Hpc on Backend Engineering Strategy Tools

Blade Inventory

Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Blade Configurations (ASGARD — HP C7000)

All blades are HP BL460c Gen8. Manufacturer and model omitted from table — see systems inventory for roster.

Asset ID	Slot	CPU	RAM	Disk	LOM	SAS Ctrl	Mezz 1 (bays 3/4)	Mezz 2 (bays 5/6)
BLD-001	1	2× (?)	4GB — 1× RAM-008	2× HDD-011 (146GB, 15K)	NIC-004	separate card, no P/N	—	—
BLD-002	2	2× (?)	14GB — 7× RAM-009/010 mixed	—	NIC-004	separate card, no P/N	—	—
BLD-003	3	2× (?)	32GB — 8× RAM-008	2× HDD-012 (300GB, 10K)	NIC-004	separate card, no P/N	—	—
BLD-004	4	2× (?)	8GB — 2× RAM-008	—	NIC-004	separate card, no P/N	—	—
BLD-005	5	2× (?)	8GB — 2× RAM-008	1× HDD-011 + 1× HDD-012	NIC-004	separate card, no P/N	—	—
BLD-006	6	2× (?)	8GB — 2× RAM-008	2× HDD-012 (300GB, 10K)	NIC-004	separate card, no P/N	—	—
BLD-007	7	2× (?)	8GB — 2× RAM-008	1× HDD-013 + 1× HDD-014 (900GB each)	NIC-004	separate card, no P/N	—	—
BLD-008	8	2× (?)	16GB — 2× RAM-007	2× HDD-012 (300GB, 10K)	NIC-004	separate card, no P/N	—	—
BLD-009	9	2× (?)	8GB — 2× RAM-008	—	NIC-004	separate card, no P/N	—	—
BLD-010	10	2× (?)	8GB — 2× RAM-008	2× HDD-012 (300GB, 10K)	NIC-004	separate card, no P/N	—	—
BLD-011	11	2× (?)	8GB — 4× RAM-009	2× HDD-012 (300GB, 10K)	NIC-004	separate card, no P/N	—	—
BLD-012	12	2× (?)	8GB — 4× RAM-009	2× HDD-012 (300GB, 10K)	NIC-004	separate card, no P/N	—	—
BLD-013	13	2× (?)	32GB — 4× RAM-006	—	NIC-004	separate card, no P/N	—	—
BLD-014	14	2× (?)	8GB — 2× RAM-008	—	NIC-004	separate card, no P/N	—	—
BLD-015	15	2× (?)	8GB — 2× RAM-008	2× HDD-012 (300GB, 10K)	NIC-004	separate card, no P/N	—	—
BLD-016	16	2× (?)	8GB — 2× RAM-008	—	NIC-004	separate card, no P/N	—	—

Blade Enclosure Modules (ASGARD — HP C7000)

Bay Type	Module	Part No	Qty	Status	Notes
Interconnect	HP 1:10Gb Ethernet BL-c Switch	438476-001	2	Installed	Bays 1-2; Int: ports 1-16 blade downlinks; Ext: 1× CX4 10GbE, 2× XFP 10GbE, 4× RJ45 1GbE
Interconnect	—	—	—	Empty	Bays 3-4: mezzanine slot 1 fabric — Ethernet, FC, SAS, or IB
Interconnect	—	—	—	Empty	Bays 5-6: mezzanine slot 2 fabric — Ethernet, FC, SAS, or IB
Interconnect	—	—	—	Empty	Bays 7-8: mezzanine slot 2 fabric (double-wide IB uses bays 5+7)
OA	HP Onboard Administrator	4K09B5 / P/N 407296-001	2	Installed	Redundant pair; with VGA
OA	HP Onboard Administrator	4K08A6 / P/N 459526-001	1	Spare	No VGA; different revision
Power Supply	HP BladeSystem c7000 PSU	?	6	Installed	Full (6/6)
Fan	HP BladeSystem c7000 Fan	?	10	Installed	Full (10/10)

System Overviews

HP BladeSystem C7000 — QuickSpecs

10U · up to 16 half-height blades · shared power/cooling/networking via backplane · Onboard Administrator

The C7000 is a substantial 10U blade enclosure designed to host up to 16 server blades, along with storage blades and integrated networking/management modules. It provides a consolidated infrastructure for power, cooling, and network connectivity, significantly simplifying cable management and enabling high-density computing environments. These systems were foundational for many enterprise virtualization platforms.

