Experience in Assembling Server cases: As we all know, the case has never been placed in the most important position for PCS, but for servers, the status of the case is very high. It can be said that the quality of the case has a significant impact on the stability of the server to a certain extent.

What are the most important indicators to consider when choosing a 1U rack-mounted server chassis?

The most important factor is heat dissipation first and foremost - the quality of heat dissipation is the most crucial indicator when choosing a 1U case. If the heat dissipation is not good, everything else will be in vain. This issue was not very obvious in the P3 era. Generally, a 1U case only needed to add 2 or 3 fans and a P3 ultra-thin heat sink to solve the problem. However, we have now entered the high-temperature era of P4! My feeling is that after the main frequency of the P4 entered 2.8G, the temperature saw A significant increase. If the heat dissipation structure of the case is not carefully considered and the air path is scientifically designed, it is very difficult to avoid system crashes and component burnout. Especially for the P4 with new Prescott cores, such as P4-3.0E and P4-2.4A, the temperature can easily rise to 90 degrees! Nowadays, among the popular dual-core and quad-core models, there are quite a few with a single CPU power consumption of over 120W, so heat dissipation is even more of a problem (Editor). With such a strong hot core running in such a small volume of 1U, how can stability be talked about? So when it comes to heat dissipation, one mustn't be careless.

So, how can one distinguish the heat dissipation quality of a 1U computer case? For most compatible cases, it is impossible to make a cooling fan cover for a specific model of motherboard like brand server cases do.

If there is a wind shield in the case that is particularly suitable for a certain type of motherboard, it is certain that the compatibility of this case will be poor and it will not be suitable for more motherboard applications. Although the layout of motherboards cannot be said to be ever-changing nowadays, there are many types. As a case used for diy, it must have particularly good compatibility in order to meet the cooling requirements of most motherboards. This is precisely why well-known 1U rack-mounted server brands like Dell and HP can achieve excellent heat dissipation. The internal heat dissipation structures of their cases are specifically designed for a certain type of motherboard they use, without the need to consider whether this air duct design can be compatible with the heat dissipation of other types of motherboards. In fact, this approach is also reflected in some expensive imported 1U cases. Many imported cases and so-called high-end 1U cases are actually designed for certain high-end dual Xeon motherboards. If a PC motherboard is used instead, many components will be blocked in the wind path, resulting in very poor performance. Therefore, when buying a 1U server case, it is not the case that the more expensive the better. Instead, it is necessary to see if the 1U case has good compatibility in terms of heat dissipation design and can meet the heat dissipation requirements of various motherboards, especially PC motherboards, because many friends want to assemble a 1U super value server based on a PC motherboard.

The volume of the fan is the guarantee of the air path design

Since we don't look at the wind shield, then carefully examine the air path, that is, the cooling fan of the case. The main points to consider are the number, layout, air volume and quality of the fans. First of all, the number of fans is very important. Everything goes from quantitative change to qualitative change. Without quantity, qualitative change cannot occur. Therefore, the size of the air volume of the computer case is directly related to the number of fans, which is undeniable. Now there is a view that too many fans are useless as long as the air path layout is good. In fact, this is an outdated concept. It still made sense in the P3 era. But now it's long outdated. We are dealing with cpus that often cost tens or even hundreds of watts. Just having a good air path layout is not enough. Don't think about using some ingenious air path design to solve the problem with just one or two fans. Moreover, if there is even the slightest problem with the fans, your ingenious design could turn into a disaster. So, first of all, it is necessary to ensure there are enough fans before discussing the layout. For instance, in a 1,000-square-meter waiting hall, 30 fans need to be installed to meet the cooling needs of passengers, but only 5 fans are installed. The result is predictable. Without the guarantee of quantity, no matter how reasonable the air path layout is, it will not achieve the expected effect.

Will adding a fan put a burden on the power supply?

