Difficulty differentiating SuperMicro board to use.

[diskdiddler]

I'm baffled by the selection of boards, using the same processor from SuperMicro (up to 4 in the same form factor, CPU!)

I see this one at a good price in newegg.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=296-0002-002Y5&ignorebbr=1
A2SDi-8C-HLN4F
Then there's this one, nearly 100 dollars more.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod...re=Supermicro_atom-_-9SIAB948002058-_-Product
A2SDI-8C-HLN4F-O

What is the difference?
I think all I see is an O in the model number?
I know one of their models adds a simple + in the name, to designate a fan?


I plan to install a mellanox eBay SFP+ 10Gb card and use ipmi on the board.

I intend to boot from dual USB keys like my current rig. ( I see several anti USB "it wears out too fast!" posters here though, iirc with supermicro boards,... worrying)

Finally will this nemix memory work, for *sure*?
EDIT: I'm having a nightmare choosing memory. See post below, even more confusing than I thought it would be.

https://m.newegg.com/products/9SIA7S67BJ1587
32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4 2400 (PC4 19200) 2Rx8 288-Pin 1.2V ECC RDIMM Registered Memory by NEMIX RAM

I'm in Australia, traveling the USA and so I can't really screw this up.... Returns won't be easy. (I'll risk faulty equipment)

 

[Jessep]

Naming differences appears to be due to different vendors rather than different boards.

If buying from Newegg please be aware they recently had a credit card breach.
https://arstechnica.com/information...rd-stealing-code-injected-into-shopping-code/

Not saying don't buy from them, just making you aware.

 

[anmnz]

A2SDI-8C-HLN4F-O

What is the difference?
I think all I see is an O in the model number?

The "-O" and "-B" suffixes on Supermicro model numbers merely designate "retail" vs. "bulk" packaging, as far as I am aware.

(Discussed in @Ericloewe's Supermicro X11 motherboard resource, among other places. https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?resources/so-you’ve-decided-to-buy-a-supermicro-x11-board.13/)

 

[Beemer533]

I can't find the reference right now, but I'm pretty sure the O suffix is retail packaging and B is bulk packaging... No actual part differences (not sure if that affects the accessories or just the packaging)

Just realized anmnz beat me to the punch...

 

[diskdiddler]

The "-O" and "-B" suffixes on Supermicro model numbers merely designate "retail" vs. "bulk" packaging, as far as I am aware.

(Discussed in @Ericloewe's Supermicro X11 motherboard resource, among other places. https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?resources/so-you’ve-decided-to-buy-a-supermicro-x11-board.13/)

Thank you!
So would that imply perhaps the lack of the SAS / SATA cable, since it's not retail?
"CBL-SAST-0616"
https://www.amazon.com/Supermicro-CBL-SAST-0616-Mini-SAS-Internal-Cable/dp/B00SBCXZRE
(Looks like $12 grr but oh well)

Possibly this cable also?
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812145029&ignorebbr=1
(allowing me to combine shipping @ NewEgg)



I am definitely aware of a very similar board, almost identical model number but it has 2x10Gbit vs 4x1Gbit - and one has USB3 / MSata one doesn't.
I think though I might be ok with the cheaper one then regardless, since I intend to add a NIC later on anyhow.

Finally the Nemix memory, is that stuff junk or actually ok?

 

[diskdiddler]

EDIT: Apparently,.... I can just use a PCIe2 8x card in a PCIe3 4x slot and it should not only work but still provide enough bandwidth for 10Gbit networking.
The PCI-e slot on the SuperMicro boards is even actually 'open' at the back, allowing a longer than 4x card to still slot in. The PCI-e spec, I believe allows this. The rest of the contacts just hang loose.

Hopefully this helps others for network cards in only 4x PCI-e slots.

<REMOVED>

 

[pro lamer]

I know one of their models adds a simple + in the name, to designate a fan?

Yes. The CPU fan.

UPDATE: Some have CPU fans even when not having '+' - for example: http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/xeon/d/x10sdv-tln4f.cfm

Sent from my mobile phone

 

[diskdiddler]

Yes. The CPU fan.

Sent from my mobile phone

I'm getting there, just got to choose EXACTLY the right parts, since I'm flying back to Australia with them and returning to NewEgg will be much more difficult.
I am going to add a 50mm fan as recommended elsewhere on the web

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835426032&ignorebbr=1

May end up using cable ties to mount it. (although apparently it matches the exact size of the noisier fan which comes in the + edition) Just need the 4 screws.

 

[diskdiddler]

I am having real difficulty choosing memory I can be confident will work.

32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4 2400 (PC4 19200) 2Rx4 288-Pin 1.2V ECC RDIMM Registered Memory by NEMIX RAM
Rank: 2Rx4
($325 US)


2x
Supermicro MEM-DR416L-HL03-ER24 16GB (1x16GB) DDR4 2400 (PC4 19200) ECC Registered RDIMM Memory RAM
Rank: 2Rx8
($164 US x 2 = $328 US)


https://store.supermicro.com/memory/16gb-ddr4-2400-mem-dr416l-hl03-er24-874.html
Supermicro 16GB 288-Pin DDR4 2400 (PC4 19200) Server Memory (MEM-DR416L-HL03-ER24)
Rank: "2 rank"
($210 US x 2 = $410 US)


The last 2 have an identical part number, it seems possible the cheaper $164 NewEgg part in the middle is the way to go, assuming it's compatible

 

[pro lamer]

I am going to add a 50mm fan as recommended elsewhere on the web

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835426032&ignorebbr=1

May end up using cable ties to mount it. (although apparently it matches the exact size of the noisier fan which comes in the + edition) Just need the 4 screws.

Keep us in the loop, IIRC - some needed extra rubber parts or sth: https://forums.freenas.org/index.ph...eon-d-1521-overheating-on-stress-tests.62130/

UPDATE: some supermicro motherboards have the CPU fan even when not having '+' - I've just updated my original answer above (with an example)

 

[pro lamer]

May end up using cable ties to mount it. (although apparently it matches the exact size of the noisier fan which comes in the + edition) Just need the 4 screws

Just've come across one more solution if yours doesn't work:

I used two spare Noctua Fan on CPU Heatsink fixer to hold the Noctua A6x25 PWM on the Heatsink, and a ziplock to hold those two fixers together (sorry I’m not sure if we have a proper name for those metal fixing brackets).

source: https://www.bussink.ch/?tag=node-804

Sent from my mobile phone

 

[diskdiddler]

I will be updating with a new thread in the next couple of weeks (I have a lot less time now sadly) as I build my machine.

It's mostly similar to stux Node 304 ITX machine, I'll be using the Atom, not Xeon D, I'll be using an SFF supply etc - but I do hope it ends up helping others.
I'm hoping 32GB ECC, 8 core denverton, 10GB Mellanox, 6x5TB Toshiba, 2x480GB SSD and 2x16GB boot drives plus some reasonably quiet cooling.
Mine may be much uglier (front, perm ripped off, to literally save an inch of storage space) - we'll see.

I have almost all the parts, just not the time to put them together! (Live in a small place and WAF of me building a server in the kitchen is low)