X8DA3/X8DAi User's Manual

1-6 Power Supply

As with all computer products, a stable power source is necessary for proper and reliable operation. It is even more important for processors that have high CPU clock rates.

The X8DA3/X8DAi can accommodate 24-pin ATX power supplies. Although most power supplies generally meet the specifications required by the CPU, some are inadequate. In addition, the two onboard 12V 8-pin power connections are also required to ensure adequate power supply to the system. Also your power supply must supply 1.5A for the Ethernet ports.

Warning: To prevent damage to your power supply or motherboard, please use a power supply that contains a 24-pin and two 8-pin power connec- tors. Be sure to connect these power connectors to the 24-pin and the two 8-pin power connectors on your motherboard for adequate power supply to your system. Failure to do so will void the manufacturer warranty on your power supply and motherboard.

It is strongly recommended that you use a high quality power supply that meets ATX power supply Specification 2.02 or above. It must also be SSI compliant (For more information, please refer to the web site at http://www.ssiforum.org/). Additionally, in areas where noisy power transmission is present, you may choose to install a line filter to shield the computer from noise. It is recommended that you also install a power surge protector to help avoid problems caused by power surges.

1-7 Super I/O

The disk drive adapter functions of the Super I/O chip include a floppy disk drive controller that is compatible with industry standard 82077/765, a data separator, write pre-compensation circuitry, decode logic, data rate selection, a clock genera- tor, drive interface control logic and interrupt and DMA logic. The wide range of functions integrated onto the Super I/O greatly reduces the number of components required for interfacing with floppy disk drives. The Super I/O supports 360 K, 720 K, 1.2 M, 1.44 M or 2.88 M disk drives and data transfer rates of 250 Kb/s, 500 Kb/s or 1 Mb/s. It also provides two high-speed, 16550 compatible serial communication ports (UARTs). Each UART includes a 16-byte send/receive FIFO, a programmable baud rate generator, complete modem control capability and a processor interrupt system. Both UARTs provide legacy speed with baud rate of up to 115.2 Kbps as well as an advanced speed with baud rates of 250 K, 500 K, or 1 Mb/s, which support higher speed modems.

The Super I/O provides functions that comply with ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface), which includes support of legacy and ACPI power manage- ment through an SMI or SCI function pin. It also features auto power management to reduce power consumption.

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SUPER MICRO Computer X8DA3 user manual Power Supply, Super I/O
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X8DA3 specifications

Super Micro Computer, also known as Supermicro, is a prominent player in the world of computing hardware, particularly known for its high-performance server solutions. One of their noteworthy offerings is the X8DA3 motherboard, which is designed for dual-processor systems and caters to various applications, including data centers, cloud computing, and enterprise-level operations.

The Supermicro X8DA3 motherboard supports Intel's Nehalem and Westmere architectures, accommodating two LGA 1366 sockets for Intel Xeon processors. This setup allows for impressive computational power and scalability. The motherboard can support up to 192GB of DDR3 RAM across six DIMM slots, enabling high memory bandwidth essential for memory-intensive applications.

One of the standout features of the X8DA3 is its robust I/O options. It comes equipped with six SATA II ports and two SAS ports, allowing for flexible storage configurations. Additionally, the board supports a range of RAID levels, including 0, 1, 5, and 10, providing data redundancy and performance optimization. For enhanced connectivity, the motherboard includes dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, ensuring reliable networking capabilities which are crucial for server environments.

In terms of expandability, the X8DA3 features multiple PCIe slots, providing users with the ability to add various expansion cards such as graphics cards, network cards, or additional storage controllers. This flexibility allows companies to tailor their server setups according to specific needs.

Power management is another critical aspect of the X8DA3. It supports ATX power supplies and features advanced power-saving technologies that help in reducing overall energy consumption. This ecological consideration is particularly important for organizations looking to minimize their carbon footprint while maintaining optimal performance.

For thermal management, Supermicro incorporates a design that allows for efficient airflow and cooling, which is crucial for maintaining system stability during intensive workloads. The motherboard is also equipped with multiple temperature sensors that provide real-time monitoring, ensuring components operate within safe thermal levels.

Overall, the Super Micro Computer X8DA3 motherboard is a reliable and high-performance choice for businesses requiring a versatile and powerful computing platform. Its support for dual processors, extensive memory options, advanced storage capabilities, and solid expandability make it an attractive option for enterprise applications in today’s computationally demanding environments.
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