The High Wife-Acceptacnce-Factor Rack - a.k.a. the silent of the racks

[kroem]

Thought I'd do a "log" of my build, see if there's any interest. Always fun to share, most of my friends don't really understand why I'm doing this.

Anyhow, the build is to basically making this:

Into something like this - a happy, tidy, IKEA room:

Let's get to building Tada! An IKEA cabinet, some isolation stuff - not sure if it'll be needed. The fit will be pretty tight, it's only 60CM deep, but I thought what the hell, it's easier to buy a cheap cabibet and try instead of building one.

Since this is a "sponsored project" (food money -> server money), new drives, new PSU etc;

What the rack will consist of:
24 port Dlink switch (need advise on silent 48-port, please?)
Raritan KVM-over-IP
mpower pro

Some servers:
Build’s Name: Le Silent Ass-ass-in
Operating System/ Storage Platform: ESXi 5.5u2
CPU:Intel® Atom processor C2750
Motherboard: Supermicro A1SAi-2750F
Chassis: Xcase 2u
Drives:Likely Intel 535
RAM: 32GB
Add-in Cards: Now a dual port I350 adapter. Mellanox IB on shelf yet. Need to figure our cables.
Power Supply: Pico PSU
Usage Profile: pfsense, vcenter, observium

Build’s Name: The sneaky elephant
Operating System/ Storage Platform: ESXi 5.5u2
CPU:Intel® Xeon E5-1620v2
Motherboard: Supermicro X9SRL-F
Chassis: Xcase 4u
Drives: 2x500GB Evo850 2x120 Intel 535 8x4TB WD RED
RAM: 96GB
Add-in Cards: 2xLSI2008 HBA's, IBM M5016 coming in. Mellanox IB on shelf.
Power Supply: EVGA G2 850W
Other Bits: BeQuiet PWM fans.
Usage Profile: OmniOS, Debian "main server", Windows "workstation", other stuff to play around with.

Build’s Name: DEAD silent ...
Operating System/ Storage Platform: ESXi 5.5u2 currently.
CPU:Intel® Xeon X3440
Motherboard: Supermicro X8SIL-F
Chassis: Generic 4u
Drives: Not sure yet, but maybe Gigabyte GC-RAMDISK i-RAM 4 GB? oooh yeah
RAM: 12GB currently
Add-in Cards: -
Power Supply: Supermicro 300W
Usage Profile: Possible bare metal storage. This server is not turned on yet, thus the DEAD silentness



Next post, let's see the new rack+chassis

 

[T_Minus]

Did you get an ikea cabinet known to be used for racks or just one you thought would work for DIY? Just curious.

 

[kroem]

Na, this is a standard cabinet (made for a dishwasher me thinks), the rack frame is a freestanding one. so its not like the LACK table. I wanted some room to move in the cab, and doors.

 

[canta]

on my knowledge:
sound dampen is needed...
to minimized noise get out from the cabinet, you need to make "forced-air exhaust" system,
there are some system, which are very expensive...
get technical docs on netshelter CX ( this is the most detail in technical info than other system) that has dimension and depth-view on how exhaust fans are mounted with deep-tunnel to limit noise coming out from the cabinet.
on the intake side aka front door panels, the air is coming from underneath (please put AC filter to filter nasty/dirty dust) or on the side cabinet.

this doable, just take $$$ especially for making skins on "open" rack server frame and your time.

 

[canta]

Did you get an ikea cabinet known to be used for racks or just one you thought would work for DIY? Just curious.

old IKEA CRT TV cabinet (benno) that can easily be converted*, the problem is IKEA does not sell anymore , since current IKEA tv cabinets are very short in depth due on LCD tv, hey.. selling the same price and make it shorter than used to be, make more$ :.

* I checked depth is very tight but doable to install exhaust-fan panel, this need a bit more space that no one can see the back side,

let me know, if you see IKEA cabinet, which has almost 2X depth than current IKEA TV(LCD) cabinet/stand...
I plan to make a new one with IKEA cheap cabinet.

 

[kroem]

on my knowledge:
sound dampen is needed...
to minimized noise get out from the cabinet, you need to make "forced-air exhaust" system,
there are some system, which are very expensive...
get technical docs on netshelter CX ( this is the most detail in technical info than other system) that has dimension and depth-view on how exhaust fans are mounted with deep-tunnel to limit noise coming out from the cabinet.
on the intake side aka front door panels, the air is coming from underneath (please put AC filter to filter nasty/dirty dust) or on the side cabinet.

this doable, just take $$$ especially for making skins on "open" rack server frame and your time.

old IKEA CRT TV cabinet (benno) that can easily be converted*, the problem is IKEA does not sell anymore , since current IKEA tv cabinets are very short in depth due on LCD tv, hey.. selling the same price and make it shorter than used to be, make more$ :.

* I checked depth is very tight but doable to install exhaust-fan panel, this need a bit more space that no one can see the back side,

let me know, if you see IKEA cabinet, which has almost 2X depth than current IKEA TV(LCD) cabinet/stand...
I plan to make a new one with IKEA cheap cabinet.

Yeah, I was first looking at the pre-made solutions, but they are quite/very expensive, and they got a "no" from home
I am not sure yet how I will do all the fans, first I want to try it in the cabinet, and then start modding it.

