DL360 G4P fan speed set to MAX: unbearable

[Jean-Pierre Marciniak]

Hi everyone,

We're about to field a DL360 G4P server to a customer but there's no way to set (back ?) the fan speed to Normal (no such choice in BIOS). It seems to be locked at full speed (thus, fixedpoint jet noise).

The customer can't accept that much noise in its office, so we're looking for a way out this disaster (no joke).

I've just read here a recent post about a similar problem with a G3 system, but what about the G4P?

Many thanks in advance for any help.

[Michael Richter]

hi JP,

the DL360/DL380 G3+G4 have Hardware based Fan Control. To be sure they're runnning at full speed check the SMH --> Environment --> Fan Speed

When u power on hte server, the Fan should run at 70-80% .. when switching to OS the Agents take control over the Fan Control

Please verify this first.

[Jean-Pierre Marciniak]

Michael,

Thank your for your help. I was indeed expecting some kind of control but I can't locate any "Environment" nor 3Fan Control" link from within SMH. The Agents I see are:

Integrated Agents
Protect Your Data (marketing hype)
HP Version Control Repository Manager

Other Agents
HP Insight Diagnostics
HP Network Configuration Utility

Management Processor
None

Other Software
HP Essentials Software

Does it require installing a specific agent, or yet another piece of software? I'm installing SMH from the SmartStart CD on a W2K3 Premium OS (MS CD). Sorry everyone for really dumb questions.

[Michael Richter]

please attach a screenshot from your SMH, it should be avaible at the right side of the screen, where the hardwarestatus is reported

there should be a point similar like 'environemt'

[Jean-Pierre Marciniak]

Michael,

Here's a screenshot of SMH as it shows up here.

Once again, sorry for bothering you and others with this.

[Michael Richter]

Hi,

seem you didn't configure the SNMP Settings to allow the communication from the agents.
Please select your SNMP Service and add the following communities.

PUBLIC [read] only
PRIVATE [read] and [write]

[Jean-Pierre Marciniak]

Michael,

You were right, SNMP wasn't correctly configured. Thank you for pointing this out.

But now that it is OK, SMH offers no way to change any fan setting. Both fan groups are reported as running at "Normal" speed. Screenshot is attached.

It just looks like if HP recently decided that for several blade server series like this one, fan speed should be internally fixed to High speed and reported as Normal speed, so as to avoid possible thermal problems.

Should it be the case, we have a costly problem here.

[Paul Bouzan]

I have this issue too. Although the fans kick in at full and then settle back to a lesser speed, the noise in this quiet office is really annoying.

How do we go about reducing the fans further so that I can find an acceptable noice level?

All help gratefully received

Regards

Paul.