ICX7250-24 Fan/Temp info!
Hi folks, I've spent some time testing out different 40x40mm fans in my ICX7250-24, with the hopes of finding something quieter than stock but that still keeps the ASIC cool.
The contenders
The testbench
A Brocade ICX7250-24 running FastIron 09.0.00 with a minimal config and no ports connected (except management). A Zabbix VM polls the switch every 15 seconds for chassis temp information (
OID 1.3.6.1.4.1.1991.1.1.1.1.18.0, multiplied by 0.5). I let the switch idle until the temperature stabilized, then took the raw data and wrangled it into Excel. Between changing out fans, I let the ASIC cool down to approximately 50-55ºC. For these tests, the switch was laying on a desk, and the room temperature was approximately 21.5ºC. No additional "ASIC heatsink fan" was used.
The results
Clearly the stock Foxconn fan does a fantastic job of keeping the chassis cool (peak 64ºC), albeit at the expense of being noisy. The two Sanyo Denki fans provided adequate cooling; the B3013 (peak 79ºC) was slightly quieter than the G3013 (peak 76ºC), but was hotter by about 3ºC. The Delta FFB (peak 86.5ºC) was quieter yet, but was about 7ºC hotter than the B3013. Finally, the Delta EFB was the quietest of the bunch, but comes in last place at a peak temp of 94.5ºC.
Analysis
If you're looking for a good, middle-of-the-ground replacement fan, the Sanyo Denki fans will suit your needs. There is a slight noise, but they're significantly quieter than the stock fan. I would recommend the B3013 as it is a bit quieter than the G3013.
If noise is your primary concern, the Delta FFB will be slightly audible over room noise or home HVAC, but the switch will run hotter. Under heavy workloads, the FFB
may alternate between Speed 1 and 2.
Avoid the Delta EFB, as it does not keep the switch cool enough (in my opinion) to justify the slight reduction in noise over the FFB. It will also very likely alternate between Speed 1 and 2.
Please note that I did not have any ethernet or SFP+ modules connected, so the switch truly was idle during these tests. Your results may vary depending on configuration and interface utilization. This post is informational only - modify your hardware at your own risk!
To connect the fans to the system board, I purchased a 3-pin fan extender cable, cut and stripped it, and connected the leads to each fan as appropriate (fan red to board red, fan black to board yellow, fan blue/yellow to board black). This allows me to fully reverse the fan modification easily by simply unplugging and swapping out the modded fan for the original.
Closing
I hope all of this info helps - please let me know if you have any questions. I will try my best to answer! In a day or two, I will probably select a fan (likely the B3013 or FFB) and rack the switch, so I won't easily be able to perform any further tests or comparisons.
Cheers!
