[Pc_Support] Nice S478 E7210 _server_ chipset Barebones kit for $115 ...

[Bryan J. Smith]

NewEgg.COM wants these older Intel SE7210TP1-E mainboards for $200.
CompGeeks.COM has them in a barebones kit for $115 (+$27 shipping).
  http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=SE7210TP1

Intel Technical Product Specification for the SE7210TP1-E is here (2.2MB PDF):
  ftp://download.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/se7210tp1-e/sb/tpsse7210tp1e20.pdf

The Intel E7210 is a 827210 MCH + ESB6300 ICH combination, an
entry-level, but _true_server_ chipset with PCI-X, as well as a
bridged GbE on the MCH (see below).  It's Socket-478 supporting
Celeron/Pentium-4 2.0-3.2GHz -- which cost $20-40 these days.

The 827210 is like a _professional-grade_ i875 "northbrige", only
designed for servers, with standard unbuffered (non-registered) 2.5V
DDR DRAM (supports both non-ECC and ECC).  But unlike the i875, it
offers a "specialized" bridged PCI64 to its 82457EI GbE MAC (with
40KiB SRAM).  That's a nice GbE on-board not contending for any
PCI/PCI-X and it supports up to 16KiB Jumbo Frames.  [ SIDE NOTE:
There is also a 10/100 FastE MAC as well, but it's connected to the
standard PCI 32-bit/33MHz ]

But the ESB6300 is really where it differentiates itself from the
standard ICH5 "southbridge" that you find on the consumer i845/865 or
professional i875.  The ESB6300 has a _full_ PCI-X/66MHz bus in
addition to the common PCI 32-bit/33MHz.  On this board, that is (3)
PCI-X/66MHz slots, plus (1) PCI 32-bit/33MHz.  Be _warned_, the PCI-X
slots are not only 3.3V-only (32-bit PCI cards are 5V), but you
can_not_ run it at 33MHz (your PCI/PCI-X cards _must_ be 66MHz
capable**).

The only kicker/bottleneck is that the MCH-to-ICH interlink is only
266MBps, so you'll _never_ get the full 533MBps of any PCI-X/66MHz
card.  But it's still a crapload better than a desktop mainboard --
especially since the GbE is on the MCH (and not the ICH).

It also has an on-board management processor, although it appears to
be a "lightweight" one at that (not a true "lights out" MP?).  I
haven't looked up what management agents are available for Linux (if
at all), it's a NatSemi IC.

-- Bryan

PS NOTE:  Despite first apperances, this mainboard does _not_ take a
24+4 ATX 2.0 power supply.  It takes _either_ a 20+4-pin ATX12V (the
most common ATX 1.0) _or_ a 24+8-pin EPS12V (the 24-bit is slightly
different than ATX 2.0, and the 8-pin is the SSI EEB "Server"
connector).  If you use the ATX12V option (which this kit comes with),
your power is limited, although it should be fine for this
uni-processor mainboard.  I don't know where EPS12V would be
necessary, except for maybe lots of on-board processing.

**NOTE:  The only reason I haven't bought this is because my older
3Ware Escalade 7800 PCI64 only does 33MHz (even though it's 3.3V with
5V tolerance).  It won't work in the PCI-X slots, and I'm not putting
it into the PCI 32-bit/33MHz slot (even though it is 5V tolerant, not
enough I/O-DTR IMHO ;).  But if you have any newer 3Ware Escalde
7506/8506 product (or 9000 series for that matter), it works just
fine.  I'm tempted to still buy it for my NetCell SR5000 though (which
is a 3.3V PCI64/66MHz).