Integrated Virtualization; Partitioning Capabilities - IBM System x3850 X5 Implementation Manual

5.15 Integrated virtualization

The HX5 offers an IBM 2 GB USB flash drive option that is preloaded with either VMware
ESXi 4.0 Update 1 or VMware ESXi 4.1:
ESXi 4.0 is for 1-node HX5 configurations only.
ESXi 4.1 is required for configurations with the MAX5 memory expansion blade or for
2-node HX5 configurations.
The virtualization-optimized models include ESXi 4.1, as listed in Table 5-6 on page 184.
ESXi is an embedded version of VMware ESX and the hypervisor is fully contained on the
flash drive. Table 5-29 lists the ordering information for the IBM USB Memory Key for VMware
Hypervisor.
Table 5-29 USB Hypervisor option
Part number
41Y8278
41Y8287
As shown in Figure 5-27, the flash drive plugs into the Hypervisor Interposer, which, in turn,
attaches to the system board near the processors. The Hypervisor Interposer is included as
standard with the HX5.
Figure 5-27 Placement of VMware USB key in HX5
See 5.17, "Operating system support" on page 215 for details about VMware ESX and other
operating system support.

5.16 Partitioning capabilities

When you have a 4-socket HX5 that consists of two HX5 blade servers, you use scalable
complex within the Advanced Management Module to create, delete, and switch between
stand-alone mode and scaled mode, as shown in Figure 5-28 on page 215.
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IBM eX5 Implementation Guide
Feature code Description
1776 IBM USB Memory Key for VMware Hypervisor ESXi 4.0 Update 1
3033 IBM USB Memory Key for VMware ESXi 4.1 (required for MAX5)
Hypervisor Interposer
VMware hypervisor
USB key