HP BL460c Gen8 — QuickSpecs

Half-height blade · 2× LGA2011 (E5-2600 v1/v2) · up to 192GB DDR3 ECC Reg · 2× SFF SAS bays · FlexibleLOM + 2 mezzanine slots

The BL460c Gen8 is a half-height server blade for the c-Class BladeSystem enclosure. Each blade supports two Intel Xeon E5-2600 v1 or v2 series processors and up to 24 DDR3 ECC Registered DIMMs across 24 slots. Local storage is limited to two 2.5" SFF SAS/SATA bays managed by an embedded Smart Array P220i controller. Networking is handled through the FlexibleLOM slot (populated with the HP FlexFabric 554FLB in ASGARD), which connects to the enclosure’s interconnect bays via the backplane. Two additional mezzanine slots allow expansion with Fibre Channel, SAS, or InfiniBand HBAs.

ASGARD Interconnect Bay Architecture — c7000 Interconnect Components · Wikipedia

8 interconnect bays (4 pairs) · each pair ties to a specific fabric/mezzanine slot on all blades

The c7000 rear has 8 single-wide interconnect bays arranged as 4 matched pairs. Both bays in a pair must carry the same module type — they connect to the same blade mezzanine slot and form a redundant fabric. Up to 4 simultaneous fabrics are supported.

Bay pair	Blade connection	Currently	Could hold
1 / 2	LOM (onboard NIC)	HP 1:10Gb Ethernet BL-c Switch ×2	Ethernet switch or pass-thru
3 / 4	Mezzanine slot 1	Empty	Ethernet, Fibre Channel (4/8Gb FC switch), SAS switch, InfiniBand
5 / 6	Mezzanine slot 2	Empty	Same options as 3/4
7 / 8	Mezzanine slot 2	Empty	Same; or second half of a double-wide InfiniBand module (bays 5+7)

Note: to use FC, SAS, or InfiniBand bays the blades themselves also need matching mezzanine cards installed. BL460c Gen8 blades have 2 mezzanine slots available.

Common modules seen in homelab use (none currently owned):

Fibre Channel: HP 4Gb/8Gb BLc FC switch (e.g. AJ821A for 8Gb)
SAS: HP SAS BLc Switch — gives blades shared SAS fabric access to DAS like MIMIR
InfiniBand: HP DDR/QDR IB switch — requires matching IB mezzanine card in each blade

HP BladeSystem Onboard Administrator (OA) — User Guide

P/N 407296-001 (installed ×2, with VGA) · P/N 459526-001 (spare ×1, no VGA) · Fits OA bays (separate from interconnect bays)

The OA is the management brain of the c7000 enclosure. It provides a web GUI, SSH/CLI, and SNMP interface for managing all blades, power supplies, fans, and interconnect modules. Two OA modules run as a redundant active/standby pair — if the primary fails, the standby takes over without interruption.

External connectors (407296-001 / with VGA):

1× RJ-45 management Ethernet (dedicated OOB network)
1× USB (for local keyboard)
1× DB-9 serial console
1× VGA (local video output for console access)

459526-001 (spare, no VGA): earlier/different revision — same management functions, management Ethernet + USB + serial, but no VGA port for local console.

HP 1:10Gb Ethernet BL-c Switch — User Guide · QuickSpecs

P/N 438476-001 (spare/FRU) / 438031-B21 (orderable) · c-Class BladeSystem interconnect module · 16 blade downlinks + 7 uplinks

Managed Gigabit/10GbE blade switch in a single interconnect bay. Each module connects to all 16 blade bays via the enclosure backplane. ASGARD has two installed (in adjacent bays 1 and 2), linked via the port 17 X-Connect.

Port map:

Port(s)	Connector	Speed	Role
1–16	Backplane	1GbE	Blade downlinks (1 per blade bay)
17	Internal	10GbE	X-Connect crosslink to adjacent bay switch
19	SFF-8470	10GbE	CX4 copper uplink (Ethernet — not SAS despite same connector)
20–21	XFP	10GbE	Fiber/DAC uplinks (XFP cages; older/larger than SFP+)
22–25	RJ-45	1GbE	Copper uplinks

Slurm

Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Slurm (Simple Linux Utility for Resource Management) is a workload manager and job scheduler. It originated in HPC but is now the standard scheduler for ML training clusters — most cloud GPU clusters (AWS, GCP, Azure HPC) run Slurm under the hood.

https://slurm.schedmd.com/

Core Concepts

Node — a compute host registered with Slurm. Can have CPU, GPU, and memory resources defined.

