Intel Xeon E5-2670 Deal and Price Tracking

[heathen]

For those of you that bought the kalleyomalley deal on the Intel R2312GL4GS... couple questions and comments:

1. Do you need the RMM4Lite AXXRMM4R kit to enable the extra IPMI features? Included items lists a "IntelRemote Management Module 4". I don't need the extra NIC but wondering what I'm not getting without the upgrade key if it's not included (remote KVM / remote USB?)
2. Looks like by default only 4 of the 12 drives bays will be enabled, correct? Are you guys getting the C600 RAID upgrade kit and/or SAS expander or dropping in something like an IBM M1015 and connecting the other two SAS ports on the backplane?

Specs from s2600GZ/GL Configuration guide:

Intel ® Server System R2312GL4GS Integrated Server System with 16 DIMM board and open storage configuration, 16 DIMMs

• S2600GL4 board (S2600GL4) in 2U chassis
• Max CPU TDP supported – 135W with configuration limitations, please reference Technical Product Specification
• Air duct
• Control panel on rack handle (A2USTOPANEL)
• No ODD support.
• Provision for 2 SSD mount on air duct
• 12x3.5” (and 2.5”) HS HDD support (12 carriers FXX35HSADPB, backplane F2U12X35HSBP)
• 3 SFF8087 to SFF8087 cables (12 ports)
• Two CPU heatsinks
• Redundant and hot swap cooling fans
• Two risers with 3 x8 slots (2xFHFL+ 1xFHHL) (A2UL8RISER)
• One 750W AC PSU second unit must be added for redundancy (FXX750PCRPS)
• Full RMM4 (key and NIC) preinstalled (AXXRMM4R)
• Value rails (AXXVRAIL)
• One ODD/SSD power cable

Note: No activation keys or expander – only 4 SATA ports supported standard.
There are no required EPSD components to make this system functional.

I'm gonna use additional Intel RMS25JB080 with IT firmware flashed.

1. V1 kit vs V2 kit: looks like the only difference between the two are the firmare versions installed so seems like it's possible to bring the V1 upto the V2 versions.

I believe you are right.

 

[heathen]

3. We talked about that a few pages ago a little but and it's all we could come up with. I bought a different 2U from them that I already received and the firmware on it didn't support V2.

Did you try to flash fresh firmware?

 

[jmck]

Did you try to flash fresh firmware?

Yea, as the first thing I did after booting it. Otherwise its VERY loud. It supports V2 now, it was just the shipping BIOS on it did not. It appears the boxes with the V2 stickers on them have a BIOS that supports V2 pre-flashed, nothing else different.

 

[jmck]

I'm gonna use additional Intel RMS25JB080 with IT firmware flashed.

I have a RMS25CB080 laying around. I wonder if I can flash it to IT mode?

 

[Jannis Jacobsen]

Intel AUPSRCBTP Single Passive Heat Sink New Bulk Packaging - (x4)
Intel P4308XXMHGR Server Chassis 4U, 750W, New Bulk Packaging - (x2)
Intel FCPUPMAD Air Duct Required for Intel Server Board S2600CP In P4000M New - (x2)

I'm trying BO on these now (2 chassis + 2 duct + 4 heat sinks).
Hope I manage to get at least the same prices as others have.

-Jannis

 

[neutrino]

> RMS25JB080

Any idea the best price these are going for?

edit: currently looks like $30.

 

[nthu9280]

Yeah, I was looking at the P4216IP4LHKC Intel P4216IP4LHKC Server System 4U, Socket R, 1600W New
and I suspect that they might have been in the $300+ range. I don't know why they valued that P4216IP4LHJC so much higher...

The only difference that I see:
P4216IP4LHJC : 2x1200watt PS
P4216IP4LHKC : 2x1600wattPS and this comes with the RMS25CB080 mezzanine RAID card

They just accepted $300 for the IP4LHKC unit. Don't need another one but I guess now I need to go and buy 2 more processors and any other accessories. Yikes!!!

May have to uninstalling Tapatalk & ebay on my phone till I find a job to pay for this hobby

 

[britinpdx]

I have a RMS25CB080 laying around. I wonder if I can flash it to IT mode?

The RMS25CB080 is based on an LSI SAS2208 chipset. I think you need to have an HBA based on the SAS2008 or SAS2308 chipsets to enable IT (passthrough) mode.

With the SAS2208 you simply create a "single disk raid0" to make the individual disk visible to the OS.

 

[neutrino]

I'm gonna use additional Intel RMS25JB080 with IT firmware flashed.

So to clarify your configuration: You are using SCU0 onboard connection for drives 1-4, and the two ports on the RMS25JB080 for drives 5-12?

To gain access to all 12 drives there is no need for a C600 RAID SAS Upgrade key, or an RES2SV240 expander card? Only need a RMS25JB080, right?

(Page 18 of hardware guide shows an [optional = dashed lines] expander card etc).

 

[heathen]

I have a RMS25CB080 laying around. I wonder if I can flash it to IT mode?

To be honest I don't know. I tried to fast googling about but without success. Also can't find any IT firmware for LSI 2208 controllers on avago website. If you'll be able to find LSI IT firmware (if it exists) - you can try.

