Installing extra memory - HP ProLiant ML330
Why upgrading the memory ?
The standard memory configuration is not sufficient for use of the ProLiant server as a server. 2 GB's is absolutely not enough when you want to do some virtualisation or for running other heavy applications.
To reduce costs, we've chosen to install "standard" "consumer" memory.
Which memory do we need ?
The HP server supports the following memory DIMMS:
- Unregistered/Unbuffered Memory DIMM's
- ECC UDIMM's : rarely exists
- UDIMM's : The common type of consumer memory
- Registered/Buffered Memory DIMM's : This memory provides extra integrity
- ECC RDIMM's
- RDIMM's
In this case; the server machine is for testing purposes only. so we won't need expensive RDIMM's. We'll just take the cheap UDIMM's.
How much do we need ?
as much as possible:
The motherboard has 3 tri-channels this means that there are 9 memory slots.
To highest amount of UDIMM memory you can install is 12 GB ( 6 x 2GB ). This is far less than the amount of RDIMM memory (144GB ECC RDIMM's in 18 slots) that you can install. As you can see the maximum memory amount per slot is 2GB and you can only use 2 of these three memory channels.
Selecting the right memory
You need to select the following specifications :
- DDR3 : The server only supports this type
- 1333MHz ( = type PC10660 ) or higher should work too but is more expensive... you'll probably be able to decrease latencies when using faster memory.
- tri-channel in order to have 3 DIMM's that are perfectly in sync
- 2GB / UDIMM ( the maximum that is supported for UDIMM's )
- Max. 6 UDIMM's ( the maximum )
...so I've found the following :
Kingston HyperX 6 GB DDR3-1333 Tri-Kit (Light-Retail, KHX1333C7D3K3/6GX, Genesis, XMP)
I've ordered 2 - tri-channel kits @ http://www.alternate.nl
Check if the memory configuration will be supported by the HP server using the HP memory configuration tool:
Installation
Now, fingers crossed...
Yep, it works fortunately !
...altough I've received errors from the BIOS. it says...
... 207-Invalid Memory Configuration - Unsupported DIMM In Processor 1 Socket 3. This DIMM does not support thermal monitoring. A less efficient cooling solution with fans running at higher speeds will be utilized to allow the system to operate with this DIMM installed. 207-Invalid Memory Configuration - Unsupported DIMM In Processor 1 Socket 2. This DIMM does not support thermal monitoring. A less efficient cooling solution with fans running at higher speeds will be utilized to allow the system to operate with this DIMM installed. 207-Invalid Memory Configuration - Unsupported DIMM In Processor 1 Socket 6. This DIMM does not support thermal monitoring. A less efficient cooling solution with fans running at higher speeds will be utilized to allow the system to operate with this DIMM installed. 207-Invalid Memory Configuration - Unsupported DIMM In Processor 1 Socket 5. This DIMM does not support thermal monitoring. A less efficient cooling solution with fans running at higher speeds will be utilized to allow the system to operate with this DIMM installed. 207-Invalid Memory Configuration - Unsupported DIMM In Processor 1 Socket 9. This DIMM does not support thermal monitoring. A less efficient cooling solution with fans running at higher speeds will be utilized to allow the system to operate with this DIMM installed. 207-Invalid Memory Configuration - Unsupported DIMM In Processor 1 Socket 8. This DIMM does not support thermal monitoring. A less efficient cooling solution with fans running at higher speeds will be utilized to allow the system to operate with this DIMM installed. Advanced Memory Protection Mode: Advanced ECC Support Redundant ROM Detected - This system contains a valid backup system ROM Inlet Ambient Temperature: 23C/73F
After this screen, the BIOS Memory testing screen comes up. This should happen every time you've changed the memory configuration. It keeps saying "testing memory for Processor 1 ..." after half an hour without seeing any progress, I've rebooted the machine and it came up without a problem. There is just some extra noise from the cooling fans.
Unfortunately you can't do anything about this noise.
...Or you should by some other memory: RDIMM memory prices have been decreasing very fast since half 2011:
at this moment, 12GB ( 3x4GB ) of DDR3 RDIMM memory costs about 150 €. Take for example the "Kingston Triple-Channel-Kit KVR1333D3S4R9SK3/12G".
"R" in the serial number of the Kingston RDIMM's stands for "Registered".
"S" stands for "Sensor". This means that a thermal sensor is placed on the memory dimm. This is good news because it enables the HP server to measure the temperature and this way it is not necessary to run the fans at full speed anymore !
more information about the Kingston RAM part numbers :
+32 496 36 00 11
