Upgrade (UK) - older SuperMicro boards?


Recommended Posts

I built my current server 10 years ago (i5 quad core 16GB tower) and it's starting to feel a bit of strain with the dockers I have running.

 

I've read through quite a few build threads and like the look of the second hand server builds you see around - my server goes in a cupboard so size and noise aren't too much of an issue.

 

The UK is not the best place to source Supermicro gear, it is less abundant and (much more) expensive.  I've seen a few servers available but they are all pretty old models  and I cant find much on them on the motherboards they use on the forum.  Is there any reason I should be avoiding them?  I could just get a newer ATX mobo and stick a i7 in there but a couple of old xeons and a bunch of smaller DIMMS looks like a lot more bang for the money?

 

Example eBay server...

Supermicro 6027R-E1R12L Superstorage Server Including:

Supermicro 12 x 3.5" Bay 2U Chassis

Supermicro X9DRD-7LN4F-JBOD Motherboard

1 x Intel Xeon E5-2650 V2 2.60GHz 8-Core

32GB DDR3 RAM

2 x PXS-920P-SQ Power Supplies

Rack Kit

Link to comment

I built myself a Supermicro server and am in the UK, went a slightly different route, using engineering sample Xeons and a new Supermicro board.  I've been happy with it, but you do need to be cautious about engineering sample processors as dependent on the revision they can be crippled feature wise.

 

I think it depends on what you want to do with it and how much power consumption (and heat production) is an issue.

 

I'm not sure when you weigh up all those factors whether a second hand SM Mobo and Xeon processor makes the most sense or whether looking at something like a Ryzen would be worth entertaining.

 

Might be worth comparing the cost of a SM 2nd hand build and a new Ryzen build, taking into account CPU scores.

 

Let me guess..... Newcastle-Upon-Tyne?

Link to comment
17 minutes ago, CHBMB said:

I built myself a Supermicro server and am in the UK, went a slightly different route, using engineering sample Xeons and a new Supermicro board.  I've been happy with it, but you do need to be cautious about engineering sample processors as dependent on the revision they can be crippled feature wise.

 

I think it depends on what you want to do with it and how much power consumption (and heat production) is an issue.

 

I'm not sure when you weigh up all those factors whether a second hand SM Mobo and Xeon processor makes the most sense or whether looking at something like a Ryzen would be worth entertaining.

 

Might be worth comparing the cost of a SM 2nd hand build and a new Ryzen build, taking into account CPU scores.

 

Let me guess..... Newcastle-Upon-Tyne?

Why Aye man ;)

 

I don't think I'd be brave enough to go down the sample route :) Did you get your board from a UK supplier?

 

I had a brief look at Ryzen but that only because I googled "threadripper" to see what that was all about (the last time I built an AMD PC it was many years ago with an Athlon...).  I can see much more reasonably priced Ryzens now that I have a half decent look.

 

Choosing a £150ish Ryzen, it seems quite close to a single aged xeon.

 

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/AMD-Ryzen-5-2600-vs-Intel-Xeon-E5-2650-v2/3243vs2042

 

This was the server I found on eBay;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUPERMICRO-6027R-E1R12L-2U-12-BAY-SERVER-1x-INTEL-XEON-E5-2650-V2-32GB-RAM/113536006486?hash=item1a6f45f956:g:g04AAOSw9z1cDk0t:rk:6:pf:0

 

This site seems to have a good cheap/older selection;

 

https://www.lamicro.co.uk/servers/supermicro-rack-servers?gclid=Cj0KCQiA7briBRD7ARIsABhX8aBHyFihku6GY8LXeP3rY7a2Lw-4-pMISdqMEdKv62jbGhKCn2kcztMaAk5lEALw_wcB

 

I'm guessing that price will rise once all the little extras like any bays/cables/splitters/PCI cards are added though.

 

Lifting my ATX board out and replacing it with a Ryzen board and CPU would be simpler... but would it be as fun?!

Link to comment

I impulse bought a dual CPU Supermicro board for about £200, then it snowballed from there.......

 

Don't use me as an example.

