Isolated blade server operation [M600]

Question

Hi all,

I'm rather new to server operations and hardware, so please forgive me if I'm slow at picking up things.

I'm currently doing a project that requires me to operate the M600 blade server isolated.

http://www.dell.com/us/dfb/p/poweredge-m600/pd

What this project entails is me running the server for arbitrary purposes to generate heat within a sealed chamber while I operate a cooling system I designed to retrieve results.

As far as I know, a blade server generally operates within its chassis which holds many other components like the power supply.

I'd like to know if I am able to isolate a singular blade server to operate within my chamber.

If it is possible, what are the other components I might need aside from the power supply?

Also, are these components specially designed and customized by Dell for its chassis, or am I able to grab them off the shelves commercially?

I'm really very new to servers, so sorry if I appear really ignorant about them.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Daniel My · Answer

Hello

I don't know of a way to operate a blade without the chassis it is designed to work with.

All of the power and cooling is provided by and managed by the chassis. All of the I/O connections from the rear of the blade connect to a fabric on the chassis and are routed to I/O devices connected to the chassis. Without the chassis you will have no power, cooling, or I/O aside from the front connectors on the blade unit.

Also, are these components specially designed and customized by Dell for its chassis, or am I able to grab them off the shelves commercially?

As far as I know it is proprietary. The iDRAC on the blade and the CMC on the chassis work in tandem to provide power and cooling to the blades. A blade will not power on if either the CMC or iDRAC are missing or not functional.

I'm really very new to servers, so sorry if I appear really ignorant about them.

It may be possible to get a blade running without a chassis, but it would require someone with more knowledge on the subject than either of us.

Thanks

toiletmirror · Answer

All of the power and cooling is provided by and managed by the chassis. All of the I/O connections from the rear of the blade connect to a fabric on the chassis and are routed to I/O devices connected to the chassis. Without the chassis you will have no power, cooling, or I/O aside from the front connectors on the blade unit.

As far as I know it is proprietary. The iDRAC on the blade and the CMC on the chassis work in tandem to provide power and cooling to the blades. A blade will not power on if either the CMC or iDRAC are missing or not functional.

Hi,

Thank you for the quick reply.

So if I understand this correctly, assuming I am able to get, as well as connect, an iDRAC and CMC corresponding to ones that should reside in the M1000e chassis, I should be able to run this blade outside the chassis?

It may be possible to get a blade running without a chassis, but it would require someone with more knowledge on the subject than either of us.

Do you happen to know where I might be able to find one who has expertise in such servers that I could ask for help from?

Thank you

Daniel My · Answer

So if I understand this correctly, assuming I am able to get, as well as connect, an iDRAC and CMC corresponding to ones that should reside in the M1000e chassis, I should be able to run this blade outside the chassis?

It would be easier to just acquire the chassis and power on the blade correctly. The iDRAC is a component that is already in the blade. The CMC is a component in the chassis.

Do you happen to know where I might be able to find one who has expertise in such servers that I could ask for help from?

No, this is not something we will assist with.

Thanks

PowerEdge Hardware General

Isolated blade server operation [M600]

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