R550, noise is loud

Hi,

the difference in noise levels between your Dell PowerEdge R550 servers with 3.5" drive chassis (quieter) and 2.5" drive chassis (louder) is unusual but not unheard of. Here’s why this might be happening and how you can address it:

Possible Causes of Increased Noise

1. Fan Behavior in 2.5" Chassis:

   • The 2.5" drive chassis often has higher airflow requirements due to the denser arrangement of drives and components, which can cause the fans to spin faster even at "minimum" settings.
   • The 3.5" chassis typically has more space for airflow, reducing the need for aggressive fan speeds.

2. BIOS/iDRAC Firmware Differences:

   • The 2.5" chassis might be running a different firmware version that interprets thermal thresholds more aggressively, leading to higher fan speeds.

3. Thermal Sensors or Configuration:

   • The 2.5" chassis may have additional thermal sensors or stricter cooling profiles, causing the fans to ramp up even when the system is not under heavy load.

4. Hardware Variations:

   • The 2.5" chassis might include additional components (e.g., PCIe cards, storage controllers) that generate more heat, triggering higher fan speeds.

Steps to Reduce Noise

1. Verify and Adjust Fan Settings

• Check Current Fan Speed:
  • Log in to the iDRAC interface and navigate to Thermal > Fan Settings.
  • Confirm the fan speed is set to "Minimum" or "Low" (some iDRAC versions label this differently).
• Override Fan Speed Manually (Temporary Fix):
  • Use IPMI commands to force lower fan speeds (if your workload allows it):

    ipmitool raw 0x30 0x30 0x01 0x00  # Enable manual fan controlipmitool raw 0x30 0x30 0x02 0xff 0x30  # Set fans to 30% (adjust as needed)
    

  • Warning: This may cause overheating if the system is under load. Monitor temperatures closely.

2. Update Firmware

• Ensure the BIOS, iDRAC, and system firmware are up to date. Dell often releases updates that optimize fan behavior.
• Download the latest firmware from Dell's Support Site.

3. Check for Thermal Imbalances

• Inspect Airflow:
  • Ensure the server has adequate ventilation and no obstructions.
  • Verify that all drive bays are populated or filled with blanks (missing drives can disrupt airflow).
• Monitor Temperatures:
  • Use iDRAC or tools like ipmitool to check if specific components (e.g., CPUs, drives, PCIe cards) are running hotter in the 2.5" chassis.

4. Compare Hardware Configurations

• Review the hardware configurations of the 3.5" and 2.5" systems:
  • Are there differences in PCIe cards, storage controllers, or memory modules that could affect thermals?
  • Are the 2.5" systems running more power-hungry components?

Community Observations

• Some users have reported similar issues with 2.5" chassis being louder due to:
  • Higher RPM fans (though this is rare for the same server model).
  • Different default fan curves in the firmware.
  • Drive activity (2.5" SSDs or HDDs can cause more frequent fan spikes).

Final Recommendation

1. Start with firmware updates and fan speed adjustments.
2. Compare thermal data between the two chassis types to identify root causes.
3. If unresolved, replace Hardware  with your findings.

Let me know if you'd like help with specific commands or configurations!