We have an IBM x3650 M4 and it is on the certified server list. When I install the GRID is interferes with the air dam, and the air dam cannot be seated. My vendor says that IBM does not have a modified air dam for this. Has anyone run into this issue before? Thanks
Barry,
Did you purchase the server all as one "kit"? Or did you buy the cards afterwards? IBM may have a specific kit to adapt or maybe a replacement air dam all together.
I purchased the card after. My vendor said there was a kit but what I received was a riser card and 900 watt power supplies. My vendors IBM (now Lenovo) contact said there is no modified air dam, but they were still trying to contact Lenovo engineers who they said were all at a conference. I will try reaching out to IBM myself.
I did extensive research and found some good info on the PCI riser cards, and how to configure them, and the GRID did fit after I took a second look.
Good evening, Barry. I know it’s been a while since your original post, but do you happen to remember the FRU number of the kit you purchased? I may need to stand up a small, GPU backed proof-of-concept environment on a shoestring budget (hence the now old IBM x3650 M4 I’d be using), and would like to search the internet for the aft mentioned kit to see if any are still available for sale.
Thank you for your time.
I would suggest to have a look on Tesla P4 for a PoC with non certified hardware might be the best chance.
For sure this is not recommended and on your own risk…
Regards
Simon
Thank you, Simon. I appreciate the tip.
Agreed! The P4 is an awesome card, with very close to the same capabilities of one of the M60 engines, and requires no active power or cooling (just adequate airflow). We have a fair number of these P4 units and have been very pleased with them.
Hi Tobias. Thank you for your post.
Yes, I would love to get my hands on a P4! Unfortunately, I don’t have the budget for that. Equally unfortunate is the fact that, technically, the cheapest Grid card (for vGPU) the IBM x3650 M4 officially supports is the K2, which, according to IBM/Lenovo, requires "active" cooling due to the design of the chassis.