Gigabyte GA-7PESH2 for NAS builds for $179

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BLinux

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This isn't a withdraw your 401k/IRA and buy up these motherboards type of deal, but for $179, I think you're getting a nice server board for IvyBridge-EP Xeons:

GA-7PESH2 Gigabyte Intel C602 Chipset Rev 1.0 LGA2011 E-ATX Motherboard w/ Dual Heatsink and I/O Plate

It has onboard LSI SAS2008, 2x X540 10GbT network, dedicated IPMI NIC, etc. I don't know specifically about this board, but the Gigabyte MD7-HB0 I recently played with allowed for very fine fan control that shifted the entire fan curve (instead of just controlling fan speed), allowing for very quiet operation if you chose the right components to keep temperatures low enough. If anyone gets this, I would like it if you can confirm if this board's BMC/IPMI allows for the same type of fan control. :)
 

Patriot

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I have one setup on my testbed right now if anyone wants specific chip performance numbers. the 2697v2 numbers are actually at lower clock... 1 2697, 1 2695, so they are running at 2695v2 speeds. 2.3ghz 20c is a pair of QDNR v2, 2ghz 20c is v4 20c.




Correction, I have the pesh3, more of a workstation board.
 

Flazabancy

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I'm using a GA-7PESH2 in my unraid build. Amazing value on that board, especially if you want onboard 10G ethernet.
If the bios isn't updated, you'll need a v1 cpu to update bios to support v2 E5's.
 

Patriot

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That sounds as if you had installed a 2697 & and a 2695 at the same time which surely is not the case is it?;)
It absolutely is the case, mismatched chips run fine so long as the major stepping matches. Heck, have even gotten a D0 and E0 2011-2 v2 to work together surprisingly.

Wanted to test 24c/48t v2 setup on the pesh3 and didn't have any matching dodeca pairs.
 
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Rand__

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/me = baffled
Never heard of that. And there are ppl worrying if they don't get the same chip from the same factory/datecode ...
 
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cactus

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I have two of these. Recently I bought the second for $190 with the same 1u copper heat sinks. It looks like it is a Cirrascale pull and had the latest BIOS on it when I got it. The heat sinks are just copper block, no vapor chamber. Everything hangs off CPU0, so they work well as UP systems well. They only have three fan headers which is kind of annoying.

I use them as a dev VM/NAS boxes.
 

cactus

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The one I have access to right now, the one I recently bought, has BMC v 1.09 and it has no fan control through the webgui. Current version is 2.35. Probably not going to update tonight.
 

itronin

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This board is also available from The IT Mart, GA-7PESH2 GIGABYTE Intel Rev1.0 LGA2011 E-ATX Server Motherboard LSI2008 8x SAS/SATA, 2x 10G X540-AT2, Avocent IPMI 2.0 (GA-7PESH2) for $175.00 courtesy of the JDM_WAAAT subreddit and some kind of apparent partner discount. This board was actually down to $145 during The IT Mart's BF/CM deal. I purchased 1 for my desktop upgrade during their BF sale. BIOS and BMC were updated to support v2 already so I didn't pursue if it had the latest bios installed. I do not recall seeing FAN control in the BMC.

EDIT: This deal does not include the ATX I/O bracket.
 
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frogtech

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How is the BMC on these? Is the web UI generic or is it branded via Gigabyte? Any update to it for HTML5 iKVM support?
 
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BLinux

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This board is also available from The IT Mart, GA-7PESH2 GIGABYTE Intel Rev1.0 LGA2011 E-ATX Server Motherboard LSI2008 8x SAS/SATA, 2x 10G X540-AT2, Avocent IPMI 2.0 (GA-7PESH2) for $175.00 courtesy of the JDM_WAAAT subreddit and some kind of apparent partner discount. This board was actually down to $145 during The IT Mart's BF/CM deal. I purchased 1 for my desktop upgrade during their BF sale. BIOS and BMC were updated to support v2 already so I didn't pursue if it had the latest bios installed. I do not recall seeing FAN control in the BMC.
Nice find! I think those two are indeed the same company (IT Mart v. the Server store). They operate under a few different names as I've bought from them under the different names and all the items arrived from the same place.
 
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itronin

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Nice find! I think those two are indeed the same company (IT Mart v. the Server store). They operate under a few different names as I've bought from them under the different names and all the items arrived from the same place.
Your post is actually the better deal *I think* as it includes the ATX I/O bracket and the link I posted does NOT include the ATX I/O bracket - its an extra $10.00.

I'd watch for this board to go on sale again given that they did it for BF/CM - odds are sometime in the next 6 months? I'm guessing on that but they seem to have a lot of inventory for this board - see eBay and search for this board and you;ll find a large LOT purchase available.

Lot of 100 Gigabyte Intel Rev 1.0 LGA2011 E-ATX Motherboard w/ 2x HS, I/O Plate | eBay

additional information about my order with them.

The packaging of the board I received was excellent . A/S bag for the motherboard, which was also cleaned of dust and well wrapped in bubble wrap. Other items I had notably an HP SAS expander for the ubiquitous price of $10.00 was also in an A/S bag and well wrapped in bubble wrap.
 
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BLinux

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hmmm.. considering shipping for me is also $24, the $199 or BO deal on ebay (from the same seller) seems to be the best deal, if you don't want to call them and negotiate something better. Add a eBay coupon and that would sweeten the deal...
 

BLinux

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@cactus @Patriot @Flazabancy

can you confirm if the BMC on this board allows fan control by offsetting the entire fan speed v. temp PWM curve like I found in the MD70-HB0?
Well, it is sounding like this board doesn't have the nicer fan control that I saw in the MD70-HB0. With the right CPUs and other components, the MD70-HB0 can be almost completely silent.
 

Pbrizzo

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So, for now I'll leave out the gory details of what happened and just say that I have a GA-7PESH2 that wont boot. It did once upon a time but "someone" tried to "fix" something that wasn't broken and ended up with a board that wont boot. Fans power on, BMC LEDs flash (ready), LSI LEDs flash (ready), no video, no beeps, nothing. I actually have 2 of these boards. The other one has a physically broken chip on it and wont boot. But my question is would anyone be willing to lend their superior knowledge to see if the 1 physically good board can be salvaged? These boards have removable bios chips and another removable chip that escapes me at the moment. I've wondered if these chips can be reprogrammed or even replaced with a new freshly installed R17 bios. Probably. But I'm in over my head. I've tried everything. Everything I know at least. I would hate to have these boards go to waste.
 
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