Ah yes, Benno! I found some on the used market, but none that worked out well. This is a METOD cabinet.
There is also a cabinet from a company called Kvik, they make 74cm deep kitchen cabinets - I might end up getting one of those instead (more room for sound proofing and damning).

 

[canta]

Yeah, I was first looking at the pre-made solutions, but they are quite/very expensive, and they got a "no" from home
I am not sure yet how I will do all the fans, first I want to try it in the cabinet, and then start modding it.

Ah yes, Benno! I found some on the used market, but none that worked out well. This is a METOD cabinet.
There is also a cabinet from a company called Kvik, they make 74cm deep kitchen cabinets - I might end up getting one of those instead (more room for sound proofing and damning).

haha, $$$$$ on the market for ready to use solution, unless if you are hitting a jack pot buying one on used market.

Benno would work, but you need to make custom internal frame and extend back side to install fan-modules.
if I can score a cheap Benno locally, this is not hard to do.

to make good clearances for enterprise grade server case, length ~ 30"/76cm, is minimal . the width ~ 24"/61cm is good enough.

making a good forced-air cabinet is easy, the hard part to make the cabinet blending with existing furniture
I made one, but ugly as super ugly due on not blending with existing furniture
I would like to make one with available "ready to use with front door panels" cabinet and hack internal and back parts since no one would see those (dark) sides.

good luck for your project!..

Note including my "stupid" discovery:
the fans are needed to pul cool air forcely to your cabinet. this is very important!.
please install temperature monitor or control to alert when something gos booboo(raise temperature or failing fans).
honestly, mine had failing powerbrick that supplied power to my "home made" etherned based fans/temperatures control arduino for my forced-air closed rack (cabinet).
I did not realize due on no alert sent to me , until saw "home made" arduino LED activity is off (white LED is glowing slowly on-off when running normal).
I need to redo to avoid that situation by making two redundant "arduino" that talks each other. this is still on my drawing board.
the nice discovery was, I did not realized my server fans were screaming very loud until I open the back panel .
yap, sound dampen and forced-air tunneling both can reduce noise much!.

 

[bradslinux]

Thought I'd do a "log" of my build, see if there's any interest. Always fun to share, most of my friends don't really understand why I'm doing this.

Anyhow, the build is to basically making this:

In my house, this would have been grounds for divorce. LOL I feel you pain, I wanted to by an enclosed Mid Atlantic case..... my long suffering wife wouldn't even allow that. I can't wait to see what you come up with. Good luck!

 

[canta]

In my house, this would have been grounds for divorce. LOL I feel you pain, I wanted to by an enclosed Mid Atlantic case..... my long suffering wife wouldn't even allow that. I can't wait to see what you come up with. Good luck!

hahaaah

my 3 years son at that time before buidling ugly closed cabinet/enclosure: papa....., jet engine in papa room.
that made me laugh and wanted to finish quick.

 

[neo]

What type of cabinet rack is that? The original wife un-approved one.

 

[Patrick]

How cool is this. I cannot wait to see more @kroem

 

[kroem]

What type of cabinet rack is that? The original wife un-approved one.

It's a Toten 19-DR6818

How cool is this. I cannot wait to see more @kroem

Thanks! Well, there's some more New chassis are in, humming along. I got the rack fram in too! It's a Alan Hall one made for music equipment - stupid and lazy as I am, I order the wrong damn rack posts (the ones that are made for this fram are onlt sold in 2m strips). This meant that the frame was too wide(!?%/&%). But I stayed true to the DIY-god and just mounted the posts/frame sideways and then narrowed down the frame. The frame is basically a square now (you can see on the pic that the bolts are facing to the front, this is supposed to be on the sides.)

Hey, whatever works, right?

Testing the fit. Still no door on the back (needs drilling) and I need casters.

Mr big server trying out it's new shell. Have it's old spinners still (12x2TB) waiting for another HBA do do a migration:

The accumulation of boxes and debris is not sactioned...

Side note: Can anyone chime in on if I will be suffering from running a "only" 32GB machine for storage (OmniOS/Napp-it probably)?

 

[Patrick]

If you do not have dedupe on you should be fine.

 

[kroem]

Hmm, yeah, that's what I thought. Contemlating getting another SM Atom board, OR investing in 32GB of ram for the X8SIL... decisions ...

 

[canta]

is that sektion for sink, SEKTION Base cabinet for sink - white, Grimslöv off-white - IKEA

very interesting...

 

[kroem]

is that sektion for sink, SEKTION Base cabinet for sink - white, Grimslöv off-white - IKEA

very interesting...

Strange, it's called METOD here (and this IS Sweden, so that must be the "right" name )

 

[canta]

Strange, it's called METOD here (and this IS Sweden, so that must be the "right" name )

Is the baseboard lower side is laminated to or just bare compress psrticles board.

Thanks.

If yes. I have a plan to make forced air server rack with 2 metods.

 

[kroem]

This is the one I have: METOD Bänkskåp för inbyggnadsugn/diskbänk - vit, 60x60x80 cm - IKEA

 

[canta]

This is the one I have: METOD Bänkskåp för inbyggnadsugn/diskbänk - vit, 60x60x80 cm - IKEA

thanks again!

what board do you want to add on the top?

 

[kroem]

thanks again!

what board do you want to add on the top?

I will likely get something pretty sturdy, like 2-3cm thick oak.

Current status - Let's make this silent!!

Migrating zpool: