HP Proliant server too loud!

Goldy · 21 Dec 2021 at 15:53

I have a second hand ML350p Gen 8 HP Proliant server which is too loud for my small office, even when all 4 fans are idling.

It's replacing a small HP Microserver, which is near silent.

Is it possible to replace the fans for quieter alternatives? Or does someone have experience with bypassing a fan to bring the noise levels down?

TIA

joey1211 · 21 Dec 2021 at 16:01

Of any use?

https://community.hpe.com/t5/ProLia...tantly-stepping-up-to-100/m-p/7114435#M173277

andy_mk3 · 21 Dec 2021 at 16:04

I'm not so familiar with HP servers, but I know with some Dell servers you can adjust the fan speed via IPMI. Replacing the fans is not likely to be an easy task and will probably cause the server to have a right hissy fit.

Deleted member 77746 · 21 Dec 2021 at 16:24

There's a reason servers are kept in a sound proof closet.

On Holiday · 21 Dec 2021 at 22:09

Definitely possible as I've seen it done on a couple of HP servers.

HP don't use proprietary fan connectors as far as I know so you'd need some pin-out/connector modification. Noctua is the popular choice of replacement.
Just bear in mind that you're ultimately replacing enterprise 24/7 rated fans for consumer fans which are tested as strenuously so keep a spare

neil_g · 31 Dec 2021 at 22:20

I know 360 gen8 fans will ramp to 100% or the server will power down completely if one or more fans falls out of scope e.g. with rpm. Whether it ramps or powers down depends on number of fan failures per airflow path to each cpu socket.

I think the 350 gen8 hot swap fans are like a 92mm fan with 6 pin connector, whether you can get an adapter to a regular fan connector (and some sort of fitting adapter) and stop the server having a total freak out I am unsure.

jigger · 17 Jan 2022 at 14:11

Bouton Aide said:
There's a reason servers are kept in a sound proof closet.

This. Build a server closet.

Armageus · 17 Jan 2022 at 14:59

It's also worth checking that the firmware is updated (via HP SPP) as I seem to remember there being a few changes made to fan control in the Gen 8 Servers.

Additionally things like non-HP PCIe cards, can force the fans to run at full speed, so worth bearing in mind depending on what you are using.

With regards to mods, it will be something like this:
https://www.reddit.com/r/homelab/comments/g5f8hj/resolving_dl380_g8_fan_noise_mod_finally/

jfish · 3 Feb 2022 at 15:31

what ILO version, we had a Gen 8 doing this fans running at 100% and after I upgraded to the latest ILO 4 version (2.79) this fixed the issue.