50W or less: server with dual PSU and lights out management

[switcherow]

I’m looking for a low power server for light use that has dual PSUs and lights out management.

According to reports, a Dell R320 server consumes about 50W at idle and fits the bill.

Are there any other vendors and models I should be looking at?

 

[BlueFox]

Not hard to achieve that these days. Most systems with a soldered CPU or ones that share sockets with consumer platforms should do that. Do you have any more specifics for specifications and budget?

 

[i386]

What ist "Lights Out Management"? BMC/ipmi?

 

[BlueFox]

What ist "Lights Out Management"? BMC/ipmi?

Yes, generic term for out-of-band management.

 

[switcherow]

Not hard to achieve that these days. Most systems with a soldered CPU or ones that share sockets with consumer platforms should do that. Do you have any more specifics for specifications and budget?

As to specifications, the server basically only needs to be able to boot Linux. A CPU, a stick of RAM and a pair of boot disks is about the minimum required. Personally I prefer x86, but for a really good reason I would consider another architecture.

An R320 can be had for under $200, but that’s not a hard limit. Perhaps double that would be a reasonable budget if there is something nice and more power efficient out there?

 

[nasbdh9]

using general crps power cage (with pmbus)

1280V6
X11SSM
ConnectX-5 25G

Normal operating power consumption does not exceed 40w (ConnectX-5 already uses 20w)

If only 1220v6 + 2x dimm + 1x ssd is used and the onboard network card is used, normal power consumption is less than 18w

 

[kapone]

A CPU, a stick of RAM and a pair of boot disks is about the minimum required

Any system from the last..oh..say 15 years or so (essentially Ivy Bridge onwards...in Intel land) will be less than 50w at idle with those specs. Hell, an X10SRH type board with onboard SAS and a 8 core CPU idles at ~40w with a platinum PSU.

 

[switcherow]

using general crps power cage (with pmbus)

1280V6
X11SSM
ConnectX-5 25G

Normal operating power consumption does not exceed 40w (ConnectX-5 already uses 20w)

If only 1220v6 + 2x dimm + 1x ssd is used and the onboard network card is used, normal power consumption is less than 18w

Did you build this yourself or is this something you can buy ready made?

 

[switcherow]

Any system from the last..oh..say 15 years or so (essentially Ivy Bridge onwards...in Intel land) will be less than 50w at idle with those specs. Hell, an X10SRH type board with onboard SAS and a 8 core CPU idles at ~40w with a platinum PSU.

Since all I basically need is a potato that can run Linux, can you recommend a make and a model that I can buy of eBay or a refurbished vendor that is both inexpensive and has a low power draw?

 

[BlueFox]

Much newer than the Dell R320: Pardon Our Interruption...

Add however much RAM you need plus drives and you'll be set.

 

[nasbdh9]

Did you build this yourself or is this something you can buy ready made?

build it myself

 

[Greg_E]

Getting a dual power system might be a little tricky, but if your application doesn't need much horsepower, lots of mini PC you could choose from. I'm partial to the Mele Quieter xQ, I have a 2Q, and a few 3Q that I use for things. The 4Q would certainly be under your 50watts at full go. The 2Q and 3Q are 12 volt powered, not sure if the 4Q is the same or over to USB-C PD for power.

In theory, you could just wire up dual 12v supplies with a diode in each to keep them from back feeding.

Edit forgot about lights out, ignore my suggestion

 

[nexox]

In theory, you could just wire up dual 12v supplies with a diode in each to keep them from back feeding.

There are a couple boards with IPMI that will run off 12V, but I understand if someone doesn't want to get quite so DIY with a non-standard combiner like that.

For Example: Pardon Our Interruption... you'd need to remove the ATX PSU and use the 4 pin 12V power connector on the motherboard and either an mSATA drive or find a cable to adapt the 4 pin Molex on the board to SATA power, plus combine the outputs of two 12V power bricks... not impossible but maybe not terribly straightforward.