The Supermicro X9DAi is a high-performance server motherboard designed for use in professional workstations and servers. It is a dual-processor board, making it suitable for demanding tasks such as rendering, scientific computing, and virtualization.
Here is a detailed description of its features:
Core Architecture and Processor Support
- Dual Socket LGA 2011: The board features two Socket R (LGA 2011) CPU sockets, which can accommodate two Intel® Xeon® E5-2600 or E5-2600 v2 series processors. This allows for significant multi-core and multi-thread performance.
- Intel C602 Chipset: The Intel C602 chipset provides the foundation for the system's I/O and storage capabilities. It supports Intel's QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) for high-speed communication between the processors.
- Extended ATX (E-ATX) Form Factor: The X9DAi uses a larger E-ATX form factor, which is typical for dual-socket motherboards, requiring a compatible server or workstation chassis.
Memory
- 16 DIMM Slots: The motherboard has 16 DDR3 DIMM slots, with eight slots assigned to each CPU. This allows for a massive amount of system memory.
- High Capacity and Speed: It supports up to 1TB of ECC Load-Reduced DDR3 (LRDIMM) memory, 512GB of ECC Registered DDR3 (RDIMM), or 128GB of ECC/non-ECC Unbuffered DDR3 (UDIMM). It supports memory speeds of up to 1866MHz, though the final speed may be limited by the CPU model.
Expansion and Connectivity
PCI-E 3.0 Slots: The board provides a comprehensive set of PCI-E 3.0 expansion slots for connecting high-bandwidth components like professional graphics cards, RAID controllers, and high-speed network cards.
- 3 x PCI-E 3.0 x16 slots
- 2 x PCI-E 3.0 x8 slots
- 1 x PCI-E 3.0 x4 (in x8) slot
- Note: Full access to all PCI-E slots requires both CPUs to be installed.
Storage: It offers a mix of SATA ports for connecting hard drives and SSDs.
- 2 x SATA 3.0 (6Gbps) ports for high-speed storage.
- 8 x SATA 2.0 (3Gbps) ports.
- It supports RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 configurations for data redundancy and performance.
Networking: The motherboard is equipped with an Intel i350 dual-port Gigabit Ethernet controller, providing two reliable gigabit network connections.
I/O Ports: The rear I/O panel includes a variety of ports for peripherals, including USB 3.0 and USB 2.0, as well as a PS/2 combo port and audio jacks.
Other Features
- Onboard Audio: It includes a Realtek ALC889 7.1 High Definition Audio codec, making it suitable for workstation use where audio is required.
- System Management: Supermicro includes its SuperDoctor III software and hardware-level management features like Watch Dog and NMI for monitoring system health and ensuring stability.
- Power and Cooling: It has multiple 4-pin fan headers with PWM control for efficient cooling management. It requires two 8-pin 12V power connectors in addition to the standard 24-pin ATX power connector.