Reduce Power Consumption

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[Nobody]

Member
Nov 1, 2020
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Hi,

I have a whitebox server with following hardware:
  • MoBo: Atermiter X79 Turbo
  • CPU: Xeon E5-2670 V2
  • 4* 16GB DDR3-Reg ECC
  • HP H240
  • Dell H310 @ IT
  • 8* SSD
  • 10* 2.5" HDD
  • two Backplanes
in this configuration the power consumption is ~90 W @ idle. This is a bit too much.
Without the H310 and 6 2.5" HDDs the power consumption is ~69 W @ idle. This would be ok, but I loose space.

The HP H240 would be fast enough (for me) to connect to the 16x Backplane filled with 16 SSDs (in the future).

How much power does a SAS3/SATA3 expander card consume? Which one would you recommend? Or should I sell the H240 and get a HBA with 16 internal ports? Which one should I use? I would like to stay <80 W.

Please no discussion about getting rid of the 2011 system. I got a shitton of DDR3 Reg ECC.
 

i386

Well-Known Member
Mar 18, 2016
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Germany
in this configuration the power consumption is ~90 W @ idle. This is a bit too much.
I need a reality check...
People really consider this to much? I have a e5 v3 system with 14 hdds + 2 husmm that consumes currently ~190 watt at idlle/average load* and I don't think this is a lot.

*currently it's pretty warm here and fans spin a lot faster
 
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BoredSysadmin

Not affiliated with Maxell
Mar 2, 2019
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How big are your 2.5" HDDs? I assume 2TB? Each eats about 3-4W in idle. Swap for 4x18TB 3.5" HDD. Assuming raid 6 with 2x 10 2tb HDDs = 16TB
4x 18TB in raid 10 = 36TB usable. Each 3.5" drive is 5-6W in idle. You also went from using 40W power to 24W and gained an extra 20TB space.
With 1tb HDD, the power math is even more drastic, 10x 1tb still use about 40w, to be replaced in 2x 18TB drives in mirror = from 8tb to 18tb and from 40w to 12w
 

[Nobody]

Member
Nov 1, 2020
36
3
8
I need a reality check...
People really consider this to much? I have a e5 v3 system with 14 hdds + 2 husmm that consumes currently ~190 watt at idlle/average load* and I don't think this is a lot.

*currently it's pretty warm here and fans spin a lot faster
I don't know how it is at your location, but here we have to pay 0.45 €/kWh.

How big are your 2.5" HDDs? I assume 2TB? Each eats about 3-4W in idle. Swap for 4x18TB 3.5" HDD. Assuming raid 6 with 2x 10 2tb HDDs = 16TB
4x 18TB in raid 10 = 36TB usable. Each 3.5" drive is 5-6W in idle. You also went from using 40W power to 24W and gained an extra 20TB space.
With 1tb HDD, the power math is even more drastic, 10x 1tb still use about 40w, to be replaced in 2x 18TB drives in mirror = from 8tb to 18tb and from 40w to 12w
2TB are SMR, that's why I currently have 6*500 GB (which I throw out) and 4*1TB. Each eats about 0.5 - 1W.

I want to go full SSD in the future, that's why I don't go for 3.5". Further, I have a 16x 2.5" 7mm backplane which I want to use.
 
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PigLover

Moderator
Jan 26, 2011
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US residential rates are ~$0.13/kWh. So a 100W appliance costs ~$0.31/day or ~$9.36/mo
Perhaps some parts of the US this is true. But in CA (which is still in the US) we are now paying up to $0.60/kWh depending on season and time of day. We also get penalized for total usage through a tiered pricing system.
 
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[Nobody]

Member
Nov 1, 2020
36
3
8
So yeah, what should I do? a second H240 or an expander? Or even a 16i HBA? The H310 needs ~13 W and that's alot. That's why I throw it out.
 

elvisimprsntr

Active Member
May 9, 2021
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Florida
But in CA (which is still in the US) we are now paying up to $0.60/kWh
60+ years of not in my backyard attitude on building new power generation, so CA has to buy the majority of it power from other states. I remember the early 2000's when the state of California was paying $1800/MWh to bring power into the state when I lived there, while residential rates were $100/MWh
 

elvisimprsntr

Active Member
May 9, 2021
149
65
28
Florida
Is your server in use 24/7? If not,

1. Spin down the drives to save power. How depends on OS.
2. Shutdown and system and use WOL to boot back up, assuming your HW supports WOL.
3. Shutdown system, set BIOS power restore state to "Power On', and connect NAS to an Ethernet controlled power strip.
 
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