Free Server

[Bruno_A]

Sorry if the title is misleading  Basically, I got two free servers from a local company and would like to know some creative Ideas on how I could use them (for now I only intend to create a NAS and VM's to test different Linux distros and also learn a bit more about the hardware on them as they are a bit different from normal desktop machines). They are fairly old and each comes with two hot-swappable power supplies with 4GB DDR2 ECC RAM and 2x Xeon E5440 and 4 HDD bays (no hard drives currently installed). Speaking of these HDD bays, what kind of HDD's can I use here? Does it have to be one of these drives that come with the little plastic things that pretty much makes them hot-swappable?

 

Many thanks, Bruno.

[Radium_Angel]

What is the model of the server?

most servers use SAS drives, though you can install SATA ones in place, they fit

[Bruno_A]

Just now, Radium_Angel said:

What is the model of the server?

most servers use SAS drives, though you can install SATA ones in place, they fit

Right, totally forgot that. Here's a link to the HP website: HP Proliant DL360 G5

[Orangeator]

5 minutes ago, bruny06 said:

Right, totally forgot that. Here's a link to the HP website: HP Proliant DL360 G5

Wow that is one old server... Could is theoretically run Plex? Just curious.

[heimdali]

2 minutes ago, bruny06 said:

Right, totally forgot that. Here's a link to the HP website: HP Proliant DL360 G5

Those aren´t useful for storage --- even when ignoring that they are loud and need too much power.

 

They aren´t really useful for anything but learning and trying things out because they are loud and need too much power.

 

[Radium_Angel]

They aren't that loud.

Wattage at full trot can be an issue, about 600 watts, but still useful server.

You'll need more RAM, and some SAS/SATA drives.

[Bruno_A]

4 minutes ago, Radium_Angel said:

They aren't that loud.

Wattage at full trot can be an issue, about 600 watts, but still useful server.

You'll need more RAM, and some SAS/SATA drives.

Yeah, I took the ram out of one server and put it in one, making it 8GB, but the thing is, they're 1GB DIMM's.

[Bruno_A]

8 minutes ago, heimdali said:

Those aren´t useful for storage --- even when ignoring that they are loud and need too much power.

 

They aren´t really useful for anything but learning and trying things out because they are loud and need too much power.

 

They are ultra loud, but they will be in a place where sound levels don't really matter. As for the power, I think I might take one of the CPU's out, making it a single E5440.

[heimdali]

Taking out a CPU probably doesn´t make much difference, if any --- and if you take one out, you cut the number of cores in half.  But then, with only 4GB RAM, they aren´t suited too well for running VMs and not much else, either.  You could still use them as web or mail servers or for asterisk --- but if you wanted to, you wouldn´t have asked.  Are you running any services at all you might want to offload to them?

 

PS:  If you have thin clients or the like, you could use them as servers for the clients to PXE-boot from and to work on.

 

[Bruno_A]

3 minutes ago, heimdali said:

Taking out a CPU probably doesn´t make much difference, if any --- and if you take one out, you cut the number of cores in half.  But then, with only 4GB RAM, they aren´t suited too well for running VMs and not much else, either.  You could still use them as web or mail servers or for asterisk --- but if you wanted to, you wouldn´t have asked.  Are you running any services at all you might want to offload to them?

 

I put all 8GB of RAM in total on one of them, making it an 8GB server.

[heimdali]

When you put more RAM in, it´ll require more power.

 

There just isn´t really anything you could reasonably do with them but trying things and learning unless you have a particular task for them.  If you had one, you´d just use them for it and wouldn´t ask.

 

The enormous power consumption is forbidding.  That they fit SFF disks is against you.  You´re not running any services, so you don´t have any you could use them for.  The noise is against you because when you want to to learn and try things out, you need a machine you can have next to you and which is quiet so you can hear what you´re thinking (unless you´re unusally noise resistant).

 

I know it´s a pity.  They´ll be most useful when you sell them.

 

[dalekphalm]

51 minutes ago, bruny06 said:

They are ultra loud, but they will be in a place where sound levels don't really matter. As for the power, I think I might take one of the CPU's out, making it a single E5440.

Keep in mind that the DIMM's (The RAM slots) are tied to a CPU.

 

So that means half the DIMM's are tied to one CPU, and the other half to the 2nd CPU. If you take out a CPU, you'll have to ensure that all the RAM is in the correct DIMM's for the remaining CPU.

 

Frankly, taking out a CPU isn't going to affect power consumption to a realistic degree. Don't bother. Either use the Server with both CPU's, or don't use it at all.

[Bruno_A]

2 hours ago, dalekphalm said:

Keep in mind that the DIMM's (The RAM slots) are tied to a CPU.

 

So that means half the DIMM's are tied to one CPU, and the other half to the 2nd CPU. If you take out a CPU, you'll have to ensure that all the RAM is in the correct DIMM's for the remaining CPU.

 

Frankly, taking out a CPU isn't going to affect power consumption to a realistic degree. Don't bother. Either use the Server with both CPU's, or don't use it at all.

I also thought about getting an HP ProLiant DL360 G6 motherboard, which fits in this chassis and uses newer LGA 1366 XEON processors.

