IBM 170 User Manual

RS/6000 7044 Model 170

Technical Overview and Introduction

February 24, 2000

Volker Haug

Jeanine Indest

Scott Vetter

Internationa l Techn ical Su ppor t Organ iza tion

Austin, TX

IBM

© Copyright IBM Corp. 2000

RS/6000 7044 Model 1 70 Te chnic al Overv iew

RS/6000 7044 Model 170 Technical Overview

The IBM RS/6000 family is a scalable, software-compatible line of RISC UNIX
workstations, servers, and supercomputers powered by IBMs AIX operating
system. On February 7, 2000, IBM announced two exciting additions to this
family, the 44P Models 170 and 270.

This paper provides a brief history, a general description, and a technical
overview of the 44P Model 170 including: the 64-bit copper technology of the
POWER3-II processor, the error checking and correcting (ECC) memory
subsystem, the advanced packaging design, the built-in service processor, the
sophisticated graphics support, and other selected features.

History

The original 43P Model 140 graphics workstation and entry-level workgroup
server was introduced on October 8, 1996. This uniprocessor system offered a
variety of processing speeds and features. The 43P Model 240, introduced at the
same time, was the first RS/6000 workstation/workgroup server to offer
expandability to 2-way symmetric multiprocessing (SMP). On October 5, 1998,
IBM introduced both the 43P Model 150 and the Model 260. The Model 150
offered enhanced performance over the Model 140. The Model 260 is a 1- or
2-way SMP system utilizing the 64-bit 200 MHz POWER3 processor.

General Description

The RS/6000 44P Models 170 and 270 extend the IBM line of powerful and
affordable workstation/workgroup servers with state-of-the-art, 64-bit, copper
POWER3-II processors. The 44P server family, manufactured in Rochester,
Minnesota, USA and Santa Palomba, Italy, offers ideal solutions for both
high-performance 2D or 3D CAD/CAM users and companies that require a
compact system for commercial computing solutions, such as Lotus Notes,
business intelligence, Web server applications, software development, and
firewall applications.

Minimum Configuration and Optional Features

The Model 170 minimum configuration includes a single POWER3-II 64-bit
processor with a choice of either a 333 MHz processor with 1 MB of Level 2 (L2)
cache or a 400 MHz processor with 4 MB of L2 cache. Currently, the 400 MHz
processor option is the fastest POWER3-II processor available in the RS/6000
product family. Each processor is equipped with 64 KB of data and 32 KB of
instruction Level 1 (L1) cache. A 10/100 Mbps Ethernet controller, one Ultra SCSI
controller, one external Ultra2 SCSI controller, and the service processor are
integrated on the system planar.

In addition, the Model 170 has 256 MB of ECC synchronous dynamic random
access memory (SDRAM), three disk bays, three media bays, a 9.1 GB 1” Ultra
SCSI disk drive, six PCI slots, a 32X CD-ROM drive, a 1.44 MB 3.5-inch dis kette
drive, and an operator panel. The operator panel has a 2 x 16 backlit LCD for
system status and diagnostic information. Microphone and headphone jacks are
built into the operator panel. The following ports are included: keyboard, mouse,

© Copyright IBM Corp. 2000 1

Physical Package

Ethernet (AUI and RJ45), parallel, two serial (9-pin D-shell), tablet (for use with
legacy input devices), Ultra2 SCSI VHDC, and stereo/audio.

To connect external SCSI devices to the Ultra2 SCSI adapter’s VHDC, order
# 2118 (mini-68 pin VHDC to 68 pin). This 0.3 m long cable (P/N 76H0518) is not
included with the minimum system configuration.

The Model 170 offers many optional features. The media bay can hold a second
CD-ROM device, a 4 mm or 8 mm tape drive, or a SCSI disk drive. A media bay
mounting kit is required to install a SCSI disk drive in the media bay. A variety of
optional input devices are offered including: keyboard, mouse, Spaceball 3D
input device, and a Magellan 3D (Spacemouse) input device.

The 44P Model 170 has an elegant and compact mini-tower design that was
originally created for the PC IntelliStation deskside mini-tower, then revised for
RS/6000 duty. The system dimensions are 19.25” H x 7.9” W x 20.25” D (490 mm
x 200 mm x 515 mm). The system weight ranges from 39 lbs to 45 lbs (17.7 kg to

20.4 kg). This system is not available in a desktop or rack mounted package.
Operating environment requirements are available in announcement information.

