About Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability Features

Reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) are aspects of a system’s design that affect its ability to operate continuously and to minimize the time necessary to service the system. Reliability refers to a system’s ability to operate continuously without failures and to maintain data integrity. System availability refers to the percentage of time that a system remains accessible and usable. Serviceability relates to the time it takes to restore a system to service following a system failure. Together, reliability, availability, and serviceability features provide for near continuous system operation.

To deliver high levels of reliability, availability and serviceability, the Sun Fire V490 system offers the following features:

■Hot-pluggable disk drives

■Redundant, hot-swappable power supplies

■Environmental monitoring and fault detection

■Automatic system recovery (ASR) capabilities

■Multiplexed I/O (MPxIO)

■Remote “lights out” management capability

■Hardware watchdog mechanism and externally initiated reset (XIR)

■Dual-loop enabled FC-AL subsystem

■Support for disk and network multipathing with automatic failover capability

■Error correction and parity checking for improved data integrity

Hot-Pluggable and Hot-Swappable Components

Sun Fire V490 hardware is designed to support hot-plugging of internal disk drives and hot-swapping of power supplies. With the proper software support, you can install or remove these components while the system is running. Hot-plug and hot-swap technology significantly increases the system’s serviceability and availability, by providing the ability to:

■Increase storage capacity dynamically to handle larger work loads and improve system performance

■Replace disk drives and power supplies without service disruption

For additional information about the system’s hot-pluggable and hot-swappable components—including a discussion of the differences between the two practices—see “About Hot-Pluggable and Hot-Swappable Components” on page 26.

Chapter 2 System Overview 19

Page 46 Page 48
Page 47
Image 47
Sun Microsystems V490 manual About Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability Features
Page 46 Page 48

V490 specifications

Sun Microsystems V490 is a robust, high-performance server that was launched in the mid-2000s. It is part of Sun's Enterprise line of servers, specifically designed to meet the needs of businesses requiring reliability, scalability, and efficiency in their computing environments. The V490 is well-regarded for its versatility and ability to handle demanding applications.

At the heart of the V490 is its support for the UltraSPARC IV processor. The server can be configured to contain up to four processors, allowing it to deliver exceptional parallel processing capabilities. The UltraSPARC IV architecture enhances throughput and efficiency, making it suitable for enterprise applications and database management tasks.

One of the standout features of the V490 is its memory capacity. The server can support up to 64 GB of RAM, which allows for extensive caching and improved performance for memory-intensive applications. Coupled with a high bandwidth architecture, the V490 ensures that data can be processed quickly and effectively.

The V490 also emphasizes storage flexibility. It comes equipped with multiple disk drive bays, allowing for a combination of SATA and SAS drives. This flexibility enables businesses to tailor their storage solutions according to their specific performance and redundancy requirements. The V490 supports hot-swappable drives, making maintenance and upgrades considerably easier without taking the server offline.

In terms of connectivity, the Sun V490 features a variety of networking options. It includes multiple Gigabit Ethernet ports, ensuring high-speed data transfer and redundancy. Additionally, the server supports advanced input/output capabilities, making it compatible with various peripherals and external storage solutions.

Sun Microsystems V490 runs on the Solaris operating system, known for its stability and security. This OS enhances the server's performance while providing a reliable platform for mission-critical applications. The V490 also supports virtualization technologies, allowing organizations to run multiple operating systems and applications on a single hardware platform, thus optimizing resource utilization.

Another key characteristic of the V490 is its thermal efficiency. The server is designed with an advanced cooling system that minimizes energy consumption while maximizing performance. This focus on power efficiency aligns with modern data center requirements for sustainability and reduced operational costs.

In summary, the Sun Microsystems V490 is a powerful enterprise server that combines the latest processing technologies, substantial memory and storage capabilities, and robust networking options. Its scalability, along with advanced virtualization support and energy-efficient design, makes it a suitable choice for organizations looking to enhance their IT infrastructure. The V490 remains a testament to Sun Microsystems' commitment to delivering high-quality, reliable computing solutions.
Top Page Image Contents