Serviceability

based server, this allows that capacity to be first obtained from, for example, a test partition instead of a financial accounting system.

POWER7 cache availability

The POWER® processor-based line of servers continues to be at the forefront of cache availability enhancements. The L3 cache is now integrated on the POWER7 processor. The POWER7 processor provides both L2 and L3 cache line delete functions.

Special uncorrectable error handling

Uncorrectable errors are difficult for any system to tolerate, although there are some situations where they can be shown to be irrelevant. For example, if an uncorrectable error occurs in cached data that will never again be read or where a fresh write of the data is imminent, it would be unwise to "protect" the user by forcing an immediate reboot.

Special Uncorrectable Error (SUE) handling was an IBM innovation introduced for

POWER5TM processors, where an uncorrectable error in memory or cache does not immediately cause the system to terminate. Rather, the system tags the data and determines whether it will ever be used again. If the error is irrelevant, it will not force a checkstop.

PCI extended error handling

PCI extended error handling (EEH) enabled adapters respond to a special data packet generated from the affected PCI slot hardware by calling system firmware, which will examine the affected bus, allow the device driver to reset it, and continue without a system reboot. For Linux, EEH support extends to the majority of frequently used devices, although some third-party PCI devices may not provide native EEH support.

Predictive failure and dynamic component deallocation

Servers with POWER processors have long had the capability to perform predictive failure analysis on certain critical components such as processors and memory. When these components exhibit symptoms that would indicate a failure is imminent, the system can dynamically deallocate and call home about the failing part before the error is propagated system-wide. In many cases, the system will first attempt to reallocate resources in such a way that will avoid unplanned outages. In the event that insufficient resources exist to maintain full system availability, these servers will attempt to maintain partition availability by user-defined priority.

Uncorrectable error recovery

When the auto-restart option is enabled, the system can automatically restart following an unrecoverable software error, hardware failure, or environmentally induced (ac power) failure.

The purpose of serviceability is to repair the system while attempting to minimize or eliminate service cost (within budget objectives), while maintaining high customer satisfaction. Serviceability includes system installation, MES (system upgrades/downgrades), and system maintenance/repair. Depending upon the system and warranty contract, service may be performed by the customer, an IBM representative, or an authorized warranty service provider.

The serviceability features delivered in this system provide a highly efficient service environment by incorporating the following attributes

•Design for Customer Set Up (CSU), Customer Installed Features (CIF), and Customer Replaceable Units (CRU)

•Error detection and Fault Isolation (ED/FI)

IBM United States Hardware Announcement 110-009

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