Designed in a compact, versatile 1U two-socket rack server, the IBM® System x3550 M5 rack server
fuels almost any workload from infrastructure to high-performance computing (HPC) to cloud or big data
with leadership security, efficiency, and reliability. Integrated with up to two Intel Xeon processors of the
E5-2600 v3 product family with faster, energy-efficient TruDDR4 Memory, the x3550 M5 delivers
exceptional performance. Storage can include up to 12 drives in an impressive selection of sizes and
types. This IBM Redbooks® Product Guide describes the System x3550 M5.
Suggested use
management, enterprise applications, collaboration/email, streaming media, web, and HPC.
The following figure shows the System x3550 M5.
Figure 1. The System x3550 M5
: Database, virtualization and cloud computing, infrastructure security, systems
Did you know?
The x3550 M5 incorporates energy smart features for minimized costs and efficient performance. Dual fan
zones support operation in up to 40°C environments. 80 PLUS Titanium power supply units (PSUs) can
deliver 96% efficiency at 50% load.
The x3550 M5 has outstanding memory performance that is achieved by supporting
two-RDIMM-per-channel configurations at speeds up to 12% faster than the Intel specification, while still
maintaining world-class IBM reliability.
System x® servers achieved the highest reliability of any x86 servers (ITIC 2014-2015 Global Server
Hardware, Server OS Reliability Survey:
The x3550 M5 integrates leadership security and reliability. System x Trusted Platform Assurance, an
exclusive set of System x features and practices, establishes a foolproof security foundation for your
workloads. Enterprise-class data protection is provided with optional self-encrypting drives and simple,
centralized key management through IBM Security Key Lifecycle Management. Diagnostic tools facilitate
reduced downtime and costs.
IBM System x3550 M51
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Key features
The System x3550 M5 is a cost- and density-balanced 1U, 2-socket business-critical server, offering
improved performance and pay-as-you grow flexibility along with new features that improve server
management capability. New, innovative, energy-smart design with powerful high-performance
processors, a large capacity of high-performing DDR4 memory, and an improved feature set are ideal for
business-critical applications and cloud deployments.
Combining balanced performance and flexibility, the x3550 M5 is a great choice for small and medium
businesses and up to the large enterprise. It can provide outstanding uptime to keep business-critical
applications and cloud deployments running safely. Ease-of-use and comprehensive systems
management tools make it easy to deploy. Outstanding reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS)
and high-efficiency design improve your business environment and help save operational costs.
Scalability and performance
The x3550 M5 offers numerous features to boost performance, improve scalability, and reduce costs:
Improves productivity by offering superior system performance with up to 18-core processors, up to
45 MB of L3 cache, and up to 9.6 GT/s QPI interconnect links.
Supports up to two processors, 36 cores, and 72 threads to maximize the concurrent execution of
multithreaded applications.
Intelligent and adaptive system performance with energy efficient Intel Turbo Boost Technology
allows CPU cores to run at maximum speeds during peak workloads by temporarily going beyond
processor TDP.
Intel Hyper-Threading Technology boosts performance for multithreaded applications by enabling
simultaneous multithreading within each processor core, up to two threads per core.
Intel Virtualization Technology integrates hardware-level virtualization hooks that allow operating
system vendors to better utilize the hardware for virtualization workloads.
Intel Advanced Vector Extensions 2.0 (AVX 2.0) enable acceleration of enterprise-class workloads,
such as databases, enterprise resource planning, and others.
Up to 2133 MHz memory speeds with two DIMMs per channel running at 2133 MHz to help maximize
system performance.
Up to 1.5 TB of memory capacity with 64 GB Load Reduced DIMMS (LRDIMMs) (support for 64 GB
LRDIMMs is planned for a later date).
12 Gbps serial-attached SCSI (SAS) internal storage connectivity doubles the data transfer rate
compared to 6 Gb SAS solutions to maximize performance of storage I/O-intensive applications.
Flexible and scalable internal storage configurations for up to 24 TB of storage capacity in a dense 1U
rack form factor.
The use of solid-state drives (SSDs) instead of or along with traditional spinning hard disk drives
(HDDs) can significantly improve I/O performance. An SSD can support up to 100 times more I/O
operations per second (IOPS) than a typical HDD.
The server has four integrated Gigabit Ethernet ports and optional 10 Gb Ethernet ports with
mezzanine LOM (ML2) adapters.
The server offers up to four PCI Express (PCIe) 3.0 I/O expansion slots in a dense 1U rack form
factor.
With Intel Integrated I/O Technology, the PCI Express 3.0 controller is integrated into the Intel Xeon
processor E5 family. This helps to dramatically reduce I/O latency and increase overall system
performance.
