Motherboards
So my check off list consists of the following:
- 16GBs or more consisting of atleast eight DIMM slots of the right memory?
- Boots off USB stick?
- Fits in a 2U, 3U, 4U, and tower with an extended ATX profile? (Be careful to get the exact dimensions, some MBs say extended when they are almost 14"x14"!
- 2(x16)PCI-E (2.0) slots to hold graphics and raid.
- Old fashion PCI slots to support legacy raid
- Old fashion 133MHz PCI-X slots
- Recover from single bit errors and detect two bit errors via ECC
- Uses standard parts, including power, heat sinks, etc..
- more to follow...
For the latest information on the motherboards there is no better source than the manufacturer itself.
- Super Micro
- Intel sucky website and old non-2.0 PCI motherboards
- TyanOk site, not many boards, but they keep up.
- Msi No real server boards.
- Asus DSEB-D16/SAS This motherboard is great. I like how it can take a max of 64GB of 4 channel 800 ECC FBDIMM using 16 slots. And it has PCIX plus two PCIE-16 version 2. Not that it would need any cards since it has everything on the MB already.
- Gigabyte Technologies Their website is geared towards somebody looking for documentation on a board they already have. Even then it's not so good. When you are trying to find a server board solution the site falls totally apart. It's always amazing to see large companies restrict business with lousy web designs. They should borrow Tyan's approach and make it clear what your new server mother boards are. Not only can't you find what you are looking for it lags out! As it is I gave up on their site.
- Abit They do not have server boards?! (Lots of hobbyist boards though.)
| MAKE/MODEL | FORM FACTOR | CHIPSET | # x16 PCIE 2.0 SLOTS | 133MHz PCI-X | OLD PCI | OTHER | ECC FBDIMM SLOTS | MAX MEMORY | THE UNUSUAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASUS DSEB-D16/SAD | SSI EEB 3.61, 12" x 13" | 2 * Socket LGA771 Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® 5400 Series (45nm) Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® 5300 Series Dual-Core Intel® Xeon® 5200 Series (45nm) Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® 5100 Series Dual Core/Quad Core |
Total PCI/PCI-X/PCI-E Slots: 4
Slot Loacation 1: 1 * PCI-E x16 Gen2 Slot Loacation 2: 1 * PCI-E x8 slot (x8 link) Slot Loacation 3: 1 * PCI-E x16 Gen2 |
Additional Slot 2: 1 * PCI-X 100/133MHz (for LSI 8300XLP ZCR Card) | Additional Slot 1: 1 * SO-DIMM socket for optional ASMB3-SOL |
Total Slots: 16 (4-channel)
Memory Type: Fully-Buffered DIMM DDR2 533/667/800 Reg. ECC Memory Size: 512 MB, 1G, 2G, 4G* |
Capacity: Maximum up to 64 GB |
Up to 90% efficiency
Some fancy fail-over on ports. RAID on up to 6 SATA |
|
| SuperMicro X7DWA-N | Ext ATX 12"x13" | Intel 5400 (Seaburg) | 2 PCI-E x16 (Gen 2.0) | 2 PCI-X 133MHz | 2 PCI | 1 UIO slot | 8 FBD populated in pairs | 64GBs | |
| TYAN Tempest i5400PW (S5397) | Ext ATX 12"x13" | Intel® "Seaburg " MCH +6321ESB chipset | Two (2) PCI Express x16 slots(w/ x16 PCI-E Gen2 signals) from MCH | Two (2) PCI-X 133/100MHz slots | One (1) PCI 32/33MHz slot (PCI device component height limit = 9.2mm) | One (1) PCI Express x8 slot(w/ x4 signals) | Sixteen (16) 240-pin DDR2 FBDIMM sockets on board | Maximum of 128GB DDR2-533 / 667 / 800 | proprietary CPU heatsink mounting holes, EPS12V/SSI (24+8+4+4 pin) power connectors for 5x +12V input |