 

looking at the CPU in that server

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Xeon+E5-2650+v2+%40+2.60GHz&id=2042

 

Vs a newer Ryzen

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=AMD+Ryzen+5+2600&id=3243

 

You get more cores with the Xeon, but faster single core speed with the Ryzen.  The Ryzen uses a 1/3 less power and is likely to be quieter/cooler than a rack server.

 

Not to mention a Ryzen would be using faster (and more expensive DDR4 vs DDR3)  honestly, if I were to do a new build now, I would probably go Ryzen, but full disclosure, I'm not really a hardware guy.

Edited by CHBMB
Link to comment

I think that is the same as one of my SuperMicro servers.  Mine seems to work very nicely so far, using it for testing a new Unraid installation with Plex in a Docker.  Mine came with two processors though and 32 GB of RAM.

 

  I love the Supermicro cases, for the quality build of the cases, drive caddys, redundant power supplies, cooling, and very stable hardware!

 

  THEY ARE NOT QUIET HOWEVER!  You can normally configure the fans to run slower than full speed, which helps, yet due the large number of fans, these are still loud cases.  Depending on what you have in use for storage and work load, you can unplug a "few" fans and still keep the temperatures nice and low with the fans running at low speed!  You do not get the safety net of cooling well if a few fans fail without being noticed however that way.

 

  The one you linked to also does NOT include the drive caddies, so they would need to be bought seperately as an added cost.  Also over the years, Supermicro has used a few different Caddy designs, so while not hard, it is a little extra work to make sure you get the correct caddies if you buy a chassis without them.

 

  I like front mounted drives, which can be done with the Supermicro, and Norco cases, as well as quite a few nice drive bay options for large standard cases.  Redundant power supplies, while nice, may really be overkill for home.  :-)

Link to comment

Thanks, it's certainly not obvious it doesn't come with caddies, the pic has them in!  They've confirmed they aren't included.

 

Currently doing some rough estimates...

 

Around £450 for a SUPERMICRO 6027R-E1R12L 2U 12 BAY SERVER

M/B - X9DRD-7LN4F-JBOD

Xeon E5-2660 2.2 GHz 8-Core (and could add a second for about £50 from ebay)

48GB DDR3

includes 12 caddies sourced from ebay

11098 Passmark with one CPU

 

Arounf £390 for a Ryzen upgrade to current tower

M/B - ASUS AMD AM4 Ryzen PRIME X370 Pro

Ryzen 5 2600, 6 Core, 12 Thread, 3.4GHz

16GB (2x8GB) Corsair DDR4

13529 Passmark

 

So... Ryzen is cheaper, has better single thread performance and is lower power (65w cpu versus 95w).

 

SM has boats more (slower) RAM and space for a (cheap) second CPU.  

 

Ryzen will be quieter and the AM4 socket means I could swap in an upgrade in a few years if I wanted too.

 

As this is going in a cupboard so the noise isn't really an issue... its a close call.

Link to comment

Thanks for the comments.

 

I upgraded to a Ryzen 2600 at the weekend with a MSI x470 board.  

 

After an initial hiccup (I forgot to check about integrated graphics and couldn't boot it without a GPU - £5 later from a friendly local repair shop I was in business with a "WinFast PX7600GS") it all went smoothly.

 

Unraid keying off drive serial numbers works like magic, swap out MOBO, CPU, RAM add a GPU and it boots straight up and in with the same config as before.

 

I've then been on eBay and flashed a H310 Dell SAS card to IT mode last night to replace my cheap (and slow) SATA card.  Once the cables arrive that is the next upgrade.

Link to comment

Sounds great!  For your use, I think you will be much happier with what you bought than you would have been with the old Supermicro Server.

 

I guess I need to look at my old servers and consider making some updates myself.  Newer controllers would be a big boost on my Athlon(tm) 64 X2 server for sure.

 

I have always loved how easy it is to upgrade hardware with Unraid, even the older 4.x versions were VERY good I felt, just had to move the drives, and/or cables around to make the array valid there.  But CPU, M.B., Chipsets, Controllers, NICs, most everything will work!

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.