HP ProLiant BL660c HP BladeSystem c-Class architecture - Page 4

Evaluating requirements for next-generation server and storage blades More critically than ever, data center administrators need agile computing resources that they can use fully but can change and adapt as business needs change. Administrators need 24/7 availability and the ability to manage power and cooling costs, even as systems become more power hungry and facility costs rise. Early generations of server blades solved some data center problems by increasing density and reducing cable count, but they also introduced other issues. While an individual server blade may require less power than an equivalent rack-mount 1U server, the mechanical density also increases the overall power density. Some older data centers may have issues meeting higher power density requirements. Administrators might also need to purchase more interconnect modules and switches to manage the networking infrastructure. In evaluating computing trends, HP saw that significant changes affecting I/O, processor, and memory technologies were on the horizon: • New serialized I/O technologies that meet demands for greater I/O bandwidths • More complex processors using multi-core architectures that would impact system sizing • Modern processors and memory that require more power, causing data center administrators to rethink how servers are deployed • Server virtualization tools that would also affect processor, memory, and I/O configurations per server HP determined that the BladeSystem c-Class environment should address as many of these issues as possible to solve customer needs in the data center. HP BladeSystem c-Class architecture overview HP took the opportunity in this architecture to make the compute, network, and storage resources modular and flexible by creating a general-purpose, adaptive infrastructure that can accommodate continually changing business needs. This flexible and adaptive design includes common form factor components so that modules such as server blades, interconnects, and fans can be used in any c-Class enclosure. The architecture uses scalable device bays (for server or storage blades) and interconnect bays (for interconnect modules providing I/O fabric connectivity) so that administrators can scale up or scale out their BladeSystem infrastructure. The overall architecture provides high bandwidth and compute performance through the use of new serial I/O technologies as well as full-featured server and storage blades. Independent signal and power backplanes enable scalability, reliability, and flexibility. The signal midplane supports multiple high-speed fabrics in a protocol-agnostic manner, so administrators can populate the enclosure with server blades and interconnect modules in many ways to solve a multitude of application needs. The efficient BladeSystem c-Class architecture addresses the concern of balancing performance density with the power and cooling capacity of the data center. Thermal Logic technologies- mechanical features and control capabilities throughout the BladeSystem c-Class-enable IT administrators to optimize their power and thermal environment. Embedded management capabilities in the BladeSystem platform and integrated management software streamline operations and increase administrator productivity. The complete solution manages all components of the BladeSystem infrastructure as one system. Embedded capabilities and software provide active monitoring, simplify operations, save time, and ensure high service quality. 4