Figure 1 shows an internal view of the system with the side cover and cover
support bridge removed. The CD-ROM drive, diskette drive, and one disk drive
are preinstalled with each system. The remaining 5.25” media bay and two 3.5”
disk bays are available for system expansion. Also, a keylock is located on the
back of each system.

To open the side cover, unlock, pull the cover detent away from the rear of the
unit, then slide the cover toward the front of the system unit to release the tabs.

Three Di sk
Bays

Power
Supply

CPU
Card

Memory
Cards

PCI
Cards

CD-ROM

2nd Media
Bay

Diskette

Operator
Panel

Figure 1. 7044 170 - M echa nical V iew

2 RS/6000 7044 Model 170 Techni ca l Overview

System Upgrade

g

There are no system model upgrade conversions available for the 44P Model

170. Processor and memory expansion options are available for this system. The
Model 170 is designed for customer setup of the machine and for the subsequent
addition of most features (adapters and devices).

Architecture and Technical Information

A diagram of the system architecture and logic flow for a 400 MHz system is
shown in Figure 2. The 333 MHz system differences and a general discussion of
this diagram is provided in the following sections.

Addr/Cntl

Memory
Address

Memory Modules

256 MB -2 GB Total

Integrated Service

Processor

Processor Card

POWER3-II

400 MHz

6xx Data Bus 16 Bytes @ 100 MHz

6xx Address Bus 100 MHz

Memory Data Bus 16 Bytes @ 100 Mhz

SP

Interface

Audio

Super

I/O

32 Bytes
@ 200 MHz

10/100
Ethernet

Boot

ROM

4 MB L2

ISA Bridge

Ultra-SCSI

External
Ultra2

Arbiter

Data

Internal
Ultra

PCI Brid

S6

System Planar

System
Clock

2 PCI Slots
64-bit
50 MHz

3.3v

4 PCI Slot s
32-bit
33 MHz

5.0v

PCI Bridge

S2

S1

e

S3

S4

S5

Figure 2. Model 170 - System Logic Flow Diag ra m

Processor and C ache

The 44P Model 170 is the most affordable 64-bit system that IBM has introduced
and uses the POWER3-II processor. The POWER3-II processor is designed for
high-performance commercial and graphical computing applications. The
processor allows for concurrent operation of up to ei ght ins tructions per c ycle
(three fixed-point instructions, two floating point instructions, two load/store
instructions, and one branch instruction). Increasing the number of
simultaneously executed instructions results in better system performance
especially with applications that are optimized to take advantage of this
capability.

Figure 3 is a diagram of the functional components of this processor, shown
attached to the cache and bus configuration of a 400 MHz Model 170.

RS/6000 7044 Model 170 Technical Overview 3

Unit

Floating

Point

Unit

FPU2

Floating

Point

FPU1

Branch/Dispatch

32 KB, 128-way 64 KB, 128-way

Fixed
Point

Unit

FXU1

Branch history table 2048 entries
Branch target cache 256 entries

Fixed
Point

Unit

FXU2

Fixed
Point

Unit

FXU3

LD/ST

Unit

LS1

LD/ST

Unit

LS2

CPU registers:
32 x 64-bit integer
(Fixed Point)
32 x 64-bit FP
(Floating Point)

Register buffers for
register renaming:
24 FP
16 Integer

Memory Mgmt Uni t

Instruction Cache

BIU

Direct
Mapped

IU

32
Bytes

32 Bytes
@ 200 MHz= 6.4 GB/s

L2 Cache

4 MB

Bus Interface Unit L2 Control, Clock

Memory Mgmt Unit

Data Cache

DU

32
Bytes

16 Bytes
@ 100 MHz=1.6 GB/s

6XX Bus

Figure 3. Model 170 - POW ER3 -II 400 MHz Blo ck Diagr am

POWER3 Versus POWER3-II Processors

The processor functional diagram of the POWER3 and the POWER3-II are
similar; however, the use of copper in the POWER3-II represents a new
generation of processing power. A single POWER3-II chip contains about 400
meters of copper wiring. Table 1 lists some of the differences between the
POWER3 and the POWER3-II processors. Also, the chart indicates the direction
being taken by this technology.

Table 1. Differences between POWER3 versus POWER3-II

Description POWER3 POWER3-II

Chip Die Size 270 mm

2

163 mm

2

Transistors 15 million 23 million
Power Avg/Max 39/46W@200 MHz 28W/36W@400 MHz
CMOS Technology 6S2, 5 layers metal 7S, 6 layers metal, copper

Lithography 0.25

4 RS/6000 7044 Model 170 Techni ca l Overview

interconnect

µm 0.22 µm