Supermicro H12DSi-NT6 VS Gigabyte MZ72-HB0 rev. 3.0

[Poleronburst]

Hi fellow server enthusiasts

I'm currently considering a new DP E-ATX server bord with Epyc milan support and I've narrowed down my options to:
Supermicro H12DSi-NT6
Gigabyte MZ72-HB0 rev. 3.0

== The Gigabyte
- seems to be a tiny bit older (it has the AST2500 BMC)
- 5 instead of 6 PCIe 4.0 slots (3x16 2x8)
- the layout seems to be nice and clean with room for a longer GPU/FPGA/Raid controller
- the M.2 slot uses a screw instead of a splitpen

==The supermicro
- has a newer AST2600 BMC
- has 6 PCIe 4x slots (3x16 3x8)
- the M.2 slot uses a splitpen instead of a screw


Some Considerations
==Hardware
It seems that some forum members had some issues with reliability with the newer (and cheaper, PCIe 3.0) MZ71-CE1 / MZ71-CE0 Gigabyte bords
so I'm wondering how that relates to the MZ72-HB0.
I also remember reading a post that stated that a vendor stopped offering the MZ72-HB0 and switched to the Supermicro H11DSi series.
some forum members reported to have reliability / heat problems with the H11DSi series in terms of underdimensioned VRM's and that this should be beefier in the Gigabyte MZ72-HB0, I wonder how this would relate to the H12DSi-NT6
I'm a bit put off by the M.2 split pin retention system on the Supermicro (instead of the regular screw on the Gigabyte),
I assume that a NVMe SSD with a heatsink would be risky (in terms of stability and weight) when used with a splitpin?

==Software
The management interface on the Gigabyte and KVM option look pretty modern and neat,
and does not require an additional license for the KVM part and BIOS update functionality (any idea what this would cost for the Supermicro?)
The Supermicro just works, however does require some additonal license.

So all in all, what would your choice/considerations be? the CPU's will be watercooled btw.

Thanks!

 

[NablaSquaredG]

The Gigabyte has 2 "standard" SlimSAS Ports, 2 of which are always NVMe Gen4 x4 and 3 are either NVMe Gen4 x4 or 4x SATA

The Supermicro has "4 PCI-E 4.0 NVMe x4 internal ports"

 

[Poleronburst]

Hi, thanks for your post!

The case I'm planning on using has (24 disks) a 12GB SAS (SATA compatible) backplane SAS Expander so I think I would need to invest in an additional controller.

 

[NablaSquaredG]

You need an HBA / RAID Controller anyway

The SlimSAS are nice because e.g. Supermicro has some hybrid backplanes which Support SAS, SATA and NVMe

 

[ari2asem]

h11dsi and vrm temps....if you put the board in a rack server case with air shroud, then no worry about vrm temps. those vrm-troubles you get when you put server-board inside desktop-case

 

[Poleronburst]

You need an HBA / RAID Controller anyway

The SlimSAS are nice because e.g. Supermicro has some hybrid backplanes which Support SAS, SATA and NVMe

Great point, seems that the Gigabyte allows for some more I/O flexibility then.

 

[Poleronburst]

h11dsi and vrm temps....if you put the board in a rack server case with air shroud, then no worry about vrm temps. those vrm-troubles you get when you put server-board inside desktop-case

Sounds resonable, the case I'm using is a 4U server case, the CPU's will be watercooled with an external radiator and the standard high speed fans will be replaced with 120mm noctua fans, so I might have to design some kind of custom shroud in order to keep the VRM's cool enough
I won't be using any mechanical high RPM harddrives, just a set of 12 SSD's

So in terms of stability (guess this holds for both mobo's) make sure that there is enough cooling (ill be using the Flir cam for this).

Any thoughts about stability in general? I have some experience with supermicro, however I'm only familiar with Gigabyte for "normal" systems.

 

[ari2asem]

i dont have any expirience with gigabyte.

right now i have 2 systems with supermicro h11dsi rev.1.0 and rev.2.0 boards.

if you can keep the board and other components on it cool, then they are very stable.