Partition — a logical group of nodes (like a queue). You can have separate partitions for GPU and CPU nodes, or different priority tiers.

Job — a workload submitted to the queue. Slurm allocates resources, places the job, and tracks it to completion.

Allocation — the reserved resources (nodes, CPUs, GPUs, memory) for a running job.

Key Commands

sbatch job.sh # submit a batch job script
squeue # view the job queue
sacct -j <jobid> # job accounting / history
sinfo # view partition and node state
scancel <jobid> # cancel a job
srun --pty bash # interactive allocation

A minimal batch script:

#!/bin/bash
#SBATCH --job-name=train
#SBATCH --nodes=1
#SBATCH --gpus=1
#SBATCH --time=02:00:00

python train.py

Slurm vs Kubernetes for Training

The fundamental difference is what each system optimises for:

Kubernetes optimises for uptime. It keeps services running, reschedules failed pods, and manages long-lived workloads. That’s the right model for inference serving, APIs, and anything that needs to stay up.

Slurm optimises for utilisation. It packs jobs onto nodes as tightly as possible, queues work when resources are busy, and gets out of the way when a job finishes. That’s the right model for batch training — you want every GPU busy, not reserved for availability.

	Slurm	Kubernetes
Optimises for	Maximum utilisation	Uptime and availability
Scheduling model	Job queue, batch-first	Long-running services + batch (via operators)
GPU allocation	Native, fine-grained	Requires GPU operator + device plugin
Multi-node training	First-class (MPI, `srun`)	Possible via KubeFlow, PyTorchJob
Preemption	Built-in	Requires configuration
Operational overhead	Low on bare metal	Higher — requires cluster management
Ecosystem	HPC, academia, major cloud HPC	ML platforms, cloud-native

The short version: use Slurm for pure batch training on bare metal. Use Kubernetes when you’re mixing training with inference serving or need container-native workflows throughout — or when the cluster already exists.

Controller Inventory

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Controller Catalog

Component ID	Manufacturer	Model	Type	PCIe Slot	Connectors	Qty	IT Mode	Notes
CTRL-001	IBM / LSI	ServeRAID MR10i	RAID	PCIe x8	2× SFF-8087 (int.)	1	not possible	Cache module FRU 25R8079 attached; SAS1078 chip
CTRL-002	LSI	9211-8i	RAID	PCIe 2.0 x8	2× SFF-8087 (int.)	1	eligible
CTRL-003	LSI	9211-8i	HBA	PCIe 2.0 x8	2× SFF-8087 (int.)	1	✓ flashed	IT mode (passthrough)
CTRL-004	Dell	PERC H710	RAID	PCIe 2.0 x8	2× SFF-8087 (int.)	1	? verify	Hardware RAID, may already be flashed for HBA
CTRL-005	HP	Smart Array P410	RAID	PCIe 2.0 x8	2× SFF-8087 (int.)	1	not possible
CTRL-006	IBM / LSI	ServeRAID-8e (FRU 39R8852)	HBA	PCIe 1.0 x8	2× SFF-8470 (ext.)	2	n/a	External SAS; needs SFF-8470→SFF-8088 cable for MD1200
CTRL-007	IBM / LSI	SAS3082E-R (FRU 44E8690)	HBA	PCIe x8	2× SFF-8087 (int.)	1	n/a	Internal SAS; 3Gb/s
CTRL-008	LSI	MegaRAID SAS 8708EM2	RAID	PCIe x8	2× SFF-8087 (int.)	1	not possible	iBBU06 attached
CTRL-009	IBM / LSI	ServeRAID M1015 (FRU 46C8937)	RAID	PCIe 2.0 x8	2× SFF-8087 (int.)	2	? verify	LSI 9220-8i OEM; IT-flashable (same path as 9211-8i), may already be flashed for HBA

Controller Placement

Asset ID	Hostname	Component ID	Slot / Location	Role
SYS-001	FREJA	CTRL-001	Enclosure	RAID controller
SYS-002	TYR	CTRL-002	Enclosure	RAID controller
SYS-003	TOR	CTRL-003	Enclosure	HBA passthrough
SYS-004	MD1200	(no controller)	Enclosure	Disk shelf controller
SYS-005	ODEN	CTRL-009	Enclosure	RAID controller
SYS-006	LOKE	CTRL-009	Enclosure	RAID controller

Controller Overviews

Here are some brief overviews of selected storage controllers, highlighting their typical uses and characteristics.

