Consumer motherboard with multiple CPU sockets?

[ricno]

I have a question, just out of curiosity. In servers there is quite common for the motherboard to support multiple cpu sockets, not just multi core CPU:s, but is there any consumer level motherboard with support for this?

If so, is there be special CPU:s that would be needed?

If not, is there any medium level motherboard available? For example if someone would want to build a server with this support?

 

[GhislainG]

Only specific Intel Xeon and AMD Opteron processors can be used on multi-processor motherboards. Therefore you need to buy a server motherboard which makes sense if one is building a server. You also need to buy server grade memory.

 

[ricno]

Thank you for your reply!

Only specific Intel Xeon and AMD Opteron processors can be used on multi-processor motherboards. Therefore you need to buy a server motherboard which makes sense if one is building a server.

Is it possible to buy a single server motherboard? Could you give the name of any such? Do you know the approximate price for a server motherboard?

You also need to buy server grade memory.

Do you know what is the difference between "ordinary" consumer memory and server grade memory?

 

[sepayne21]

just look for an atx form factor server motherboard on newegg. also, server memory is ECC. you will need either an opteron or a xeon to support multiple sockets. the 2XXX series opteron processors allow for "2" processors to be run on the 2 socket motherboard, and the 8XXX allow for at least 4 processors on a motherboard (I've never seen 8, but then again, I've never looked).

why are you wanting to have so much processing power? with the server type processors being so expensive, and the ability to have 6 core processors for pretty cheap, what are you wanting this for? I just would hate for you to waste your money.

 

[ricno]

why are you wanting to have so much processing power? with the server type processors being so expensive, and the ability to have 6 core processors for pretty cheap, what are you wanting this for? I just would hate for you to waste your money.

Thank you for your reply!

I am actually only asking of curiosity. It is very interesting to compare the parts in a consumer PC and in an server and find out what the differences are, and why servers are so expensive.

 

[GhislainG]

Is it possible to buy a single server motherboard? Could you give the name of any such? Do you know the approximate price for a server motherboard?

Absolutely. Look for server motherboards on Newegg; the price and specs are included.

Do you know what is the difference between "ordinary" consumer memory and server grade memory?

Server grade memory is ECC, etc. Newer servers can accept 192GB of memory or even more. Again look for server memory on Newegg.

 

[Quantu]

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16813121330

Above is a consumer level motherboard 😀

 

[GhislainG]

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16813121330

Above is a consumer level motherboard 😀

Agreed. And that older technology is no longer available.

 

[GhislainG]

Seriously, nobody would buy such a motherboard as it requires older Xeon processors and is limited to 16GB of RAM. I guess the RAM limit is what makes it a consumer level motherboard 😀

 

[Quantu]

But it was well named, and cool looking. .... and IS still available. 😀

http://cgi.ebay.com/INTEL-BOXD5400XS-DUAL-SKT-LGA771-EATX-MOTHERBOARD-/260573534974?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cab649afe

 

[Quantu]

Yup. And I found on ebay as well a qx9775, which wouldn't be half bad if there were two 😉

http://cgi.ebay.com/Intel-Core-2-Extreme-QX9775-3-2GHz-Processor-Skulltrail-/110547581973?cmd=ViewItem&pt=CPUs&hash=item19bd263c15