Dell PowerEdge R740 - Overview

Bob Pellerin "CTOBOB" unboxes a Dell PowerEdge R740. An enterprise-level server offers more storage space and higher core CPUs from Intel in a 2u case. This versatile workhorse is popular with hosting companies and larger corporations for a reason. Processing power, lots of ram, storage in a well-designed package. The R740 is a major refresh from the very solid R730 that it replaces. NVMe drives can be added since there is lots of room in this 2u case. You can also add a dual SD module to boot from and install such OSs as VMware ESXi 7.0 or 6.7 to turn this into a true virtualization powerhouse.
Bob looks shows the exterior and interior of the server as well as highlights the components.
As configured:
- Dual Intel® Xeon® Platinum 8180 (2.5GHz, 24C/48T)
- 256GB RAM
- Four 3.8TB SSD drives in RAID 10
- Dual 1100W power supplies
Features:
- 2u
- 2 CPU sockets
- 16 slots for RAM
- 1,2 or 3 drive bays holding 8 2.5 inch drives (SATA or SAS)
- Runs pretty much any modern operating system you can throw at it.
Build note: We increased the RAM after creating the video and added an NVMe drive used for testing.
---------------------------------------------------
►Visit Us Ctobob.com
►Subscribe bit.ly/2y71jrK
Bob Pellerin's first book (sci-fi):
Death of a Sanitation Engineer: www.smashwords.com/books/view...
---------------------------------------------------
*Purchases made from store links may give me some money.
(At No Additional Cost)

[@kingcrimson234]

I just ordered one of these for my homelab to replace an aging R610. It still works though, and before that I was using a 2950 for years. I also still have that one in storage and it still worked last time I turned it on which was recently.
These Dell servers are so reliable, I'll never use anything else. I keep my servers on 24/7/365 and they just run and run for years on a UPS with no issues as all.
Now at over 1000 days uptime with ESXi on the R610.

[@BobPellerin]

I love the R640. Great servers.

[@NiM44]

Hi Bob ,
could you please make some videos and explain about RAID and configuration storage in the right way?
Thanks. for the videos! Cheers

[@BobPellerin]

Good idea

[@kingcrimson234]

I always used enterprise SAS drives in RAID on my Dell servers, and they've been extremely reliable with zero failures.
Is there any downside to using consumer Samsung SATA SSDs this time when I get my R740? Can the PERC still properly detect drive failures with those? Any other concerns to be aware of?

[@BobPellerin]

Downside and considers are weak words as to my thoughts on the subject. I covered this in various videos. If you try, you get to learn new terms like RAID PUNCTURE. Stick to enterprise drives in RAID configurations (in my humble opinion)

[@dexter9459]

Hi Bob,
Would these be advisable to use as an homelab for eve-ng purposes ? also can this server be installed using the normal rack servers , it looks pretty long and big !!

[@BobPellerin]

These are full length and are meant for the larger racks. Keep in mind these are very noisy.

[@dexter9459]

@@BobPellerin thank you 🫡🫡🫡

[@el-piebernardo5998]

Where is the output audio port that model Dell R740

[@BobPellerin]

To the best of my recollection there is none. Most servers just run workloads. Audio isn’t usually necessary.

[@MulugetaTsegaye-yo8qx]

My quationn is is on r740 server can i get raid controller on fixf...

[@BobPellerin]

I’m not sure what you mean by Fixf. There are PCIx slots that can accommodate other RAID cards if you don’t want to use a daughterboard. Go look at the board layout.

[@assistantprogrammer1922]

Is it possible to add 2 GPU on R740?

[@BobPellerin]

Well, that's a rather general question. Depending on the configuration you ordered, you should have some PCIe slots available. If your GPU needs external power then that's a whole other issue. You'll have to check with Dell how that can be accommodated. I remember hearing of a partnership with NVidia for AI capabilities. There should therefore be SKUs with NVidia cards. Check the models offered as this would mean those have been tested and are approved for that model.

[@davidlee9074]

According to Dell, you can add up to three double-width GPUs or up to six single-width GPUs. Although bear in mind that all the GPUs must be the same model, and you need a specific set of Riser/PSU/Cooling configuration.

[@dupajasio4801]

Why not Epyc ?

[@BobPellerin]

It just happen to be what the project called for. We’ll try to do an Epyc video one of these days. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@choppergirl]

We got burned buying a 4u Itanium 2 server.
Unless it was in a server room at 40F, which we didn't have, so at room temperature it ran with fans at full blast which was noisy as h377.
It was all but 100% unusuable for anything at all from the noise alone. ProxMox won't run on it. Yeah don't buy Intel. EFI bios took forever to load, and we bought extra Itanium 2's for it but couldn't find the heatsinks.. anywhere.
I wouldn't buy any of your server recommendations without you powering them up, so I could verify they were quiet. Just saying. All the tech specs run down in the world don't matter unless I can hear the thing running... or rather... not hear the thing running... from the next room over.
BTW, those metal Kingston USB drives get super hot if left plugged in. Maybe not the best USB stick to leave permanently plugged in except in a place where you got all that server airflow. Not sure why, but I experienced it today having one in a desktop PC that somehow came out of sleep and was on for only an hour or two doing nothing.

[@BobPellerin]

Excellent points! All the clients and companies I work with have proper server rooms, so noise is never a consideration. It makes sense that I should mention the noise level in future videos. I think I complain of the noise in one video, but it was running next to me on my desk. LOL they sound like a vacuum when they boot up in most cases. Thank you so much for sharing your experience.