LSI 9211-8i (e.g., CTRL-002, CTRL-003) — IT mode flashing guide

8-port SAS/SATA · 6Gb/s per port · PCIe 2.0 x8 · CTRL-003 flashed to IT (passthrough) mode

The LSI SAS 9211-8i is a highly popular host bus adapter (HBA) in homelab and enthusiast communities. While capable of functioning as a basic RAID controller, it is most frequently flashed to “IT (Initiator Target) mode” to operate purely as an HBA. This passthrough mode is essential for software-defined storage solutions like ZFS (TrueNAS/OpenZFS) or unRAID, enabling the operating system to have direct control over individual drives.

Dell PERC H710 (e.g., CTRL-004) — spec sheet

8-port SAS/SATA · 6Gb/s · PCIe 2.0 · 512MB battery-backed cache · RAID 0/1/5/6/10/50/60

The Dell PERC H710 is an enterprise-grade RAID controller commonly found in Dell PowerEdge servers. It supports a comprehensive range of RAID levels (0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, 60), providing robust data protection and optimized performance for server storage. These controllers typically incorporate battery-backed cache (BBWC) or flash-backed cache (FBWC) to enhance write performance and ensure data integrity during unexpected power events.

HP Smart Array P410 (e.g., CTRL-005)

8-port SAS · 3Gb/s · PCIe · RAID 0/1/5/10

The HP Smart Array P410 is a legacy RAID controller designed for older generations of HPE ProLiant servers. It offered hardware RAID capabilities, supporting RAID levels 0, 1, 5, and 10. Although still functional, its performance and feature set are considered dated compared to contemporary controllers, making it suitable for less intensive storage tasks or environments requiring compatibility with older hardware.

IBM ServeRAID-8e / LSI SAS3444E (CTRL-006 ×2)

4-port external SAS · 3Gb/s · PCIe 1.0 x8 · 2× SFF-8470 (SAS-A, SAS-B)

The ServeRAID-8e is an IBM OEM of the LSI SAS3444E, purpose-built for connecting external SAS enclosures and DAS units. Unlike the internal-only cards in this inventory, its SFF-8470 ports face the rear bracket, making it the right card to pull when you need to link a host to the MD1200. Note: the MD1200 uses SFF-8088 ports, so a SFF-8470 → SFF-8088 cable is required. Pull one of these when adding a host that needs direct DAS connectivity and lacks a native external SAS port.

IBM/LSI SAS3082E-R (CTRL-007)

8-port SAS/SATA · 3Gb/s · PCIe x8 · 2× SFF-8087 (int.)

The SAS3082E-R is an IBM OEM internal SAS HBA providing eight SAS/SATA ports via two SFF-8087 connectors. Like the 9211-8i it operates as a passthrough HBA, making it suitable for ZFS/TrueNAS builds where the OS needs direct drive access. Pull this card when you need to expand internal port count in a host and the 9211-8i units are already allocated — the 3Gb/s bandwidth is the limiting factor versus the 9211-8i’s 6Gb/s, so prefer the 9211-8i for performance-sensitive pools.

LSI MegaRAID SAS 8708EM2 (CTRL-008) + iBBU06

8-port SAS/SATA · 3Gb/s · PCIe x8 · 2× SFF-8087 (int.) · RAID 0/1/5/6/10/50/60 · battery-backed cache

The MegaRAID SAS 8708EM2 is a hardware RAID controller with an iBBU06 battery backup unit attached, which protects the write cache during power loss. Pull this card when you need hardware RAID with a battery-backed cache — typically for workloads like virtual machine storage or databases where write performance and data integrity under power failure both matter. For ZFS or software-defined storage, prefer the 9211-8i or SAS3082E-R in HBA/passthrough mode instead, as hardware RAID sits between ZFS and the drives and undermines its integrity guarantees.

CPU Inventory

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

CPU Catalog

Component ID	Manufacturer	Model	Cores	Threads	Base Clock	Socket	TDP	Qty	Notes
CPU-001	Intel	Xeon E5430	4	4	2.66GHz	LGA771	80W	4	Harpertown 45nm; no HT
CPU-002	Intel	Xeon E5520	4	8	2.26GHz	LGA1366	80W	2	Nehalem-EP; HT enabled; fits M3
CPU-003	Intel	Xeon E5504	4	4	2.00GHz	LGA1366	80W	1	Nehalem-EP; no HT; fits M3
CPU-004	Intel	Core 2 Quad Q6600	4	4	2.40GHz	LGA775	95W	1	Kentsfield; desktop; no server fit
CPU-005	Intel	Xeon E5410	4	4	2.33GHz	LGA771	80W	1	Harpertown 45nm; no HT; fits M1

