Question on server processors

[darious00777]

If I were to get Intel's S5000XVNSAS motherboard, what processor(s) should be used 1U active, 2U passive, or both? This is to get an eight core system running.

Xeon X5355 1U active
Xeon X5355 2U passive

I've been wondering about this for a while, so this should answer it fairly well.

 

[4745454b]

Doesn't it depend on the case? Are you putting them into a 1U or 2U case? The other question I would have is what is the room like that these are going into? If its a climate controlled room, then you could go with the 2U. If its going into a "hot box", then stick with active cooling.

 

[darious00777]

Think I remember that 1U and 2U deals with cooling, not with how many processors go into a motherboard.

Wouldn't be a hotbox, would be my basement. Highs reach eighty degrees in the summer, as long as the washer and dryer aren't running.

 

[4745454b]

1U and 2U deals with the size of the case. U stands for units. These aren't your normal cases, but rack mount cases. The chips themselves are identical, but the cooler that comes with them is different. For the 1U chip, it has a more normal heatsink and fan. For the 2U chip, it comes with a passive only heatsink. For the 2U case, it has fans that take in air from the front, run it over the CPU heatsink, and exhust it out the back. If your basement gets to 80F without the washer/dryer running, get the 1U chips.

 

[MU_Engineer]

I assume you're putting this in an ATX or EATX-style case (called a pedestal case by those in the server biz), correct? If you are, you want the 1U/Active heatsink. The passive heatsink is for use in the rackmount "pizza box" servers.

 

[mjam]

I don't know much about the processor cooling question, but I do know this: a "u" is a unit of height in a rack bay, specifically 1.75". 2u is 3.5", 3u is 5.25", and so on. Heights and mounting hole locations are standardized to allow the greatest flexibility. Obviously, cooling solutions in a 1u housing are likely to be different than a 2u housing due to space constraints.

 

[darious00777]

If your basement gets to 80F without the washer/dryer running, get the 1U chips.

Sounds good, then. Thank you.

I assume you're putting this in an ATX or EATX-style case (called a pedestal case by those in the server biz), correct? If you are, you want the 1U/Active heatsink. The passive heatsink is for use in the rackmount "pizza box" servers.

Right now I'm just dreaming. If I come into some money like I'm hoping to I'm going to be using the rig for gaming (yes, I know, bad idea because of ECC RAM, but I have to cut costs somewhere), though primarily for data crunching for BOINC.

But yes, I was leaning towards a pedestal case.

I don't know much about the processor cooling question, but I do know this: a "u" is a unit of height in a rack bay, specifically 1.75". 2u is 3.5", 3u is 5.25", and so on.

Thanks for that. Thinking I might need to get a larger sized case, due to the heatsink fan I'm thinking about. Now, just need the money. :lol: