IBM 8677 User Manual
BladeCenter
Type 8677
Installation and
User’s Guide
Welcome. . .
This
Guide
setting up, configuring, and
using your BladeCenter unit.
For detailed information about
your BladeCenter unit, view
the publications on the
Documentation CD.
You can also find the most
current information about your
BladeCenter unit and servers on
the IBM Web site at:
http://www.ibm.com/pc/support
Installation
and User’s
contains information for
Install the
BladeCenter unit
in the rack.
Install and
start the blade
servers
Install an operating system on each
blade server (choose one method)
Using RDM
See www.pc.ibm.com/ww/eserver/
xseries/systems_management/index.html
for instructions
Install additional
applications, such as
IBM systems management
software and IBM
ServeRAID programs on
the blade servers
Using the NOS
installation instructions
at www.ibm.com/pc/support
System is ready to use.
Go to the Server Support
flowchart to register
and profile your server.
Server Support
Server working
properly?
Yes
No
Check all cables for loose connections
and verify that all optional devices you
installed are on the ServerProven list.
You can view the ServerProven list at
http://www.ibm.com/pc/compat/
Problem
solved?
®
Yes
No
Register your computer. Go to
http://www.ibm.com/pc/register/
View information about IBM support line at
http://www.ibm.com/services/sl/products/
or view support telephone numbers at
http://www.ibm.com/planetwide/
Use the troubleshooting
information provided with
your server to determine
the cause of the problem
and the action to take.
Problem
solved?
Yes
No
Flash the latest levels of BIOS,
service processor, diagnostics,
and RAID code.
You can download this code at
http://www.ibm.com/pc/support/
Yes
Problem
solved?
View support telephone numbers at
http://www.ibm.com/planetwide/
Hardware
No Software
Hardware or
software problem?
ER s e r v e r
BladeCenter Type 8677
Installation and User’s Guide
Note:
Before using this information and the product it supports, read the general information in Appendix B,
“IBM Statement of Limited Warranty Z125-4753-07 11/2002”, on page 61 and Appendix C, “Notices”, on
page 77.
Fifth Edition (August 2003)
© Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 2002, 2003. All rights reserved.
US Government Users Restricted Rights – Use, duplication or disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract
with IBM Corp.
Contents
Safety ............................vii
Chapter 1. Introduction......................1
About your documentation CD....................3
System requirements ......................3
Starting the IBM Documentation Browser...............3
Using the IBM Documentation Browser ...............3
Using the search feature.....................4
Related publications .......................4
Features and specifications.....................6
Notices and statements used in this book ...............7
What your BladeCenter unit offers ..................7
Reliability, availability, and serviceability ................9
Major components of the BladeCenter Type 8677 unit ..........10
Front view..........................11
Rear view ..........................11
Chapter 2. Installing options ...................13
Installing the BladeCenter unit in a rack................13
Installation guidelines ......................13
System reliability considerations .................14
Handling static-sensitive devices .................14
Installing and removing modules ..................15
The BladeCenter modules....................15
Management module.....................15
I/O modules ........................16
Power modules.......................17
Blower modules ......................18
Installing a module ......................18
Removing a module ......................20
Installing and removing the acoustic module option ...........21
Installing the acoustic module option ................21
Removing the acoustic module option ...............22
Installing and removing blade servers ................22
Blade server expansion options..................23
I/O expansion option.....................23
Storage-expansion option ...................23
Installing a blade server ....................23
Removing a blade server ....................25
Completing the installation.....................26
Input/output connectors......................26
Video connector .......................27
Keyboard connector ......................27
Mouse connector .......................27
Remote management and console Ethernet connector .........27
I/O-module connectors .....................28
Chapter 3. BladeCenter unit power, controls, and indicators.......29
Starting the BladeCenter unit....................29
Shutting down the BladeCenter unit .................30
BladeCenter components, controls, and LEDs .............31
Front view .........................31
Rear view..........................33
© Copyright IBM Corp. 2002, 2003 iii
Rear system LED panel ...................33
Blower module .......................33
I/O module ........................34
Power module .......................34
Management module.....................35
System LED panel ......................36
Chapter 4. Configuring your BladeCenter unit ............37
Setting up the remote connection ..................39
Cabling the Ethernet port ....................39
Configuring the management module for remote access.........39
Communicating with the IBM Director software ............40
Configuring Wake on LAN in the BladeCenter unit ............41
Verifying your Wake on LAN configuration ..............41
Linux-specific configuration ...................42
Using the management and configuration program............42
Starting the management and configuration program ..........42
Management and configuration program options ...........43
Configuring the external Ethernet port ..............43
Configuring the internal Ethernet port...............44
Configuring the management port on I/O modules ..........44
