Web Servers Getting Naked, For Weight Savings

1sockchuck writes "Cloud computing is causing servers to get naked. HP today announced a 'skinless' server optimized for customers packing thousands of servers into cloud or HPC environments. This follow the lead of SGI/Rackable, which ditched the cover when it introduced bare bones servers for its CloudRack (previously discussed here). HP says the skinless design makes servers far lighter, which is apparently an issue when shipping them by the rackload."

Wait...

[gbarules2999]

Naked doesn't quite equal skinless, unless you're saying that you're naked of skin. Or...?

Is the Airflow OK?

[Philip_the_physicist]

This makes sense, since the dust should already be filtered, which removes a large part of the need for a case. However, I do wonder about the airflow, since an ordinary case helps to direct the airflow through the kit rather than over the top, which might be a problem. On the other hand, without a case, the ventilation will be much better, so what is lost on the swings may be gained on the roundabouts.

This is a nice idea though, and would make sense for rackmount routers/switches, since these usually sit in an enclosed cupboard anyway.

bTW: first?/p

This is similar to an old school BBS trick

[Optic7]

My friend used to run a BBS way back when, and he told me he would just hang the motherboards and other components on a pegboard on the wall. Similar idea, but I think he was doing it to save money on cases and possibly to save space as well.

I've been thinking (and saying) this for a long

[Datamonstar]

... time. It's cooler, faster, lighter, cheaper and better for the environment and it looks a hell of a lot bad ass when you open up a system that's got it's guts exposed and just start hot-swappin' like a mofo. Sad thing is that it's driven by $$$$ and the need for companies to shave even a few pennies off their TCO when I've been doing it to my systems for years now for the above-state reasons.

It would be awesome if...

[egcagrac0]

They added a 12V only power supply and a 12V battery, integrating the UPS as well. All the 12V stepdown can happen on the mainboard!

Totally OK if the battery is an optional replacement for the second hard drive.

Re:Is the Airflow OK?

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

You might want to RTFA a little more closely: The fans in the second picture are embedded in a larger chassis, into which the module in the first picture is inserted. There are no fans in the server modules. There are fans, and power, provided by the larger enclosure into which they are inserted. I was wrong to speculate that it was full rack(the z6000 enclosure is only 2u, for reasons I can't quite fathom); but the thermal performance of the bare server does, indeed, depend quite closely on the enclosure into which it is inserted, just as I speculated.

Re:It would be awesome if...

[metallurge]

It has seemed to me for some time that there would be a market for somebody to manufacture a little VRM module that plugged into the ATX motherboard connector, and had two screw terminal inputs to hook up, say unregulated +12/24/48V as from say solar panels or batteries. A more deluxe model could also have auxiliary outputs for CDROM/HDD/FDD/VIDPWR connectors.

Re:I've been thinking (and saying) this for a long

[adolf]

Right. But in cases when the heart needs stopped, there's a heart lung machine [wikipedia.org] plumbed into place in order to take over for it. And if anything stops for any real length of time, the patient dies.

It's like rebuilding a Harley motor, with no battery, without losing the radio[1] presets, and while maintaining a functional and running (if substitute) driveline the entire time, while ensuring that nothing ever stops because if it does, the bike will die. And then, all the kings horses and all the kings men, won't be able to put Harley together again.

But that's simply too wordy for a punchline. Especially when the original was so concise and to the point.

[1]: I don't know why Harleys are so often equipped with radios, but they are, so there.