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Memory performance considerations, total of 4 GB

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Complete the following steps to replace a DIMM in your server with the server turned on: 1. Open the cover and verify that the memory hot-plug enabled LED on the DIMM access door is lit before removing and replacing the DIMM. 2. Open the DIMM access door and verify that the memory port LED is off before replacing a DIMM. Then open the retaining clip on each end of the DIMM connector and remove the DIMM from the server. 3. Install the new DIMM. Take the usual anti-static precautions. 4. Close the DIMM access door. Note: The memory hot-plug enabled LED flashes to indicate that data is being mirrored on the replacement DIMMs. Wait until the LED stops flashing before you hot-place DIMMs again. Memory performance considerations As shown in the server block diagram in Figure 1-4 on page 8, there are two memory ports to the memory controller, each with a throughput of up to 3.2 GBps. These ports correspond to the ports as shown in Figure 3-2 on page 58. The front-side bus of the processors is 6.4 GBps, so maximum performance is achieved when both memory ports are used to access memory simultaneously. Important: The XceL4 Accelerator Cache has been designed with commercial workloads in mind that tend to have high cache hit rates. This effectively boosts performance and compensates in part for the 3.2 GBps bandwidth between the Cache and Scalability Controller and Memory Controller. Consequently, for maximum performance, you should install four DIMMs of the same size at a time into a bank (see Table 3-4 on page 59). In this configuration, all memory addresses are spread across all four DIMMs in the bank and, when accessed, both memory ports are used. Maximum performance can also be achieved with DIMMs of different sizes, as long as the total memory in port 1 matches the total memory in port 2. For example, if you have six DIMMs (four 512 MB DIMMs and two 1 GB DIMMs for a total of 4 GB), install all four 512 MB DIMMs (2 GB) in port 1 and the two 1 GB DIMMs (also 2 GB) in port 2. If there is a mismatch between the total memory in port 1 and the total memory in port 2, then there will be a delay when accessing the upper memory, for example, if you have two 512 MB DIMMs and two 1 GB DIMMs. 60 IBM xSeries 455 Planning and Installation Guide Eserver

Section	Page
Front cover	1
Contents	5
Notices	9
Trademarks	10
Preface	11
The team that wrote this redbook	11
Become a published author	13
Comments welcome	14
Chapter 1. Technical description	15
1.1 Features	16
1.1.1 Comparing the x455 with the x450	16
1.1.2 Features not supported	17
1.2 The x455 base models	18
1.2.1 Front and rear views	18
1.3 System assembly	20
1.4 IBM XA-64 chipset	21
1.4.1 The processor-board assembly	23
1.4.2 The memory-board assembly	27
1.4.3 PCI-X board assembly	31
1.5 Remote Supervisor Adapter	33
1.6 RXE-100 Expansion Enclosure	35
1.7 Multinode scalable partitions	36
1.7.1 RXE-100 connectivity	38
1.7.2 Multinode configuration	39
1.7.3 Integrated I/O function support	40
1.7.4 Error recovery	40
1.8 Redundancy	41
1.9 Light path diagnostics	41
1.10 Extensible Firmware Interface	43
1.10.1 GUID Partition Table disk	45
1.10.2 EFI System Partition	47
1.10.3 EFI and the reduced-legacy concept	48
1.11 Operating system support	49
1.12 Enterprise X-Architecture	49
1.12.1 NUMA architecture	50
Chapter 2. Positioning	53
2.1 Migrating to a 64-bit platform	54
2.2 Scalable system partitioning	55
2.2.1 RXE-100 Expansion Enclosure	56
2.3 Operating system support	56
2.4 Server consolidation	57
2.5 ServerProven®	58
2.6 IBM Datacenter Solution Program	59
2.7 Application solutions	60
2.7.1 Database applications	60
2.7.2 Business logic	62
2.7.3 e-Business and security transactions	64
2.7.4 In-house developed compute-intensive applications	65
2.7.5 Science and technology industries	65
2.8 Why choose x455	66
Chapter 3. Planning	69
3.1 System hardware	70
3.1.1 Processors	70
3.1.2 Memory	71
3.1.3 PCI-X slot configuration	75
3.1.4 Broadcom Gigabit Ethernet controller	78
3.2 Cabling and connectivity	79
3.2.1 SMP Expansion connectivity	81
3.2.2 Remote Expansion Enclosure connectivity	84
3.2.3 Remote Supervisor Adapter connectivity	90
3.2.4 Serial connectivity	92
3.3 Storage considerations	93
3.3.1 xSeries storage solutions	93
3.3.2 Tape backup	98
3.4 Rack installation	99
3.5 Power considerations	101
3.6 Operating system support	101
3.6.1 Clustering	102
3.7 IBM Director support	103
3.8 Solution Assurance Review	104
3.8.1 Trigger Tool	104
3.8.2 Electronic Solution Assurance Review (eSAR)	104
Chapter 4. Installation	105
4.1 Using The Extensible Firmware Interface	106
4.1.1 EFI Firmware Boot Manager	107
4.1.2 The EFI shell	109
4.1.3 Driver Setup	117
4.1.4 Flash update	126
4.1.5 Configuration/Setup utility	132
4.1.6 Diagnostic utility	135
4.1.7 Boot Option Maintenance	136
4.2 Configuring scalable partitions	145
4.2.1 Creating a scalable partition	145
4.2.2 Booting a scalable partition	148
4.2.3 Multiple Monitors	149
4.2.4 Deleting a scalable partition	150
4.3 Installing Windows Server 2003	150
4.3.1 Important information	150
4.3.2 Preparing to install	152
4.3.3 Installation	153
4.3.4 Post-setup phase	158
4.4 Installing Linux	165
4.4.1 Linux IA-64 kernel overview	166
4.4.2 Choosing a Linux distribution	167
4.4.3 Installing SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 8.0	170
4.4.4 Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS	174
4.4.5 Linux boot process	176
4.4.6 Information about the installed system	177
4.4.7 Using the serial port for the Linux console	185
4.4.8 RXE-100 Expansion Enclosure	186
4.4.9 Upgrading drivers	187
Chapter 5. Management	189
5.1 IBM Director	190
5.1.1 Scalable Systems Manager	191
5.2 The Remote Supervisor Adapter	191
5.2.1 Connecting via a Web browser	193
5.2.2 Connecting via the ASM interconnect	198
5.2.3 Installing the device driver	199
5.2.4 Configuring the remote control password	200
5.3 Management using the Remote Supervisor Adapter	201
5.3.1 Configuring which alerts to monitor	202
5.3.2 Configuring SNMP	204
5.3.3 Sending alerts directly to IBM Director	205
5.3.4 Creating a test event action plan in IBM Director	207
5.4 Windows System Resource Manager	210
5.4.1 WSRM description	211
5.4.2 WSRM features	212
5.4.3 WSRM in the x455	213
Abbreviations and acronyms	215
Related publications	217
IBM Redbooks	217
Other publications	217
Online resources	218
How to get IBM Redbooks	222
Help from IBM	222
Index	223