Saving and restoring the configuration file ..............44
Using IBM Director .......................45
About the wizard .......................45
Starting the wizard ......................45
Using Remote Deployment Manager Version 4.1 or later .........46
Configuring a switch module ....................46
What to configure .......................47
Supporting Ethernet failover ...................47
Configuring the Ethernet controllers in the blade servers ........48
BladeCenter networking guidelines .................48
Chapter 5. Sharing resources among the blade servers ........51
Chapter 6. Solving problems ...................53
Diagnostic tools overview .....................53
Troubleshooting charts ......................54
Monitor problems .......................54
Power problems .......................55
Management module problems ..................55
Blower module problems ....................55
Options problems .......................56
Light path diagnostics feature ...................56
Identifying problems using the light path diagnostics feature .......56
Light path diagnostics LEDs ...................57
Appendix A. Getting help and technical assistance ..........59
Before you call .........................59
Using the documentation .....................59
Getting help and information from the World Wide Web ..........59
Software service and support ...................60
Hardware service and support ...................60
Appendix B. IBM Statement of Limited Warranty Z125-4753-07 11/2002 ..61
Part 1 - General Terms ......................61
Part 2 - Country-unique Terms ...................64
iv BladeCenter Type 8677: Installation and User’s Guide
Part3-Warranty Information ...................75
Appendix C. Notices ......................77
Edition notice .........................77
Trademarks ..........................78
Important notes.........................78
Product recycling and disposal ...................79
Battery return program ......................79
Electronic emission notices ....................80
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) statement .........80
Industry Canada Class A emission compliance statement ........80
Australia and New Zealand Class A statement ............80
United Kingdom telecommunications safety requirement.........80
European Union EMC Directive conformance statement.........80
Taiwanese Class A warning statement ...............81
Chinese Class A warning statement ................81
Japanese Voluntary Control Council for Interference (VCCI) statement . . . 81
Power cords ..........................81
Index ............................85
Contents v
vi BladeCenter Type 8677: Installation and User’s Guide
Safety
Before installing this product, read the Safety Information.
Antes de instalar este produto, leia as Informações de Segurança.
Pred instalací tohoto produktu si prectete prírucku bezpecnostních instrukcí.
Læs sikkerhedsforskrifterne, før du installerer dette produkt.
Lees voordat u dit product installeert eerst de veiligheidsvoorschriften.
Ennen kuin asennat tämän tuotteen, lue turvaohjeet kohdasta Safety Information.
Avant d’installer ce produit, lisez les consignes de sécurité.
Vor der Installation dieses Produkts die Sicherheitshinweise lesen.
Prima di installare questo prodotto, leggere le Informazioni sulla Sicurezza.
Les sikkerhetsinformasjonen (Safety Information) før du installerer dette produktet.
Antes de instalar este produto, leia as Informações sobre Segurança.
© Copyright IBM Corp. 2002, 2003 vii
Antes de instalar este producto, lea la información de seguridad.
Läs säkerhetsinformationen innan du installerar den här produkten.
Statement 1:
DANGER
Electrical current from power, telephone, and communication cables is
hazardous.
To avoid a shock hazard:
v Do not connect or disconnect any cables or perform installation,
maintenance, or reconfiguration of this product during an electrical
storm.
v Connect all power cords to a properly wired and grounded electrical
outlet.
v Connect to properly wired outlets any equipment that will be attached to
this product.
v When possible, use one hand only to connect or disconnect signal
cables.
v Never turn on any equipment when there is evidence of fire, water, or
structural damage.
v Disconnect the attached power cords, telecommunications systems,
networks, and modems before you open the device covers, unless
instructed otherwise in the installation and configuration procedures.
v Connect and disconnect cables as described in the following table when
installing, moving, or opening covers on this product or attached
devices.
To Connect: To Disconnect:
1. Turn everything OFF.
2. First, attach all cables to devices.
3. Attach signal cables to connectors.
4. Attach power cords to outlet.
5. Turn device ON.
viii BladeCenter Type 8677: Installation and User’s Guide
1. Turn everything OFF.
2. First, remove power cords from outlet.
3. Remove signal cables from connectors.
4. Remove all cables from devices.
Statement 2:
CAUTION:
When replacing the lithium battery, use only IBM Part Number 33F8354 or an
equivalent type battery recommended by the manufacturer. If your system has
a module containing a lithium battery, replace it only with the same module
type made by the same manufacturer. The battery contains lithium and can
explode if not properly used, handled, or disposed of.
Do not:
v Throw or immerse into water
v Heat to more than 100°C (212°F)
v Repair or disassemble
Dispose of the battery as required by local ordinances or regulations.
Statement 3:
CAUTION:
When laser products (such as CD-ROMs, DVD drives, fiber optic devices, or
transmitters) are installed, note the following:
v Do not remove the covers. Removing the covers of the laser product could
result in exposure to hazardous laser radiation. There are no serviceable
parts inside the device.
v Use of controls or adjustments or performance of procedures other than
those specified herein might result in hazardous radiation exposure.
