IBM 71413SU - System x3950 M2 Reference page 8

The x3950 M2 can form a multinode configuration by adding one or more x3950 M2 servers.
The following configurations are possible, as shown in Figure 3:
A two-node complex comprised of two x3950 M2 servers, with four or eight processors
and up to 512 GB RAM installed
A three-node complex comprised of three x3950 M2 servers, with six or 12 processors
and up to 768 GB RAM installed
A four-node complex comprised of four x3950 M2 servers, with eight or 16 processors and
up to 1 TB RAM installed
Note: Support for three-node and four-node configurations is planned for 2Q08.
One node
2-way or 4-way
Up to 256 GB RAM
x3950 M2
Figure 3 Supported multinode configurations
The following configuration rules apply:
Combinations of x3950 M2s
It is only supported to have multi-node complexes that are made up of x3950 M2 servers
Other nodes like the older x460, MXE-460, x3950 (machine type 8872 and 8878) and
x3950 E (machine type 8874 and 8879) are
Processors
Each x3950 M2 server must have either two or four processors installed, and all
processors in the complex must be the same speed and cache size.
Memory
For performance reasons, you should have the same amount of memory in each node.
However, a minimum of 4 GB of RAM is required in each node because otherwise, the
node will not be able to join the multinode configuration.
Firmware
All system firmware, including the system BIOS, diagnostics, BMC firmware, and RSA II
firmware, must be at the same level across all systems.
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IBM System x3950 M2 and x3850 M2 Technical Introduction
6-way or 12-way
Two nodes
4-way or 8-way
Up to 768 GB RAM
(Each node is
2-way or 4-way)
Up to 512 GB RAM
x3950 M2
x3950 M2
not
Four nodes*
8-way or 16-way
Three nodes*
(Each node is
2-way or 4-way)
x3950 M2
x3950 M2
x3950 M2
* 3-node and 4-node configurations are
planned to be supported in 2Q08
supported.
(Each node is
2-way or 4-way)
Up to 1 TB RAM
x3950 M2
x3950 M2
x3950 M2
x3950 M2