Large HDD Storage Capacity, Disk/Tape Controllers

Astable, long-life, dual-socket, dual- and quad-core SMP server, offering high-performance, massive capacity and outstanding availability

the older parallel PCI and PCI-X buses. A x8 PCI-E adapter offers approximately four times the maximum throughput of a 133MHz PCI-X adapter4. (A x1 adapter offers throughput similar to a 66MHz PCI-X slot.)

Because the SAS, ServeRAID-8k, dual Gigabit Ethernet, systems management and video controllers are integrated onto the system board, the six adapter slots are all available, which offers you a wide degree of latitude in expansion options.

Large HDD Storage Capacity

The x3500 offers a choice of disk storage, supporting up to eight 3.5-inch hot-swaphigh-performance

Serial-Attach SCSI (SAS) or Serial ATA (SATA) drives, or up to twelve 2.5-inch hot-swap SAS drives:

3.5-inch SAS

•10,000 RPMs — 73.4, 146.8, or 300GB (2.4TB maximum)

•15,000 RPMs — 73.4 or 146.8GB (1.17TB)

2.5-inch SAS

•10,000 RPMs — 36.4, 73.4, or 146.8GB (1.76TB maximum)

3.5-inch SATA

•7,200 RPMs — 160, 250, 500, or 750GB (6.0TB)

Notes: Hot-swap SATA drives offer exactly the same reliability as fixed SATA drives. Only the system availability improves using the swappable drives. (Less downtime is incurred removing and installing the drives.) Hot-swap SAS drives use the Converged Tray for interchangeability with other IBM System x™ systems.

If you need more storage space, terabyte capacities are possible with external direct-attach, NAS and

SAN solutions.

Disk/Tape Controllers

All x3500 models include an integrated eight-port Adaptec AIC9580W Serial Attach SCSI (SAS) controller. This controller supports up to eight internal SAS or SATA II LVD (low-voltage differential) drives.

The integrated ServeRAID-8kcontroller offers hardware RAID-0/1/10/1E/5/6support and 256MB of fast PC2-4200 DDR2 battery-backedcache for high performance, without consuming a valuable adapter slot.

The RAID controller provides data transfer speeds of up to 300MB per second5 in each direction (full- duplex) across the SAS bus, for an aggregate speed of 600MBps, nearly double that of Ultra320 SCSI’s 320MBps (half-duplex) bandwidth. The serial design of the SAS bus allows maximum performance to be maintained as additional drives are added.

This controller also supports up to eight SATA II drives at SATA II throughput (300MBps, half-duplex), nearly equivalent to the throughput of Ultra320 SCSI.

Other supported RAID controllers include:

•ServeRAID-8s— SAS/SATA, 8-lanes, 256MB cache (optional battery-backup), x8 PCI-E (4 lanes internal, 4 external; four-port cable for external SAS/SATA RAID storage)

In addition, the Ultra320 SCSI Controller 2 supports the use of an internal SCSI tape drive.

Drive Bays

The x3500 contains 11 drive bays in 3.5-inch HDD models and 15 bays in 2.5-inch HDD models. Some models offer eight bays that support slimline (1.0") 3.5-inchhot-swap SAS drives totaling up to 2.4TB. Other models offer 12 bays that support 2.5-inchhot-swap SAS drives totaling up to 1.76TB. In addition, there are three 5.25-inchbays, one reserved for the optical drive and two for other purposes.

An internal full-hightape drive can be installed using two of the 5.25-inch drive bays; alternatively, an internal half-hightape drive can be installed using one of the 5.25-inch drive bays. The tape drive must have a USB 2.0 interface.

A 16X 6 speed half-high DVD-ROM drive with a SATA interface ships standard in the other 5.25-inch bay. No diskette drive is supplied with any model; an external USB floppy drive may be used, if needed.

Hot-swap drives may be inserted or removed through the front of the server without powering off the system.

For still more storage, a direct-attach, NAS or SAN external expansion option can be added, using an optional controller.

4Actual throughput will depend on the adapter vendor’s implementation.

5Data transfer rates depend on many factors and are often less than the maximum possible.

6Variable read rate. Actual playback speed varies and is often less than the maximum possible.

Please see the Legal Information section for important notices and information.

X3500 specifications

The IBM X3500 is a versatile and powerful server designed to meet the demands of modern businesses. As part of IBM's System x line, it combines cutting-edge technologies with a reliable architecture, making it suitable for a variety of applications ranging from virtualization to data-intensive tasks.

One of the key features of the IBM X3500 is its scalability. The server supports multiple processors, allowing for enhanced performance as workloads increase. Typically equipped with Intel Xeon processors, the X3500 can handle demanding applications while providing efficient power consumption. This flexibility ensures that businesses can adapt their server capabilities based on evolving needs without requiring a complete hardware overhaul.

Memory capacity is another strong suit of the IBM X3500. It allows for an extensive amount of RAM, facilitating high-performance computing and efficient multitasking. With support for DDR3 memory, organizations can take advantage of faster data transfer rates, leading to improved application responsiveness. This is particularly beneficial in virtualized environments where multiple virtual machines run concurrently on a single physical server.

The X3500 also features advanced storage options. Designed with multiple drive bays, it can accommodate a mix of HDDs and SSDs, catering to both high-capacity and high-speed storage requirements. IBM’s Advanced RAID technology further enhances data protection and performance, ensuring that critical business data is secure and readily accessible.

In terms of energy efficiency, the X3500 incorporates IBM's innovative energy management technologies. These features help reduce total cost of ownership while achieving significant improvements in power consumption. This is crucial for businesses looking to optimize their operational costs, particularly in large data centers where energy expenses can be substantial.

The server is designed with robust management capabilities as well. IBM's Integrated Management Module (IMM) allows for comprehensive system monitoring and management, providing IT administrators with tools to manage hardware health, performance, and security effectively. This enables proactive maintenance and minimizes downtime.

Finally, the IBM X3500 is built with industry-standard components, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of software and applications. This makes it an ideal choice for businesses looking for a reliable server solution that can easily integrate into existing IT environments.

In conclusion, the IBM X3500 is a powerful and adaptable server that blends performance, scalability, energy efficiency, and advanced management capabilities, making it a valuable asset for organizations looking to enhance their IT infrastructure.