DANGER
Some laser products contain an embedded Class 3A or Class 3B laser
diode. Note the following.
Laser radiation when open. Do not stare into the beam, do not view directly
with optical instruments, and avoid direct exposure to the beam.
Class 1 Laser Product
Laser Klasse 1
Laser Klass 1
Luokan 1 Laserlaite
Appareil A Laser de Classe 1
`
Safety ix
Statement 4:
≥ 18 kg (39.7 lb) ≥ 32 kg (70.5 lb) ≥ 55 kg (121.2 lb)
CAUTION:
Use safe practices when lifting.
Statement 5:
CAUTION:
The power control button on the device and the power switch on the power
supply do not turn off the electrical current supplied to the device. The device
also might have more than one power cord. To remove all electrical current
from the device, ensure that all power cords are disconnected from the power
source.
2
1
x BladeCenter Type 8677: Installation and User’s Guide
Statement 8:
CAUTION:
Never remove the cover on a power supply or any part that has the following
label attached.
Hazardous voltage, current, and energy levels are present inside any
component that has this label attached. There are no serviceable parts inside
these components. If you suspect a problem with one of these parts, contact
a service technician.
Statement 12:
CAUTION:
The following label indicates a hot surface nearby.
Statement 13:
DANGER
Overloading a branch circuit is potentially a fire hazard and a shock hazard
under certain conditions. To avoid these hazards, ensure that your system
electrical requirements do not exceed branch circuit protection
requirements. Refer to the information that is provided with your device for
electrical specifications.
Safety xi
Statement 20:
CAUTION:
To avoid personal injury, before lifting the unit, remove all the blades to
reduce the weight.
Statement 21:
CAUTION:
Hazardous energy is present when the blade is connected to the power
source. Always replace the blade cover before installing the blade.
xii BladeCenter Type 8677: Installation and User’s Guide
Chapter 1. Introduction
The IBM®ERserver BladeCenter™Type 8677 unit is based on IBM Enterprise
X-Architecture
™
technologies1.
Your BladeCenter unit is a high-density, high-performance rack-mounted server
system developed for medium-to-large businesses. It supports up to 14 blade
servers, making it ideally suited for networking environments that require a large
number of high-performance servers in a small amount of space. The BladeCenter
system provides common resources that are shared by the blade servers, such as
power, cooling, system management, network connections, and I/O (diskette drive,
CD-ROM drive, ports for USB, keyboard, video, mouse, and network interfaces).
The use of common resources enables small size in the blade servers, enables
minimal cabling, and eliminates resources sitting idle.
Performance, ease of use, reliability, and expansion capabilities were key
considerations during the design of your BladeCenter system. These design
features make it possible for you to customize the system hardware to meet your
needs today, while providing flexible expansion capabilities for the future.
This Installation and User’s Guide provides information to:
v Set up and cable your BladeCenter unit
v Start and configure your BladeCenter unit
v Install options
v Perform basic troubleshooting of your BladeCenter unit
The latest version of this publication is available from the IBM Support Web site at
http://www.ibm.com/pc/support/.
Packaged with the Installation and User’s Guide are software CDs that help you to
configure and manage the BladeCenter unit.
This Installation and User’s Guide and other publications that provide detailed
information about your BladeCenter unit are provided in Portable Document Format
(PDF) on the IBM BladeCenter Documentation CD.
Your BladeCenter unit comes with a three-year limited warranty. You can obtain
up-to-date information about your BladeCenter Type 8677 model and other IBM
server products at http://www.ibm.com/eserver/xseries/.
You can register the BladeCenter unit and blade servers on the World Wide Web.
To register, go to: http://www.ibm.com/pc/register/.
Record information about your BladeCenter unit in the following table. You will need
this information when you register your BladeCenter unit with IBM.
1. Enterprise X-Architecture technology takes full advantage of existing IBM technologies to build powerful, scalable, and reliable Intel
processor-based servers. For more information about IBM Enterprise X-Architecture, go to
http://www.ibm.com/pc/us/eserver/xseries/xarchitecture/index.html.
© Copyright IBM Corp. 2002, 2003
1
Product name Eserver BladeCenter
Machine type 8677
Model number _____________________________________________
Serial number _____________________________________________
The serial number and model number are on labels on the top, front, and rear of
the chassis, as shown in the following illustration.
Label
Front
Rear
Label
Label
A set of user labels comes with each blade server. Write whatever identifying
information you want on a label and place it on the BladeCenter bezel just below
the blade server, as shown in the following illustration.
User
label
Important: Do not place the label on the blade server itself or in any way block the
ventilation holes on the blade server.
2 BladeCenter Type 8677: Installation and User’s Guide
About your documentation CD
Your IBM BladeCenter unit comes with the IBM BladeCenter Type 8677
Documentation CD, which contains documentation for your system in Portable
Document Format (PDF) and includes the IBM Documentation Browser to help you
find information quickly.
