Drive Performance on N40L MicroServer

[Joe_Miner 254]

I just recently completed installing 8GB of RAM in my new HP ProLiant N40L MicroServer.

 

I then flashed the modified BIOS from BIOS-MODS to my MicroServer.

 

Then I installed a Crucial M4 128GB SSD as my OS drive located in the space above the 4 drive bay and below the ODD bay in the MicroServer after clearing out the power cables there by re-routing them in the cable run on the side above the power supply. See pictures here of the SSD location. The SSD is running from Port 4.

 

After installing the SSD I loaded Server 2008-R2 Enterprise onto the MicroServer. That installation went very quick and surprisingly smooth.

 

Since then I've formatted the Original 250GB Segate drive (Port 0) that came with the Server and I will be in the process of adding more drives and adding the Hyper-V role.

 

I have an additional NIC I may install for the Hyper-V and I am thinking that with the use of a Dremel I could run a cable from the eSATA port (Port 5) to the ODD bay and have a 5th spindle drive up there -- still thinking about that one

 

Here are some pics of the performance of the SSD and the Stock Segate

 

 

 

And some pictures from my build of the MicroServer

 

 

The only glitch was taking out the SAS cable connector from the MB -- there were two hooks that would NOT release when I pressed the connector release -- I finally utilized the screwdriver shown above to bend the connector housing very slightly so that when I pressed on the release the hooks would actually release. The SAS connector in the picture is released and is mostly out of the MB housing. MB SATA port 4 connector is clearly visible just right of the battery and the MB USB connector is left of the battery.

 

 

in the photo above the 8GB of RAM is now installed ---

 

 

 

 

I thought this photo would be interesting -- you can see the SATA cable run as well as the other cables -- it's not necessary to unplug the MB power cable so I didn't.

[Joe_Miner 254]

I decided to try some additional drives I had to see how they perform in the MicroServer.

 

First I checked out the old Seagate 750GB System Drive that I had removed from my EX-487 last fall:

 

 

It's performance wasn't as good as the 250GB Seagate that came with the MicroServer.

 

Next I tried a WD20EADS that I am holding as a spare for my EX-487:

 

 

Actually, it's performance wasn't that bad.

 

I then tried a WD20FAEX -- a 2TB Black drive that is actually a SATA 6G/s though in the MicroServer it's connected to a SATA 3G/s:

 

 

Nice!

 

Wish I had a SATA 6G/s VR to test -- I suspect it's performance would be even better that the WD20FAEX since it's about 20% faster (10,000 RPM vs 7,200 RPM) so that should mean read/writes around 180 if it's truly scalable.

Edited February 19, 2012 by Joe_Miner

[pcdoc 114]

Impressive. Thanks for the detail.

[motorcycle 0]

What program are you using for the Disk Benchmark? I just put together a similar setup and would like to compare findings.

Thanks

[Joe_Miner 254]

What program are you using for the Disk Benchmark? I just put together a similar setup and would like to compare findings.

Thanks

 

I was using ATTO Benchmark.

[Joe_Miner 254]

Well, I couldn't leave good enough alone -- I decided to see if I could move a drive into my open ODD Bay on top of the MicroServer and tie it into Port 5 (the eSATA port). My OS SSD is still tied to Port 4 and is in the space between the ODD bay and the main 4 Bay below.

 

I decided I'd put my WD20EADS into the ODD bay and try it out as a Server back-up disk -- I wanted a green drive up there because the ODD is closed in and I wanted a drive that normally ran cool in that space.

 

The Drive installed without a hitch -- I used a splitter so that it shares it's power feed with the SSD below it.

 

It's performance is as follows:

 

 

Pretty much the same as before when it was located in the main 4 drive bay.

 

Here is it's location:

 

 

You can just make out the SSD OS drive below it (See the blue SATA cable and the blue Tape)

 

another picture of the installation:

 

 

Now came the really fun part of the evening. In a weak moment earlier in the week I had purchased a Seagate 3TB 7200 6GPS drive that was on sale at Newegg -- I was needing another 3TB so this fit the bill.

 

I installed the 3TB drive in the 4th drive bay (far right) in the main 4 bay which ment it was attached to SATA port3. The performance of this drive is SIMPLY AMAZING!

That is some drive! and this performance is with it attached to a SATA II or 3GPS port!!!!! I think I'm going to have to pull a 3TB WD drive out of my main Client to do a comparison in the near future!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jmwills 284]

Okay, where on the MOBO did you connect the 5th drive? I meant to say the 6th drive.

[Joe_Miner 254]

Okay, where on the MOBO did you connect the 5th drive? I meant to say the 6th drive.

 

The 2TB green in the ODD bay is plugged into Port5 which is the eSATA port -- so I had to run an eSATA to SATA cable from the back of the case into a hole at the expansion slot and up the inside of the case next to the Pwr Supply to the ODD bay -- it's the Red cable:

 

 

Here's another shot:

 

[jmwills 284]

Okay makes sense, but now I could see running one of the Icy Dock bays for either 2 x 2.5 drives or 3 x 3.5 drives in that upper bay. Would have to check the clearance on that second one.

 

I guess the only way to run a RAID card would be in 0 or 1.

[ikon 439]

Well, I couldn't leave good enough alone

 

One thing's for sure - no one can accuse of not trying to get the most out of a small server box That drive's performance IS pretty awesome.... congrats!