent a real overload.

Hmmm well I mean I would say if you want the max airflow to go through your server rack without any interruption (if you would call it that ) then low profile it is

But the thing is the LP memory I would say would still be better 

If it was let's say more of a positive configuration (more intake than exhaust )

I don't know how you will be setting up your fans but if it's more of an intake configuration than exhaust then I would go for the low profile if it's the opposite I would say get the taller modules

[Phas3L0ck]

7 minutes ago, TofuHaroto said:

Oh I would kind of say this is a problem but since it has a heatsink 

Heat dissipation will be alot better 

Hmmm well I mean I would say if you want the max airflow to go through your server rack without any interruption (if you would call it that ) then low profile it is

But the thing is the LP memory I would say would still be better 

If it was let's say more of a positive configuration (more intake than exhaust )

I don't know how you will be setting up your fans but if it's more of an intake configuration than exhaust then I would go for the low profile if it's the opposite I would say get the taller modules

That makes sense.

For sake of discussion, the fans are basically in the front of the server. (well, right behind the hard drives. But in front of the CPU and RAM.)

I think you would call it both intake and exhaust.

This is what the arrangement looks like:

[Haro]

Just now, Phas3L0ck said:

the fans are basically in the front of the server. (well, right behind the hard drives. But behind the CPU and RAM.)

I'm gonna assume in an intake configuration correct ?

[Phas3L0ck]

14 minutes ago, TofuHaroto said:

I'm gonna assume in an intake configuration correct ?

I just updated my comment. Gimme a sec, I'll upload an aerial view of the standard config.

[Phas3L0ck]

14 minutes ago, TofuHaroto said:

I'm gonna assume in an intake configuration correct ?

Comment updated. F5 to see details.

[Haro]

1 minute ago, Phas3L0ck said:

Comment updated. F5 to see details.

Oh yea definitely LP the air is already kind of suffocated because of the drive bay and having a taller module well that will interfere more 

And since the LP modules have a heatsink their heat dissipation will be alot Better than the taller dimms 

[Phas3L0ck]

8 minutes ago, TofuHaroto said:

Oh yea definitely LP the air is already kind of suffocated because of the drive bay and having a taller module well that will interfere more 

And since the LP modules have a heatsink their heat dissipation will be alot Better than the taller dimms 

That about half makes sense. Nothing is really suffocated. The fans are powerful, and I installed the set for the second row to reinforce flow. Sure heat dissipation will be better, but I'm concerned with how well air can get between the modules. I will be having a custom air baffle fabricated, and little air, if any, will go over the DIMMs.

You know how small the tolerances are for RAM slots; sure heatspreaders are great, but how well does that work if the air only goes between the modules, and not over the top part?

I think that's part of why servers have standard modules-- everything is packed so small that it needs to work horizontally. That's probably also why they have these such modules, so that air can go over them in even the smallest of spaces, like in 1U sized systems.

I guess it depends on the airflow distribution design in the very end...  not much more I can say here without a CFD analysis.

[Haro]

1 minute ago, Phas3L0ck said:

but how well does that work if the air only goes between the modules, and not over the top part?

The more I think about it the more it kind of makes sense for air to go through the modules as suppose to going on top 

Either way they will both work relatively fine and it won't hurt to choose either one of them 

[Phas3L0ck]

1 minute ago, TofuHaroto said:

The more I think about it the more it kind of makes sense for air to go through the modules as suppose to going on top 

Either way they will both work relatively fine and it won't hurt to choose either one of them 

I'm cool with that. (no pun intended) Height is the deciding factor when I start designing the air shroud, so maybe I will go with LP for the easy sizing.

If you have a chance, take a look at my current setup if ya wanna see the tech IRL. https://linustechtips.com/main/profile/607425-phas3l0ck/?status=265570&type=status

[Haro]

1 minute ago, Phas3L0ck said:

If you have a chance, take a look at my current setup if ya wanna see the tech IRL.

Holy crap that is CLEAN lol

[Phas3L0ck]

Just now, TofuHaroto said:

Holy crap that is CLEAN lol

Wait until you see the inside.  --hold on, I have a cool pic of the hardware on the side somewhere...

[Phas3L0ck]

2 minutes ago, TofuHaroto said:

Holy crap that is CLEAN lol

Okay, you want clean? take a gaze (or glaze, for that matter) at this: https://linustechtips.com/main/profile/607425-phas3l0ck/?status=251906&type=status

And just wait until you see my new CPU heatsink, with just enough clearance for the GPU! (Will be writing about it soon)

[Haro]

4 minutes ago, Phas3L0ck said:

Okay, you want clean? take a gaze (or glaze, for that matter) at this: https://linustechtips.com/main/profile/607425-phas3l0ck/?status=251906&type=status

And just wait until you see my new CPU heatsink, with just enough clearance for the GPU! (Will be writing about it soon)

Oh that is tight 

It's really cool 

Sometimes I look at green pcbs and I think... Maybe they were not mistakes after all lol

[Phas3L0ck]

Just now, TofuHaroto said:

Oh that is tight 

It's really cool 

Sometimes I look at green pcbs and I think... Maybe they were not mistakes after all lol

I somehow knew you were gonna say "tight" at some point. I just knew it. And again, you still haven't seen anything until you see my new heatsink and how it fits.

Oh, and the SSD for my OS... People are gonna murder me when they see where I put that.

[Haro]

Just now, Phas3L0ck said:

I somehow knew you were gonna say "tight" at some point. I just knew it. And again, you still haven't seen anything until you see my new heatsink and how it fits.

Oh, and the SSD for my OS... People are gonna murder me when they see where I put that.

Good luck honestly server stuff gets complicated at some point but just sitting and thinking how managing it will work it just fun because it feels like solving a puzzle (atleast for me lol)

[Phas3L0ck]

Just now, TofuHaroto said:

Good luck honestly server stuff gets complicated at some point but just sitting and thinking how managing it will work it just fun because it feels like solving a puzzle (atleast for me lol)

Managing isn't that hard as long as you configure the BIOS and the storage just right.

The only puzzle to be solved is the absurd logistics behind financing this insane project.