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Thread: Server motherboard question
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12-31-2006, 03:40 PM #1Junior Guru
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Server motherboard question
I really do not know where to post this. I figured being it is a server build question then I would ask it in the Co-location area.
I have heard pro’s and cons from many people about the difference between rack servers and tower servers. From all the hoopla that I have gathered in my reading and chatting with people this is what I have come up with and if anyone else wants to chime in and add there two cents please feel free to.
From all I have heard and read is that as long as you are using a server motherboard then you are fine in building a tower system and this does make sense to me. For one if you use a tower system with the proper motherboard then you have a lot more room for drive expansion and a few other things.
My question is how can you tell the difference between a desktop motherboard and a server motherboard when you build a tower? I have been told that a server motherboard will not have any audio intense slots or graphic intense slots. There has to be more to it then that?
Can someone explain this a little more?
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01-01-2007, 01:52 PM #2Newbie
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Some manufacturers simply sell boards labeled as 'Server Board'. Given they're not the cheapest, but they are probably one of the few that you could consider server boards.
Another good indicator would be using a Dual socket. Those are typically (although not as much lately) reserved for servers since very rarely are they used for anything else (other than graphic workstations).
In my personal opinion, as long as you pick a reliable board, there will be essentially no difference between that and a 'server' board. I'm from the school that thinks that a server is defined by what it does, and not by what it's built with. You will find many a host that uses a desktop board/computer as a server and of course, neither them nor the customers are able to tell the difference.
When in doubt, just go for something that's been proven to work reliably.
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01-01-2007, 02:07 PM #3Retired Moderator
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I find that server motherboard is just a label for a motherboard with, say, two sockets and 8 or 18 DIMM slots. However, some server motherboards (like those from Tyan or Supermicro) are a little bit more durable than regular desktop motherboards and use higher quality level components. They are also designed to fit into tiny little rackmount cases, but that shouldn't be a problem in your case.
Alex
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01-01-2007, 02:12 PM #4Junior Guru Wannabe
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There are a number of reputable suppliers using desktop boards on their machines
- apaqdigital.com and rackmountsetc.com come to mind. That's good enough for me.
The only reason I would stick to a server mb is if you are in need of IPMI, and usually more DIMMs
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01-01-2007, 03:40 PM #5Junior Guru
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The motherboard I was looking at has a dual socket 1207. I will admit I do not know a lot about motherboards and reading all this stiff makes it a little confusing. There are so many types of dual sockets out there. Here is what I have found so far. What are the differences in sockets?
1207
603/604
LGA 775
771
939
940
The slots for memory are a little confusing too. You have the following below.
4 x 240
4 x 184
6 x 184
8 x 184
8 x 240
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01-01-2007, 04:29 PM #6Living in the Virtual World
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Server motherboards:
- Generally don't have garbage parts on them
- Cost a bit more than normal mother boards
- Does not have a audio card (big plus if your going to put this in a 1U case as the audio card is a bit taller and you can't close the lid).» VPSFuze.com - Performance should be noticeable - VPS Hosting at its best.
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01-02-2007, 11:37 AM #7Web Hosting Master
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well, over years of building rackmount servers of all class, we've seen more failed "server" boards than "desktop" boards, truth to be told!
you use server boards for their passive cooling, dual CPU capacity, greater RAM capacity, remote console/IPMI, not really for their "higher" reliability, IMHO....
those name-brand "desktop" boards are pretty darn reliable nowadays.
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01-02-2007, 11:43 AM #8Web Hosting Master
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Originally Posted by attroll
The second number refers to the number of pins the memory module has.
184pin would be some form of DDR memory.
240pin would be some form of DDR2 memory.
(I think)
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01-02-2007, 12:11 PM #9Newbie
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A related question:
Is there a real performance difference between a Conroe based motherboard (Core 2, desktop) and a Woodcrest server motherboard (Core 2 Xeon), given the same configuration (one processor, same processor speed, same amount of memory)?
