IBM X3650 manual

A highly available and expandable, rack-dense, 2U dual-socket SMP server, for application serving in Web environments

•Other mandatory and optional IPMI BMC functions

The BMC alerts IBM Systems Director to anomalous environmental factors, such as voltage and thermal conditions—even if the server has failed.

The x3650 also supports an optional IBM Remote Supervisor Adapter II SlimLine for additional systems management capabilities, including:

•Predictive Failure Analysis for system fans

•Graphical console redirection over LAN

•Web-based out-of-band control

•Windows “blue screen” capture

•Remote virtual floppy and CD-ROM

•High-speed remote redirection of PCI video, keyboard and mouse

•SSL (Secure Socket Layer) and LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) support

IBM developed IBM Systems Director Active Energy Manager for x86 to put control of system power-saving features at the fingertips of administrators. Active Energy Manager is designed to take advantage of new features, such as monitoring power usage and balancing the performance of the system according to available power input. It provides the ability to plan and predict power consumption based on your hardware configuration. It also helps enable you to reduce the infrastructure required for redundancy, by using fewer servers on smaller power feeds and potentially lowering your overall data center support costs. It does this by inventorying all components, then adding up the total power draw and tracking the usage.

Automatic Server Restart (ASR) helps reduce downtime by restarting the server automatically in the event of a system lockup. ASR technology is a combination of hardware circuitry tied into the server’s system reset function and a device driver. As long as the server continues running, the ASR watchdog timer will keep being reset, but if the operating system crashes or the hardware freezes somehow the ASR software will be unable to reset the hardware timer. If the timer is not reset within five minutes, it automatically triggers the ASR hardware, which immediately restarts the server (and logs an ASR event with IBM Systems Director). These features are designed so that no more than five minutes can pass before the server is restarted.

Wake on LAN permits the server to be remotely powered on if it has been shut off. Once powered up, the server can be controlled across the network, using the Preboot Execution Environment (PXE).

Like Wake on LAN, PXE is system firmware. It enables software such as the optional IBM Remote Deployment Manager to take control of a system before the BIOS, operating system or applications are loaded (using Wake on LAN/PXE) and lets an administrator perform many low-level tasks remotely that would otherwise require a visit to each system. These tasks may include such things as formatting a hard disk drive, updating system firmware, or deploying a Windows or Linux operating system.

Text Console Redirection support allows the administrator to remotely view x3650 text messages over serial or LAN. An upgrade to the optional Remote Supervisor Adapter II SlimLine adds graphical console redirect.

Predictive Failure Analysis (PFA) is designed to allow the x3650 to detect impending failure of supported components (processors, memory, voltage regulator modules (VRMs), power supplies and hard disk drives) before actual failure, and alert the administrator through IBM Systems Director. This gives you the ability to replace the failing component before it fails, resulting in increased uptime.

IBM Systems Director software for advanced workgroup management is included with the x3650. IBM Systems Director comes with a portfolio of tools, including Management Processor Assistant, Rack Manager, RAID Manager, Update Assistant and Software Distribution. IBM Systems Director Active Energy Manager for x86, System Availability (a no-charge download) and Capacity Manager (sold separately) are available as add-ons for additional server management and increased availability. IBM Systems Director provides a single uniform graphical interface for all of these systems management functions.

IBM Systems Director enables you to customize thresholds and monitor system components (for things like temperature, voltage regulation, etc.) to help maximize uptime.

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