1

Chapter 1. General description

The IBM ^p5 570 rack-mount server is designed for greater application flexibility, with innovative technology, to capitalize on the e-business revolution at the midrange level for server environments. Introduced with the POWER4™ and POWER4+™ technology in 2001 and available from the 1-way entry-level through the 32-way high-end pSeries systems, the IBM POWER™ architecture achieved a new stage of capability characteristics by including features such as logical partitioning (LPAR). With POWER5™ microprocessor technology, the p5-570 is the first cost-effective, high-performance midrange UNIX server to include the next development of the IBM partitioning concept, Micro-Partitioning™.

Dynamic logical partitioning is supported from the 2-way p5-570 to the 16-way p5-570 system, allowing up to 16 dedicated partitions. In addition, the optional Advanced POWER Virtualization hardware feature enables a technology called Micro-Partitioning technology. The p5-570 system has been designed to support up to 160 partitions on a 16-way system. The Micro-Partitioning technology is an advanced feature of the POWER5 processor that enables multiple partitions to share a physical processor. The extended POWER Hypervisor controls dispatching the physical processors to each of the partitions using Micro-Partitioning technology. In addition to Micro-Partitioning technology, the Advanced POWER Virtualization feature enables sharing of network and storage adapters to satisfy the I/O requests of partitions that do not have a dedicated physical I/O adapter.

In combination with the extraordinary POWER5 processor, the Micro-Partitioning technology is designed to increase system management efficiency and lowers operating expenses through the multiple use of single physical resources that are installed in the p5-570 system.

Simultaneous multi-threading (SMT), a standard feature of POWER5 technology, enables two threads to be executed at the same time on a single processor. SMT is user-selectable with dedicated or processors from a shared pool for use by partitions using Micro-Partitioning technology.

The symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) p5-570 system features base 2-way, 4-way, 8-way,

12-way, and 16-way, 64-bit, copper-based, SOI-based POWER5 microprocessors running at

1.5GHz, 1.65 GHz, and 1.9 GHz with 36 MB off-chip Level 3 cache configurations. The system is based on a concept of system building blocks. The p5-570 building blocks are facilitated with the use of Processor interconnect and system SP Flex cables that enable as many as four 4-way p5-570 building blocks to be connected to achieve a true 16-way SMP

© Copyright IBM Corp. 2004. All rights reserved.

1

Page 13
Image 13
IBM P5 570 manual General description

P5 570 specifications

The IBM P5 570 is a high-performance server that was designed for enterprise-scale computing, offering a blend of advanced technologies and a flexible architecture. Launched as part of IBM's Power5 server line, the P5 570 stands out for its robust processing capabilities and extensive scalability, making it a preferred choice for businesses requiring reliable and efficient computing solutions.

At the heart of the P5 570 is the IBM Power5 processor, which employs simultaneous multi-threading (SMT) technology. This allows the processor to handle two threads per core, effectively doubling the throughput for workloads ideally suited to multi-threading. The server typically features a configuration of up to 32 Power5 processors, providing an impressive compute power that supports demanding applications, ranging from databases to complex enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.

The P5 570 architecture supports a wide range of memory configurations, with a maximum memory capacity of up to 512 GB. Utilizing IBM’s proprietary Chip Memory technology, it can deliver high bandwidth and low latency, significantly enhancing performance for memory-intensive applications. Furthermore, the integrated memory controller architecture optimizes memory access, ensuring that critical workloads run smoothly.

Scalability is a key characteristic of the P5 570, with the ability to expand processing power and memory capacity as an organization’s needs grow. The server supports various operating systems, including AIX, Linux, and IBM i, which provides flexibility for diverse IT environments. This versatility ensures that companies can run their preferred applications without the need for substantial system overhauls.

In terms of storage, the P5 570 utilizes advanced RAID technology and supports a variety of disk configurations, ensuring that data integrity and availability are maintained. Coupled with built-in security features, such as the IBM Trusted Foundation, which establishes a secure boot environment, the P5 570 offers a reliable platform for mission-critical workloads.

Finally, the IBM P5 570 is designed for high availability and redundancy. Features like hot-swappable components and advanced error detection and recovery mechanisms minimize downtime, making it a dependable choice for businesses that operate around the clock. Combined with its powerful hardware and versatile software support, the IBM P5 570 remains a formidable player in the high-performance server arena.