Cisco UCS C220 M3 LFF 2008M-8i barebones (dual LGA2011 sockets) - $275

[aij]

Are these a good deal? I'm thinking of getting one... Let me know if you have better suggestions.


Cisco UCS C220 M3 LFF NO MEM 2008M-8i Raid 1U Barebone Server w/ 4 X 3.5'' Trays

They are listed for $299 now. I offered $250 when they were 5% off, but got countered at $275.

I'm not very familiar with these though. Is there anything that would make them bad for home use?

I'd really prefer a 2U LFF server (with more drive bays), but I figured worst case I can get another server when need arises, since the 2U options I'm seeing cost around double.

 

[Biren78]

Most would opt for this since you're going to end up with >1. Dell C6220 4 Node Barebones w/ Trays Rails No CPU No RAM No HD | eBay

Cheaper and smaller.

1U is loud.

$250 is cheap, but they're not dense enough to deploy in a DC and too loud for home.

 

[NetWise]

They're plenty dense enough for a DC unless you're going for hyper-efficiency.

The advantage over the C6220 is individual units, easier to move around and break up if needed. Also 2x PCIe slots vs mezz options and such.

Equals are still only 16 DIMM slots - the main reason I like 2011 systems is for 24 DIMM slots, to get the memory density/host. The noise is nearly certainly going to be 'about equal'.

Disadvantage is 4 of these would need 8x power cords, but otherwise much is the same.

Unless you're looking to learn UCS for some reason, the C6220 is likely the better option. 6x 2.5" bays, using 4TB shucked drives, is pretty dense.

 

[frogtech]

I think the biggest disadvantage of these is you need a Cisco login to update these servers, am I wrong? I was considering getting some SFF C220 M3 but decided to try and look up the firmware/BIOS updates and wasn't able to access them.

 

[Fritz]

Is the MB proprietary?

 

[frogtech]

Unless you're looking to learn UCS for some reason, the C6220 is likely the better option. 6x 2.5" bays, using 4TB shucked drives, is pretty dense.

Until you decide you want to use SSDs and want 6.0 Gbps speed on more than 2 ports.

 

[aij]

Unless you're looking to learn UCS for some reason, the C6220 is likely the better option. 6x 2.5" bays, using 4TB shucked drives, is pretty dense.

For me, part of the problem is that I already bought and shucked four 5 TB 3.5" drives. Stuck them in my Dell R410 and promptly learned about the 2TB limit of the LSI 1068E... And I'd feel awkward un-shucking and returning otherwise perfectly good drives.

I don't mind running 3 or 4 servers though, as long as they're not crazy power hungry. I have a full-sized rack, so space isn't really an issue for me.

 

[aij]

I think the biggest disadvantage of these is you need a Cisco login to update these servers, am I wrong? I was considering getting some SFF C220 M3 but decided to try and look up the firmware/BIOS updates and wasn't able to access them.

Ugh, sort of. I appear to have downloaded the firmware updates, but I did need to create a (free) login first. This being Cisco, I have no idea how long updates may remain free though.

 

[frogtech]

Ugh, sort of. I appear to have downloaded the firmware updates, but I did need to create a (free) login first. This being Cisco, I have no idea how long updates may remain free though.

If that's the case then not bad. I do agree though that I wish it was more dense. The SFF model is almost a direct competitor of the R620 but imo the R620 is better since it has storage + 3x PCIe. It's just that for the price of these Cisco servers you get PSU and rails for sure which both are expensive for a server like the R620.

edit: making a guest account did work for me but their utility updater for firmware is an ISO, I am wondering if I will still need some kind of rights to do an update if I boot to it. Unfortunately I don't have a server and don't really want to take a chance on one, so...

 

[aij]

Unfortunately I don't have a server and don't really want to take a chance on one, so...

I went ahead and ordered one. I'll let you know how it goes, though it may be a few weeks because life.

 

[Silvas]

I looked into the UCS servers before because I wasn't sure if they could be used as a standard server running whatever I wanted, or if they had to be used with Cisco's SW (and all of Cisco's serious price gouging and anti consumer policies surrounding licensing).
They can just be used as a standard server. However, I was not able to find out anything about the IPMI and whether it needs special licensing or if its any good. Also wasn't impressed with the 3 network ports instead of 4 like I'd see on a Dell or HP. Also couldn't find the caddies for the LFF version, and the servers I saw on eBay none of them had caddies at the time.
In the end I ended up spending 250 on a HP DL160 G8 barebones to get my 2011 server

 

[frogtech]

I looked into the UCS servers before because I wasn't sure if they could be used as a standard server running whatever I wanted, or if they had to be used with Cisco's SW (and all of Cisco's serious price gouging and anti consumer policies surrounding licensing).
They can just be used as a standard server. However, I was not able to find out anything about the IPMI and whether it needs special licensing or if its any good. Also wasn't impressed with the 3 network ports instead of 4 like I'd see on a Dell or HP. Also couldn't find the caddies for the LFF version, and the servers I saw on eBay none of them had caddies at the time.
In the end I ended up spending 250 on a HP DL160 G8 barebones to get my 2011 server

How is the DL160 noise?

 

[Silvas]

How is the DL160 noise?

I haven't booted it yet and probably won't for awhile at this rate. I was in the process of racking everything in my half height rack when I found out that, while all the other servers fit fine, the DL160 ears stick forward a little too much and the rails stick out the back a little too much and the doors won't close.

Then when I resigned myself to the fact I was going to have to move everything to my full height rack and have it in the garage, I found out my daughter needs to move back home so everything is on hold while I rearrange my house and tear apart my office to make room for her. It'll be awhile before I know what that DL160 sounds like though I'm guessing like a freakin Airbus A320 with the turbines spinning up

 

[frogtech]

I haven't booted it yet and probably won't for awhile at this rate. I was in the process of racking everything in my half height rack when I found out that, while all the other servers fit fine, the DL160 ears stick forward a little too much and the rails stick out the back a little too much and the doors won't close.

Then when I resigned myself to the fact I was going to have to move everything to my full height rack and have it in the garage, I found out my daughter needs to move back home so everything is on hold while I rearrange my house and tear apart my office to make room for her. It'll be awhile before I know what that DL160 sounds like though I'm guessing like a freakin Airbus A320 with the turbines spinning up

All of that sounds fair. How much did you get the DL160 for if you don't mind me asking? The only thing about it that concerns me is getting firmware updates for it.

 

[Silvas]

All of that sounds fair. How much did you get the DL160 for if you don't mind me asking? The only thing about it that concerns me is getting firmware updates for it.

barebones it was 250 shipped. I had also gotten a ZT Systems 1u dual e5-2620 with 64hb (8x8 sticks) for about 200 shipped, and swapped procs and RAM to the HP.
If I had to do it again I probably would have waited until I could've found a barebones 380p g8 or r720 cheap... the problem with the DL160 is that in order to use a 10GbE card in the LOM slot, it has to have a common slot power supply (and the server has to have been equipped with the common slot PS backplane kit at the factory) and it seems those were rare. I haven't yet found a DL160 g8 with a common slot power supply. The ones on eBay all come with a 500w which isn't one of the common slot ones.
It just means I have to put a 10GbE card in a PCIe slot, but it would've been nice