Using Xeon server as workstation with Windows 8

[daqq]

Hi guys,

I've got the option to pick up a dual processor Xeon HP DL380G5 with all the bells and whistles for peanuts. It's got a fair bit of power (much more than my current setup). I've been thinking that adding a good graphics card to it should result in a really good work station.

However, I'm concerned about the availability of "normal" drivers for this. Aside from this and the noise, is this doable and a good idea?

Thank you,

David

[Fred27]

You should be fine apart from the the noise and size.

[Stonent]

You can still load the Server 200x drivers on windows 8 in most cases with no problems.

[rob77]

are you 100% sure you want a DL380 as your workstation ? the graphics card sucks in rackmount servers and the airflow is more important than the noise... so be prepared for a screaming loud ugly brick with extremely shitty graphics performance

[dannyf]

I've been thinking that adding a good graphics card to it should result in a really good work station.

In those types of conversations, two issues typically stand out:

1) a server may not have the slots or support the slots for a good graphics card;
2) a server is generally noisy - many times it sound like jet engines.

Real workstations are essentially a server with those two issues addressed at the factory. I often just buy workstations as desktop PC: they are more expensive but you don't have to replace them as often - I am typing on a Dell workstation purchased almost 10 years ago with at least a couple years ago.

[edpalmer42]

The other things to consider are power and heat.  A server may not bother throttling back the processors so they run at full speed all of the time.  Also, it looks like that unit uses fully bufferred dimm memory.  Those things will burn you if you touch them!  The result is lots of heat which means lots of power.  You'd be amazed how much that ends up costing in power over a year.  How's the air conditioning in the room where you're planning on using this machine?  All that heat is being dumped into the room.

Ed

[nctnico]

Whether the frequency it throttled depends on the OS but the older Xeons are not made to be low power.
I agree with Danny here: better get a workstation PC. It will last a very long time!

[daqq]

Thanks guys, you're probably right. It just seemed tempting...

I wonder if our IT guys would approve of another server in the server room that would for some reason stream a desktop to a PC... 

[Shock]

Probably will have SAS HDDs as well (as opposed to SATA). It will not make a fun desktop, better as a file or webserver. They need to have airflow on the underside as well.  If it's secondhand it's probably cheap for a reason.

[SeanB]

Tell them it is a thin client server and they will not notice...........

[Stonent]

That server has 8 memory slots and can take socket 771 processors. The documentation lists an X5270 processor which has a cpumark rating of about 2500.  Probably there are 2.  Check the CPU because you can get another socket 771 cpu like the e5440 processor for peanuts and those run about 4000 on the cpu mark each.

The ram it takes is fully buffered ddr2-5300, that's usually pretty cheap on ebay. http://www.ebay.com/itm/8GB-2X4GB-DDR2-MEMORY-RAM-PC2-5300-ECC-FULLY-BUFFERED-FBDIMM-DIMM-/350428630200?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51972c8cb8 (2x4gb for $35)

SAS controllers are backwards compatible with SATA drives but you do lose some features.  Typically these servers take 10,000RPM laptop style drives, but you could whack in some 7200 or 5400 drives I suppose for more storage.

http://www8.hp.com/h20195/v2/GetDocument.aspx?docname=c04286057

If it has the ILO board in it, you can power it on and mess with the bios from another computer and do display and keyboard redirection to another client.

[Stonent]

https://erictsai.wordpress.com/2013/11/14/dl380-g5-windows-server-2012-r2/

That should help you with the windows 8 install. Server 2012R2 is basically Windows 8.1