4 CPU's in one Case

My club UHACC lugs around a lot of gear to events. We set it up for others to use, game, tinker, and whatnot. But after you take apart all your stuff, haul it to a venue, set it up, tear it down, and lug it all home, you start to think about better ways to do it. My thought was 'what if I could make a unit that will roll under a table and power 4 stations?' Anything that consolidates in this scenario is a good thing. Oh, and while designing it I decided that it would be cool if I could also boot the entire unit up as one 4-node cluster server as well.

Dfu and I decided that we needed a no-nosense platform. I used 1/4" plywood to be the foundation for the basic parts, PSU and HDD mounted with velcro wrap.

Hardware:

• ECS Nforce 3 mobo + Sempron 3100 CPU (Socket 754)
• eVGA 256-A8-N341-LX Geforce 6200 256MB DDR AGP 4X/8X Video Card
• OCZ Value Series 512MB DDR 400 (1GB on head node)
• 20-80GB IDE hard drives
• 300-400 Watt PSU's
• 4 port Netgear router

I built the cabinet such that all of the platforms may be installed/removed from the rear without disturbing any of the remaining ones, yet they use the available space without wasting much. Airflow was factored in, each CPU cooler pointing at the opposing mobo's empty PCI slots (hopefully creating a vortex, we'll see), also with each PSU ejecting upward. 2 fans will also be placed front and rear (pushing/pulling, respectively).

To do:

Main power connector needs to be wired in. Microswitches and LED's need to be installed (power, reset, HDD blinky) I still need to install the plexi windows in the front panel and top. The lid needs to be fabricated as well.

Take a look at my construction photos above (click any thumbnail to see larger pic).

"Follow! But follow only if ye be men of valor, for the entrance to this cave is guarded by a creature so foul, so cruel that no man yet has fought with it and lived! Bones of four fifty men lie strewn about its lair. So, brave knights, if you do doubt your courage or your strength, come no further, for death awaits you all with nasty big pointy teeth!"
-- Tim

This site authored with plain old vi