CPU Placement

Asset ID	Hostname	Component ID	Quantity	Notes
SYS-001	FREJA	???	1	Single socket; LGA771 (M1)
SYS-002	TYR	???	2	Dual socket; LGA771 (M1)
SYS-003	TOR	???	2	Dual socket; LGA771 (M1)
SYS-005	ODEN	???	2	Dual socket; LGA1366 (M3)
SYS-006	LOKE	???	2	Dual socket; LGA1366 (M3)
SYS-009	HEIMDAL	CPU-001	2	Dual socket; LGA771

Disk Inventory

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Storage Media

Component ID	Manufacturer	Model	Capacity	RPM	Interface	Quantity	Notes
HDD-001	IBM / Fujitsu	MBB2073RC	73.4GB	10K RPM	SAS 3Gbps	6	2.5" SFF; enterprise
HDD-002	IBM / Seagate	ST9146802SS (FRU 43X0825)	146.8GB	10K RPM	SAS 6Gbps	22	2.5" SFF hot-swap; IBM P/N 42D0248
HDD-003	Seagate	Constellation ES.3 ST1000NM0043	1TB	7200 RPM	SAS 6Gbps	20
HDD-004	Kingston	SSDNow V300 SV300S37A/120G	120GB	—	SATA	7	Consumer SSD; used as boot drives
HDD-005	Samsung	970 EVO	500GB	—	NVMe M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4	1	In PCIe x16 riser (FRU 43V7066) in ODEN
HDD-006	Western Digital	WD Blue WD10EZEX	1TB	7200 RPM	SATA 64MB cache	4	Consumer-grade; mfg. 2015-11
HDD-007	Seagate	ST500LM000	500GB	5400 RPM	SATA	1	SSHD; 8GB NAND cache; laptop-grade
HDD-008	Hitachi	HTS542525K9SA00	250GB	5400 RPM	SATA	1	Laptop-grade
HDD-009	Samsung	HD300LD	300GB	7200 RPM	PATA (IDE)	1	Desktop; 8MB cache; legacy interface
HDD-010	Seagate	Barracuda 7200.7 ST380013AS	80GB	7200 RPM	SATA	1	Desktop; legacy
HDD-011	HP / Seagate	EH0146FARWD (518216-002 / GPN 652599-002)	146GB	15K RPM	SAS 6Gbps	3	2.5" SFF; enterprise; BL460c Gen8 pulls
HDD-012	HP	EG0300FBVFL (641552-001 / GPN 652566-001)	300GB	10K RPM	SAS 6Gbps	15	2.5" SFF; enterprise; BL460c Gen8 pulls
HDD-013	HGST	Ultrastar C10K900 HUC109090CSS600 (EMC 118033034-02)	900GB	10K RPM	SAS 6Gbps	1	2.5" SFF; enterprise
HDD-014	Toshiba	AL13SEB900 (HDEBC00NAA51)	900GB	10K RPM	SAS 6Gbps	1	2.5" SFF; enterprise

Storage Assignments

System ID	Hostname	Component ID	Quantity	Total Installed Storage	Notes
SYS-001	FREJA	HDD-004	1		single drive
SYS-002	TYR	HDD-002	8		raid 10
SYS-003	TOR	HDD-002	8		HBA
SYS-004	MD1200	HDD-003	15	15 TB	SAS HBA not installed; shelf unconnected
SYS-005	ODEN	HDD-004	4	480GB
SYS-005	ODEN	HDD-005	1	500GB	M.2 via riser
SYS-009	HEIMDAL	HDD-001	3	219GB
BLD-001	BLADE-01	HDD-011	2	292GB
BLD-003	BLADE-03	HDD-012	2	600GB
BLD-005	BLADE-05	HDD-011	1	146GB	mixed config
BLD-005	BLADE-05	HDD-012	1	300GB	mixed config
BLD-006	BLADE-06	HDD-012	2	600GB
BLD-007	BLADE-07	HDD-013	1	900GB	mixed config
BLD-007	BLADE-07	HDD-014	1	900GB	mixed config
BLD-008	BLADE-08	HDD-012	2	600GB
BLD-010	BLADE-10	HDD-012	2	600GB
BLD-011	BLADE-11	HDD-012	2	600GB
BLD-012	BLADE-12	HDD-012	2	600GB
BLD-015	BLADE-15	HDD-012	2	600GB

Storage Media Overviews

Here are some brief overviews of the storage media types in the inventory, highlighting their characteristics and typical applications.