IBM System x3550 M52
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Availability and serviceability
The x3550 M5 provides many features to simplify serviceability and increase system uptime:
The server offers memory mirroring and memory rank sparing for redundancy in the event of a
non-correctable memory failure.
Tool-less cover removal provides easy access to upgrades and serviceable parts, such as
processors, memory DIMMs, and adapter cards.
The server offers hot-swap drives supporting RAID redundancy for data protection and greater
system uptime.
The server offers redundant hot-swap power supplies and hot-swap redundant fans to provide
availability for business-critical applications.
The new next-gen light path diagnostics LCD display panel simplifies servicing, speeds up problem
resolution, and helps improve system availability.
Predictive Failure Analysis (PFA) detects when system components (processors, VRMs, memory,
disks, fans, and power supplies) operate outside standard thresholds and generates proactive alerts
in advance of possible failure, therefore increasing uptime.
SSDs offer significantly better reliability than traditional mechanical HDDs for greater uptime.
Built-in Integrated Management Module II (IMM2) continuously monitors system parameters, triggers
alerts, and performs recovery actions in case of failure, to minimize downtime.
Built-in diagnostics using Dynamic Systems Analysis (DSA) Preboot speed up troubleshooting tasks
to reduce service time.
Three-year customer replaceable unit and onsite limited warranty, next business day 9x5. Optional
service upgrades available.
Manageability and security
Powerful systems management features simplify local and remote management of the x3550 M5 and
deliver enterprise-class data protection:
The server includes an Integrated Management Module II (IMM2) to monitor server availability and
perform remote management.
An integrated industry-standard Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) enables improved
setup, configuration, and updates, and simplifies error handling.
IBM Systems Director offers comprehensive systems management tools to help increase uptime,
reduce costs, and improve productivity through advanced server management capabilities.
Two integrated Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs) support the enablement of advanced cryptographic
functionality, such as digital signatures and remote attestation.
System x Trusted Platform Assurance, an exclusive set of System x security features and practices,
establishes a foolproof security foundation for workloads by delivering firmware that is securely built,
tested, digitally signed, and verified prior to execution.
The server offers enterprise-class data protection with optional self-encrypting drives and simple,
centralized key management through IBM Security Key Lifecycle Management.
There is industry-standard AES NI support for faster, stronger encryption.
Intel Execute Disable Bit functionality can help prevent certain classes of malicious buffer overflow
attacks when combined with a supporting operating system.
IBM System x3550 M53
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Intel Trusted Execution Technology provides enhanced security through hardware-based resistance
to malicious software attacks, allowing an application to run in its own isolated space protected from
all other software running on a system.
Energy efficiency
The x3550 M5 offers the following energy-efficiency features to save energy, reduce operational costs,
increase energy availability, and contribute to a green environment:
Energy-efficient planar components help lower operational costs.
High-efficiency power supplies with 80 PLUS Platinum and Titanium certifications.
Intel Intelligent Power Capability powers individual processor elements on and off as needed, to
reduce power draw.
Low-voltage Intel Xeon processors draw less energy to satisfy the demands of power and thermally
constrained data centers and telecommunication environments.
Low-voltage 1.2 V DDR4 memory DIMMs consume up to 20% less energy compared to 1.35 V DDR3
DIMMs.
The server uses hexagonal ventilation holes, a part of IBM Calibrated Vectored Cooling™ technology.
Hexagonal holes can be grouped more densely than round holes, providing more efficient airflow
through the system.
IBM Systems Director Active Energy Manager™ and Intel Node Manager provide advanced data
center power notification and management to help achieve lower heat output and reduced cooling
needs.
Locations of key components and connectors
The following figure shows the front of the server.
Figure 2. Front view of the System x3550 M5
IBM System x3550 M54
Page 5
The following figure shows the rear of the x3550 M5 server with three PCIe low profile slots.
Figure 3. Rear view of the System x3550 M5
The following figure shows the locations of key components inside the server.
Figure 4. Inside view of the System x3550 M5
IBM System x3550 M55
Page 6
Standard specifications
The following table lists the standard specifications.
Table 1. Standard specifications (part 1)
ComponentsSpecification
Form factor1U Rack.
ProcessorUp to two Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v3 product family CPUs with 18 cores (2.3 GHz core
speeds) or up to 12 cores (up to 2.6 GHz core speeds). Two QPI links up to 9.6 GT/s each. Up
to 2133 MHz memory speed. Up to 45 MB L3 cache.
ChipsetIntel C612.
MemoryUp to 24 DIMM sockets (12 DIMMs per processor). RDIMMs and LRDIMMs (Load Reduced
DIMMs) are supported.. Memory types cannot be intermixed. Memory speed up to 2133 MHz.
