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buses (FSBs), each of which connects one multi-core processor package. By
default, the FSBs represent two processor agent clusters. Beyond this, the
Hurricane controller can subdivide each of the four FSBs into its own cluster,
which has a logical hierarchal cluster mode. A single node can represent four or
eight processor packages.
Note: Remember a single node is considered to have a maximum of four
physical populated processor packages. However, each processor package
has one, two, or three dies with two cores each.
The 7300-series processors that we support with the x3850 M2 and x3950 M2
are dual-core or quad-core processors. Therefore, they have four processor
agents per processor package.
The IBM scalability chip can handle up to 128 agents in a maximum of eight
x3950 M2 scaled system complexes.
The following sections discuss the three available cluster technology modes:
Special mode
Logical mode
Physical mode
The sections also discuss the Linux and Windows operating systems regarding
clustering.
Special mode
This mode was created temporarily to allow 64-bit Linux operating systems to run
on the eX4 technology servers and the older X3 technology servers, if they do
not support clustering. Although flat mode is not really a clustering mode, it is a
mode by which most non-clustering operating systems can work simply, because
it abstracts them from the real physical clustering of the processors as a result of
the architecture. We do not recommend using this mode on X3 systems with
other operating systems, because it could cause situations resulting in failure to
boot. By definition, a maximum of eight agents are allowed, all are logical.
Because the special mode was developed for single-threaded processors only,
this mode is not used on x3850 M2 and x3950 M2.
Logical mode
This mode is applicable to XAPIC-based systems. A maximum of 60 logical
agents are supported, which means that 15 cluster IDs, each with four logical
agents, can be used.
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Planning, Installing, and Managing the IBM System x3950 M2
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