Reliability, availability, and serviceability
Three important computer design features are reliability, availability, and
serviceability (RAS). The RAS features help to ensure the integrity of the data that
is stored in the server, the availability of the server when you need it, and the ease
with which you can diagnose and correct problems.
The server has the following RAS features:
v Active memory
v Active™ PCI-X (hot-plug) adapter slots
v Automatic BIOS recovery (ABR)
v Automatic error retry and recovery
v Automatic restart after a power failure
v Availability of microcode and diagnostic levels
v Backup basic input/output system (BIOS) switching under the control of the
service processor
v Baseboard management controller (service processor)
v Built-in, menu-driven electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM) based
setup, system configuration, and diagnostic programs
v Built-in monitoring for fan, power, temperature, voltage, and power-supply
redundancy
v Chipkill™ memory protection
v Error codes and messages
v Error correcting code (ECC) L2 cache and system memory
v Fault-resistant startup
v Hot-swap hard disk drives
v IBM Director workgroup-hardware-management tool
v Information and light path diagnostics LED panels
v Optional service processor adapter for remote system management
v Parity checking on the small computer system interface (SCSI) bus and PCI
buses
v Power managed and Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI)
compliant
v Power-on self-test (POST)
v Predictive Failure Analysis® (PFA) alerts
v Redundant Ethernet capabilities (requires optional Ethernet adapter) with failover
support
v Redundant hot-swap capability
– Cooling fans with speed-sensing capability
– Power supplies
v
Remind button to temporarily flash the Attention LED
v Remote system problem-determination support
v ROM-based diagnostic programs
v Standby voltage for systems-management features and monitoring
v Startup (boot) from LAN using Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) protocol
v System auto-configuring from the configuration menu
v System error logging (POST and service processor when Remote Supervisor
Adapter II SlimLine is installed)
v Upgradeable microcode for POST, BIOS, diagnostics, service processor, and
read-only memory (ROM) resident code, locally or over the LAN
v Vital product data (VPD) on microprocessors, system boards, power supplies,
and SAS (hot-swap-drive) backplane
v Wake on LAN® capability
Chapter 1. The System x3950 and System x3950 E server 7