| 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 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 allows 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 x3400 text messages over |
| serial or LAN. An optional upgrade to the Remote Supervisor Adapter II SlimLine adds graphical |
| console redirect. |
| Predictive Failure Analysis (PFA) is designed to allow the x3400 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 Director. This gives you the |
| ability to replace the failing component before it fails, resulting in increased uptime. |
| IBM Director 5.x software for advanced workgroup management is included with the x3400. IBM Director |
| comes with a portfolio of tools, including Management Processor Assistant, Rack Manager, RAID |
| Manager, Update Assistant and Software Distribution. System Availability (a no-charge download) and |
| Capacity Manager (sold separately) are available as add-ons for additional server management and |
| increased availability. IBM Director provides a single uniform graphical interface for all of these systems |
| management functions. |
| IBM Director enables you to customize thresholds and monitor system components (for things like |
| temperature, voltage regulation, etc.) to help maximize uptime. |
| |
Key Options | IBM options for System x servers help you take your servers to a higher |
| level |
| You can rely on System x options to supply a complete solution for your business needs. Options help you |
| create an optimized server system to meet your data protection, storage and availability needs. Every IBM |
| option is designed and tested for peak performance and flexibility, helping to maximize your return on |
| investment. The combination of System x servers and options lets you keep your fingers on the pulse of |
| your e-business. |
| Processors — The Intel Xeon processor provides high clock rates, dual-cores, 64-bit extensions, a large |
| cache and advanced features for availability and manageability. Large cache size, combined with a fast |
| 1066MHz or 1333MHz front-side, reduces memory latency and facilitates the movement of data through |
| the processor and I/O devices. (Note: System performance depends not only on the number of |
| processors in the server but also on the power and functionality of each processor.) Adding a second |
| processor may be a cost-effective way to achieve significant performance improvements. |
| Memory — Memory is a significant factor in systems application performance. Adding more memory to a |
| System x server is one of the most effective ways to increase application performance. For best |
| performance in a server with a dual-core processor, there should be twice as much memory available as |
| for a single-core processor. The x3400 takes memory upgrades in pairs and provides either two-way or |
| four-way interleaving (depending on the number of DIMMs installed). |
| Hard Disk Drives — IBM hard disk drives help you improve the transaction and cost performance of your |
| System x servers. The choice of hard disk drives can be a critical aspect of maximizing the I/O throughput |
| of the system. SAS hard disk drives are available for the x3400 with capacities up to 300GB (3.5-inch) at |
| 10,000 RPMs and up to 146.8GB at 15,000 RPMs. SATA II hard disk drives are available with capacities |
| up to 750GB (3.5-inch) at 7,200 RPMs. |
| Backup Drives — Backup drives help you protect your data. IBM offers several choices of capacities and |
| technologies, including DDS-5, DDS-6, LTO-2, LTO-3, and VXA-3. |
| Power Supply — The optional second power supply for the x3400 enables redundancy for hot-swap |
| power (and adds three additional fans for increased cooling capacity and redundancy). |
| Remote Supervisor Adapter II SlimLine — The x3400 includes a plethora of systems management |
| features built-in; however, sometimes additional management capability is needed. In those situations, the |
| Remote Supervisor Adapter II SlimLine not only offers powerful new features, it does so without taking up |
| a valuable PCIx or PCIe adapter slot, using a dedicated slot on the motherboard instead. |
| ServeRAID Controllers — System x servers using embedded ServeRAID-8k technology allow |
| companies to build a reliable foundation for business-critical computing. IBM ServeRAID technology |
| |