IBM eServer xSeries 455 Planning and Installation Guide

IBM eServer xSeries 455 Planning and Installation Guide

by David Watts, Aubrey Applewhaite, Yonni Meza
Released February 2004
Publisher(s): IBM Redbooks
ISBN: None

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Book description

The IBM eServer xSeries 455 is the second-generation Enterprise X-Architecture server using the 64-bit IBM XA-64 chipset and the Intel Itanium 2 processor. Unlike the x450, its predecessor, the x455 supports the merging of four server chassis to form a single 16-way image, providing even greater expandability and investment protection.

This IBM Redbooks publication is a comprehensive resource on the technical aspects of the server, and is divided into five key subject areas:

--Chapter 1, “Technical description”, introduces the server and its subsystems and describes the key features and how they work.
--Chapter 2, “Positioning”, examines the types of applications that would be used on a server such as the x455.
--Chapter 3, “Planning”, describes the considerations when planning to purchase and planning to install the x455.
--Chapter 4, “Installation”, covers the process of installing Windows Server 2003, SuSE Linux Enterprise Server, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS on the x455.
--Chapter 5, “Management”, describes how to use the Remote Supervisor Adapter to send alerts to an IBM Director management environment.

Table of contents

  1. Notices
    1. Trademarks
  2. Preface
    1. The team that wrote this redbook
    2. Become a published author
    3. Comments welcome
  3. Chapter 1: Technical description
    1. Features
      1. Comparing the x455 with the x450
      2. Features not supported
    2. The x455 base models
      1. Front and rear views
    3. System assembly
    4. IBM XA-64 chipset
      1. The processor-board assembly
      2. The memory-board assembly
      3. PCI-X board assembly
    5. Remote Supervisor Adapter
    6. RXE-100 Expansion Enclosure
    7. Multinode scalable partitions
      1. RXE-100 connectivity
      2. Multinode configuration
      3. Integrated I/O function support
      4. Error recovery
    8. Redundancy
    9. Light path diagnostics
    10. Extensible Firmware Interface
      1. GUID Partition Table disk
      2. EFI System Partition
      3. EFI and the reduced-legacy concept
    11. Operating system support
    12. Enterprise X-Architecture
      1. NUMA architecture
  4. Chapter 2: Positioning
    1. Migrating to a 64-bit platform
    2. Scalable system partitioning
      1. RXE-100 Expansion Enclosure
    3. Operating system support
    4. Server consolidation
    5. ServerProven®
    6. IBM Datacenter Solution Program
    7. Application solutions
      1. Database applications
      2. Business logic
      3. e-Business and security transactions
      4. In-house developed compute-intensive applications
      5. Science and technology industries
    8. Why choose x455
  5. Chapter 3: Planning
    1. System hardware
      1. Processors
      2. Memory
      3. PCI-X slot configuration
      4. Broadcom Gigabit Ethernet controller
    2. Cabling and connectivity
      1. SMP Expansion connectivity
      2. Remote Expansion Enclosure connectivity (1/2)
      3. Remote Expansion Enclosure connectivity (2/2)
      4. Remote Supervisor Adapter connectivity
      5. Serial connectivity
    3. Storage considerations
      1. xSeries storage solutions
      2. Tape backup
    4. Rack installation
    5. Power considerations
    6. Operating system support
      1. Clustering
    7. IBM Director support
    8. Solution Assurance Review
      1. Trigger Tool
      2. Electronic Solution Assurance Review (eSAR)
  6. Chapter 4: Installation
    1. Using The Extensible Firmware Interface
      1. EFI Firmware Boot Manager
      2. The EFI shell (1/2)
      3. The EFI shell (2/2)
      4. Driver Setup (1/2)
      5. Driver Setup (2/2)
      6. Flash update (1/2)
      7. Flash update (2/2)
      8. Configuration/Setup utility
      9. Diagnostic utility
      10. Boot Option Maintenance (1/2)
      11. Boot Option Maintenance (2/2)
    2. Configuring scalable partitions
      1. Creating a scalable partition
      2. Booting a scalable partition
      3. Multiple Monitors
      4. Deleting a scalable partition
    3. Installing Windows Server 2003
      1. Important information
      2. Preparing to install
      3. Installation
      4. Post-setup phase (1/2)
      5. Post-setup phase (2/2)
    4. Installing Linux
      1. Linux IA-64 kernel overview
      2. Choosing a Linux distribution
      3. Installing SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 8.0
      4. Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS
      5. Linux boot process
      6. Information about the installed system (1/2)
      7. Information about the installed system (2/2)
      8. Using the serial port for the Linux console
      9. RXE-100 Expansion Enclosure
      10. Upgrading drivers
  7. Chapter 5: Management
    1. IBM Director
      1. Scalable Systems Manager
    2. The Remote Supervisor Adapter
      1. Connecting via a Web browser
      2. Connecting via the ASM interconnect
      3. Installing the device driver
      4. Configuring the remote control password
    3. Management using the Remote Supervisor Adapter
      1. Configuring which alerts to monitor
      2. Configuring SNMP
      3. Sending alerts directly to IBM Director
      4. Creating a test event action plan in IBM Director
    4. Windows System Resource Manager
      1. WSRM description
      2. WSRM features
      3. WSRM in the x455
  8. Abbreviations and acronyms
  9. Related publications
    1. IBM Redbooks
    2. Other publications
    3. Online resources
    4. How to get IBM Redbooks
    5. Help from IBM
  10. Index (1/2)
  11. Index (2/2)
  12. Back cover

Product information

  • Title: IBM eServer xSeries 455 Planning and Installation Guide
  • Author(s): David Watts, Aubrey Applewhaite, Yonni Meza
  • Release date: February 2004
  • Publisher(s): IBM Redbooks
  • ISBN: None