Memory
maximums
With RDIMMs: Up to 384 GB with 24x 16 GB RDIMMs and two processors
With LRDIMMs: Up to 1.5 TB with 24x 64 GB LRDIMMs and two processors (support for
64 GB LRDIMMs is planned for a later date)
Disk drive baysUp to 12x 2.5" hot-swap SAS/SATA HDDs, or up to 8x 2.5" Simple Swap SATA HDDs, or up to
4x 3.5" hot-swap SAS/SATA HDDs, or up to 4x 3.5" Simple Swap SATA HDDs.
Maximum internal
storage
Up to 14.4 TB with 1.2 TB 2.5" SAS HDDs, or up to 12 TB with 1 TB 2.5" NL SAS/SATA HDDs,
or up to 11.2 TB with 960 GB 2.5" SATA SSDs, or up to 24 TB with 6 TB 3.5" NL SAS/SATA
HDDs. Intermix of SAS/SATA is supported.
Storage controllerOnboard 6 Gb SATA: no RAID support
12 Gb SAS/SATA RAID: RAID 0, 1, 10 with M1215 or M5210. Optional upgrade to RAID 5,
50 is available for M1215. Optional upgrade to RAID 5, 50 is available for M5210
(zero-cache; 1 GB non-backed cache; 1 GB, 2 GB, or 4 GB flash-backed cache). Optional
upgrade to RAID 6, 60 is available for M5210 with memory cache upgrades. Optional SSD
Caching and Performance Accelerator feature upgrades are available.
12 Gb SAS/SATA non-RAID: N2215 HBA
Optical drive baysOne, optional, for models with 4 or 8 drive bays (models with 10 drive bays do not support an
internal optical drive). Support for DVD-ROM or Multiburner.
LOM (ML2) slot for dual-port 10 GbE cards with SFP+ or RJ-45 connectors or quad-port GbE
cards with RJ-45 connectors.
PCI Expansion
slots
Up to four slots, depending on the riser cards installed. The slots are as follows:
Slot 1: PCIe 3.0 x16 or ML2; low profile, half-length (not present if the HDD Rear Kit is
installed)
Slot 2: PCIe 3.0 x16 or PCIe 3.0 x8; low profile or full-height, half-length (PCIe 3.0 x16 slot
requires the second processor to be installed) (not present if the HDD Rear Kit is installed)
Slot 4: PCIe 3.0 x8 (dedicated for an internal RAID controller)
IBM System x3550 M56
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Table 1. Standard specifications (part 2)
ComponentsSpecification
PortsFront: 1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0 (8x 2.5" drive bay models) or 2x USB 2.0 (4x 3.5" and 10x
CoolingIBM Calibrated Vectored Cooling with up to eight redundant hot-swap fans (six standard,
Power supplyUp to two redundant hot-swap 550 W, 750 W, or 900 W High Efficiency Platinum AC power
Hot-swap partsHard drives, power supplies, and fans.
Systems
management
Security featuresPower-on password, administrator's password, two Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs): on the
VideoMatrox G200eR2 with 16 MB memory integrated into the IMM2. Maximum resolution is
Operating
systems
supported
2.5" drive bay models), and 1x DB-15 video.
Rear: 2x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0, 1x DB-15 video, 1x RJ-45 systems management, 4x RJ-45
GbE network ports. Optional 1x DB-9 serial port.
Internal: 1x USB port (for embedded hypervisor).
additional two with the second processor or with the x3550 M5 Thermal Solution Kit); dual fan
zones with N+1 fan redundancy; each fan has two motors.
supplies, or 750 W High Efficiency Titanium AC power supplies.
Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), IBM Integrated Management Module II (IMM2.1)
based on Renesas SH7758, Predictive Failure Analysis, light path diagnostics, Automatic
Server Restart, IBM ToolsCenter, IBM Systems Director and Active Energy Manager, and Intel
Node Manager. Optional IBM Advanced Management Module Advanced Upgrade for remote
presence (graphics, keyboard and mouse, virtual media).
IMM2 (TPM 1.2) and on the host (TPM 1.2/2.0). Optional lockable front bezel.
1600x1200 at 75 Hz with 16 M colors.
Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2, 2012, and 2008 R2, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 and 7,
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11, VMware vSphere (ESXi) 5.1 and 5.5.
Limited warranty Three-year customer-replaceable unit and onsite limited warranty with 9x5/Next Business Day
(NBD).
Service and
support
DimensionsHeight: 43 mm (1.7 in), width: 429 mm (16.9 in), depth: 734 mm (28.9 in)
WeightMinimum configuration: 13.8 kg (30.5 lb), maximum: 19.3 kg (42.7 lb)
Optional service upgrades are available through IBM ServicePac®: 4-hour or 2-hour response
time, 8 hours fix time, one-year or two-year warranty extension, remote technical support for
IBM hardware and selected IBM and third-party (Microsoft, Linux, VMware) software.
