IBM 390, 387, 393, 391, 389, 388 Reliability, availability, and serviceability, Security features

Reliability, availability, and serviceability

Reliability, availability, and serviceability (hereinafter referred to as RAS) are three important server design features. The RAS features help you to ensure the integrity of the data stored on the server, the availability of the server when you need it, and the ease with which you can diagnose and correct problems.

Your server has the following RAS features:

•Security features

–Server locks (see “Server locks” on page 22)

–Administrator password and user password to help protect unauthorized access to the server (see “Using passwords” on page 65)

–Trusted Platform Module (TPM) connector on the system board for a TPM module, which is a security chip, to help protect your server and strengthen server security

Note: The TPM module is only available in some models.

–Remote monitoring or control by an administrator to provide protection or help

–Hot-swap redundant power supply modules to help you avoid significant interruption to the operation of the system when a power supply module fails (available in some models)

•Basic system management features

–Ability to store the power-on self-test (POST) hardware test results

–BIOS Setup Utility program

The BIOS Setup Utility program helps you view the server information and configure the server in the pre-operating system environment. See “Using the Setup Utility program” on page 55.

–BMC and Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) 2.0

The system board platform management subsystem is based on the integrated BMC features. The BMC is a management chip that is integrated on the system board of your server. With the BMC chip, no matter what condition the server operating system is in and no matter if the server is on or off, as long as the server is connected to network and an ac power source, the interaction with the BMC controlled servers can be achieved through system network. The user can obtain the server hardware health information and system event log (SEL), and is able to conduct the operations including turning on or off the server, restarting the server, locking the power switch on the front panel, and so on. This part of the server management is independent of the operating system and is called out-of-band management.

The system board platform management subsystem consists of the integrated BMC, communication buses, sensors, Basic Input Output System (BIOS), and server management firmware. It is responsible for error management and reporting, system power control, thermal monitoring, system fan control, and other management features. The BMC provides system management and monitoring features based on the IPMI 2.0 specification. IPMI helps lower the overall costs of server management. You can find more information about IPMI 2.0 from the Web site of Intel. The BMC also supports some non-IPMI features, such as the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) and the Platform Environment Control Interface (PECI), to provide more system management functions.

Refer to the Remote Management Module User Guide on the documentation DVD that comes with your server for more information.

–Hot-swap feature

Some models support hot-swap hard disk drives and or hot-swap redundant power supply modules. With the hot-swap feature, you can install, remove, or replace hard disk drives or a failing power supply module without turning off the server.

10ThinkServer User Guide