Key Options - IBM X3200 M3 Product Manual

An affordable single-socket, quad-core server with high performance
and data protection for small, medium, and large businesses

Key Options

Please see the Legal Information section for important notices and information.
• Graphical console redirection over LAN
• Remote virtual floppy and CD-ROM
• High-speed remote redirection of PCI video, keyboard and mouse
IBM developed IBM Systems Director Active Energy Manager to put control of system power-saving
features at the fingertips of administrators. Active Energy Manager is designed to take advantage of new
features, such as monitoring power usage and balancing the performance of the system according to
available power input. It provides the ability to plan and predict power consumption based on your
hardware configuration. It also helps enable you to reduce the infrastructure required for redundancy, by
using fewer servers on smaller power feeds and potentially lowering your overall data center support
costs. It does this by inventorying all components, then adding up the total power draw and tracking the
usage. It also includes power management features to help administrators manage or reduce power
usage.
Automatic Server Restart (ASR) helps reduce downtime by restarting the server automatically in the
event of a system lockup. ASR technology is a combination of hardware circuitry tied into the server's
system reset function and a device driver. As long as the server continues running, the ASR watchdog
timer will keep being reset, but if the operating system crashes or the hardware freezes somehow the
ASR software will be unable to reset the hardware timer. If the timer is not reset within five minutes, it
automatically triggers the ASR hardware, which immediately restarts the server (and logs an ASR event
with IBM Systems Director). These features are designed so that no more than five minutes can pass
before the server is restarted.
Wake on LAN permits the server to be remotely powered on if it has been shut off. Once powered up,
the server can be controlled across the network, using the Preboot Execution Environment (PXE).
Like Wake on LAN, PXE is system firmware. It enables software such as the optional IBM Remote
Deployment Manager to take control of a system before the BIOS, operating system or applications are
loaded (using Wake on LAN/PXE) and lets an administrator perform many low-level tasks remotely that
would otherwise require a visit to each system. These tasks may include such things as formatting a
hard disk drive, updating system firmware, or deploying a Windows or Linux operating system.
Text Console Redirection support allows the administrator to remotely view x3200 M3 text messages
over serial or LAN. An optional upgrade to the Virtual Media Key adds graphical console redirection.
Predictive Failure Analysis (PFA) is designed to allow the system to detect impending failure of
supported components (memory, voltage regulator module (VRD), fans, and hot-swap HDDs) before
actual failure, and alert the administrator through IBM Systems Director. This gives you the ability to
replace the failing component before it fails, resulting in increased uptime.
IBM Systems Director software for advanced workgroup management is included with the x3200 M3.
IBM Systems Director comes with a portfolio of tools, including IBM Systems Director Active Energy
Manager, Service and Support Manager, and others. System Availability (a no-charge download) and
Capacity Manager (sold separately) are available as add-ons for additional server management and
increased availability. IBM Systems Director provides a single uniform graphical interface for all of these
systems management functions. IBM Systems Director enables you to customize thresholds and
monitor system components (for things like temperature, voltage regulation, etc.) to help maximize
uptime.
IBM options for System x servers let you take your servers to a higher
level
You rely on System x options to supply a complete solution for your business needs. Options help you
create an optimized server system to meet your data protection, storage and availability needs. Every
IBM option is designed and tested for peak performance and flexibility, helping to maximize your return
on investment. The combination of System x servers and options lets you keep your fingers on the pulse
of your business.
Memory — Memory is a significant factor in systems application performance. Adding more memory to
a System x server is one of the most effective ways to increase application performance. For best
performance in a server with a dual-core processor, there should be twice as much memory available
as for a single-core processor. A quad-core processor should have twice as much memory as a dual-
core processor.
Hard Disk Drives — IBM hard disk drives help customers improve the transaction and cost
performance of their System x servers. The choice of hard disk drives can be a critical aspect of
maximizing the I/O throughput of the system. SAS hard disk drives (3.5-inch) are available for the x3200
M3 with capacities of 500GB at 7,200 RPMs, up to 300GB at 10,000 RPMs and 146.8GB at 15,000
RPMs. Enterprise-class SATA hard disk drives are available with capacities of 1TB (3.5-inch) at 7,200
RPMs and up to 750GB at 10,000 RPMs. In addition, 2.5-inch SAS drives with capacities of 500GB at
7,200 RPMs, up to 300GB at 10,000 RPMs, and 146.8GB at 15,000 RPMs are supported in some
models.
IBM ServeRAID Controllers — System x servers using ServeRAID technology allow companies to
build a reliable foundation for business-critical computing. IBM ServeRAID technology allows an array
9