The x3550 M5 servers are shipped with the following items:
Statement of Limited Warranty
Important Notices
Rack Installation Instructions
Documentation CD containing
IBM System x3550 M5 Slide Kit G4
2.8 m C13-C14 power cord (one for models with one power supply and two for models with two power
Installation and User's Guide
supplies)
Note: Cable Management Arm (CMA) is not included. See the "Rack options" section for ordering
information.
IBM System x3550 M57
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Standard models
The following table lists the standard models of the x3550 M5.
Table 2. Standard models
MTM*Intel Xeon processor†
(2 maximum)
Models announced September 2014
5463-A2x 1x E5-2603 v3 6C 1.6GHz
15MB 1600MHz 85W
5463-B2x 1x E5-2609 v3 6C 1.9GHz
15MB 1600MHz 85W
5463-C2x 1x E5-2620 v3 6C 2.4GHz
15MB 1866MHz 85W
5463-C4x 1x E5-2620 v3 6C 2.4GHz
15MB 1866MHz 85W
5463-D2x 1x E5-2630 v3 8C 2.4GHz
20MB 1866MHz 85W
5463-H2x 1x E5-2630L v3 8C 1.8GHz
20MB 1866MHz 55W
5463-F2x 1x E5-2640 v3 8C 2.6GHz
20MB 1866MHz 90W
5463-G2x 1x E5-2650 v3 10C 2.3GHz
25MB 2133MHz 105W
5463-62x1x E5-2670 v3 12C 2.3GHz
30MB 2133MHz 120W
Memory
(RDIMMs)
1x 8GB
2133MHz§
1x 8GB
2133MHz§
1x 16GB
2133MHz§
1x 16GB
2133MHz§
1x 16GB
2133MHz§
1x 16GB
2133MHz§
1x 16GB
2133MHz§
1x 16GB
2133MHz
1x 16GB
2133MHz
RAIDDrive
M1215 4x 2.5"
M1215 4x 3.5"
M1215 4x 2.5"
M1215 4x 3.5"
M5210
1GB Flash
M5210
1GB Flash
M5210
1GB Flash
M5210
1GB Flash
M5210
2GB Flash
bays
SS / 8
SS / 4
HS / 8
HS / 4
4x 2.5"
HS / 8
4x 2.5"
HS / 8
4x 2.5"
HS / 8
10x 2.5"
HS / 12
4x 2.5"
HS / 8
DrivesOnboard
Open
bay
Open
bay
Open
bay
Open
bay
Open
bay
Open
bay
Open
bay
Open
bay
Open
bay
NIC
4x GbE2 / 4Optional 1x 550 W
4x GbE2 / 4Optional 1x 550 W
4x GbE2 / 4Optional 1x 550 W
4x GbE2 / 4Optional 1x 550 W
4x GbE2 / 4Optional 1x 550 W
4x GbE2 / 4Optional 1x 550 W
4x GbE2 / 4Optional 1x 550 W
4x GbE2 / 4None1x 550 W
4x GbE2 / 4Optional 1x 750 W
I/O
slots
(std /
max)
Optical
drive
Power
supply
(std /
max)
HS / 2
HS / 2
HS / 2
HS / 2
HS / 2
HS / 2
HS / 2
HS / 2
HS / 2
5463-J2x1x E5-2680 v3 12C 2.5GHz
30MB 2133MHz 120W
5463-L2x1x E5-2690 v3 12C 2.6GHz
30MB 2133MHz 135W
5463-M2x 1x E5-2699 v3 18C 2.3GHz
45MB 2133MHz 145W
1x 16GB
2133MHz
1x 16GB
2133MHz
1x 16GB
2133MHz
M5210
2GB Flash
M5210 4x 2.5"
M5210 4x 2.5"
4x 2.5"
HS / 8
HS / 8
HS / 8
Open
bay
Open
bay
Open
bay
4x GbE2 / 4Optional 1x 750 W
HS / 2
4x GbE2 / 4Optional 1x 750 W
HS / 2
4x GbE2 / 4Optional 1x 900 W
HS / 2
* x in the Machine Type Model (MTM) represents a country-specific letter (for example, the EMEA MTM is 5463-A2G,
and the US MTM is 5463-A2U). Ask an IBM representative for specifics.
† Processor detail: Processor quantity and model, cores, core speed, L3 cache, memory speed, and thermal design
power (TDP).
§ For these models, the standard DIMM is rated at 2133 MHz, but operates at a lower speed to match the processor
memory speed. Actual memory speed maximums depend on several factors, as described in "Memory options".
Refer to the Specifications section for information about standard features of the server.