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IBM

Eserver

xSeries 455 Planning and Installation Guide

Complete the following steps to replace a DIMM in your server with the server

turned on:

Open the cover and verify that the memory hot-plug enabled LED on the

DIMM access door is lit before removing and replacing the DIMM.

Open the DIMM access door and verify that the memory port LED is off

before replacing a DIMM. Then open the retaining clip on each end of the

DIMM connector and remove the DIMM from the server.

Install the new DIMM. Take the usual anti-static precautions.

Close the DIMM access door.

Memory performance considerations

As shown in the server block diagram in Figure 1-4 on page 8, there are two

memory ports to the memory controller, each with a throughput of up to 3.2

GBps. These ports correspond to the ports as shown in Figure 3-2 on page 58.

The front-side bus of the processors is 6.4 GBps, so maximum performance is

achieved when both memory ports are used to access memory simultaneously.

Consequently, for maximum performance, you should install four DIMMs of the

same size at a time into a bank (see Table 3-4 on page 59). In this configuration,

all memory addresses are spread across all four DIMMs in the bank and, when

accessed, both memory ports are used.

Maximum performance can also be achieved with DIMMs of different sizes, as

long as the total memory in port 1 matches the total memory in port 2. For

example, if you have six DIMMs (four 512 MB DIMMs and two 1 GB DIMMs for a

total of 4 GB), install all four 512 MB DIMMs (2 GB) in port 1 and the two 1 GB

DIMMs (also 2 GB) in port 2.

If there is a mismatch between the total memory in port 1 and the total memory in

port 2, then there will be a delay when accessing the upper memory, for example,

if you have two 512 MB DIMMs and two 1 GB DIMMs.

Note:

The memory hot-plug enabled LED flashes to indicate that data is being

mirrored on the replacement DIMMs. Wait until the LED stops flashing before

you hot-place DIMMs again.

Important:

The XceL4 Accelerator Cache has been designed with

commercial workloads in mind that tend to have high cache hit rates. This

effectively boosts performance and compensates in part for the 3.2 GBps

bandwidth between the Cache and Scalability Controller and Memory

Controller.