There is another claim that adding cooling fans will increase the burden on the power supply. In fact, this statement is incorrect. When there are more fans, the air flow inside the computer case will definitely increase accordingly. This is an objective fact. As for the increased burden on the power supply, there is no need to worry too much. As long as it is a high-quality server power supply with sufficient power, there should be no problem driving just a few fans with a few watts. Moreover, the internal temperature of the computer case has dropped, which is also very beneficial to the lifespan of the power supply. After all, the power supply is a major heat source. Currently, the mainstream 1U server cases on the market all have more than six internal cooling fans, which can generally support P4-2.X cpus well. Faced with the inevitable entry of P4-3.X into the mainstream market, domestic manufacturers and research institutions are also taking active actions. For instance, some domestic manufacturers have launched 1U server cases with ten fans that have excellent cooling effects. It adopts an imported large motor and a 40×28 copper core fan. The wind force is extremely astonishing. You can't see that terrifying gale feeling on a regular PC case.

There are also some that have taken a unique approach and are specifically designed for PC motherboards. They not only support P4-3.0E but also all AMD XP cpus, which has truly delighted friends who like AMD XP2500 +. Otherwise, it's really hard to support a CPU with high heat generation. Currently, the power of a high-frequency P4 has reached around 100 watts. Just think about how hot a 100-watt light bulb would be? Newspapers can be roasted.

Is a turbo fan necessarily good?

Here, I also need to mention that some friends are very superstitious about turbo fans, thinking that having a turbo fan in the computer case is fine. In fact, this is a misunderstanding. Due to design issues, the air volume of a turbo fan is slightly stronger than that of a direct-blowing fan. However, because the wind force of a turbo fan is overly concentrated, the heat dissipation inside the entire server is uneven, which can easily lead to too many heat dissipation dead corners. Nowadays, some JS fans in the market, in order to cater to consumers' psychology, refurbish old foreign turbo fans and use them at a very low price. However, when used in servers, it is really worrying. The authenticity can be seen from the price. Not to mention imported ones, even high-quality domestic turbo fans (with large diameters), even if ordered in tens of thousands, the factory price is no less than several dozen yuan. However, some low-quality cases only cost over 300 yuan including fans. If high-quality fans are used, just four fans would cost over 200 yuan. So, what is the quality of the case? How does js make money? Hehe, it's obvious at a glance what's going on.

Secondly, it is necessary to look at the layout of the fans. A good and scientific fan layout can quickly remove heat and bring in cold air. This mainly depends on the following aspects:

First, there should be a powerful enough fan for cooling near the motherboard, mainly blowing on the CPU and the motherboard chipset. It would be best if it could also blow on the memory and the motherboard power supply circuit to prevent the motherboard capacitors from bursting due to prolonged overheating.

Secondly, it is best to have cold air entering the fan, that is, cold air can be replenished from outside the case. This is particularly beneficial for the case's heat dissipation and is the key to cooling the CPU with a high main frequency. Many high-end cases do not have this feature, so a high price does not necessarily mean good performance.

Thirdly, it is best to have a hard disk cooling fan. Nowadays, large-capacity high-speed hard disks are becoming increasingly popular. You can try touching the surface of a large-capacity ide hard disk with your hand after your computer has been running for a period of time. You will find that the temperature is very high, even hot to the touch. Servers operate continuously for years without interruption. Running at such a high temperature, the hard disk is very likely to have read and write errors. Even component damage occurred. It is particularly important to note that you must choose a structure where the cooling fan and the hard drive are separated. Do not use the hard drive cooling fan sold on the market that is directly screwed to the bottom of the hard drive. Because the vibration of the fan will be directly transmitted to the hard drive. Nowadays, the rotational speed of hard drives has reached over 7000 RPM. Even a slight vibration will have an adverse effect on the hard drive. Moreover, this kind of vibration is continuous. If it lasts for a long time, the hard disk will be damaged. There are many such examples nowadays. So when we choose a 1U case, for the hard drive, it is best to select one with a hard drive cooling fan assembled based on the "zero vibration" principle. This not only cools the hard drive but also enhances the cooling of the motherboard and CPU.

Fourth, it is best to have a power-assisted cooling fan. Currently, in a 1U server, apart from the CPU, hard drive, and motherboard, the power supply is the main source of heat generation. In a space of just four centimeters in height within a 1U, a single power supply needs to generate over 300 watts of power, which generates an astonishing amount of heat. Moreover, due to space limitations, the heat dissipation is often not very good. Over time, The components of the power supply are prone to aging or even damage. Therefore, a dedicated cooling fan should be provided for the power supply inside the computer case. It is best to blow air directly onto the power supply rather than draw air from beside or behind it. The effect of direct blowing is indeed much better than that of drawing air.