IBM System x3550 M58
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Express models
The following table lists the express models of the x3550 M5.
Table 3. Express models (Part 1: United States, Canada, Latin America)
§ For these models, the standard DIMM is rated at 2133 MHz, but operates at a lower speed to match the processor
memory speed. Actual memory speed maximums depend on several factors, as described in "Memory options".
IBM System x3550 M59
Page 10
Table 3. Express models (Part 2: Asia Pacific, Japan, Europe, Middle East and Africa)
§ For these models, the standard DIMM is rated at 2133 MHz, but operates at a lower speed to match the processor
memory speed. Actual memory speed maximums depend on several factors, as described in "Memory options".
Refer to the Specifications section for information about standard features of the server.
IBM System x3550 M510
Page 11
Processor options
The x3550 M5 supports the processor options listed in the following table. The server supports up to two
processors. This table shows which server models have each processor standard. If there is no
corresponding
Configure-to-order (CTO). The processor part numbers include a CPU, a heatsink, and two system fans.
* The first feature code is for the first processor; the second feature code is for the second processor.
IBM System x3550 M511
Page 12
Memory options
The IBM System x3550 M5 supports IBM TruDDR4 Memory. IBM TruDDR Memory uses the
highest-quality components sourced from Tier 1 DRAM suppliers and only memory that meets our strict
requirements is selected. It is compatibility tested and tuned on every IBM System x server to maximize
performance and reliability. IBM TruDDR4 Memory will have a unique signature programmed into the
DIMM, which will enable IBM System x servers to verify whether the memory installed is
qualified/supported by IBM. Because the IBM TruDDR4 Memory is authenticated, certain extended
memory performance features can be enabled to extend performance over industry standards. From a
service and support standpoint, IBM memory automatically assumes the IBM system warranty, and IBM
provides service and support worldwide.
The server supports up to 12 DIMMs when one processor is installed and up to 24 DIMMs when two
processors are installed. Each processor has four memory channels, and there are three DIMMs per
channel.
The following rules apply when selecting the memory configuration:
The server supports RDIMMs and LRDIMMs.
Mixing different types of memory (RDIMMs and LRDIMMs) is not supported.
The maximum quantity of DIMMs that can be installed in the server depends on the number of
processors.
All DIMMs in the server operate at the same speed, which is determined as the lowest value of the
following speeds:
Memory speed that is supported by the specific processor.
Lowest of maximum operating speeds for selected memory configuration that depends on
quantity of DIMMs per channel, as shown under "Maximum operating speed" in Table 5.
The following memory protection technologies are supported:
ECC
Chipkill (for x4-based memory DIMMs)
Memory mirroring
Memory rank sparing
Chipkill works only in independent channel mode (the default is operational mode) and supports only
x4-based memory DIMMs.
If memory mirroring is used, DIMMs must be installed in pairs (a minimum of one pair per each
processor), and both DIMMs in a pair must be identical in type and size.
If memory rank sparing is used, a minimum of one quad-rank LRDIMM or two single-rank or dual-rank
RDIMMs must be installed per populated channel (the DIMMs do not need to be identical). In rank sparing
mode, one rank of a DIMM in each populated channel is reserved as spare memory. The size of a rank
varies depending on the DIMMs installed.
Chipkill, memory mirroring, and memory rank sparing modes are mutually exclusive. Only one operational
memory mode can be enabled on a server, and it is a system-wide setting.
IBM System x3550 M512
Page 13
The following table shows the characteristics of the supported DIMMs. Table cells highlighted with a gray
background indicate when the number of DIMMs per channel still allows the DIMMs to operate at a rated
speed.
Table 5. Maximum memory speeds
DIMM specificationRDIMMLRDIMM
RankSingle rankDual rankQuad rank
Part numbers46W0784 (4 GB)
46W0788 (8 GB)
Rated speed2133 MHz2133 MHz2133 MHz2133 MHz
Rated voltage1.2 V1.2 V1.2 V1.2 V
Maximum quantity supported**24242424
Maximum DIMM capacity8 GB8 GB16 GB64 GB
Maximum memory capacity192 GB192 GB384 GB1.5 TB
Maximum memory at rated
speed
Maximum operating speed
1 DIMM per channel2133 MHz2133 MHz2133 MHz2133 MHz
2 DIMMs per channel2133 MHz2133 MHz2133 MHz2133 MHz
3 DIMMs per channel1600 MHz1600 MHz1866 MHz1866 MHz
* Support for 64 GB LRDIMMs is planned for a later date.
** The maximum quantity that is supported is shown for two processors installed.
128 GB128 GB256 GB512 GB
46W0792 (8 GB)46W0796 (16 GB)46W0800 (32 GB)
95Y4812 (64 GB)*
IBM System x3550 M513
Page 14
The following table lists memory options available for the x3550 M5 server.
