Contents
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .v
Chapter 1. The System x3950 and System x3950 E server . . . . . . . .1

Related documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Notices and statements in this document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Features and specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

What your server offers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Reliability, availability, and serviceability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

IBM Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

The UpdateXpress program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Server controls, connectors, LEDs, and power . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Front view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Rear view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Server power features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Chapter 2. Installing options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Server components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

I/O board internal connectors and jumpers . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Memory-card connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Memory-card LEDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Microprocessor-board connectors and LEDs . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

PCI-X board connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

PCI-X board LEDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

SAS-backplane connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Installation guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

System reliability guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Working inside the server with the power on . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Handling static-sensitive devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Removing the cover and bezel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Installing a hot-swap power supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Installing an adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Installing a hot-swap hard disk drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Memory module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Active Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Adding and replacing a memory card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Installing DIMMs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Microprocessor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Microprocessor installation order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Installing a microprocessor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Completing the installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Connecting the cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Updating the server configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

SMP Expansion cabling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Chapter 3. Configuring the server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Using the Configuration/Setup Utility program . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Starting the Configuration/Setup Utility program . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Configuration/Setup Utility menu choices . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Using the ServerGuide Setup and Installation CD . . . . . . . . . . . .63

ServerGuide features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Setup and configuration overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Typical operating-system installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

© Copyright IBM Corp. 2006 iii