Platform Guide 5
CAUTION: Only trained service technicians are authorized to remove the system cover and access any of the
components inside the system. Before performing any procedure, see your Product Information Guide for
complete information about safety precautions, working inside the computer, and protecting against
electrostaticdischarge.
NOTE: Unless explicitly stated, reference to Microsoft® Windows Server® 2003 in this guide implies reference to
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition, Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise x64 Edition,
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise Edition, and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition.
This document provides information for installing and connecting peripheral hardware, storage, and
storage area network (SAN) components for your Dell™ PowerEdge™ ClusterFE655W solution.
ThePowerEdge Cluster FE655W solution is based on the PowerEdge 1855/1955 server modules,
theD ell|EMC storage systems, and the Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition operating systems.
This document covers the following topics:
• PowerEdge Cluster FE655W solution overview.
• Supported SAN configurations.
• Configuration information for installing peripheral and embedded hardware components into
PowerEdge ClusterFE655W solution configurations. These components include the Fibre Channel
daughter cards, theinternal Fibre Channel switches or pass-through modules, the internal Gigabit Ethernet
switches or pass-through modules, and the embedded server module network interface cards (NICs).
• Configuration rules and guidelines for SAN-attached configurations.
• Cluster Configuration Support Matrix.
NOTE: Configurations not listed in this document may not be certified or supported by Dell or Microsoft.
OverviewThe PowerEdge ClusterFE655W solution is attached to a self-contained SAN formed by server modules
from one or two PowerEdge 1855/1955 server enclosure(s). The server modules are interconnected to one
or more storage systems in a direct-attached configuration, or in a SAN-attached configuration using one
of the following methods:
• Self-contained internal fabrics with Fibre Channel switch modules
• External SAN using Fibre Channel pass-through modules
• External SAN using Fibre Channel switch modules
ThePowerEdge 1855/1955 server enclosure provides up to ten server modules, two Fibre Channel switch
modules or pass-through modules, and two Gigabit (Gb) Ethernet switch modules or pass-through
modules. Each server module has two embedded NICs and one Fibre Channel daughter card with
two FibreChannel ports.
The PowerEdge Cluster FE655W solution supports two to eight server modules running the Windows
Server 2003, Enterprise Edition or the Windows Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition operating system
that are installed in one or two PowerEdge 1855/1955 server enclosure(s).