Table 6. Memory options
Part
number
RDIMMs - 2133 MHz
46W0784A5B64GB TruDDR4 Memory (1Rx8, 1.2V)
46W0788A5B58GB TruDDR4 Memory (1Rx4, 1.2V)
46W0792A5B88GB TruDDR4 Memory (2Rx8, 1.2V)
46W0796A5B716GB TruDDR4 Memory (2Rx4, 1.2V)
LRDIMMs - 2133 MHz
46W0800A5B932GB TruDDR4 Memory (4Rx4, 1.2V)
95Y4812A5UK64GB TruDDR4 Memory (4Rx4,1.2V)
* Support for 64 GB LRDIMMs is planned for a later date.
Feature
code
DescriptionMaximum
PC4-17000 CL15 2133MHz LP RDIMM
PC4-17000 CL15 2133MHz LP RDIMM
PC4-17000 CL15 2133MHz LP RDIMM
PC4-17000 CL15 2133MHz LP RDIMM
PC417000 CL15 2133MHz LP LRDIMM
PC4-17000 CL15 2133MHz LP LRDIMM
supported
24 (12 per
CPU)
24 (12 per
CPU)
24 (12 per
CPU)
24 (12 per
CPU)
24 (12 per
CPU)
24 (12 per
CPU)
Standard models where
used
-
-
A2x, B2x
62x, C2x, C4x, D2x, F2x,
G2x, H2x, J2x, L2x, M2x
-
-
IBM System x3550 M514
Page 15
Internal storage
The System x3550 M5 server supports the following internal drive bay configurations:
1.
4x 2.5-inch SAS/SATA hot-swap drive bay server models that can be upgraded to 8x 2.5-inch
SAS/SATA hot-swap drive bays
2.
10x 2.5-inch SAS/SATA hot-swap drive bay server models that can be upgraded to 12x 2.5-inch
SAS/SATA hot-swap drive bays (10x front drive bays and 2x rear drive bays)
3.
4x 2.5-inch SATA Simple Swap drive bay server models that can be upgraded to 8x 2.5-inch SATA
Simple Swap drive bays
4.
4x 3.5-inch SAS/SATA hot-swap drive bay server models
5.
4x 3.5-inch SATA Simple Swap drive bay server models
The following figure shows some of these configurations.
Figure 5. Internal drive configurations
Optical drive support: Four- and eight-drive bay models of the x3550 M5 support an optional internal
optical drive.
IBM System x3550 M515
Page 16
The following table shows the internal storage options available for the x3550 M5 server.
* Available in standard or CTO models.
** Available in CTO models only.
Base drive kits are always factory installed in either standard or custom (CTO) models. Upgrade drive kits
can be factory installed or can be installed as a field upgrade for supported standard or custom models.
Note: The HDD Rear Kit (00KA058) is installed in place of the PCIe slots 1 and 2 (see the "I/O expansion
options" section), and it includes a special riser that provides PCIe 3.0 x16 slot 3. No other riser cards can
be used when the HDD Rear Kit is installed. The HDD Rear Kit is connected to the SAS expander on the
10-drive backplane.
IBM System x3550 M516
Page 17
The following table lists possible internal storage configurations.
1x System x3550 M5 4x 2.5" SS HDD Kit,
Non-Raid (FC A59Y)
Factory installed:
1x System x3550 M5 4x 2.5" SS HDD Kit, HW
RAID (FC A5A6)
Factory installed:
1x System x3550 M5 4x 2.5" SS HDD Kit,
Non-Raid (FC A59Y); and
1x System x3550 M5 4x 2.5" SS HDD Kit PLUS,
Non-Raid (FC A59Z)
Field upgrade for the 4-drive bay model:
1x System x3550 M5 4x 2.5" SS HDD Kit PLUS,
Non-Raid (PN 00KA056)
1x M1215; or
1x M5210; or
1x N2215
Factory installed:
1x System x3550 M5 4x 2.5" SS HDD Kit, HW
RAID (FC A5A6); and
1x System x3550 M5 4x 2.5" SS HDD Kit PLUS,
HW RAID (FC A5A7)
3.5-inch SAS/SATA
hot-swap
3.5-inch SATA Simple
Swap
41x M1215; or
4
1x M5210; or
1x N2215
Integrated 8-port
6 Gbps SATA
(no RAID support)
1x M1215; or
1x M5210; or
1x N2215
Field upgrade for the 4-drive bay model:
1x System x3550 M5 4x 2.5" SS HDD Kit PLUS,
HW RAID (PN 00KA060)
Factory installed:
1x System x3550 M5 4x 3.5" HS HDD Kit (FC
A5A4)
Factory installed:
1x System x3550 M5 4x 3.5" SS HDD Kit,
Non-Raid (FC A5A5)
Factory installed:
1x System x3550 M5 4x 3.5" SS HDD Kit, HW
RAID (FC A5A8)
IBM System x3550 M518
Page 19
Controllers for internal storage
The following table lists the RAID controllers and the additional options used for the internal storage of the
x3550 M5 server. The controllers are installed into a dedicated PCIe slot.
