Reliability, Availability, And Serviceability - IBM System x3550 M4 Installation And Service Manual

v VMware ESXi embedded hypervisor

Reliability, availability, and serviceability

Three important computer design features are reliability, availability, and
serviceability (RAS). The RAS features help to ensure the integrity of the data that
is stored in the server, the availability of the server when you need it, and the ease
with which you can diagnose and correct problems.
Your server has the following RAS features:
v 3-year parts and 3-year labor limited warranty (Machine Type 7914)
v 24-hour support center
v Automatic error retry and recovery
v Automatic restart on nonmaskable interrupt (NMI)
v Automatic restart after a power failure
v Back up basic input/output system switching under the control of the integrated
v Built-in monitoring for fan, power, temperature, voltage, and power-supply
v Cable-presence detection on most connectors
v Chipkill memory protection
v Double-device data correction (DDDC) for x4 DRAM technology DIMMs
v Diagnostic support for ServeRAID and Ethernet adapters
v Error codes and messages
v Error correcting code (ECC) L3 cache and system memory
v Full Array Memory Mirroring (FAMM) redundancy
v Hot-swap cooling fans with speed-sensing capability
v Hot-swap hard disk drives
v Information and light path diagnostics LED panels
v Integrated Management Module (IMM)
v Light path diagnostics LEDs for memory DIMMs, microprocessors, hard disk
v Memory mirroring and memory sparing support
v Memory error correcting code and parity test
v Memory down sizing (non-mirrored memory). After a restart of the server after
v Menu-driven setup, system configuration, and redundant array of independent
v Microprocessor built-in self-test (BIST), internal error signal monitoring, internal
v Nonmaskable interrupt (NMI) button
v Parity checking on the small computer system interface (SCSI) bus and PCI-E
An optional USB flash device with VMware ESXi embedded hypervisor software
is available for purchase. Hypervisor is virtualization software that enables
multiple operating systems to run on a host system at the same time. The USB
embedded hypervisor flash device can be installed in the internal USB connector
on the system board. For more information about using the embedded
hypervisor, see "Using the embedded hypervisor" on page 118.
management module (IMM)
redundancy
(available on 16 GB DIMMs only). Ensures that data is available on a single x4
DRAM DIMM after a hard failure of up to two DRAM DIMMs. One x4 DRAM
DIMM in each rank is reserved as a space device.
drives, solid state drives, power supplies, and fans
the memory controller detected a non-mirrored uncorrectable error and the
memory controller cannot recover operationally, the IMM logs the uncorrectable
error and informs POST. POST logically maps out the memory with the
uncorrectable error, and the server restarts with the remaining installed memory.
disks (RAID) configuration programs
thermal trip signal monitoring, configuration checking, and microprocessor and
voltage regulator module failure identification through light path diagnostics
and PCI/PCI-X buses
Chapter 1. The IBM System x3550 M4 server
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