Cooling

High server performance and reliability through optimal cooling

If servers are to perform at their best in continuous operation under heavy loads, cooling is crucial. Almost all installed components generate waste heat, which must be reliably removed and transported out of the chassis to ensure an ideal operating temperature. Inadequate cooling can affect a server's performance, as protections built into processors, for example, can limit the clock frequency if temperatures are too high. In addition, a persistently high temperature can reduce the lifespan of various components and lead to server failure. Depending on the server model and configuration, systems are equipped with CPU heatsinks and chassis fans optimised for the chassis format and computing performance.

• CPU heatsinks

The CPU cooler is a heat sink mounted on the motherboard's processor socket to dissipate the processor's heat through a highly conductive contact surface. A thin and evenly applied thermal compound compensates for minimal surface unevenness. Integrated heat pipes transfer the absorbed heat to the fins of the heatsink, which dissipate it to the ambient air inside the chassis. Depending on the performance class, CPUs (central processing unit) have a specified thermal dissipation power (TDP), expressed in watts. This specification is used to facilitate the selection of a suitable heatsink with sufficient cooling capacity. Therefore, when upgrading the processor with a more powerful chip, it is often necessary to replace the CPU cooler with a model that offers the appropriate performance. It should also be noted that processor sockets from different server generations usually support different mounting brackets. Suitable CPU heatsinks are available in different performance classes for server models from various manufacturers, including HPE, DELL, Lenovo and Fujitsu, and the technical documentation for the systems contains detailed information on processor and heatsink compatibility.

• Chassis fans

High-performance chassis fans are used to remove warm air from the server chassis. These generate a constant flow of air that passes over the heat sinks of processors and other components such as memory, network cards, graphic cards and controllers. The waste heat is removed from the chassis. Depending on the server model and performance class, the fans vary in size and rotational speed, which has a significant impact on the achievable airflow and operating noise. In addition, electrical connections and mounting vary by manufacturer and generation of server, so it is important to refer to the server manufacturer's technical documentation when selecting chassis fans for HPE, DELL, Lenovo and Fujitsu systems. To make replacing a faulty fan as straightforward as possible, many servers support the use of hot-swap chassis fans. This allows the fan to be replaced while the server is running, without having to shut it down. In addition, chassis fans are often designed to be redundant. A fan module contains two fan wheels, which means that even if one fan wheel fails, airflow can be maintained until the module is replaced. As chassis fans are subject to wear and tear from continuous operation, stocking compatible spare parts for quick replacement is an important factor in optimising a server's cooling.

Buy refurbished server cooling components at affordable prices from ServerShop24

High demands on the computing power and reliability of server systems can only be met with cooling that is adapted to the waste heat generated. The availability of suitable spare parts is therefore an important factor for stable continuous operation with consistently high performance. Used and carefully tested CPU coolers and chassis fans from our online shop are often an ideal alternative to new hardware, offering excellent value for money and good availability to ensure proper cooling for a wide range of server models.
Since 2010, we are your reliable partner for professionally refurbished used servers, storage systems, workstations and network equipment. We also offer CPU heatsinks and chassis fans as spare parts or upgrades for many server models from well-known brands. Fast shipping from our warehouse means short delivery times, so you can get the equipment and server components you need, even in urgent cases. If you have any questions about products or your order, our competent and friendly support team will assist you. Contact us - we will take care of your request!