Table 9. RAID controllers and HBAs for internal storage
The following table lists hard drive options for internal disk storage of the x3550 M5 server.
Table 10. Drive options for internal disk storage (Part 1)
Part
number
3.5-inch hot-swap HDDs - NL SAS
00FN188A5VPIBM 2TB 7.2K 12Gbps NL SAS 3.5" G2HS 512e HDD4
00FN208A5VQIBM 4TB 7.2K 12Gbps NL SAS 3.5" G2HS 512e HDD4
00FN228A5VRIBM 6TB 7.2K 12Gbps NL SAS 3.5" G2HS 512e HDD4
3.5-inch hot-swap SEDs - NL SAS
00FN238A5VSIBM 2TB 7.2K 12Gbps NL SAS 3.5" G2HS 512e SED4
00FN248A5VTIBM 4TB 7.2K 12Gbps NL SAS 3.5" G2HS 512e SED4
00FN258A5VUIBM 6TB 7.2K 12Gbps NL SAS 3.5" G2HS 512e SED4
3.5-inch hot-swap HDDs - NL SATA
00FN113A5VDIBM 2TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 3.5" G2HS 512e HDD4
00FN128A5VFIBM 3TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 3.5" G2HS 512e HDD4
00FN143A5VHIBM 4TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 3.5" G2HS 512e HDD4
00FN158A5VKIBM 5TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 3.5" G2HS 512e HDD4
00FN173A5VMIBM 6TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 3.5" G2HS 512e HDD4
3.5-inch simple-swap HDDs - NL SATA
Feature
code
DescriptionMaximum
supported
00FN118A5VEIBM 2TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 3.5" G2SS 512e HDD4
00FN133A5VGIBM 3TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 3.5" G2SS 512e HDD4
00FN148A5VJIBM 4TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 3.5" G2SS 512e HDD4
00FN163A5VLIBM 5TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 3.5" G2SS 512e HDD4
00FN178A5VNIBM 6TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 3.5" G2SS 512e HDD4
IBM System x3550 M521
Page 22
Table 10. Drive options for internal disk storage (Part 2)
Part
number
2.5-inch hot-swap 10K HDDs - SAS
00AJ096A4TLIBM 300GB 10K 6Gbps SAS 2.5" G3HS HDD12
00AJ091A4TMIBM 600GB 10K 6Gbps SAS 2.5" G3HS HDD12
00AJ071A4TNIBM 900GB 10K 6Gbps SAS 2.5" G3HS HDD12
00AJ146A4TPIBM 1.2TB 10K 6Gbps SAS 2.5" G3HS HDD12
2.5-inch hot-swap 15K HDDs - SAS
00AJ081A4TRIBM 300GB 15K 6Gbps SAS 2.5" G3HS HDD12
00AJ126A4TSIBM 600GB 15K 6Gbps SAS 2.5" G3HS HDD12
2.5-inch hot-swap HDDs - NL SAS
00AJ121A4TTIBM 500GB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SAS 2.5" G3HS HDD12
00AJ086A4TUIBM 1TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SAS 2.5'' G3HS HDD12
2.5-inch hot-swap HDDs - NL SATA
00AJ136A4TWIBM 500GB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 2.5" G3HS HDD12
00AJ141A4TXIBM 1TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 2.5" G3HS HDD12
2.5" hot-swap SAS SSDs - Enterprise
Feature
code
DescriptionMaximum
supported
00AJ217A4UCIBM 800GB SAS 2.5" MLC G3HS Enterprise SSD12
2.5" hot-swap SATA SSDs - Enterprise Value
00AJ161A4U4S3700 400GB SATA 2.5" MLC G3HS Enterprise SSD for IBM System x12
00AJ405A579IBM 480GB SATA 2.5" MLC G3HS Enterprise Value SSD12
00FN347AS0JIBM 960GB SATA 2.5" MLC G3HS Entry SSD12
2.5" simple-swap SSDs - Enterprise Value
00FN475AS5ZIBM 960GB SATA 2.5" MLC G3SS Entry SSD8
IBM System x3550 M522
Page 23
Internal backup units
The x3550 M5 server does not support internal tape drive options or other internal backup units. However,
it can be attached to the external tape drives using SAS or Fibre Channel connectivity (see Table 30).
