IBM X3950 M2 Dual Gigabit Ethernet Controller, Ultra-Efficient Cooling, Light Path Diagnostics

Combining high-performance architecture with high-performance Xeon processors

times the maximum throughput of a 133MHz PCI-X adapter3. (A x1 adapter offers throughput similar to a 66MHz PCI-X slot.)

Because the SAS, ServeRAID-MR10k, dual Gigabit Ethernet, and systems management controllers are integrated onto the system board, the seven adapter slots are all available, which offers you a wide degree of latitude in expansion options.

(Even though the HP DL580G5 has eleven total slots, they offer lower throughput, providing no more aggregate bandwidth than the seven slots of the eX4 servers.)

Dual Gigabit Ethernet Controller

The eX4 systems include one integrated dual-port Broadcom 5709C Gigabit Ethernet controller, with TOE (TCP Offload Engine) acceleration support (available 1Q/08), as well as load-balancingand failover capabilities between the two ports.

TOE support helps improve overall system performance by offloading TCP/IP protocol processing from the system microprocessor to the onboard Ethernet TOE processor. iSCSI support works similarly for iSCSI workloads.

The controller also supports highly secure remote power management using IPMI 2.0, plus Wake on LAN® and PXE (Preboot Execution Environment) flash interface. Optional PCI adapters offering failover and load balancing between adapters are available for added throughput and increased system availability.

Ultra-Efficient Cooling

Six strategically located hot-swap/redundant provide highly effective system cooling for the Cooling. The fans are arranged to cool three pair of redundant fans per zone.

fans, combined with efficient airflow paths, eX4 systems, known as Calibrated Vectored separate zones, left, center, and right, with one

The fans automatically adjust speeds in response to changing thermal requirements, depending on the zone, redundancy, and internal temperatures. When the temperature inside the server increases, the fans speed up to maintain the proper ambient temperature. When the temperature returns to a normal operating level, the fans return to their default speed. Why not simply run the fans at 100% capacity all the time? For several good reasons: to reduce the ambient noise, reduce the wear-and-tear on the fans and reduce the server power draw. The reduction in ambient noise and power draw may be relatively minor for a single server, but if you have a larger number of systems the aggregate savings in power and noise pressure can be significant.

In addition, the server uses hexagonal ventilation holes in the chassis. Hexagonal holes can be grouped more densely than round holes, providing greater airflow through the system cover.

This cooling scheme is important because newer, more powerful processors generate a significant amount of heat, and heat must be controlled for the system to function properly.

Hot-Swap/Redundant Components

System availability is maximized through the extensive use of hot-swap and redundant components, including:

•Hot-add/hot-swap redundant memory protection (with Chipkill, Memory ProteXion, and selectable memory mirroring capabilities)

•Hot-swap redundant hard disk drives (with standard LSI 1078 controller and optional ServeRAID-MR10k providing multiple levels of RAID support)

•Hot-swap PCIe adapter slots (with optional failover support)

•Hot-swap redundant cooling fans (three redundant pairs)

•Hot-swap redundant power supplies4

Light Path Diagnostics

Light path diagnostics enables a technician to quickly identify and locate a failed or failing system component, such as a specific memory DIMM. (Monitored components include processors, memory, power supplies, fans, HDDs, adapters, and voltage regulator modules (VRMs), plus system temperature.) This enables quick replacement of the component, which helps increase server uptime and lower operating costs.

The front of the server has an LED indicator light to show possible component failures. If the

2Variable read rate. Actual playback speed varies and is often less than the maximum possible.

3Actual throughput will depend on the adapter vendor’s implementation.

4At 220V both power supplies are redundant; at 110V only the first power supply is redundant.

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