Experiences / 02
02 Inside the MachineInside the machine
Two processors, twenty-four memory slots, eight hot-swap drives, a fan wall and two power supplies, in a chassis about seven tenths of a metre deep. Take it apart, fail a drive, plan an upgrade, and see what each part costs to run.
Take it apart.
Drag to turn the server, use the slider to pull it apart, and select any component on the model or in the list. The panels beside it run a RAID array on the drive bays, plan a memory and storage upgrade, and compare the cost of reusing hardware with buying new.
IllustrativeThe 3D server is a generic dual-socket 2U reference design drawn for this page. It is not a model of any Dell product. Where the same parts appear in the PowerEdge servers we refurbish, the panel says so.
The interactive 3D view needs WebGL. Every component, specification and calculation is available in the panels beside it.
Select a component to see what it does, how it appears in the PowerEdge servers we refurbish, and what to check before buying one.
Show the math
Limits are typical published maximums for the R730 (24 DDR4 slots, 4 channels per processor, up to 1.5 TB). Final compatibility depends on processor, BIOS, module type and controller, and is confirmed in every written quote.
Prices and wattages above are placeholders for illustration, not market prices. Cooling overhead is 1.3× and the refurbished option carries a 15 percent spares reserve. Enter the quotes you actually have; the full instrument, with every formula, is in The Economics of Computing.
What each part does.
An enterprise server is a set of replaceable modules arranged around one idea: keep running while something is wrong. Almost every part on this list can be swapped without tools, and most of them without powering down.
- 01
Processors and heatsinks
Two sockets share the work and each owns half the memory. The heatsinks are passive: the fan wall pushes air through them, and the plastic shroud keeps that air from taking a shortcut. Remove the shroud and processors throttle.
- 02
Memory
Each processor drives four memory channels with up to three modules each. Bandwidth comes from filling every channel evenly, not from the biggest modules. A server with one processor can only use the slots wired to that socket.
- 03
Drives, backplane and controller
Hot-swap drives plug into a backplane, which cables to a RAID controller. The controller turns many drives into one volume, holds writes in a protected cache and rebuilds a replacement drive on its own.
- 04
Fan wall and airflow
Six hot-swap fans pull cool air in through the drive cage and push it out of the back. The management controller sets their speed from temperature sensors. Empty drive bays carry blanks so air goes where it is needed.
- 05
Power supplies
Two supplies share the load, and either can carry the whole server alone. Fed from separate circuits, a server survives a tripped breaker or a failed supply without noticing.
- 06
Management
A baseboard management controller runs independently of the operating system: remote console, power control, sensor logs and firmware updates over its own network port. On PowerEdge servers it is the iDRAC.
Where the parts come from.
The reference server shares its architecture with the Dell PowerEdge R720 and R730 we refurbish: two sockets, 24 memory slots, front hot-swap bays, a fan wall, redundant supplies. Earlier R610 and R710 platforms have fewer memory channels and DDR3.
| Platform | Memory | Bays | Management |
|---|---|---|---|
| PowerEdge R610 | 12 slots, DDR3, up to 192 GB | 6 × 2.5-inch | iDRAC6 |
| PowerEdge R710 | 18 slots, DDR3, up to 288 GB | 8 × 2.5-inch or 6 × 3.5-inch | iDRAC6 |
| PowerEdge R720 | 24 slots, DDR3, up to 768 GB | 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch chassis | iDRAC7 |
| PowerEdge R730 | 24 slots, DDR4, up to 1.5 TB | 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch chassis | iDRAC8 |
Typical published maximums for each platform family. Exact limits depend on processor, BIOS and module type, and every written quote states the actual configuration.
What we check, and what you should ask.
Refurbished hardware is only a bargain if the boring details are right. These are the questions worth asking any seller, including us.
- 01
Firmware and BIOS levels
Old firmware limits which processors and memory a board accepts and leaves security fixes unapplied. Ask which versions are installed and whether updates are included.
- 02
Drive health
Ask for power-on hours, reallocated sectors and, for solid-state drives, remaining endurance. Storage should be securely erased before it ships.
- 03
Memory type and matching
Registered and load-reduced modules cannot be mixed. Speed, rank and voltage should match the platform and each other.
- 04
Controller cache protection
A RAID controller's write cache is protected by a battery or flash module. A dead battery silently turns write caching off and costs performance.
- 05
Power supply pairing
Both supplies should be the same model and wattage, sized for the processors and drives installed.
- 06
Management licence and access
Remote console features depend on the management licence installed. Credentials and configuration should be reset to defaults.
- 07
Rails, blanks and bezel
Missing rails delay a rack install by days; missing blanks break the airflow design. Ask what ships in the box.
Each Penton Systems quote lists the actual configuration, condition description and what is included. A formal grading scale and warranty policy will be published once finalized.
Want one on your rack?
Send the platform, quantity and the build you planned here. We will confirm compatibility, source the parts and send a written quote.