In case of RMS25JB080 it is possible to flash LSI 9207-8i IT mode firmware and it works.

 

[JayG30]

Note: No activation keys or expander – only 4 SATA ports supported standard.

What is this about? Why does the system only support 4 SATA ports? Is it a physical limitation or a activation key limitation (or both)? I assume that if you are going to use any internal RAID card it won't really matter.

I'm still trying to make heads and tails of all the Intel R2312GL4GS offerings. Same model but with lots of different configurations. Some with RAID cards, IB, full vs lite IPMI, expanders, and so on.

These all have the same backplane I assume? SFF8087 connectors on the backplane? None have expanders? Seems like they offer it with an RES2SV240 if you want an expander. If not I assume to fill out the 12 bays you either get 3 x SFF8087 connectors, use an expander, or wire up some bays to SATA ports somehow?


Thoughts on these Intel servers vs similar Supermicro barebones?

To me it seems like the Supermicro barebones are more conducive to upgrading since they use the case base chassis a lot of the times (for instance I'm looking at a Supermicro barebones built around E5 v2 but the case chassis is used for E5 v4 just with a different motherboard).

 

[heathen]

So to clarify your configuration: You are using SCU0 onboard connection for drives 1-4, and the two ports on the RMS25JB080 for drives 5-12?

To gain access to all 12 drives there is no need for a C600 RAID SAS Upgrade key, or an RES2SV240 expander card? Only need a RMS25JB080, right?

(Page 18 of hardware guide shows an [optional = dashed lines] expander card etc).

This is my idea. Haven't got the stuff yet so can't prove it. But can't see why it wouldn't work.
The only thing to note: onboard controller supports SATA2 only.

 

[britinpdx]

Thoughts on these Intel servers vs similar Supermicro barebones?

I have lots of Supermicro experience and much less Intel experience, but IMHO, both Intel and Supermicro make extremely well engineered systems. Keep everything inside their ecosystem and all is well (and in this area, Intel may have more "customized" items in their ecosystem). Intel add ons (RAID cards etc) are sometimes keyed to only work with Intel motherboards, I haven't yet run into that issue with a Supermicro add on.

Both tend to have somewhat "modular" designs, and have preconfigured solutions. In this area, Supermicro absolutely shines. Chassis, power supplies, power distributors, backplanes, fans, cables, motherboards are highly interchangeable (and readily available).

I've tried to run E5 ES processors on an Intel S2600CP and had issues, the same ES processors have run in every Supermicro board that I've tried them in without issue.

Supermicro documentation is OK, Intel documentation is excellent.

 

[Fritz]

I hate proprietary hardware so have always steered clear of Intel and HP.

 

[_alex]

i wondered if the whole seller on eBay is sort of a marketing-campaign from Intel to get People hands-on their Systems

 

[Jannis Jacobsen]

I got a good deal from kalleyomalley.
2x duct p4308: $10 pr.kit
4x passive heatsinks: $10 pr.heatsink
2x P4308 chassis (750w, 2x120mm): $115 pr.chassis

-Jannis

 

[jwegman]

Well, I just received my Intel R2312GL4GS Server System 2U Rack, Socket R, New Bulk Packaging , it certainly does have the RMM4 NIC and RMM4Lite module.

I also ordered Intel RMS25JB080 SG35851 Integrated RAID Module, New Bulk Packaging (they accepted a $30 offer after some haggling) which I plan on 'attempting' to flash the LSI 9207-8i IT FW. I also have a few other 8 port pcie SATA/SAS cards that I'll end up using if I find that the onboard SCU port doesn't work for my purposes. I currently have *zero* plans on chasing the RAID keys to unlock the 2nd SCU port.

Concerning the proprietary config of this Intel 2u chassis, I'm not complaining given the bargain basement surplus prices we've been paying. Note that the several 4u chassis (P4000M's) that I've built up are entirely *open* for upgradability when that need arises.

I am a bit miffed that my natex.us order for 2 cpus and ram is still pending for the past two days. I ordered those on the same day as the R2312GL4GS...

 

[jwegman]

I got a good deal from kalleyomalley.
2x duct p4308: $10 pr.kit
4x passive heatsinks: $10 pr.heatsink
2x P4308 chassis (750w, 2x120mm): $115 pr.chassis

-Jannis

...did you already have the IO Shields? If not, you may want to consider those too (I've been using the 4nic port versions):
Intel AXX4IOS I/O Shield for S2600CP4, S1400FP2 And S1400FP4 New Bulk Packaging

 

[jmck]

Well, I just received my Intel R2312GL4GS Server System 2U Rack, Socket R, New Bulk Packaging , it certainly does have the RMM4 NIC and RMM4Lite module.

Can you post up some pictures of the inside of the inside and backplane?

 

[JayG30]

Earlier in this thread jmck posted he purchased;
Intel R2312IP4LHPC
I don't see any of these listed anymore. What is the difference between it and the R2312GL4GS?

He said he paid $300 and it had a RAID controller and expander! Even disregarding that it seems like a better machine (more PCI-E slots for instance).