Liquid Blade Brings Immersion Cooling To Blade Servers

1sockchuck writes "In the past year we've seen several new cooling systems that submerge rack-mount servers. Now liquid immersion cooling is coming to blade servers. Liquid-cooled PC specialist Hardcore Computer has entered the data center market with Liquid Blade, which features two Intel 5600 Xeon processors with an S5500HV server board in a chassis filled with dielectric fluid. Hardcore, which is marketing the product for render farms, says it eliminates the need for rack-level fans and room-level air conditioning. In recent months Iceotope and Green Revolution Cooling have each introduced liquid cooling for rack-mount servers."

Upholding Moore

[MacGyver2210]

Do we really NEED liquid cooled servers in datacenters? Is this just our feeble attempt to validate Moore's Law despite diminishing returns on smaller process size and core multiplication...?

What the hell am I talking about? Of COURSE we need them!

serviceability

[arabagast]

How hard is it to say; change a disk in one of the submerged nodes ? or fix a loose ethernet cable ? If the nodes are separated in compartments, and you could isolate and drain one while servicing it, this would be really nice indeed.

Re:serviceability

[Anonymous Coward]

you could connect disks with esata?

Re:serviceability

[GreatBunzinni]

That's exactly what got my attention. In the article, the CTO of hardcore computer is quoted as saying that "Our Core Coolant is 1,350 times better than air, by volume.". I don't know how that works out in energy spending when compared with air but if it has a linear relationship with the energy cost of cooling, I really doubt if the hypothetical energy savings can bring a net positive when considering the additional cost associated with meddling with the hardware, whether by maintenance or by hardware upgrades. After all, this slashvertisement is oh so keen in lauding the qualitative and subjective advantages of this toy but it doesn't even come near presenting the costs associated with forcing your company to be profoundly dependent (if not held hostage) of hardcore computer for support, maintenance of both hardware and cooling rig and upgrades.

Re:serviceability

[obarthelemy]

it's mainly bullshit. my guess is, he's talking about the ability of the liquid to retain heat, which is nice and all, but you've got to get that heat in, and then out. basically, you're adding one motor (thing still needs a fan somewhere, plus the water pump), lots of tubing, liquid... i wouldn't use that in my home PC, let alone in a server room.

Re:Or you would get a raise.

[jetole]

Well I didn't say I would buy it from them but then again I might. Fact is I won't buy it though till I know the big dogs are supporting it and economically speaking, by the time it's adopted by trusted firms, well it's reasonable to assume that the cost of the technology itself may have dropped to the point where the firms who charge more for it will probably be cheaper then what it costs now when it's a new product since prices are almost always higher when a new technology has been released and hasn't been widely adopted yet.