Enterprise SAS HDDs (e.g., HDD-001, HDD-002)

73GB / 146GB · 7200 RPM · SAS 3Gbps · make/model unidentified

These hard disk drives are engineered for high reliability and continuous operation within server environments. SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) interfaces provide superior performance, enhanced reliability, and enterprise-specific features compared to consumer-grade SATA drives. SAS HDDs of this generation (e.g., 73GB or 146GB at 7200 RPM with SAS 3Gbps) were common in servers from the late 2000s. Despite their modest capacities by today’s standards, their robust construction and enterprise-grade design make them suitable for homelab applications where durability is prioritized, such as for boot drives or less critical data storage.

Seagate Constellation ES.3 ST1000NM0043 (e.g., HDD-003) — datasheet

1TB · 7200 RPM · SAS 6Gbps · 128MB cache · 1.4M hr MTBF · AES-256 SED

The Seagate Constellation ES.3 series represents enterprise-class hard drives designed for high-capacity, 24/7 operation in data centers. The ST1000NM0043 is a 1TB model, featuring a 7200 RPM spindle speed and a SAS 6Gbps interface. These drives offer an excellent balance of capacity, performance, and enterprise-level reliability, making them ideal for bulk storage in homelab NAS or storage arrays where data integrity and longevity are critical.

Enterprise SSD (e.g., HDD-004)

120GB · SATA/SAS · make/model unidentified

Enterprise Solid State Drives (SSDs) are built to withstand demanding server workloads, providing significantly higher endurance, consistent performance, and often integrated power loss protection features that surpass those of consumer SSDs. A 120GB enterprise SSD, whether with a SATA or SAS interface, would typically be deployed as an operating system boot drive, for caching solutions, or for hosting small, performance-sensitive applications within a server environment. Their speed and inherent reliability, even with smaller capacities, can considerably enhance overall system responsiveness.

Network Inventory

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

NIC Catalog

Component ID	Manufacturer	Model / FRU	Ports	Speed	Interface	Notes
NIC-001	IBM	Onboard (x3550 M3 mobo)	2	1GbE	RJ45	Integrated; present on all x3550 M3
NIC-002	IBM	Dual-port GbE Daughter Card (FRU 43V6927)	2	1GbE	RJ45	Add-in daughter card slot
NIC-003	Sun / Intel	Onboard quad GbE (Sun Fire X4150)	4	1GbE	RJ45	Integrated; all 4 ports on rear
NIC-004	HP / Emulex	FlexFabric 554FLB (647584-001)	2	10GbE	SFP+ FLB	FlexibleLOM slot; FCoE + Flex-10 capable; BL460c Gen8

NIC Placement

Asset ID	Hostname	Component ID	Total Data Ports	Mgmt Port	Notes
SYS-005	ODEN	NIC-001	2× GbE	1× IMM
SYS-006	LOKE	NIC-001 + NIC-002	4× GbE	1× IMM	Daughter card FRU 43V6927
SYS-009	HEIMDAL	NIC-003	4× GbE	1× mgmt	OPNsense firewall

Network Addresses

Asset ID	Hostname	Interface	Role
SYS-005	ODEN	eth0	data
SYS-005	ODEN	eth1	data
SYS-005	ODEN	mgmt	IMM
SYS-006	LOKE	eth0	data
SYS-006	LOKE	eth1	data
SYS-006	LOKE	eth2	data
SYS-006	LOKE	eth3	data
SYS-006	LOKE	mgmt	IMM

Switch Ports

Asset ID	Hostname	Port Type	Count	SFP Cages	Uplink	Notes
SYS-012	BIFROST-01	SFP Fiber	28	28	?	All-SFP switch
SYS-013	BIFROST-02	SFP Fiber	28	28	?	All-SFP switch
SYS-014	MODI	RJ45 + SFP	24+4	4	?	24× GbE PoE + 4× SFP
SYS-015	MAGNI	RJ45	24	?	?	24× GbE managed
SYS-016	VALI	RJ45	24	?	?	Fanless; 24× GbE

