Memory Features - IBM Power 780 Technical Overview And Introduction

1.4.7 Memory features

In POWER7+ systems, DDR3 memory is used throughout. There are four separate capacity
DIMMs: 8 GB, 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB. The POWER7+ DDR3 memory has been redesigned
to provide greater bandwidth and capacity. The 16, 32 and 64 GB DIMMs use 4 GB DRAMs.
This enables operating at a higher data rate for large memory configurations. All processor
cards have 16 memory DIMM slots (eight per processor) running at speeds up to 1066 MHz
and must be populated with POWER7+ DDR3 Memory DIMMs.
Figure 1-4 outlines the general connectivity of an 8-core POWER7+ processor and DDR3
memory DIMMS. The figure shows the eight memory channels (four per memory controller).
B
B
B
B
Figure 1-4 Outline of POWER7+ processor connectivity to DDR3 DIMMs in Power 770 and Power 780
On each processor card for the Power 770 and Power 780 there is a total of 16 DDR3
memory DIMM slots to be connected. Each of the four SCMs on the card accesses four
DIMM slots.
The quad-high (96 mm) DIMM cards are connected to the POWER7+ processor memory
controller through an advanced memory buffer ASIC. For each DIMM, there is a
corresponding memory buffer. Each memory channel into the POWER7+ memory controllers
is driven at 6.4 GHz.
Each DIMM (except the 64 GB DIMM) contains DDR3 x8 DRAMs in a configuration, with 10
DRAMs per rank, and plugs into a 276-pin DIMM slot connector. The 64 GB DIMM is an
8-rank DIMM using x4 parts (1024Kx4). The x4 DIMMs are 20 DRAMs per rank.
DDR2 DIMMs: DDR2 DIMMs (used in IBM POWER6® based systems) are not supported
in POWER7+-based systems.
18
IBM Power 770 and 780 (9117-MMD, 9179-MHD) Technical Overview and Introduction
Regulator #1
MC0
P7+
GX0
GX1
B
CP0
Z
X W
W
P7+
GX1
GX0
B
CP2
MC0
Z
X
Regulator #2
Regulator #3
MC0
W Z
P7+
GX1
GX0
B
CP3
X
W
Z X
P7+
B
GX0
CP1 GX1
MC0
Regulator #4
M0 – A SN DDR3 DIMM #1
M0 - B SN DDR3 DIMM #2
M0 - C SN DDR3 DIMM #3
M0 - D SN DDR3 DIMM #4
Regulator #5
Regulator #6
M0 – A SN DDR3 DIMM #5
M0 - B SN DDR3 DIMM #6
M0 - C SN DDR3 DIMM #7
M0 - D SN DDR3 DIMM #8
M0 - A SN DDR3 DIMM #9
M0 - B SN DDR3 DIMM #10
M0 - C SN DDR3 DIMM #11
M0 - D SN DDR3 DIMM #12
Regulator #7
TPMD Slot
Regulator #8
M0 - A SN DDR3 DIMM #13
M0 - B SN DDR3 DIMM #14
M0 - C SN DDR3 DIMM #15
M0 - D SN DDR3 DIMM #16
Power
Connector
GX1
to IO Planar
P5IOC2-B
or
P7IOC-B
GX0
to IO Planar
P5IOC2-A
or
P7IOC-A
GX3
to GX Slot lower
(P1-C3-T1/T2)
GX2
to GX Slot upper
(P1-C2-T1/T2)