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March 21st, 2017 00:00
Poweredge T320 ==> T420?
Quick question for the group at large...If I came across a T420 main board at (very) reasonable cost, would I be able to swap out the 'board in my T320, to take advantage of dual sockets/extra RAM etc?
System as it currently sits is a T320 running:
2 x 500Gb disks running Server 2012R2 in a mirror, off an H310 controller
8 x HGST 3.5" 4Tb Enterprise disks in the array (RAID6), off an H710P controller
2 x 495W redundant power supplies
iDrac7 Enterprise (will there be an issue with iDrac licensing if I put the dual-socket board in?)
48Gb RAM in a 6x8Gb config.
System isn't memory bound, but would like the option to add more as time goes on (and larger DIMM prices come down). Am more interested in potentially better processing grunt in moving to dual-socket, and possible 8/10-core CPUs down the track.
Again, this is just a question regarding the feasability of such a swap...It's clear that the T320 and T420 boards share a base architecture, and the specs show pretty close similarities in what is supported on each (exception being the T420's support for the 1100W redundant power supplies)...I just want to know whether there's anything I haven't considered in a potential "swap". (And yes, I have considered potential licensing implications in moving to a multi-socket 'box).
Any pertinent advice appreciated.
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Jewilliams2526
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June 19th, 2017 00:00
Any luck with this? Planning to do the same with my T320 if the connectors are all the same.
On-The-Move
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June 19th, 2017 05:00
Sorry, no. Not as yet.
TBH, the system as configured is fine for what we're doing with it, so I haven't pursued it particularly hard.
The other issue with using what is an entry-level departmental/workgroup server as a home file/print/media box, and trying to "customise" it, is that there is little support - or interest - in going outside the base specs on vendor forums such as these. (Rightly, to an extent, given the business focus of most similar boxes sold). As per the original post, I run my box with an H310 running a basic mirror (OS, 2 x 500Gb disks), and an H710P which controls the RAID backplane (8 x 4Tb disks in RAID6). Works perfectly, but is totally unsupported by Dell...
From what I've been able to glean, the M/B swap "should" work between the two cases/components. I suspect the issues will arise in iDRAC licensing/lifecycle control, and (obviously) any attempt to in-place swap-out/upgrade the machine to dual-socket from single, whilst running the existent O/S...
jhaa
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May 18th, 2021 18:00
I have done this, it does work. Just be sure you have a cpu that works with the basic bios to upgrade for v2 cpus. Everything else was plug and play besides resetting idrac for new board and a new system inventory cycle. Also make sure you have enough power to run both cpus without issue.