Not a Fan of Server Meltdowns

Accidents are a part of life. They’re unavoidable, but oftentimes we end up just kicking ourselves, saying “If only I’d have seen it coming!” There would be far fewer cars in the ditch, skinned knees, and burnt dinners. Luckily, the majority of unfortunate incidents lead to only minor consequences. When it comes to technology, the majority of “accidents” we have turn out to be nothing more than a file we didn’t save soon enough or an email with a typo. However, every once in a while, technology takes a turn for the worse. Oftentimes, the culprit behind these accidents is something we neglect up until we have a problem with it. Your server is a major investment, and protecting it from harm should be a primary concern. So what’s the specific culprit I’m talking about? It’s your server’s fan. So take heed, and take care of your server fan before it quits on you!

Why the Fan?

It seems like such an innocuous component in your server, right? A fan, while not the most noticeable or glamorous parts of a server, is still absolutely essential to the proper functioning of your technology. Fan problems can lead to devastating results if not taken care of quickly and effectively. If your system isn’t cooling well enough, your processor and motherboard can be damaged to the point where they require replacement. That will be an expensive undertaking, one which would be best to avoid. Here are three signs of impending fan failure, which, if noticed, should be taken very seriously.

Excessive Noise

While a normal server fan will run a little bit loud (it’s doing a lot of work to assist in the removal of that heat, after all), if your fan is running excessively loud or making odd whirring, clanking, or scraping noises, it’s time to call somebody in and shut down your system for a quick repair. Fan repair/replacement is relatively inexpensive, and should take no more than twenty minutes if done by an experienced professional.

Internal Temperature

This is one of the best ways to anticipate a problem with your server fan. Most servers will throw up a warning if the internal temperature climbs too far outside of normal operational parameters. Many servers will automatically shut down, as well, if the problem goes without service. However, why wait for it to become a bigger problem? Instead, monitor your server’s internal temperature from time to time to make sure it’s not getting too hot. If the environmental conditions are stable in your server room but a system’s core temperature keeps climbing, chances are the heat exchange is failing.

If you do need to remove a fan, you will need to remove the entire tray along with it. We always clean our fan along with its fan tray assembly. Your fan tray will collect dust and various particles. We clean our 541-0645 assembly once a month. With proper maintenance and careful monitoring, you need not risk the possible damages of a server fan failure.

The Importance of Server Motherboard Selection

Laying the Framework

                Have you ever heard the story about the foolish man who built his house on sand? What’s the moral of the story there? Of course, the message is clear to anybody who has a basic understanding of proper construction: you only build on a solid foundation, otherwise the first odd rain to come along will wash away that foundation and, oh bother, no more house. There’s a lot to be said about the relationship between foundations and the structures built atop them. In many ways, a computer’s motherboard is the same as a foundation. The computer’s total potential is, in essence, always determined by the motherboard. You can purchase the best processor on the market, the biggest RAM possible, and a hard drive with terabytes of memory – but if the motherboard doesn’t support these computer components, what you actually have are paperweights. The motherboard is the foundation of your server, and without a good foundation, there’s not much you can do.

What to Consider

The motherboard of your server is like the nervous system of the body. Every component connects to it and is utterly dependant upon it for the successful transmission of electrical signals and the data contained therein. In a basic understanding, consider your motherboard a necessity because it connects everything and makes the actual computing possible. But in terms of specificity, there is more to take into account. When looking into a motherboard for your server, think of the motherboard as a foundation for the future possibilities of your server. It is a blueprint upon which your server will be built. This is a great opportunity, but it might also prove to be a hindrance unless given proper forethought.

Your motherboard will govern how you can interface with your computer in addition to how your computer components interconnect. Your server’s motherboard will decide several factors, including:

• Processor Support (what processor you can have in your server)
• Power Supply
• Amount of RAM available
• PCI slots
• Amount of Storage
• USB ports
• Video Ports
• Mouse Ports

A good motherboard will allow for expanding future needs. While you may be able to find a motherboard allowing for your current interface demands, remember: your motherboard also governs your server’s future expandability.

ProLiant Motherboards

 

One of the best-selling ProLiant motherboards offers a prime example of key features in a server motherboard. This motherboard supports up to two Intel Xeon processors, either dual or quad-core. The possibility of installing two processors is essential when allowing for a server to manage mission-critical processing. With two embedded Gigabit network adapters, the 436526-001 motherboard effectively eliminates the possibility of component related network lag. The motherboard also features four available PCI-Express slots, or a PCI-X/PCI-Express configuration. With multiple VGA, USB, and User Interface ports available, the ProLiant motherboard effectively allows for limited or expanded accessibility and performance needs.