IBM x3950 X5 User's Guide download pdf (Page 1)

Ultrascalability combined with extreme availability

features and industry-leading performance

Please see the Legal Information section for important notices and information.

Product Guide

April 2011

IBM System x3850 X5 / x3950 X5

Architecture Overview

CONTENTS

Architecture Overview 1

Key Highlights 2

Key Features 3

Key Options 14

x3850/x3950 X5 Images

x3850/x3950 X5 Specs 17

The Bottom Line 21

Server Comparison 22

For More Information 23

Legal Information 23

Outstanding performance, superior mainframe-like reliability, and

fault-tolerant memory characteristics

IBM

has been designing and implementing servers under the X-Architecture

name since

2001. eX5 technology represents the fifth generation of enterprise servers based on the same

design principle IBM began with in 1997: to offer systems that are expandable, offer “big iron”

reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) features, with extremely competitive

price/performance on an Intel

Xeon

processor-based system.

The eX5 technology is primarily designed around three major workloads: database servers,

server consolidation using virtualization services, and Enterprise Resource Planning

(application and database) servers.

If you’re using industry-standard Xeon processor-based servers for running business critical

applications, the systems that run these applications need the type of technology designed

into IBM’s eX5 technology systems. eX5 technology represents a $100M+ investment in

designing a flagship offering that can harness the power of 4-socket-and-up 64-bit x86 (x64)

Xeon processors. The eX5 family includes two 4U 4-socket rack-optimized chassis (x3850

X5 and x3950 X5), which are offered in different scaled configurations up to 8 sockets, with

the architectural capability to scale further. In addition, for those workloads that require the

maximum available memory, the x3850 X5 and x3950 X5 support a 1U MAX5 memory

expansion unit, which adds an additional 32 DIMM slots per chassis (up to 96 DIMMs / 3TB

total). Alternatively, if you also need more processor sockets, you can add a second x3850

X5 or x3950 X5 to form one 8U 8-socket server with double the memory (up to 4TB),

HDDs/SSDs, adapter slots, and all the other system resources. For the ultimate in scalability,

you can add two MAX5 memory expansion units to a 2-node/8-socket server, for up to 6TB of

memory, ideal for large virtualization, ERP, and database needs.

IBM FlexNode partitioning allows you to logically divide an 8-socket server into two 4-

socket servers remotely and automatedly, and then revert back to a single 8-socket server,

all without requiring a physical visit to the server. Maybe you’d like to start out with a 4-socket

server and possibly add sockets later, if your needs change. Or perhaps you need more than

a 4-socket server now, but don’t want to get locked into a monolithic 8-socket or larger

server—again, in case your requirements change. With IBM, you can stop at 4 sockets, or

expand memory or CPU sockets further if needed. And if you require a variety of 4- and 8-

socket servers in your data center, you can qualify a single server for all these workloads.

This can save much time and effort and speed up deployment. You can also save money on

software licensing by virtualizing a 4- or 8-processor server into many VMs, rather than using

multiple 2-processor servers. Huge amounts of memory also enable more and larger VMs,

and larger databases.

IBM X-Architecture pioneered XpandOnDemand

™

(“pay as you grow”) scalability, which

allows chassis to be simply cabled together to form larger scale-up systems. This capability

allows IBM to sell a large SMP (symmetric multiprocessing) system at entry price points. With

XpandOnDemand, you can start small and later expand as your needs change, without

requiring you to buy more than you need up-front or throw away parts later as you expand.

IBM’s eX5 technology-based systems are the ideal solution for scale-up database-serving

applications on Microsoft

Windows

with Microsoft SQL Server

or IBM DB2

, as well as

Linux

with Oracle or DB2. Database hosting demands ultimate server reliability features, and

once installed, they tend to grow and grow, requiring ever greater levels of availability. eX5

servers provide exactly that degree to availability.

Another strong application area for the eX5-based systems is enterprise server consolidation

activities workloads, including SAP and Oracle. eX5 systems can offer considerable savings

over UNIX

deployments, using our certified solution stacks on either Windows or Linux..

Larger servers need more processor, memory and I/O resources, which make maximum use

of any applicable virtual machine software licensing fees and deliver superior system

utilization levels. The name of the game in consolidation activities is to deploy the fewest new

servers possible and help IT staff manage more images with the same or fewer overall

people.

These eX5 servers are designed to protect your data with high performance, high reliability,

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