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01-03-2007, 09:53 AM #10Retired Moderator
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There is a difference, but you will only see it when you build a higher-end machine. If you're getting a 1gb RAM, 1 CPU machine then a desktop will be perfectly fine.
However... some desktop motherboards will not support 4Gb RAM. Most server motherboards only support Error correcting Registered RAM modules. Most server motherboards have better IO throughput (ie use a better chipset like the nvidia professional series)
Some server motherboards have inbuilt video and audio (not super performance, but a server only needs basic audio/video after all).
Server motherboards often have multiple network ports.
Server motherboards often have more RAM slots (my Tyan has 8, and I have an old quad-CPU Intergraph machine that has 32 slots!)
Also they may not fit in a standard ATX case (my Tyan is EATX size - needed a large case)
So there is a difference between the boards and I'd recommend getting a server board for your internet-connected system. The extra cost is not much of a big deal if you're paying to have it colocated.
As for cases, they're the same, just rack cases are flat and towers are big (a bit more than 4U if you put them on their side). However, apart from the obvious additional spaces for drives, its easier to cool a tower case as there's more space above the CPU coolers to push air about. If you build your own rack case, you'll have to be more careful with the cooling that you put in.Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good.
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01-07-2007, 01:00 PM #11Web Hosting Master
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Turning this thread slightly on its head, I'm going to build my own server, and was wondering whether ATX (or MicroATX) motherboards will always fit in a 1U server that says its form factor is ATX. Obviously I'll need a low-height CPU cooler, but are there any other things likely to cause a problem?
The particular case I had in mind was http://www.xcase.co.uk/acatalog/1u_R...ec_110-SB.html
Thanks,
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01-07-2007, 01:37 PM #12Aspiring Evangelist
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Turning this thread slightly on its head, I'm going to build my own server, and was wondering whether ATX (or MicroATX) motherboards will always fit in a 1U server that says its form factor is ATX. Obviously I'll need a low-height CPU cooler, but are there any other things likely to cause a problem?
The particular case I had in mind was http://www.xcase.co.uk/acatalog/1u_R...ec_110-SB.htmlServers proudly hosted at... WebNX (10) - Netelligent (6)
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01-07-2007, 01:41 PM #13Web Hosting Master
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Most server motherbards use server processors like Xeon or Opteron and they support ECC memory. You can also tell it is a server board based on the brand names like Supermicro or Tyan.
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01-07-2007, 03:47 PM #14Web Hosting Evangelist
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Maybe going slightly off subject and I know someone will laugh at me but,
What do you do about a desktop mobo in a 1u case where the ram dimms normally block the fans at the front of the case? As on most desktop mobos the ram dimms are at 180o angle instead of 90o angle on a server mobo. Do you just hope there will be enough airflow to blow around the case?
-Chris
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01-07-2007, 04:13 PM #15Retired Moderator
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Simple. you don't do it in the first place. If you must do it then put as few ram chips in as far away from the fan as possible. Then you monitor the temps once the server is built and make sure everything stays stable and at a reasonable temperature.
Air will flow, just not nearly as efficiently as otherwise. Perhaps a 2U case would be more appropriate for a desktop mobo.Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good.
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01-07-2007, 07:04 PM #16Web Hosting Master
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Originally Posted by cocodude
I think we have actually had to buy some adapters that had ribbons to get the PCI in the right position for the 1U or 2U chassis, and they cost more than the motherboard itself.██ Ray Womack @ atOmicVPS LTD
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01-08-2007, 02:53 PM #17Web Hosting Evangelist
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Originally Posted by gbjbaanb
Might be wrong but there isn't many desktop motherboards which dont have the ram slots that way Or it may just be me..
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01-12-2007, 05:18 AM #18Junior Guru
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The server motherboard I was looking at was this one here. I am still new at this. Is this a good motherboard?
http://usa.asus.com/products4.aspx?l...71&modelmenu=1
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01-12-2007, 01:41 PM #19Retired Moderator
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ASUS are a good manufacturer, and this looks good. Be very aware of the size though - its 12" x 10.5" which is NOT standard ATX size, its larger so it will not fit in some cases.
Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good.