2.7 External I/O subsystems

This section describes the external I/O subsystems, which include the 7311 I/O drawers and the external storage solutions that p5-570 supports.

2.7.1 I/O drawers

As described in Chapter 1, “General description” on page 1, the p5-570 system has six internal PCI-X slots. If more PCI-X slots are needed to dedicate more adapters to a partition or to increase the bandwidth of network adapters, up to 20 7311 model D10, 7311 model D11, and 7311 model D20 I/O drawers can be added to the p5-570 system.

The p5-570 building block system configures a default RIO-2 bus to connect the internal PCI-X slots through the PCI-X to PCI-X bridges, and supports up to four external I/O drawers. To support more I/O drawers in one p5-570 building block, the RIO-2 expansion card

(FC 1800) is needed. The RIO-2 expansion card supports up to four additional I/O drawers. If the combined system is made of more than one p5-570 building block, the optional RIO-2 expansion card may be not required if I/O drawers can be shared between the default RIO-2 loop of the p5-570 building blocks.

2.7.2 7311 Model D10 and 7311 Model D11 I/O drawers

The 7311-D10 is not supported in p5-570 initial orders. Only an existing 7311-D10 drawers at the customer site may be migrated from other systems to a p5-570. The 7311-D11 can be in the initial order and it provides six additional PCI-X slots supporting an enhanced blind-swap mechanism. That is the first difference between the two I/O drawer models. The other difference is that the 7311-D11 has six slots that are PCI-X capable, and the D10 has five PCI-X capable slots and one PCI slot. The two types of blind-swap cassette mechanisms are unique for any I/O drawer model; therefore you cannot move a blind-swap cassette from a D10 to a D20 or from a D20 to a D10. Drawers must have a RIO-2 adapter to connect to the server.

Each primary PCI-X bus is connected to a PCI-X-to-PCI-X bridge, which provides three slots with Extended Error Handling (EEH) for error recovering. In the 7311 Model D10 I/O drawer, slot 1 is a standard PCI slot, which operates at 33 MHz and 5 V signaling. In the 7311 Model D11 I/O drawer, slots 1 to 6 are PCI-X slots that operate at 133 MHz and 3.3 V signaling.

Figure 2-10shows a conceptual diagram of the 7311 Model D10 I/O drawer.

32p5-570 Technical Overview and Introduction

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IBM P5 570 manual External I/O subsystems, 2 7311 Model D10 and 7311 Model D11 I/O drawers
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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.
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