RAM Inventory

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Memory Types

Component ID	Manufacturer	FRU / Model	Capacity	Type	Speed	Qty	Notes
RAM-001	IBM	25R8079	8GB	DDR2 ECC FBDIMM	667MHz	16
RAM-002	Unknown	—	4GB	DDR2 ECC FBDIMM	667MHz	6
RAM-003	Unknown	—	?	?	—	?
RAM-004	Unknown	—	?	?	—	?
RAM-005	Micron	MT36KSF1G72PZ-1G4M1FI	8GB	DDR3 ECC Reg	1333MHz	6	2Rx4
RAM-006	Hynix	HMT31GR7CFR4C-PB	8GB	DDR3 ECC Reg	1600MHz	10	2Rx4
RAM-007	Micron	MT18KSF1G72PDZ-1G6E1HG	8GB	DDR3 ECC Reg	1600MHz	16	2Rx8
RAM-008	Hynix	HMT151R7BFR4C-H9 / HP 500203-061	4GB	DDR3 ECC Reg	1333MHz	27	1Rx4
RAM-009	HP	500202-061 / 501533-001	2GB	DDR3 ECC Reg	1333MHz	15	2Rx8
RAM-010	IBM	43X5046	2GB	DDR3 ECC Reg	1333MHz	7	1Rx4

Memory Allocation

Asset ID	Hostname	Component ID	Quantity	Total Installed RAM
SYS-001	FREJA	RAM-002	6	24GB
SYS-002	TYR	RAM-001	8	64GB
SYS-003	TOR	RAM-001	8	64GB
SYS-005	ODEN	RAM-005	6	48GB
SYS-005	ODEN	RAM-006	6	48GB (runs at 1333MHz; mixed speed)
BLD-001	BLADE-01	RAM-008	1	4GB
BLD-003	BLADE-03	RAM-008	8	32GB
BLD-004	BLADE-04	RAM-008	2	8GB
BLD-005	BLADE-05	RAM-008	2	8GB
BLD-006	BLADE-06	RAM-008	2	8GB
BLD-007	BLADE-07	RAM-008	2	8GB
BLD-008	BLADE-08	RAM-007	2	16GB
BLD-009	BLADE-09	RAM-008	2	8GB
BLD-010	BLADE-10	RAM-008	2	8GB
BLD-011	BLADE-11	RAM-009	4	8GB
BLD-012	BLADE-12	RAM-009	4	8GB
BLD-013	BLADE-13	RAM-006	4	32GB
BLD-014	BLADE-14	RAM-008	2	8GB
BLD-015	BLADE-15	RAM-008	2	8GB
BLD-016	BLADE-16	RAM-008	2	8GB
BLD-002	BLADE-02	RAM-009 + RAM-010	7	14GB (mixed; odd count)

System Inventory

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Systems

Asset ID	Hostname	Manufacturer	Model	Form Factor	Notes
SYS-001	FREJA	IBM	System x3550 M1 Type 7978	1U	Rack server (S/N: KDHPPNN); 1/2 CPU slots populated
SYS-002	TYR	IBM	System x3650 M1 Type 7979	2U	Rack server
SYS-003	TOR	IBM	System x3650 M1 Type 7979	2U	Rack server
SYS-004	MIMIR	Dell	PowerVault MD1200	2U	Disk shelf
SYS-005	ODEN	IBM	System x3550 M3	1U	Mixed DDR3 1333+1600 ECC Reg; PCIe x16 riser (FRU 43V7066)
SYS-006	LOKE	IBM	System x3550 M3	1U	M3 board in M2 chassis; no RAM; CPU unknown
SYS-007	ASGARD	HP	BladeSystem C7000	10U	Blade enclosure (Hosts 1-16)
SYS-008	BALDER	HP	ProLiant DL320 G5p	1U	Dual 250GB SATA
SYS-009	HEIMDAL	Sun	Sun Fire X4150	1U	2× Xeon E5430 (8c/8t); 4× onboard GbE; OPNsense
SYS-010	VIDAR	HP	ProCurve 1800-24G	1U	Fanless/Silent Switch (J9028A)
SYS-011	GUNGNIR	ZyXEL	ZyWALL 110	1U	Security Gateway / Firewall
SYS-012	BIFROST-01	Edge-Core	ECS4510-28F	1U	28-Port SFP Fiber Switch
SYS-013	BIFROST-02	Edge-Core	ECS4510-28F	1U	28-Port SFP Fiber Switch
SYS-014	MODI	HP	V1910-24G-PoE	1U	365W PoE Switch (JE007A)
SYS-015	MAGNI	Cisco	Catalyst 2960G	1U	24-Port Managed Gig Switch
SYS-016	VALI	HP	ProCurve 1800-24G	1U	Fanless/Silent Switch (J9028A)
SYS-017	RATATOSK	Avocent	KVM Switch	1U	Rackmount KVM
SYS-018	SURTR-01	APC	Back-UPS CS 650	Desktop	UPS Unit 1
SYS-019	SURTR-02	APC	Back-UPS CS 650	Desktop	UPS Unit 2
SYS-020	MUNINN	Cisco	Catalyst 2960 WS-C2960-24TC-L	1U	24× 10/100 + 4× uplink
SYS-021	BIFROST	Raspberry Pi	Raspberry Pi 1 Model B	SBC	Jump node; Raspbian; port-forward 22222→22; rack-mounted
SYS-022	—	Raspberry Pi	Raspberry Pi 1 Model B	SBC	Spare
SYS-023	—	Raspberry Pi	Raspberry Pi 1 Model B	SBC	Spare