In addition to the documentation CD, your BladeCenter unit comes with the Rack
Installation Instructions, which contain a rack-installation template and basic
instructions for installing your system into a rack.
System requirements
To run the documentation CD, use a system that has the following minimum
hardware and software:
®
v Microsoft
Windows 2000.
v 100 MHz Intel Pentium
v 32 MB RAM.
v Adobe Acrobat Reader 3.0 or later. Adobe Acrobat Reader software is included
on the documentation CD, and you can install it when you run the IBM
Documentation Browser.
Windows NT®4.0 (with Service Pack 3 or later), Windows®98, or
®
microprocessor.
Starting the IBM Documentation Browser
Use one of the following procedures to start the Documentation Browser:
v If Autostart is enabled, insert the documentation CD into your CD-ROM drive.
The Documentation Browser will start automatically.
v If Autostart is disabled, insert the documentation CD into your CD-ROM drive;
then, click Start --> Run.IntheOpen field, type
e:\win32.bat
where e is the drive letter of your CD-ROM drive, and click OK.
Using the IBM Documentation Browser
Use the IBM Documentation Browser to browse the contents of the documentation
CD, select from a list of available topics, see brief descriptions of the selected
topics, and view selected topics using Adobe Acrobat Reader. The Documentation
Browser automatically detects the regional settings in use on your system and
presents the information in the language for that region (if available). If a topic is not
available in the language for that region, the English version is displayed.
Click Help for detailed information about using the IBM Documentation Browser.
Complete the following steps to use the Documentation Browser:
1. Select your product from the Product drop-down list.
The Topics list appears. It lists all topics that pertain to the selected product.
Topics are in folders or under other topics. A plus sign (+) appears beside each
folder or topic that has additional topics under it. Click the plus sign to display
the additional topics.
2. Click a topic to select it.
When you select a topic, a description of the topic contents appears in the
Description field.
Chapter 1. Introduction 3
Note: To select multiple topics, press and hold down the Ctrl key while
selecting your topics.
3. View selected topics.
Click View Book. Adobe Acrobat Reader starts, and the selected topics are
displayed.
Using the search feature
Complete the following steps to use the Documentation Browser search feature:
1. Type a key word in the Search field.
2. Click Search. The topics containing the search word are listed in order based
on the number of occurrences.
3. Click a file to open it.
4. Press Ctrl+F and use the Adobe Acrobat search function to search within the
file.
Related publications
This Installation and User’s Guide provides general information about your
BladeCenter unit, including information about features, how to configure your
BladeCenter unit, and how to get help.
In addition to this Installation and User’s Guide, the following documentation is
provided in PDF on the IBM BladeCenter Documentation CD that comes with your
BladeCenter unit:
v Safety Information: This publication contains translated caution and danger
statements. Each caution and danger statement that appears in the
documentation has a number that you can use to locate the corresponding
statement in your language in the Safety Information book.
v BladeCenter HS20 Installation and User’s Guide for each blade server type: This
publication contains instructions for setting up a BladeCenter HS20 blade server
and basic instructions for installing some options. It also contains general
information about the blade server.
v BladeCenter HS20 Hardware Maintenance Manual and Troubleshooting Guide
for each blade server type: This publication contains the information to help you
solve BladeCenter HS20 problems yourself, and it contains information for
service technicians.
v Eserver BladeCenter Type 8677 Hardware Maintenance Manual and
Troubleshooting Guide: This publication contains the information to help you
solve BladeCenter problems yourself, and it contains information for service
technicians.
v Eserver BladeCenter Type 8677 Rack Installation Instructions: This publication
contains instructions for installing the BladeCenter unit in a rack.
v Installation and User’s Guide for each BladeCenter option, such as a switch
module: This publication usually contains instructions for setting up and
configuring the option and a description of the option features.
v IBM BladeCenter Management Module User’s Guide: This publication contains
instructions for using the Web interface to configure the management modules in
a BladeCenter.
v IBM BladeCenter Management Module Installation Guide: This publication
contains instructions for installing an IBM BladeCenter management module
option in a BladeCenter unit and creating the initial configuration.
4 BladeCenter Type 8677: Installation and User’s Guide
Additional publications might be included on the IBM BladeCenter Documentation
CD.
Chapter 1. Introduction 5
Features and specifications
The following table provides a summary of the features and specifications for your
BladeCenter unit.
