PCI Express Risers, Additional Riser Restrictions

Dell™ PowerEdge™ R710 Technical Guidebook

B. PCI Express Risers

The two PowerEdge R710 PCI Express risers provide up to four expansion slots and one internal slot as follows:

•Two x8 and two x4 PCI Express Gen2 slots, connected to the IOH

•One x4 PCI Express Gen1 slot for internal storage, connected to the IOH

•Support for three full-height 9.5" long PCI Express cards and one full-height bracket, low-profile

PCB PCI Express card

•Support for field upgrading one slot (on the center riser) to a full-length 12.2" PCI Express card

•System supports 25W maximum power for the first two cards and 15W for the third and fourth cards

•The lower power support on the third and fourth cards is due to system thermal limitations

•An optional x16 riser to accommodate interface cards for external GPU boxes that supports a maximum power of 25W. Use of this riser reduces the number of PCI Express slots from four to three

C.Additional Riser Restrictions

•The riser connectors on the planar do not support plugging in a standard PCI Express card. Do not attempt this for troubleshooting.

•Two PowerEdge R710 risers must be installed or the system will not power up.

D.X16 Express Card Specifications

The PowerEdge R710 supports x16 cards that meet the following requirements:

•Standard height (4.376")

•Maximum length of 9.5" (Half-length cards are 6.6"; Full-length cards are 12.283")

•x16 cards can only plug into the optional PowerEdge R710 x16 left riser

•Support for full bandwidth of x16 Gen2 link

•No support for hot-plug or hot-removal

•Maximum power of 25W

•The PowerEdge R710 provides +12V, +3.3V, and +3.3Vaux in accordance with Power Supply Rail

Requirements (Table 4-1 of PCIe Card Electromechanical Spec, Rev 2.0)

•The PowerEdge R710 x16 slot is not compliant with the PCI Express x16 Graphics

150W-ATX Specification

•x16 cards must be compliant with the PCI Express Card Electromechanical Specification Rev 2.0

•x16 cards must only occupy the space of one slot. Cards that occupy the space of two slots are not supported

•The x16 card is limited to 25W initial start-up power until it is configured as a high-power device. If no value is set for the Slot Power Limit, the card is limited to 25W. The card must then either scale down to 25W or disable operation per PCI Express Base Spec Rev 2.0

•The x16 card must be able to support a maximum operating temperature of 55°C as defined in the Dell PCI Environmental Spec and the PCI Express Card Electromechanical Spec. The PowerEdge R710 provides a minimum transverse air velocity of 100 LFM (linear feet per minute) to the x16 card.

E.Boot Order

PCIe scan order (from the BIOS HW spec v1.0)

IOH port 1,2 (PCI Express Gen1 x4) – Broadcom BCM5709C Gigabit Embedded NIC #1 IOH port 3 (PCI Express Gen1 x4) – Broadcom BCM5709C Gigabit Embedded NIC #2

IOH port 4 in Bluefish or ICH9 port1-4 in Thidwick (PCI Express Gen1 x4) – Integrated PERC6i or SAS6i on the Riser 1

IOH port 5 (PCI Express Gen2 x4) – Slot 2 on Riser 1

IOH port 6 (PCI Express Gen2 x4) – Slot 1 on Riser 1

IOH port 7/8 (PCI Express Gen2 x8) – Slot 3 on Riser 2

IOH port 9/10 (PCI Express Gen2 x8) – Slot 4 on Riser 2

For PCI-e X16 optional left riser, IOH port 7,8,9,10 are combined into one x16 PCI-e slot.

R710 specifications

The Dell PowerEdge R710 is a highly versatile and robust server that has been a popular choice for businesses seeking reliable performance and efficient management. Launched as part of Dell’s 11th generation PowerEdge line, the R710 is designed to handle various workloads, making it ideal for virtualization, data analysis, and enterprise applications.

One of the standout features of the R710 is its support for dual Intel Xeon 5500 or 5600 series processors. This capability allows for substantial processing power and improved energy efficiency through Intel’s Nehalem architecture. The server can accommodate up to 128GB of DDR3 RAM across its 16 DIMM slots, delivering the memory capacity needed for demanding applications while also providing the performance enhancements of higher memory speeds.

The R710 also boasts an impressive array of storage options. It supports up to eight 2.5-inch or six 3.5-inch hard drives, which can be configured in various RAID levels for enhanced data protection and performance. The server is compatible with both SAS and SATA drives, providing flexibility for different storage needs. Additionally, the optional PERC (PowerEdge RAID Controller) allows for enhanced RAID configurations, ensuring data integrity and performance optimization.

In terms of connectivity, the Dell R710 comes equipped with four Gigabit Ethernet ports for high-speed networking. This connectivity facilitates effective communication in virtualized and clustered environments. The server is also built with optional iDRAC (Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller) technology, which provides administrators with advanced management capabilities, remote control, and monitoring features that simplify server administration, minimize downtime, and enhance overall productivity.

Thermal efficiency is another key characteristic of the R710. Its innovative cooling design features intelligent fans that optimize airflow based on workload demands, ensuring that the system runs at optimal temperatures while minimizing energy consumption. This contributes to reduced operating costs and a smaller environmental footprint.

The modular design of the R710 allows for easy upgrades and maintenance, making it a practical option for IT departments. The server’s support for various operating systems, including Windows Server and various distributions of Linux, ensures compatibility with diverse environments.

In summary, the Dell PowerEdge R710 is an enterprise-class server that balances power, flexibility, and efficient management features. With its dual-processor capability, extensive memory options, robust storage configurations, and advanced management tools, it remains a solid choice for organizations looking to streamline their IT operations and enhance performance.