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I am building a server from scratch.

I plan on using this box with this motherboard and this processor. Oddly, the processor specs say that it does not come with a fan.

In general, are processor fans a standard size, and will most fans fit most motherboards?

Is there also a minimum cooling requirement that must be met? Will there be a visible performance difference if I get a fan that does not cool as well, as opposed to one that cools brilliantly?

MirroredFate
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    `I am building a server from scratch.` Why? It's typically much cheaper to buy from a reputable vendor, especially when you consider the time and cost of support in the event of a hardware failure or firmware bug. – MDMarra Aug 20 '13 at 18:13
  • From every resource I've found, it is far more expensive. – MirroredFate Aug 20 '13 at 18:16
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    If you're building a *server*, you won't want to build one, even if it's cheaper. Primarily because you will want the support and reputation that goes with running a server. Do you _really_ want to be running around troubleshooting an overheating CPU or dodgy power supply when the server you built is running your company's website, database, CMS, email, etc? – Craig Watson Aug 20 '13 at 18:21
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    @MirroredFate You're looking at purchase price, not TCO. Three years out when parts start failing, where do you go for a replacement RAID controller. The off-the-shelf LSI you might buy may be discontinued, but HP, Dell, or Cisco will have plenty of stock for a replacement. When you have healthy drives drop out of a RAID, do you think you're going to get Seagate on the phone to discuss a possible firmware bug? No, you wont - but you'll get a Dell or HP engineer on the phone that can help remediate the issue. The time you'll sink into supporting home-brewed hardware is not trivial and has cost – MDMarra Aug 20 '13 at 18:25
  • @MirroredFate - I know you want to do this on the cheap but a word of genuine advice, please just buy one, and if you have to build it yourself then please avoid supermicro - I know they're great value etc. but we have seen so many tale of woe regarding them, even in recent months - a very well respected user had a number of models literally catch fire. It's cheap for a reason. People will defend them to the death but don't do this, not on your first build. – Chopper3 Aug 20 '13 at 18:25
  • This server will not be business critical. It would be very very aggravating if anything happened to it, but not life-or-death. That's part of the reasoning behind building it from scratch... We have a number of other servers running, but none of them are rackmount. This is, in a way, a test run. The reviews I've read of supermicro have been mainly positive. I would hope equipment catching on fire would make its way into a review.... It seems there is a general feeling that on-site hosting is has many drawbacks. I will consider all these things when we consider doing this for important stuff – MirroredFate Aug 20 '13 at 18:40
  • If you don't have other rackmount equipment are you going to be spending money to properly utilize this rackount server? Buying things like vertical/horizontal PDUs, rackmount UPSes, and even the rack itself are not cheap. It seems silly to spend all of that money and not pony up the extra few hundred dollars to get a proper server with proper support. Unless, of course, you don't plan on buying any of that which completely negates the benefits of rackmount hardware in the first place. – MDMarra Aug 20 '13 at 18:56
  • Actually, we have PDUs, a UPS, and even a rack. I guess we actually have a single rack mount server right now. Basically we have all the infrastructure in place. Also, I took out the request for suggestions. I don't really think it was that off-topic to begin with, but w/e. – MirroredFate Aug 20 '13 at 18:59

1 Answers1

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In general, are processor fans a standard size, and will most fans fit most motherboards?

Very rarely are there CPU fans in a server. In most cases, there is simply a heatsink and the airflow is handled by intake fans behind the drive cage (front of the server) and sometimes exhaust fans right in front of the PSU units. Of course, this can differ from server to server as each vendor engineers their cooling solutions slightly differently. This is due to the space constraints in rackmount or blade servers.

Is there also a minimum cooling requirement that must be met?

Yes. Each CPU has acceptable operating ranges. Check Intel's site for this data.

Will there be a visible performance difference if I get a fan that does not cool as well, as opposed to one that cools brilliantly?

Yes, there will be a visible performance impact when your server powers down automatically to avoid overheating.

MDMarra
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