Table 1. Features and specifications
Media tray (on front):
v Diskette drive: 1.44 MB
v CD-ROM drive: IDE
v Universal Serial Bus (USB) v1.1 port
v Front system LED panel
Module bays (on rear):
v Four hot-swap 220-volt
power-module bays
v Two hot-swap management-module
bays
v Four hot-swap I/O-module bays
v Two hot-swap blower bays
Blade bays (on front):
14 hot-swap blade bays
Redundant cooling:
Two variable-speed hot-swap blowers
Power modules:
v Standard: Two 1200-watt or greater
220-volt (200-240 V ac) hot-swap
power modules
– Both power modules supply 12 V
power to all modules and to blade
bays 1 through 6
– Both power modules provide
redundancy to each other
v Maximum: Four
– Power modules 1 and 2 supply 12
V to all modules and to blade
bays 1 through 6
– Power modules 3 and 4 supply 12
V to blade bays 7 through 14
– Power modules 1 and 2 provide
redundancy to each other
– Power modules 3 and 4 provide
redundancy to each other
I/O modules:
v Standard: None
v Maximum: Four
Management module:
v Standard: One hot-swap management
module providing the following features:
– System-management functions for
the BladeCenter system
– Video port (analog)
– PS/2
– PS/2 mouse port
– 10/100 Mb Ethernet remote
management connection
v Maximum: Two hot-swap management
modules: one active, one redundant
Upgradeable microcode:
v Management module firmware
v I/O module firmware (not all I/O module
types)
v Blade server service processor firmware
Security features:
v Login password for remote connection
v Secure socket layer (SSL) security for
remote management access
Predictive Failure Analysis
alerts:
v Blowers
v Blade-dependent features
Size (7U):
v Height: 304.2 mm (12 in. or 7 U)
v Depth: 711.2 mm (28 in.)
v Width: 444 mm (17.5 in.)
v Weight:
– Fully configured with modules and
blades: Approx. 108.86 kg (240 lb)
– Fully configured without blades:
Approx. 44.91 kg (99 lb)
®
keyboard port
®
(PFA)
Acoustical noise emissions:
v Without acoustics module option:
– Sound power, idle: 7.4 bels maximum
– Sound power, operating: 7.4 bels
maximum
v With acoustics module option:
– Sound power, idle: 6.9 bels maximum
– Sound power, operating: 6.9 bels
maximum
Environment:
v Air temperature:
– BladeCenter unit on: 10° to 35°C (50° to
95°F). Altitude: 0 to 914 m (2998.69 ft)
– BladeCenter unit on: 10° to 32°C (50° to
89.6°F). Altitude: 914 m to 2134 m
(2998.69 ft to 7000 ft)
– BladeCenter off: -40° to 60° C (-40° to
140° F).
v Humidity:
– Server on: 8% to 80%
– Serveroff:8%to80%
Electrical input:
v Sine-wave input (50-60 Hz single-phase)
required
v Input voltage:
– Minimum: 200 V ac
– Maximum: 240 V ac
Heat output:
Approximate heat output in British thermal
units (Btu) per hour
v Minimum configuration: 1365 Btu/hour (400
watts)
v Maximum configuration: Varies depending
on the type of power supplies installed.
– Four 1200-watt power supplies: 9622
Btu/hour (2820 watts)
– Four 1400-watt power supplies: 11111
Btu/hour (3256 watts)
For all other power supplies, see the
documentation that comes with the power
supply.
Notes:
1. For details about the BladeCenter unit port specifications, see “Input/output
connectors” on page 26.
2. For information about which types of I/O modules can be installed in which
I/O-module bays, see “I/O modules” on page 16.
3. The operating system in the blade server must provide USB support for the
blade server to recognize and use the keyboard, mouse, CD-ROM drive, and
diskette drive. The BladeCenter unit uses USB for internal communication with
these devices.
6 BladeCenter Type 8677: Installation and User’s Guide
Notices and statements used in this book
The caution and danger statements that appear in this book are also in the
multilingual Safety Information book, which is on the IBM BladeCenter
Documentation CD. Each statement is numbered for reference to the corresponding
statement in the Safety Information book.
The following notices and statements are used in the documentation:
v Note: These notices provide important tips, guidance, or advice.
v Important: These notices provide information or advice that might help you avoid
inconvenient or problem situations.
v Attention: These notices indicate possible damage to programs, devices, or
data. An attention notice is placed just before the instruction or situation in which
damage could occur.
v Caution: These statements indicate situations that can be potentially hazardous
to you. A caution statement is placed just before the description of a potentially
hazardous procedure step or situation.
v Danger: These statements indicate situations that can be potentially lethal or
extremely hazardous to you. A danger statement is placed just before the
description of a potentially lethal or extremely hazardous procedure step or
situation.
What your BladeCenter unit offers
The design of your BladeCenter unit takes advantage of advancements in server
technology. It provides up to 14 functionally separate servers and their shared
resources in a single center. Your BladeCenter unit combines:
v IBM Enterprise X-Architecture technology
IBM Enterprise X-Architecture technology leverages proven innovative IBM
technologies to build powerful, scalable, reliable Intel-processor-based servers.
Enterprise X-Architecture technology includes features such as Predictive Failure
Analysis (PFA), scalability, and Real Time Diagnostics.
v Expansion capabilities
You can add blade servers to the BladeCenter unit as needed, up to a maximum
of 14 blade servers.
