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Posted:=20
2004-04-12
Written By: =
Rob=20
'DoGMaN' Parks
Price: =
$200 CDN=20
(Estimated)
Provided by: Yeong=20
Yang
![](3D"mhtml:file://D:\YY新首頁\web\review\TheCrucible_=)
Introduction
Buying the right parts for your PC only =
makes=20
sense. Buying the right parts for a =
server=20
can mean the difference between making or =
losing=20
thousands of dollars. When picking =
server=20
parts, you don't want to over look what =
may be the=20
most critical, and least thought about =
part. =20
The case. Choosing the wrong case =
could lead=20
you down the road to hardware =
failures. It=20
is very important to find a case with =
certain=20
thermal guide lines. Whether you =
want rack=20
mount, or pedestal that choice is =
yours.
With many choices =
available how do=20
you chose the right one for your=20
application? Well I can't answer =
that, but I=20
can show you the YY-W201 Pedestal Server =
case=20
from Yeong Yang. This =
particular case=20
is designed with the rigors of today's hot =
PCs and=20
hotter servers.
=20
I specifically requested =
the W201=20
for several reasons. The first of =
which is=20
the amazing configurability of this =
case. No=20
matter what your requirements the W201 is =
sure to=20
be able to fit your needs. By =
default (Type=20
A) the W201 has eight 5=BC" bays, =
Type B=20
converts three of these bays into five =
3=BD" hard=20
drive bays, with an 92mm built in cooling=20
fan. If you require something more=20
sophisticated, like RAID, the Type C =
configuration=20
can accommodate up to five hot =
swappable=20
drives in a single unit, or more with=20
multiple.
The W201 can also be =
converted from=20
pedestal (free standing) to 5U 19" rack =
mount with=20
the addition of a rack mount kit. =
Just in=20
case you change your mind, or while =
expanding your=20
network a rack comes into play. A =
very nice=20
option, rather than needing to rebuild the =
entire=20
machine.
Of coarse as with any PC =
heat is=20
always an issue. According to Yeong =
Yang and=20
Intel the W201 chassis passed all thermal =
and=20
mechanical compliance test guidelines for =
the=20
following Intel server boards: SE7500CW2,=20
SE7501BR2, SE7501HG2, SE7505VB2, and =
SHG2. =20
Within that list, there are some pretty =
heavy=20
hitting dual Xeon motherboards. For =
Intel to=20
recognize the W201 is quite an honor for =
Yeong=20
Yang.
Part of the reason the =
W201 performs=20
so well thermally is the 120mm exhaust =
fan. =20
This fan is located directly behind where =
the CPU=20
sockets would be. This helps to =
quickly=20
remove unwanted heated air from the case, =
due to=20
the processors. The case panels are =
louvered=20
to allow air to flow into the case from =
all sides,=20
and not just the front. The front =
bay covers=20
are perforated to allow air to move =
unimpeded into=20
the chassis. The door has a built in =
filter=20
to keep all the nasty dust from entering =
the case=20
and clogging up all those critical =
parts.
Our unit came as a Type C =
with five=20
hot swap SATA drive bays. On the =
rear of the=20
RAID module there is a 60mm integrated fan =
to draw=20
air from the outside of the case, and over =
the=20
drives. Since we all know cool =
drives live=20
longer this is an excellent addition.
The interior is extremely=20
spacious. Since all the drives are =
mounted=20
in front of the motherboard area, there is =
nothing=20
to get in the way. The tray is not=20
removable, but with the amount of open =
space, it=20
is not needed. Installation of even =
the=20
largest extended ATX motherboard should be =
a=20
breeze.
The W201 has seven =
expansion card=20
slots. For a server this is well =
more than=20
needed. It is nice to see that Yeong =
Yang=20
still includes full functionality in the =
W201,=20
rather than utilizing that space for some =
thing=20
else.
The W201 includes front IO =
ports=20
which is slightly odd in a server =
case. It=20
does make using a USB keyboard much easier =
though. I would hate to have to move =
this=20
case around often, it is quite =
heavy. On the=20
front IO panel you have four USB 2.0 =
ports, and=20
one head phone and microphone 1/8" DIN=20
jacks. Just in case you decide to =
listen to=20
music while playing with your server.☺
The design is completely =
modular.=20
Since the W201 is available for conversion =
to 5U=20
rack mount, which changes the orientation =
from=20
vertical to horizontal, Yeong Yang made =
the drive=20
bays and front IO ports convertible to =
accommodate=20
this change. The entire drive bay =
unit can=20
be rotated 90=B0 so =
that the=20
optical bays can stay in their proper=20
orientation. While most optical =
drives can=20
operate vertically, it is much easier to =
put discs=20
in when the drive is horizontal. You =
can=20
tell a lot of thought went into the design =
and=20
construction of the W201.
Specifications...
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