Using
the
ASM
interconnect
network
This
section
explains
how
to
configure
and
connect
the
server
to
function
within
an
ASM
interconnect
network.
The
ASM
interconnect
network
can
include
as
many
as
12
individual
ASM
connections
in
a
single
bus.
These
connections
can
include
Remote
Supervisor
Adapters,
ASM
processors,
and
ASM
PCI
adapters.
When
the
clients
and
servers
are
connected,
they
use
the
ASM
interconnect
network
to
share
ASM
resources,
information,
and
alerts
among
multiple
servers
without
having
to
add
additional
communications
hardware
or
network
interface
adapters.
An
ASM
interconnect
network
provides
two
levels
of
functionality.
First,
the
ASM
interconnect
network
enables
you
to
configure
settings
and
to
control
the
servers
where
other
Remote
Supervisor
Adapters,
ASM
processors,
and
ASM
PCI
adapters
on
the
network
reside.
Second,
the
ASM
interconnect
network
enables
other
interconnect
network
devices
to
use
the
resources
(Ethernet
or
modem)
of
other
Remote
Supervisor
Adapters,
ASM
processors,
and
ASM
PCI
adapters
in
the
ASM
interconnect
network
for
sending
alerts.
This
interconnect
network
is
used
when
Remote
Supervisor
Adapters,
ASM
processors,
or
ASM
PCI
adapters
cannot
send
an
alert
and
must
forward
the
information
to
another
one
of
these
devices
to
send
the
alert.

Planning

and

cabling

the

interconnect

network

To
support
the
most
recent
ASM
features,
a
Remote
Supervisor
Adapter
must
be
the
main
gateway
interconnect
to
the
ASM
interconnect
bus
if
the
bus
also
includes
servers
with
ASM
PCI
adapters
or
ASM
processors.
The
Remote
Supervisor
Adapter
forwards
the
ASM
information
generated
by
the
servers
attached
to
the
ASM
interconnect
bus
to
other
servers
on
the
Ethernet
network.
The
connected
ASM
processors
and
ASM
PCI
adapters
are
managed
through
the
new
user
interface
and
Web
browser
access
of
the
Remote
Supervisor
Adapter.
Note:
To
ensure
the
stability
of
the
system,
you
must
have
the
most
current
level
of
firmware
installed
on
the
Remote
Supervisor
Adapter
that
is
the
main
interconnect
gateway
for
the
ASM
interconnect
network.
The
most
current
level
of
firmware
is
available
at
http://www.ibm.com/pc/support/
on
the
World
Wide
Web.
For
more
information
about
updating
firmware,
see
“Updating
the
firmware”
on
page
39
and
the
Remote
Supervisor
Adapter
User’s
Guide
on
the
IBM
xSeries
Documentation
CD.
You
must
connect
an
ASM
Interconnect
module
to
the
Remote
Supervisor
Adapter
and
to
each
xSeries
450
server
that
you
connect
to
the
ASM
interconnect
network
bus.
Attention:
To
avoid
damage
to
the
Ethernet
connector
on
the
Remote
Supervisor
Adapter,
do
not
plug
the
ASM
Interconnect
module
into
the
Remote
Supervisor
Adapter
Ethernet
connector.
To
connect
the
servers,
note
the
following
setup
and
configuration
considerations:
v
Ensure
that
the
ASM
interconnect
network
is
set
up
as
a
bus
topology.
You
must
connect
the
servers
to
the
ASM
interconnect
network
in
a
series,
with
terminated
beginning
and
end
points.
v
Ensure
that
the
total
combined
length
of
all
Ethernet
cables
connecting
the
server
in
the
ASM
interconnect
network
does
not
exceed
91
m
(300
ft).
v
Each
Remote
Supervisor
Adapter,
ASM
PCI
adapter,
or
ASM
processor
that
is
connected
to
the
ASM
interconnect
network
bus
counts
as
one
connection.
For
26
IBM
xSeries
450
Type
8688:
Hardware
Maintenance
Manual
and
Troubleshooting
Guide