HP server information

[Kered124]

I have done some reading around the forums here and heard a few times that HP servers have some weird/proprietary hard drives/caddies. I am wondering which models this applies to, as I was considering purchasing an HP Proliant DL360 gen7.

 

This one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Superior-HP-Proliant-DL360-G7-Server-2x-X5650-2-66GHz-6-Core-16GB-DVD-ILO-P410-/182663382604?hash=item2a8796064c

 

I am hoping it is old enough that the drives/caddies won't have issues, but wanted to check with the community first to be sure.

[PeterPorker3]

Thats a hard question to answer, the best option is to just buy hard drive sleds that are guarenteed to fit in your server.

[GDRRiley]

its and old hp server so it will be a pain. I have a prolaint dl380 g6 and it is really picky I don't know if they made the next gen better in that regard but look at suppermicro and dell also 1U cases will sound like a jet engine. 

[Kered124]

Hmm. I really like the pricepoint of the HP machines.. Is there any way to flash firmware or use a different RAID card to avoid the issues with the dives/caddies? I have a dell poweredge 2950 gen II that sounds like a jet engine already lol. I was looking at the R710's but they are double the price of the DL360 for the same specs it looks like.

[leadeater]

All HP servers use HP disk sleds, for SAS there is the older G7 and below sleds and then there are the newer Gen8 and higher sleds. You can buy blank sleds off ebay rather cheaply though and put your own disks in to them.

 

This also applies to IBM and Dell.

[Kered124]

I know they use disk trays, I had heard about some sort of EEPROM chipped trays. I heard the server would reject any disks that weren't in a chipped tray.

[pasternt]

Thats just bullshit

I've got a HP DL360p Gen8 with SSDs not from HP and they work like a charme (2Gb/s RW). Even older ProLiants wont have problems. BUT: I recommend you to choose the HP DL380 G7 - its quieter than the 360 and has more expansion place.

[leadeater]

6 hours ago, Kered124 said:

I know they use disk trays, I had heard about some sort of EEPROM chipped trays. I heard the server would reject any disks that weren't in a chipped tray.

Nah servers don't have any restrictions like that. Enterprise storage arrays do but that is a totally different thing all together.

[paddy-stone]

I have a gen 8 and have it in my bedroom, can't even hear it most of the time, it's not loud at all IMO. At most I would say it is like  a deskfan on low... and that's when it's at it's worst.

 

[edit] Whoops, sorry thought you were saying about the microservers.

[Falconevo]

380 G7 doesn't play well with disks larger than 3TB with stock BIOS and RAID firmware.  I would look at something newer with full UEFI support as the G7 doesn't have this.

[Kered124]

Glad to hear that the older servers won't restrict me on disks. I will look into the DL360 gen7, but since this is just for fun, I'm trying to keep it on the cheap side Thanks guys!