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Powering on s2600bp models.... going crazy here.

mmarcus44
Beginner
1,989 Views

I was told that you can in fact power these server boards independent of any Intel chassis or additional accessories.

The intel configuration guide also states that it is possible to have non Intel chassis or customized setups to use these boards, but are very vague about how to do so.

Assuming that only 4 things are required to make this work under normal conditions (server board/bridge board/backplane board/control panel aux board) how is it possible to bypass all that and just use the main board directly?

The s2600bp has some parts that are identical to the s2600kp generation (FH2000FPANEL2 / FHW12X35HS12G). Also, parts that seem identical, have different part numbers (AHWBPBGB vs FHWKPTPBGB). What's confusing is that the older generation also has parts that the new gen doesn't (AHWKPTPBOB).

My gut feeling tells me that the AHWKPTPBOB is in fact that magic part that can allow me to power the unit on without all those other accessories. In the configuration guide it states that it is a break out board accessory providing additional SATA ports for board only customers.

What is most confusing to me is how can something as essential as powering it on be cryptic and completely undocumented? I'm not the only one with this situation, I have contacted over 10 different ebay sellers that are selling these boards and all of them are also confused as how to power the unit on, actually some of the sellers are selling it for this very reason.

So here are my concerns:

- How can I power the board on without using all those unnecessary accessories?
- Are there special pins that need to be shorted to power on?
- Is the AHWKPTPBOB the part I need to bypass everything and turn it on?
- Can the AHWKPTPBOB be used on the s2600bp models? (the pin layout and sizing is identical to the AHWBPBGB)

Please take a look at my diagram attachment and help me figure out how to bypass everything and just power it on.

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12 Replies
Wanner_G_Intel
Moderator
1,961 Views

Hello mmarcus44,

Thank you for posting your question on this Intel® Community.

When developing a custom system using board only server board SKUs, our recommendation is that you review the section 7 Server Board Connector and Headers of the Technical Product Specification. This section contains detailed information about the power connectors and the requirements to make your setup functional depending on your needs.

Regarding the compatibility questions for newer systems, what we can recommend is that you review the Intel Tested Hardware and Operating System List (THOL) for Intel® Server Board S2600BP Product Family. Some of the components described on this thread have not been tested for newer systems.

Intel Tested Hardware and Operating System List (THOL) > S2600BPB, S2600BPQ, S2600BPS
https://serverconfigurator.intel.com/exodus/page?eventType=11&targetPageId=120203011&defaultFlag=1

To give you an example, I exported a file with the tested components for S2600BPB (IntelTHOL_513014).

If you need additional information, please share with us more details about this project you are currently working on, and I will be glad to continue assisting you.
If possible, please confirm the number of systems you are planning to set up.

Wanner G.
Intel Customer Support Technician

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mmarcus44
Beginner
1,949 Views

Thank you for your reply. I have 248 systems that need to be deployed.

I need a more efficient way to power on and test the units prior to installing them into their chassis.
Some are intel chassis, some are customized chassis that do not have the intel components.

I must emphasize that I have read the documentation very thoroughly, especially section 7.
Unfortunately the entire section does not have any information about the "requirements to make your setup functional depending on your needs"

All section 7 discusses is what headers are there along with their signal names, and even then, the signal names are not always named in a standard convention which often has you guessing what it's for.

Let me explain to you why this is not useful:

- The s2600bp docs state that a bridge board is required to power the unit on, but if a bridge board is only responsible for sata, which is optional, then why does it have this useless requirement to add a long invasive board that provides absolutely no use, nor does it have anything to actually do with power?

- If there is a front panel aux connector, then why isn't something as important as this listed as "required" when clearly it offers more use than the bridge board?

- Why is there a device for the older s2600kp boards  (AHWKPTPBOB) that seemingly does bypass the bridge board entirely, but not available for the s2600bp?

- Where does it state anywhere in section 7 the wiring diagram / components necessary to get a server board running on it's own in an independent manner?

My requirement is extremely simple, I just want to be able to have a server board function independently of any other components (except the power pins obviously).

The board is clearly a fully functioning computer system, with its own ram slots, cpu's, ethernet, nvme storage slots.... it does not need any other items to be powered on and used, yet it seems that the way it is designed is to be dependent on items that are not essential by any means.

Can you please just tell me what is required to get this board working on it's own?
Can the answer be as simple as providing it power and shorting some pins?

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IntelSupport
Community Manager
1,932 Views

Hello mmarcus44,


Thank you for providing detailed information about your inquiry.


Please allow me to do further research. I will update this thread soon.


Wanner G.

Intel Customer Support Technician


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IntelSupport
Community Manager
1,904 Views

Hello mmarcus44,


I would like to confirm that powering on the server board without a chassis is not a supported configuration.