Note: When any blade server or option is in blade bay 7 through 14, power
modules must be present in power bays 1 and 2, and power modules
must be present in power bays 3 and 4.
Some blade servers have connectors for options that add capabilities to the
blade server, such as an I/O expansion card to add a network interface, or a
storage expansion unit to add SCSI hard disk drives.
v Hot-swap capabilities
The front bays on the BladeCenter unit are hot-swap blade bays; the rear bays
on the BladeCenter unit are hot-swap module bays. You can add, remove, or
replace blade servers or management, I/O, power, or blower modules in
hot-swap bays without removing power from the BladeCenter unit.
Attention: To maintain proper system cooling, each unoccupied bay must
contain a filler blade or filler module.
Chapter 1. Introduction 7
v Redundancy capabilities
The redundant components in the rear of your BladeCenter unit enable continued
operation if one of the components fails.
– Power modules and blowers: Normally, the redundant power modules and
blowers share the load. If one of the power modules or blowers fails, the
non-failing power module or blower handles the entire load. You can then
replace the failed blower or power module without shutting down the
BladeCenter unit.
– Management modules: Only one management module will be active at a time.
If the active management module fails, the secondary, or redundant,
management module becomes the active management module, containing
current BladeCenter configuration and status information. You can then
replace the failed management module without shutting down the BladeCenter
unit.
v Redundant network connection capabilities
Configuring a pair of Ethernet switch modules in I/O-module bays 1 and 2
identically provides support for Ethernet failover configured on blade servers. See
“Configuring a switch module” on page 46 for more information. If the I/O
expansion options in your blade servers can be configured for failover,
configuring a pair of switch modules in I/O-module bays 3 and 4 identically
provides support for the failover configured on the I/O expansion options.
Other network-interface I/O expansion options, such as the IBM HS20 Fibre
Channel Expansion Card, can have similar capability for redundant network
connections. See the documentation that comes with your I/O expansion and
switch module options for more information about configuring for redundant
network connections.
v System-management capabilities
Your BladeCenter unit comes with a service processor in the management
module. This service processor, in conjunction with the system-management
firmware that is provided with your BladeCenter unit and the service processor in
each blade server, enables you to remotely manage the BladeCenter unit, its
components, and the blade servers. The management module also multiplexes
the keyboard, mouse, and video ports and the USB port across the multiple
blade servers.
The service processor in each blade server provides blade server system
monitoring, event recording, and alert capability.
See Chapter 4, “Configuring your BladeCenter unit”, on page 37 for more
information.
v Network environment support
Your BladeCenter unit supports up to two Ethernet-compatible I/O modules
(switch modules or pass-thru modules), for blade server integrated Ethernet
controller communication with the network. Each I/O module provides one
internal connection to each blade server, up to 14 internal connections per I/O
module.
The BladeCenter unit also supports two additional I/O modules, for a total of four
I/O modules. The two additional I/O modules support the network interface on the
optional I/O expansion card installed on one or more blade servers in the
BladeCenter unit.
Note: The two additional I/O modules must be compatible with the network
interface on the optional I/O expansion cards in the blade servers.
8 BladeCenter Type 8677: Installation and User’s Guide
Each of these two additional I/O modules provides one internal connection to the
optional I/O expansion card, up to 14 internal connections per I/O module.
Reliability, availability, and serviceability
Three of the most important features in server design are reliability, availability, and
serviceability (RAS). These factors help to ensure the integrity of the data stored on
your blade server; that your blade server is available when you want to use it; and
that should a failure occur, you can easily diagnose and repair the failure with
minimal inconvenience.
The following is a list of some of the RAS features that your BladeCenter unit
supports:
v Shared key components, such as power, cooling, and I/O
v All components serviced from the front or rear of the chassis
v Automatic error retry and recovery
v Automatic restart after a power failure
v Built-in monitoring for blower, power, temperature, and voltage
v Built-in monitoring for module redundancy
v Customer support center 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
v Error codes and messages
v Fault-resistant startup
v Remote system management through the management module
v Remote management module firmware upgrade
v Remote upgrade of blade server service processor microcode
v Built-in self-test (BIST)
v Predictive Failure Analysis (PFA) alerts
v Redundant components
– Cooling fans (blowers) with speed-sensing capability
– Power modules
– Management modules
v Hot-swap components
– Cooling fans (blowers) with speed-sensing capability
– Power modules
– Management module
– I/O modules
– Blade servers
– Media tray
v System automatic inventory at startup
v System error logging
2
2. Service availability will vary by country. Response time varies; may exclude holidays.
Chapter 1. Introduction
9
Major components of the BladeCenter Type 8677 unit
The following illustration shows the locations of major components in your
BladeCenter unit.
Note: The illustrations in this document might differ slightly from your hardware.
