Server questions from a desktop user

[corvaxmuzzy]

I thought that this subforum would be the best fit for the questions (feel free to move it if I'm wrong).

I have spent the last few months, in my spare time, looking over (enterprise) server hardware information. I know what FC, HBA, SAS, PERC, PDU, VRM, 1U-4U, and 1 or 2 other terms mean. I could tell you (the variety of) processors, chipset, & RAM, of many modern HP, DELL, & Supermicro motherboards. I just have no hands-on knowledge.

I want get in on some server action!

The best way to answer these questions may just be for me to "just start buying & building," but I was hoping for some pre-trial help.

Will my server boot without a SAS backplane installed? Without I/O or VGA panels/cards installed?

I could list specific server boards, but I am really hoping for you to share general & specific knowledge. What do you know?

Does anyone have Fibre Channel lines in his house?

Anyone have links to (preferably LARGE) schematics of server mobos?

If my server has a SAS backplane, does that mean that there is no onboard controller?

If I have a PCI-E or PCI-X RAID controller, how is it connected to the SAS backplane?

If I do not use the specific fans for ________ board, will it start beeping (or otherwise bother me about my custom cooling?)?

I see no SAS/SATA plugs on this mobo itself, should I just go to sleep and let the grown-ups mess with servers?

 

[mv2devnull]

How about this: explain us some terms first -- "server" and "SAS backplane". Explaining to others tends to clarify things.

 

[rsutoratosu]

This will answer all your backplane questions.

Its usually used for server cases so you can hot swap the drives

If you dont use backplanes, basically you would get a cable like mini sas into 4 sata/sas cables
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/...&dgc=ST&cid=248711&lid=4318526&acd=s_pla_SO43

Backplane usually uses one of the many sas port standards sff 8087, 8484,

so many standards, depends on what you get or use