I have a server with desktop hardware (microATX motherboard and Core Ultra 7 265K CPU) which I use to run a Minecraft server. Its current physical location isn’t ideal, so I’d like to put it in a rack mount chassis and move it to a server room I have access to through my university. However rack space in the room is limited, so it would be best if I can fit it into a 1U space.

From what I’ve heard the biggest issue with 1U is cooling, especially as the 265K can draw up to 250W. It seems like 1U microATX chassis do exist, like this one, but they don’t look like they have good airflow, and I’m not sure where I would get a short enough heatsink. Could I realistically make 1U work, and if so what should I look for in terms of hardware? Or am I going to have to go with 2U?

Edit: I ended up giving up on 1U. Instead I bought a miniITX motherboard and am going with this 2U dual miniITX chassis. Way more vertical space to work with and it gives me the option to add a second server (something I want to do once memory/storage prices calm down) within the same rack space.

  • pandakhan@slrpnk.netEnglish
    7·
    13 days ago

    Is it doable? Probably. A quick search shows that your professor processor appears to be an LGA1851 socket type. https://www.newegg.com/p/0SS-0236-01835

    This should work, but please verify your own details first!

    Otherwise, if you have a chassis in mind already, go for it. If you feel comfortable moving it to actual server-grade hardware, www.labgopher.com (turns out that site is gone, a place called rack rat had taken its place, but I have not used it) can help you find something hopefully very cheap that you could scrap or repurpose.

    The biggest advantage with server-grade components is the fans and power supplies are designed with that environment in mind. The 40mm fans in 1u racks are very nearly airplane levels of loud. 20k rpm kind of fans. That’s how they solve the airflow problem, they don’t have noise rules.

    Hope that helps!

    • QuantumEraser@fedia.ioOP
      3·
      13 days ago

      That heatsink says it’s rated for up to 125W, which I’m not sure will be enough for the 265K (Intel says 250W at max boost). I don’t have a specific chassis in mind; the one I linked was just one I found with a quick search. I haven’t purchased server hardware before so I’m not really sure what to look for. Do you think buying a generic microATX compatible chassis and a similar heatsink (higher rated power if I can find one), then adding a ton of high RPM fans and possibly some custom airflow guides to get very high airflow through the heatsink would work?

      I can’t go with a server grade mobo/CPU as Minecraft servers need very high single threaded performance which you can only really get with desktop CPUs (at least at non-insane prices).

  • tburkhol@slrpnk.netEnglish
    6·
    13 days ago

    The 1U system I had, the heatsinks have been fanless and not the extruded aluminum block one usually thinks of, but an assembled stack of much thinner, more rigid fins. It relied on airflow from fans mounted in the middle of the case, between the mobo and disks, shrouded to focus that airflow. I want to say 2x40mm fans per processor.

    You should expect a 1U system to run hotter than a desktop, and definitely hotter than cooler advertisers want. CPUs are designed to operate up to 100°C or so, and the constraints that lead people to use 1U form factors generally include replacing those systems regularly, basically because of burnout.

  • non_burglar@lemmy.worldEnglish
    6·
    13 days ago

    I’ve been down this rabbit hole and it’s not a good option for standard matx or mini itx. Best I did was get a supermicro board and a supermicro 1u half-depth chassis. It was OK for a while, but the HDDs did not cool off very well.

    I’ve now not got a nas just as fast with a radxa rock 2a, a penta sata hat, some FPC cables between them and some cable bodging in a jonsbo n1 case. Drives are happy, less power consumed.

  • epyon22@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    6·
    13 days ago

    In all my research most cases for standard hardware are 4u and when you try to get down to 1u or 2u you spend a lot of time/money trying to fit it. I would look into buying dedicated server like a dell r6xx series box and going from there you’d honestly save money and headache.

    • QuantumEraser@fedia.ioOP
      2·
      13 days ago

      A typical server unfortunately won’t work for my use case, as Minecraft servers are highly single threaded workloads and desktop CPUs are just far better than server CPUs in that regard.

      • epyon22@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        2·
        13 days ago

        You must have a lot of people and/or some heavy mods. I haven’t had much issues with 3-4 people on a VM with a Xeon E5-2690 2.90GHz

        • QuantumEraser@fedia.ioOP
          1·
          12 days ago

          For small playercounts a server CPU works fine, but my server regularly has 20+ concurrent players and sometimes has up to 50 so we kinda need the performance.

  • poVoq@slrpnk.netEnglish
    2·
    13 days ago

    A water cooling block will fit 1U, but you will need to attach the other side of the water cooler outside of the rack most likely. Furthermore, it is unlikely that other people using the same rack space will appreciate you adding water cooling due to spillage risks.