 

[Poleronburst]

So based on replies and what can be found online I would end up with something like:

Feature	Gigabyte MZ72-HB0 rev. 3.0	Supermicro H12DSi-NT6
BMC	AST2500	AST6000
PCIe 4.0	3x16 2x8	3x16 3x8
I/O	2 NVMe Gen4 x4 SlimSAS Ports 3 SlimSAS Ports NVMe Gen4 x4 or 4x SATA	4 PCI-E 4.0 NVMe x4 internal ports
Management interface	Fancy interface, no additional licenses	"classic look" with additional license for OOB (IPMI Bios updates)
Reliability	Unknown?	Good
Review	https://www.servethehome.com/gigabyte-mz72-hb0-review-dual-amd-epyc-motherboard-with-10gbe/

All in all the Gigabyte would be the most risky? but budget conscious choice (more I/O although 1 less pcie slot) and a full set of management features without any additional cost. and the Supermicro is the "proven" most "safe" choice.
I am not really concerned about the price difference of the 2 boards, unless the software license of the supermicro is ridiculous (don't expect it to be since there is no on board raid controller involved)?

Im adding in a raid card to control a 24 disks 12GB SAS (SATA compatible) backplane SAS Expander, so on board I/O is not my main concern
Any thoughts about the AST2500 vs AST2600?

 

[uldise]

"classic" with additional licensing costs

what do you mean by this?

 

[Poleronburst]

what do you mean by this?

Ah yes I suppose that's more of an personal opinion on the management interface "look and feel" when looking at the review and comparing that to one of my current supermicros.

 

[uldise]

Ah yes I suppose that's more of an personal opinion on the management interface "look and feel"

i agree, interface can be better, but i see no additional licence required for it..

 

[Poleronburst]

i agree, interface can be better, but i see no additional licence required for it..

Some of the features like KVM (and I think over the air bios updates) require an extra license for Supermicro, the Gigabyte doesn't have this requirement.
I've added this to the table

 

[uldise]

Some of the features like KVM (and I think over the air bios updates) require an extra license for Supermicro

where do you find such info?
i have H12SSL board and i have Html5 KVM, and i updated BIOS from IMPI, no additional licence required.

 

[Poleronburst]

where do you find such info?
i have H12SSL board and i have Html5 KVM, and i updated BIOS from IMPI, no additional licence required.

Hmm I'm starting to doubt my own statement on this, for the IPMI bios part it's just a general remark in the review of the Gigabyte https://www.servethehome.com/gigabyte-mz72-hb0-review-dual-amd-epyc-motherboard-with-10gbe/2/

And I do remember having to buy a license for my current supermicro (intel) based server, however iKVM probably not... think most costs were related to on-board raid controllers.

So I'm probably wrong on this one, I'm also not sure if the licensing model is different per motherboard model.

 

[alex_stief]

My H11DSi insisted that I buy an extra license for updating the bios via IPMI

 

[Poleronburst]

My H11DSi insisted that I buy an extra license for updating the bios via IPMI

Thanks for clearing this up, its probably safe to assume this also holds for the H12DSi, iKVM does (probably) not require an additional license?

 

[uldise]

its probably safe to assume this also holds for the H12DSi, iKVM does (probably) not require an additional license?

it should be noted on specs/manual somewhere..

 

[Poleronburst]

it should be noted on specs/manual somewhere..

You are right for the H12DSi I can only find the OOB license for IPMI Bios updates so ill update the matrix

Feature	Gigabyte MZ72-HB0 rev. 3.0	Supermicro H12DSi-NT6
BMC	AST2500	AST6000
PCIe 4.0	3x16 2x8	3x16 3x8
I/O	2 NVMe Gen4 x4 SlimSAS Ports 3 SlimSAS Ports NVMe Gen4 x4 or 4x SATA	4 PCI-E 4.0 NVMe x4 internal ports
Management interface	Fancy interface, no additional licenses	"classic look" with additional license for OOB (IPMI Bios updates)
Reliability	Unknown?	Good
Review	https://www.servethehome.com/gigabyte-mz72-hb0-review-dual-amd-epyc-motherboard-with-10gbe/

 

[Spartus]

I've used both vendors EPYC boards. I'd like to add:

H11/H12 DSI are fine in desktops for VRM temp with 240W processors. I am using 4U Supermicro coolers and a fair amount of 140mm intake and exhaust fans in the 1000 RPM range (so fairly quiet), with no shroud.

the Supermicro fan control SUCKS. needing to use IMPI scripts or constant speed fans. You can get rid of the alarm on low RPM for fans, but many fans run at like 200 RPM because the default 4 pin PWM control speed is like 20%. it has no ability to control 3 pin fans and 4 pin frequently run too slow. I instead prefer to use only 4 pin on the CPU with good speed fans (like the SMC 4U coolers are 1000 - 3500 RPM range) and 3 pin (which run 100% all the time) for all the rest. I just tune my fans by buying the right speeds for my application (1000-1500 RPM @ 140mm typically).

I keep buying SMC, but in truth I kind of liked my gigabyte experience a little more.