[dalekphalm]

2 minutes ago, bruny06 said:

I also thought about getting an HP ProLiant DL360 G6 motherboard, which fits in this chassis and uses newer LGA 1366 XEON processors.

I probably personally wouldn't bother with a motherboard swap, but you could certainly attempt it.

[Bruno_A]

23 minutes ago, dalekphalm said:

I probably personally wouldn't bother with a motherboard swap, but you could certainly attempt it.

Well, that comes with a cost, obviously. The price for a new motherboard and CPU would be about £60, a hyperthreaded LGA 1366 XEON.

[dalekphalm]

Just now, bruny06 said:

Well, that comes with a cost, obviously. The price for a new motherboard and CPU would be about £60, a hyperthreaded LGA 1366 XEON.

I'd be very cautious about doing an upgrade like that - because of all the other components involved (making sure, for example, the SAS RAID card and the backplane are compatible with the new hardware).

 

If you want a faster server, I'd suggest selling (or otherwise getting rid of) the existing server, and just buying a newer model used Dell or HP server (Eg: The HP G6 Server that would carry the LGA 1366 motherboard stock).

[Bruno_A]

Just now, dalekphalm said:

I'd be very cautious about doing an upgrade like that - because of all the other components involved (making sure, for example, the SAS RAID card and the backplane are compatible with the new hardware).

 

If you want a faster server, I'd suggest selling (or otherwise getting rid of) the existing server, and just buying a newer model used Dell or HP server (Eg: The HP G6 Server that would carry the LGA 1366 motherboard stock).

I'll have a look at that. I got both servers for free, so, selling is not an option here, that would be against my "code", but I might really get a G6 or just use this one as is with new RAM (4GB sticks instead of 1GB).

[dalekphalm]

Just now, bruny06 said:

I'll have a look at that. I got both servers for free, so, selling is not an option here, that would be against my "code", but I might really get a G6 or just use this one as is with new RAM (4GB sticks instead of 1GB).

I'm sorry, but what is the problem with selling the servers? If the person who gave them to you didn't want them, they could have sold them themselves.

 

You could also simply return the servers back to them - or if they don't want them back, you could sell them and split the profits with the original owners.

 

I really don't see any ethical issues here unless the original owner would have sold them if you hadn't taken them.

[Bruno_A]

2 minutes ago, dalekphalm said:

I'm sorry, but what is the problem with selling the servers? If the person who gave them to you didn't want them, they could have sold them themselves.

 

You could also simply return the servers back to them - or if they don't want them back, you could sell them and split the profits with the original owners.

 

I really don't see any ethical issues here unless the original owner would have sold them if you hadn't taken them.

The servers came from an IT company that provides IT support and destroys hardware for companies. These servers were due to be destroyed, there were about 2 or 3 stacks of them. I asked the same question to the guy who works there and got me the servers and he said it's not really their place to sell as they are paid to destroy them. Besides, I would feel kinda bad for that, I don't know.

[dalekphalm]

Just now, bruny06 said:

The servers came from an IT company that provides IT support and destroys hardware for companies. These servers were due to be destroyed, there were about 2 or 3 stacks of them. I asked the same question to the guy who works there and got me the servers and he said it's not really their place to sell as they are paid to destroy them. Besides, I would feel kinda bad for that, I don't know.

Huh - well you could certainly give them back to be destroyed.

 

Though destroying perfectly working hardware (I assume you don't mean recycling) seems stupid.

 

HDD's aside anyway. Destroying old HDD's is standard practice for many companies.

[Bruno_A]

1 minute ago, dalekphalm said:

Huh - well you could certainly give them back to be destroyed.

 

Though destroying perfectly working hardware (I assume you don't mean recycling) seems stupid.

 

HDD's aside anyway. Destroying old HDD's is standard practice for many companies.

Yep, I thought that myself, destroying perfectly working hardware is a bit silly, but I guess some companies just have so much money that they can't be bothered to waste time selling hardware.

[dalekphalm]

Just now, bruny06 said:

Yep, I thought that myself, destroying perfectly working hardware is a bit silly, but I guess some companies just have so much money that they can't be bothered to waste time selling hardware.

Those people should send their hardware to an e-waste Recycler. We do that with our old equipment.

 

Or give them away to local schools, etc.

[Bruno_A]

Just now, dalekphalm said:

Those people should send their hardware to an e-waste Recycler. We do that with our old equipment.

 

Or give them away to local schools, etc.

Yeah, the college I'm studying at has received some PC donations from banks and such. There should be an explanation for why the companies just pay for perfectly working hardware to be destroyed. If there isn't, then it's just silly.

[KuJoe]

There's a reason you got them for free. I used to sell them on Craigslist but then I felt guilty when people would buy them and tell me they were going to run them at home so now I just toss them to save other people the headache.

[dalekphalm]

1 minute ago, KuJoe said:

There's a reason you got them for free. I used to sell them on Craigslist but then I felt guilty when people would buy them and tell me they were going to run them at home so now I just toss them to save other people the headache.

So instead of that person buying a server, now the server just gets thrown out? I don't see the benefit to anyone there...