For reference purposes, you can review the section 7.1.2 Backup Power Control Connector. However, this is for non-Intel Chassis.


7.1.2 Backup Power Control Connector A 1x8-pin backup (or auxiliary) power connector on the server board is used for power control when used in a non-Intel Chassis. Connector pins 7 or 8 (defined in the table below) should be used to provide the server board with stand-by power. The connector is capable of delivering up to 3 amps. Connector type is an AMPMODU MTE Interconnection System or equivalent.

https://www.intel.com/content/dam/support/us/en/documents/server-products/server-boards/Intel_Server_Board_S2600BP_and_Compute_Module_HNS2600BP_Product_Family_TPS.pdf


I understand that you are using board only server board SKUs, but I would like to share the following information about Intel® Compute Module HNS2600BP Family.


A Bridge Board is Required to Power on Intel® Compute Module HNS2600BP Family

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000056566/server-products.html


To further assist you, I have sent you an email to the email address associated with your profile to obtain additional information that should not be publicly available.


Wanner G.

Intel Customer Support Technician


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mmarcus44
Beginner
1,899 Views

I'm not sure your reply makes any sense.

How can you claim there is no support for the server board without a chassis, and then go on to suggest that it is possible to use it with a non intel chassis?

The sections you provide reference to about backup power have nothing to do with powering it on nor how to wire it to work with a non intel chassis. That is simply for power input only, not power on switching.

Since the Intel documentation clearly confirms that a custom chassis can be used, then it is Intel's responsibility to support their customers who want to use their products in a custom chassis. I am requesting information to use in a custom chassis, therefore any details to set it up are necessary.

This means a wiring diagram and a complete list of accessories required is needed. 

No such information exists in this incomplete documentation which was included in the prior intel server board models. Replying to me and just sending me to the same pointless section of the documentation is not helping me accomplish something so simple. 

 

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IntelSupport
Community Manager
1,897 Views

Hello mmarcus44,


Thank you for your response.


For this Server Board only SKU to be functional, a custom Chassis / non-Intel chassis / enclosure should be developed.


I will be glad to respond to your request about further information such as a wiring diagram or a complete list of accessories required.


Please let me know if you received the email I sent you, and reply to it with the requested information to better assist you.


Wanner G.

Intel Customer Support Technician


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mmarcus44
Beginner
1,878 Views

Intel's technical document for the s2600bp generation server boards is incomplete and whoever was responsible for it's content did not do a good job with including essential information.


The documentation provided for this board is incomplete, incorrect, and inconsistent. This can easily be proven by comparing it to the s2600kp technical document.

I have provided a screenshot of the documentation with references to the problems.

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AdrianM_Intel
Moderator
1,863 Views

Hello mmarcus44,


Thank you for your response.


For this system boot out of the chassis is not supported, but we will share your valuable feedback about the documentation.


Regards,


Adrian M.

Intel Customer Support Technician





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mmarcus44
Beginner
1,857 Views

Ok this is frustrating, apparently none of you know what is or isn't supported, and customer service for this item seems completely unavailable.

It is written in clearly in this documentation that this board is able to support a custom chassis with custom power supplies. Even other Intel representatives have confirmed this. So unless all of a sudden you have decided that you don't feel like supporting what this board says it does, then I'm not sure how your response is of any use.

I was told I would receive private documents that could help me figure out the schematics of the board and accessories to customize a power input for it. Also regardless of whether or not you believe this board supports a custom chassis, I have pointed out about 10 other concerns, and demand to know why your documentation is clearly broken, inconsistent, and straight up has incorrect information. This needs to be corrected immediately.

This is a huge problem, I'm shocked no one else has brought this up. This is probably why every vendor I know that has these has liquidated them or trashed them when they were all still brand new. Not sure why Intel's support is nothing like it used to be.

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AdrianM_Intel
Moderator
1,767 Views

Hello mmarcus44,


We apologize for the confusion, but when we mentioned that we sent you an email to the email address associated with your profile to obtain additional information that should not be publicly available, it was in order to know more about your business, NDA, and company information which is very important information that should not be publicly available.


The boot out of the chassis is not supported, it was available for OEMs customers/developers.


Now we are working with engineering to update the documentation, to avoid misunderstandings in the future.


Regards,


Adrian M.

Intel Customer Support Technician



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mmarcus44
Beginner
1,756 Views

Can anyone else on the Intel Support Team reply to this thread and provide actual customer support?

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AdrianM_Intel
Moderator
1,730 Views

Hello mmarcus44,


We would like to inform you that we are still working on your case with engineering to update the documentation.


We will update the thread as soon as possible.


Regards,


Adrian M.

Intel Customer Support Technician




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