Blade Nodes (Inside ASGARD)

Asset ID	Hostname	Manufacturer	Model	Slot
BLD-001	BLADE-01	HP	BL460c Gen8	1
BLD-002	BLADE-02	HP	BL460c Gen8	2
BLD-003	BLADE-03	HP	BL460c Gen8	3
BLD-004	BLADE-04	HP	BL460c Gen8	4
BLD-005	BLADE-05	HP	BL460c Gen8	5
BLD-006	BLADE-06	HP	BL460c Gen8	6
BLD-007	BLADE-07	HP	BL460c Gen8	7
BLD-008	BLADE-08	HP	BL460c Gen8	8
BLD-009	BLADE-09	HP	BL460c Gen8	9
BLD-010	BLADE-10	HP	BL460c Gen8	10
BLD-011	BLADE-11	HP	BL460c Gen8	11
BLD-012	BLADE-12	HP	BL460c Gen8	12
BLD-013	BLADE-13	HP	BL460c Gen8	13
BLD-014	BLADE-14	HP	BL460c Gen8	14
BLD-015	BLADE-15	HP	BL460c Gen8	15
BLD-016	BLADE-16	HP	BL460c Gen8	16

System Overviews

Here are some brief overviews of selected systems to provide context and highlight their typical roles or notable features.

IBM System x3550 Type 7978 / x3650 Type 7979 Series — x3550 overview · x3650 overview

1U (x3550) / 2U (x3650) · dual Xeon (Harpertown/Nehalem) · DDR2 ECC FBDIMM up to 32GB · SAS/SATA

These were enterprise-grade rack servers, popular in the late 2000s, powered by Intel Xeon processors (e.g., Nehalem, Westmere generations). The x3550 is a compact 1U server, ideal for general-purpose computing, while the x3650 is a 2U model offering greater expansion capabilities for storage or PCIe cards. They served as reliable workhorses for various data center applications, including virtualization and database hosting.

HP BladeSystem C7000 — QuickSpecs · BL460c Gen8 QuickSpecs

10U · up to 16 half-height blades · shared power/cooling/networking via backplane · Onboard Administrator

The BL460c Gen8 blades have onboard LOM providing 1GbE connectivity. No mezzanine cards are currently installed — 10GbE requires FlexibleLOM adapters.

Sun Fire X4150

1U · dual Xeon (Harpertown) · 16 DIMM slots · 4 network interface

A 1U rackmount server from Sun Microsystems, the Sun Fire X4150 typically featured Intel Xeon processors. Sun’s x86 server line was recognized for its build quality and integration, often running Solaris or Linux. I use it as a dedicated firewall / network appliance (OpenSense), utilizing its robust hardware for network security and routing tasks.

Dell PowerVault MD1200 — specs

2U DAS · 12× LFF (3.5") hot-swap SAS/SATA bays · 6Gb/s SAS · up to 24TB raw

The PowerVault MD1200 is a direct-attached storage (DAS) enclosure, designed to expand the storage capacity of compatible servers (such as Dell PowerEdge servers or others equipped with suitable SAS HBAs). This 2U unit can accommodate up to 12 LFF (3.5-inch) SAS/SATA drives, providing an expandable and cost-effective solution for adding raw storage to a homelab environment.

ZyXEL ZyWALL 110

2× GbE WAN · 4× GbE LAN · VPN gateway · IPS/IDS

The ZyWALL 110 is a professional-grade security gateway and VPN firewall. It delivers comprehensive network security features, including intrusion prevention, content filtering, and strong VPN capabilities. This appliance is well-suited for establishing a secure perimeter for a homelab network or segmenting different network environments for enhanced control and protection. However since I don’t have any license for it is currently not used.