Chapter 1: Introduction

notify the user of certain system events. For example, you can also configure Supero Doctor to provide you with warnings when the system temperature, CPU temperatures, voltages and fan speeds go beyond a pre-defined range.

1-5 ACPI Features

ACPI stands for Advanced Configuration and Power Interface. The ACPI specifica- tion defines a flexible and abstract hardware interface that provides a standard way to integrate power management features throughout a PC system, including its hardware, operating system and application software. This enables the system to automatically turn on and off peripherals such as CD-ROMs, network cards, hard disk drives and printers.

In addition to enabling operating system-directed power management, ACPI provides a generic system event mechanism for Plug and Play and an operating system-independent interface for configuration control. ACPI leverages the Plug and Play BIOS data structures while providing a processor architecture-independent implementation that is compatible with Windows XP/Windows 2003/Windows 2008/ Windows Vista Operating Systems.

Slow Blinking LED for Suspend-State Indicator

When the CPU goes into a suspend state, the chassis power LED will start blinking to indicate that the CPU is in suspend mode. When the user presses any key, the CPU will wake-up and the LED will automatically stop blinking and remain on.

Wake-On-LAN (WOL)

Wake-On-LAN is defined as the ability of a management application to remotely power up a computer that is powered off. Remote PC setup, up-dates and asset tracking can occur after hours and on weekends so that daily LAN traffic is kept to a minimum and users are not interrupted. The motherboard has a 3-pin header (WOL) to connect to the 3-pin header on a Network Interface Card (NIC) that has WOL capability. In addition, an onboard LAN controller can also support WOL without any connection to the WOL header. The 3-pin WOL header is to be used with a LAN add-on card only.

Note: Wake-On-LAN requires an ATX 2.01 (or above) compliant power supply.

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SUPER MICRO Computer X8DA3 user manual Acpi Features, Slow Blinking LED for Suspend-State Indicator, Wake-On-LAN WOL

X8DA3 specifications

Super Micro Computer, also known as Supermicro, is a prominent player in the world of computing hardware, particularly known for its high-performance server solutions. One of their noteworthy offerings is the X8DA3 motherboard, which is designed for dual-processor systems and caters to various applications, including data centers, cloud computing, and enterprise-level operations.

The Supermicro X8DA3 motherboard supports Intel's Nehalem and Westmere architectures, accommodating two LGA 1366 sockets for Intel Xeon processors. This setup allows for impressive computational power and scalability. The motherboard can support up to 192GB of DDR3 RAM across six DIMM slots, enabling high memory bandwidth essential for memory-intensive applications.

One of the standout features of the X8DA3 is its robust I/O options. It comes equipped with six SATA II ports and two SAS ports, allowing for flexible storage configurations. Additionally, the board supports a range of RAID levels, including 0, 1, 5, and 10, providing data redundancy and performance optimization. For enhanced connectivity, the motherboard includes dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, ensuring reliable networking capabilities which are crucial for server environments.

In terms of expandability, the X8DA3 features multiple PCIe slots, providing users with the ability to add various expansion cards such as graphics cards, network cards, or additional storage controllers. This flexibility allows companies to tailor their server setups according to specific needs.

Power management is another critical aspect of the X8DA3. It supports ATX power supplies and features advanced power-saving technologies that help in reducing overall energy consumption. This ecological consideration is particularly important for organizations looking to minimize their carbon footprint while maintaining optimal performance.

For thermal management, Supermicro incorporates a design that allows for efficient airflow and cooling, which is crucial for maintaining system stability during intensive workloads. The motherboard is also equipped with multiple temperature sensors that provide real-time monitoring, ensuring components operate within safe thermal levels.

Overall, the Super Micro Computer X8DA3 motherboard is a reliable and high-performance choice for businesses requiring a versatile and powerful computing platform. Its support for dual processors, extensive memory options, advanced storage capabilities, and solid expandability make it an attractive option for enterprise applications in today’s computationally demanding environments.