Dell C6100

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Kevin Baker

New Member
Apr 3, 2015
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Looking at the C6100 (24bay) server. I'm running 2 Dell R610 right now, but looking down the road I'll need another (maybe2) r610 within the next year. If I get the C6100 now, can I use only 2 of the 4 nodes? I read somewhere I have to turn all nodes all, then power down the ones I do not need running.
Also, I use co-location in a datacenter an hour away, so I love the drac card in the R610... is KVM over IP Port on the C6100 similar to the drac card?

Thanks,
Kevin
 

IaaS

New Member
Feb 15, 2015
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Hey Kevin,

I have several C6100s (XS23-TY3, latest BIOS and BMC fw) in a nearby colo but I have all nodes set to power ON upon power being restored. I haven't tested any other BIOS power-state options. I have run into a weird bug though... I had all nodes OFF (manually turned off using the rear power buttons) and then after 7-8 days they all turned back on automatically (no power interruption occurred). This happened a second time 7-8 days later after I turned all nodes off again. I suspect there is some kind of counter/timer overflow bug in the BMC that causes it to crash every 7-8 days, and when the BMC comes back up it automatically starts all nodes back up too. I can't leave the nodes off for another week to test if other BIOS-power states can be used to avoid that bug.

Maybe you could buy (or make) two filler panels, and only have two nodes installed initially? I never tried running a chassis with anything other than 4 nodes, but I don't see why it wouldn't work since nodes can be hotswapped. It's possible (but I doubt it) that node 4 may need to be present at chassis power-up; I think it's the 'master' node (the one that allows you to configure chassis-wide power budget settings in the BIOS)?

I've never used a DRAC card, only Supermicro IPMI and C6100/2100 BMC. The main BMC features (KVM and remote media mounting) work, they are just klunky and Java-based. It's very similar to Supermicros IPMI interface. I've never had any real problems with the C6100 BMC other than it being a bit slow at times. A manual BMC reset (or even just waiting a few minutes) fixes that.
 

moto211

Member
Aug 20, 2014
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Not sure if there's anything like it for the c6100 but for my SM 6026tt (supermicro c6100 equivalent) I use ipmiview. It's a nice little piece of software that makes management of my nodes a lot easier and less cumbersome since I'm not reliant on a web browser and dated java plugins (and all of the browser warnings and errors that come along with that). If there is a similar piece of dell software, you could set a vpn into your management vlan at the colo and have pretty convenient remote management.

As far as running only 2 nodes with 4 nodes present. If you want to ensure that only 2 nodes power up and there's no possibility of the other 2 powering up after power restore, just configure them and then slightly eject them from the chassis (still inserted but not connected to the backplane). If you ever need to fire them up, you can call the colo and pay whatever their fee is to have a tech go fully insert them.
 

Kevin Baker

New Member
Apr 3, 2015
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IaaS / moto211 -

Thanks for the feedback. Love the ideal of leaving the boards in (but not fully inserted).. Thanks exactly what I was thinking about doing and glad to hear it as a suggestion.

Thanks again,
Kevin