What your server offers

The server uses the following features and technologies:

vActive PCI-X (hot-plug) adapter capabilities

The server has six hot-plug slots for peripheral component interconnect (PCI-X) adapters. With operating-system support, you can replace a failing hot-plug PCI-X adapter without turning off the server. If the operating system and adapter support the hot-add feature, you can also add a PCI adapter in one of these slots without turning off the server.

vBaseboard management controller

The baseboard management controller provides environmental monitoring for the server. If environmental conditions exceed thresholds or if system components fail, the baseboard management controller lights LEDs to help you diagnose the problem and records the errors in the error log. The baseboard management controller is also known as the service processor.

The baseboard management controller also provides remote server management capabilities through the OSA SMBridge management utility program.

vIBM Director

IBM Director is a workgroup-hardware-management tool that you can use to centrally manage IBM System x and xSeries servers. For more information, see the IBM Director documentation on the IBM Director CD.

vIBM Enterprise X-Architecture technology

IBM X-Architecture technology combines proven, innovative IBM designs to make your x86-based server powerful, scalable, and reliable. For more information, see http://www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/xseries/xarchitecture/enterprise/index.html.

–Active™ Memory

The Active Memory feature improves the reliability of memory through memory mirroring, memory scrubbing, and the Memory ProteXion™ feature.

–Large system-memory capacity

The server supports up to 64 GB of system memory. The memory controller supports error correcting code (ECC) for up to 16 industry-standard PC2-3200, 333 megahertz (MHz), 1.8 V, 240-pin, registered, double-data-rate (DDR) II, synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM) dual inline memory modules (DIMMs).

–Memory ProteXion

The Memory ProteXion feature provides the equivalent of a hot-spare drive in a RAID array. It is based in the memory controller, and it enables the server to sense when a chip on a DIMM has failed and to route the data around the failed chip.

vIBM ServerGuide™ Setup and Installation CD

The ServerGuide Setup and Installation CD that comes with the server (standard on some models only) provides programs to help you set up the server and install a 32-bit Windows operating system. The ServerGuide program detects installed hardware options and provides the correct configuration programs and device drivers. For more information about the ServerGuide Setup and Installation CD, see “Using the ServerGuide Setup and Installation CD” on page 63.

Chapter 1. The System x3950 and System x3950 E server 5