Management module
Blade server
Power module
Blower module
USB port
CD-ROM
drive
Diskette
drive
Media
tray
Front bezel
Blade server with
storage-expansion
unit
I/O module
Filler blade
Attention: To maintain proper system cooling, each module bay must contain
either a module or a filler module; each blade bay must contain either a blade
server or a filler blade.
10 BladeCenter Type 8677: Installation and User’s Guide
Front view
Diskette-drive
activity LED
Diskette-eject
button
System
service
card
Blade
control
panel
Front system
LED panel
Blade servers
USB port
CD-ROM activity
LED
CD-eject
button
Filler blades
See Chapter 3, “BladeCenter unit power, controls, and indicators”, on page 29 for
details about these components and indicators.
Rear view
I/O module
bay 3
I/O module bay 4
I/O module 1
Power module bay 4
I/O module 2
Power module
bay 3
Blower module 1
Blower module 2
Power module 1
AC
DC
AC
DC
Power module 2
Rear system LED panel
Management
module 1
Management
module bay 2
See Chapter 3, “BladeCenter unit power, controls, and indicators”, on page 29 for
details about these components and indicators.
Chapter 1. Introduction 11
12 BladeCenter Type 8677: Installation and User’s Guide
Chapter 2. Installing options
This chapter provides instructions for adding options to your BladeCenter unit.
Some option-removal instructions are provided in case you need to remove one
option to install another.
Installing the BladeCenter unit in a rack
Statement 20:
CAUTION:
To avoid personal injury, before lifting the unit, remove all the blades to
reduce the weight.
Statement 4:
≥ 18 kg (39.7 lb) ≥ 32 kg (70.5 lb) ≥ 55 kg (121.2 lb)
CAUTION:
Use safe practices when lifting.
Install the BladeCenter unit in a rack before installing any blade servers in the
BladeCenter unit. If your BladeCenter unit has blade servers already installed,
remove them first. Blade servers are installed from the front of the BladeCenter unit,
without sliding the BladeCenter unit into or out of the rack. Detailed instructions for
installing a BladeCenter unit in a rack are in the Rack Installation Instructions that
come with your BladeCenter unit.
Installation guidelines
Before you begin to install options in your BladeCenter unit, read the following
information:
v Read the safety information beginning on page vii and the guidelines in “Handling
static-sensitive devices” on page 14. This information will help you work safely
with your BladeCenter unit and options.
v The orange color on components and labels in your BladeCenter unit identifies
hot-swap components. You can install or remove hot-swap modules and, with
© Copyright IBM Corp. 2002, 2003 13
some restrictions, hot-swap blade servers while the BladeCenter unit is running.
For complete details about installing or removing a hot-swap component, see the
detailed information in this chapter.
v The blue color on components and labels identifies touch points where you can
grip a component, move a latch, and so on.
v You do not need to disconnect the BladeCenter unit from power to install or
replace any of the hot-swap modules on the rear of the BladeCenter unit. You
need to shut down the operating system and turn off a hot-swap blade server on
the front of the BladeCenter unit before removing the blade server, but you do
not need to shut down the BladeCenter unit itself.
v For a list of supported options for your BladeCenter unit, go to
http://www.ibm.com/pc/compat/ on the World Wide Web.
System reliability considerations
To help ensure proper cooling and system reliability, make sure that:
v Each of the module bays on the rear of the BladeCenter unit has either a module
or filler module installed.
v Each of the blade bays on the front of the BladeCenter unit has either a blade
server or filler blade installed.
v Each of the drive bays in a blade server storage expansion option has either a
hot-swap drive or a filler panel installed.
v A removed hot-swap module, blade server, or drive is replaced within 1 minute of
removal.
v Cables for the option modules are routed according to the illustrations and
instructions in this document.
v A failed blower is replaced as soon as possible, to restore cooling redundancy.
Handling static-sensitive devices
Attention: Static electricity can damage electronic devices and your system. To
avoid damage, keep static-sensitive devices in their static-protective packages until
you are ready to install them.
To reduce the possibility of electrostatic discharge, observe the following
precautions:
v Limit your movement. Movement can cause static electricity to build up around
you.
v Handle the device carefully, holding it by its edges or its frame.
v Do not touch solder joints, pins, or exposed printed circuitry.
v Do not leave the device where others can handle and damage it.
v While the device is still in its static-protective package, touch it to an unpainted
metal part of the system unit for at least 2 seconds. This drains static electricity
from the package and from your body.
v Remove the device from its package and install it directly into the system unit
without setting the device down. If it is necessary to set down the device, place it
back into its static-protective package. Do not place the device on your system
unit or on a metal surface.
v Take additional care when handling devices during cold weather. Heating reduces
indoor humidity and increases static electricity.
