IBM x3100 M4 Product Manual page 3

Outstanding value in a high-performance single-socket tower server
Key Features
Please see the Legal Information section for important notices and information.
Availability and Serviceability
The x3100 M4 provides many features to simplify serviceability and increase system uptime:
• Server-class components, including the processor, memory, chipset, power supply, and others, are
built for the rigors of an "always-on" environment. This helps reduce the risk of failure and life cycle
costs, versus using a PC as a server.
• ECC memory provides error correction not available in PC-class "servers" that use parity memory.
Avoiding system crashes (and data loss) due to soft memory errors can mean greater system uptime
• Toolless cover removal provides easy access to upgrades and serviceable parts, such as HDDs
and memory. Similarly, an optional ServeRAID controller can be installed and replaced without tools.
This can mean less time (and therefore less money) spent servicing the x3100 M4.
• Temperature-controlled fan adjusts to compensate for changing thermal characteristics. At the
lower speeds it draws less power and suffers less wear. Also important in an office environment,
temperature-controlled fans produce less ambient noise than if they were constantly running at full
speed.
High-Performance Processors
The x3100 M4 supports a choice of one high-performance Intel Xeon E3 or Core i3 processor, as the
performance needs of your business dictate. The x3100 M4 offers a choice of processor clock rates,
cache sizes, and power draw:
• 80W quad-core Xeon E3 models 1270 or 1220, running at 3.4 or 3.1GHz (respectively), with
reduced power draw and excellent performance/watt (only 20W per core), 8MB of L3 processor
cache, 1333MHz memory access, 2 threads per core, and Intel Turbo Boost technology
• 65W dual-core Intel Core i3 model 2100 running at 3.1GHz, with low power draw and good
performance/watt (only 32.5W per core), 3MB of L3 processor cache, and 1333MHz memory access
• 65W dual-core Intel Pentium model G850 running at 2.9GHz, with low power draw and good
performance/watt (only 32.5W per core), 3MB of L3 processor cache, and 1333MHz memory access
Also available, via configure-to-order (CTO):
• 95W quad-core Xeon E3 model 1280, running at 3.5GHz, with reduced power draw and excellent
performance/watt (only 23.75W per core), 8MB of L3 processor cache, 1333MHz memory access, 2
threads per core, and Intel Turbo Boost technology
• 80W quad-core Xeon E3 models 1240, or 1230, running at 3.3 or 3.2GHz (respectively), with
reduced power draw and excellent performance/watt (only 20W per core), 8MB of L3 processor
cache, 1333MHz memory access, 2 threads per core, and Intel Turbo Boost technology
• 45W quad-core low-voltage Xeon E3 models 1260L, running at 2.4GHz, with excellent power draw
and performance/watt (only 11.25W per core), 3MB of L3 processor cache, 1333MHz memory
access, 2 threads per core, and Intel Turbo Boost technology
• 20W dual-core low-voltage Xeon E3 models 1220L, running at 2.2GHz, with excellent power draw
and performance/watt (only 10W per core), 3MB of L3 processor cache, 1333MHz memory access,
2 threads per core, and Intel Turbo Boost technology
• 65W dual-core Intel Core i3 models 2130 or 2120 running at 3.4 or 3.3GHz, respectively, with low
power draw and good performance/watt (only 32.5W per core), 3MB of L3 processor cache, and
1333MHz memory access
• 65W dual-core Intel Pentium models G860 or G840 running at 3.0 or 2.8GHz, respectively, with low
power draw and good performance/watt (only 32.5W per core), 3MB of L3 processor cache, and
1333MHz memory access
• 65W dual-core Intel Pentium models G630 or G620 running at 2.7 or 2.6GHz, respectively, with low
power draw and good performance/watt (only 32.5W per core), 3MB of L3 processor cache, and
1066MHz memory access
The dual-core processors contain two complete processor cores; quad-core processors, similarly,
contain four cores. The processors also contain one shared cache. The shared cache is dynamically
allocated among cores as needed. The cores appear to software as physical processors. The two-core
processors offer considerably higher performance than a same-speed processor with a single core.
Likewise, four-core processors offer considerably higher performance than a same-speed processor
with two cores.
1333MHz memory access offers up to 9% higher throughput at the same processor clock speed than
1066MHz memory access.
Turbo Boost Technology increases performance by translating the temperature, power and current
head room into higher frequency. It will dynamically increase by 133MHz for short and regular intervals
until the upper limit is met or the maximum possible upside for the number of active cores is reached.
The maximum frequency is dependent on the number of active cores. The amount of time the processor
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