14 BladeCenter Type 8677: Installation and User’s Guide
Installing and removing modules
The procedures for installing or removing a module on the BladeCenter unit are
nearly identical for all modules except the blower modules. To install or remove a
blower module, see the BladeCenter Hardware Maintenance Manual and
Troubleshooting Guide on the BladeCenter Documentation CD. To install or remove
all other modules, follow the instructions in this section.
Each module is keyed so that it can be inserted only in an appropriate bay. You can
insert an I/O module only in an I/O-module bay, for example. In addition, most
modules must be installed in a specific sequence or under specific circumstances.
The BladeCenter modules
Your BladeCenter unit contains the following hot-swap modules: power modules, I/O
modules, management modules, and blower modules. See “Rear view” on page 33
for the location of each module. These modules supply common functions to the
blade servers that are installed in the blade bays in the front of the BladeCenter
unit.
The chassis and the active management module supply I/O (diskette drive,
CD-ROM drive, USB port, keyboard, video, and mouse) that is available to all the
blade servers, selected by any one blade server at a time. The chassis can contain
up to 14 blade servers.
Attention: To help ensure proper cooling, performance, and system reliability,
make sure that each of the module bays on the rear of the BladeCenter unit has a
module or filler module installed. When replacing a module, do not operate the
BladeCenter unit for more than one minute without either a module or a filler
module installed in each module bay.
Management module
Your BladeCenter unit comes with one hot-swap management module in the
management bay. You can add a management module in management bay 2.
Note: Only one management module will be active; the second management
module, if present, provides redundancy.
The management module functions as a service processor and a
keyboard/video/mouse (KVM) multiplexor for the multiple blade servers. The
management module also configures the BladeCenter unit and modules, configuring
information such as switch module IP addresses. The management module
provides the following external connections: keyboard, mouse, and video for use by
a local console, and one RJ-45 connector for a 10/100 Mbps Ethernet remote
management connection.
The service processor in the management module communicates with the service
processor in each blade server for functions such as:
v Blade server power-on requests
v Blade server error and event reporting
v Blade server requests for keyboard, mouse, and video
v Blade server requests for diskette drive, CD-ROM drive, and USB port
The management module also communicates with the I/O modules, power modules,
blower modules, and blade servers to detect presence or absence and any error
conditions, sending alerts when required.
Chapter 2. Installing options 15
I/O modules
For blade server communication with the network, your BladeCenter unit supports
from one to four hot-swap I/O modules. Table 2 identifies the type of I/O module
you can install in each I/O-module bay. Go to the IBM Support Web site at
http://www.ibm.com/pc/support/ to see the list of supported I/O modules.
Your BladeCenter unit supports a minimum of one hot-swap Ethernet switch module
or pass-thru module, in I/O-module bay 1 or 2. This I/O module provides an internal
connection to an integrated Ethernet controller in all the blade servers in the
BladeCenter unit, up to 14 internal connections per I/O module. To provide an
internal connection for the second integrated Ethernet controller in each blade
server, install an Ethernet switch module or pass-thru module in the available
I/O-module bay of the pair (I/O-module bay 1 or bay 2).
Similarly, the BladeCenter unit supports two additional I/O modules in I/O-module
bays 3 and 4. Each of these I/O modules provides an internal connection to one of
the two network-interface controllers on all the I/O expansion options installed on
blade servers in the BladeCenter unit. The I/O module must be compatible with the
network interface on all the I/O expansion options. For example, if you install a
Fibre Channel I/O expansion option on a blade server, the I/O modules you install
in I/O-module bays 3 and 4 must be Fibre Channel switch modules or pass-thru
modules.
Notes:
1. Because of electromagnetic interference (EMI), no more than two four-port 1-Gb
Ethernet switch modules can be installed in the BladeCenter unit. You can mix
four-port 1-Gb Ethernet switch modules with other supported Ethernet switch
modules to achieve the total number of Ethernet switch modules you need in
the BladeCenter unit.
2. You can use a pass-thru module in any I/O-module bay, provided the associated
controller in the blade servers or I/O expansion options is compatible with it.
The following table summarizes the types of modules that can be used in each
I/O-module bay. See “Rear view” on page 33 for the location of the I/O-module bays
on the BladeCenter unit.
Table 2. Hot-swap I/O module types by location
Bays I/O-module function Permissible I/O module
1 and 2 Network connections 1 and 2
(Ethernet) for all blade servers in the
BladeCenter unit
3 and 4 Network connections 3 and 4 (for all
I/O expansion options on blade
servers in the BladeCenter unit)
One of the following combinations:
v Two Ethernet switch modules
v Two pass-thru modules
v One Ethernet switch module and
one pass-thru module
One of the following combinations.
v Two Ethernet switch modules
v Two Fibre Channel switch modules
v Two pass-thru modules
Important:
v The modules used must support the
network interface used on the I/O
expansion options.
v The I/O modules in bays 3 and 4
must be the same type.
16 BladeCenter Type 8677: Installation and User’s Guide
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