Optical drives
The x3550 M5 server supports the optical drive options listed in the following table. Server models with ten
2.5-inch drive bays on the front do not support an internal optical drive; a supported external optical drive
can be used instead.
Table 11. Optical drives
Part
number
00AM066A5KGUltraslim 9.5mm SATA DVD-ROM1-
00AM067A5KHUltraslim 9.5mm SATA Multi Burner1-
Feature
code
Description
Maximum
supported
Standard models
where used
Ultraslim 9.5mm SATA DVD-ROM (part number 00AM066) supports the following media and speeds for
reading:
CD-ROM 24X
CD-DA (DAE) 24X
CD-R 24X
CD-RW 24X
DVD-ROM 8X
DVD-R 8X
DVD+R 8X
DVD-R DL 6X
DVD+R DL 8X
DVD-RW 8X
DVD+RW 8X
DVD-RAM (4.7 GB) 5X
Ultraslim 9.5mm SATA Multi Burner (part number 00AM067) supports the same media and speeds for
reading as DVD-ROM (part number 00AM066). This drive also supports the following media and speeds
for writing:
CD-R 24X
CD-RW 4X
High-Speed CD-RW 10X
Ultra Speed CD-RW 24X
DVD-R 8X
DVD+R 8X
DVD-R DL 6X
DVD+R DL 6X
DVD-RW 6X
DVD+RW 8X
DVD-RAM 5X
IBM System x3550 M523
Page 24
I/O expansion options
The x3550 M5 server supports up to four PCIe slots: one on the system planar that is dedicated for an
internal RAID controller and up to three with different riser cards installed into two riser sockets on the
system planar (one riser socket supports the installation of one riser card). The slot form factors are listed:
Slot 1: PCIe 3.0 x16 or ML2; low profile, half-length (not present if the HDD Rear Kit is installed)
Slot 2: PCIe 3.0 x16 or PCIe 3.0 x8; low profile or full-height, half-length (PCIe 3.0 x16 slot requires
the second processor to be installed) (not present if the HDD Rear Kit is installed)
Slot 4: PCIe 3.0 x8 (dedicated for an internal RAID controller)
The locations of the PCIe slots are shown in the following figure.
Figure 6. PCIe slot locations
IBM System x3550 M524
Page 25
Riser 1 supplies slot 1, and riser 2 supplies slots 2 and 3. All standard models have one riser card (Riser
1) installed, which provides one low profile PCIe x16 Gen 3 slot (riser option part number 00KA061). You
can replace the first riser card or add a second riser card with the riser card options that are listed in the
following table (or configure these riser cards to be factory-integrated using special bid or CTO).
None*A5ADSystem x3550 M5 PCIe Riser 2, 1-2 CPU (FHHL x16
CPU1 + LP x16 CPU0)
None*A5AESystem x3550 M5 PCIe Riser 2, 1 CPU (FHHL x8
CPU0 +LP x8 CPU0)
00KA066A5AFSystem x3550 M5 PCIe Riser 2, 1-2 CPU (LP x16
CPU1 + LP x16 CPU0)
* Only available via CTO or special bid.
1-
1-
1-
1-
Note: The HDD Rear Kit (00KA058; see the "Internal storage" section) is installed in place of the PCIe
slots 1 and 2, and it includes a special riser that provides PCIe 3.0 x16 slot 3. No other riser cards can be
used when the HDD Rear Kit is installed.
The x3550 M5 Thermal Kit, part number 00KA059, contains two fans. It provides the seventh and eighth
system fans needed for the following options when only one processor is installed:
Intel X540 ML2 Dual Port 10GbaseT Adapter for IBM System x
QLogic 8200 Dual Port 10GbE SFP+ VFA for IBM System x
The x3550 M5 Thermal Kit is not needed if two processors are installed, because the second processor
includes these fans.
The COM Port Bracket, part number 00KA161, is used for mounting the external serial port on the rear of
the x3550 M5. This option includes the bracket and the cable. The COM Port option is mounted in place
of the PCIe slot 3, and only PCIe slots 1 and 2 remain available.
The following table lists the x3550 M5 Thermal Kit and COM Port Bracket part numbers.
Table 13. Miscellaneous options
Part
number
00KA059A5AJSystem x3550 M5 Thermal Kit1
00KA161A5ANCOM Port Bracket1
IBM System x3550 M525
Feature
code
DescriptionMaximum
supported
Page 26
Network adapters
The x3550 M5 supports four integrated Gigabit Ethernet ports.
The integrated network interface controller (NIC) has the following features:
A Broadcom BCM5719 chip
Four Gigabit Ethernet ports
NIC Teaming (load balancing and failover)
Ethernet features:
Compliant with 1 Gb Ethernet IEEE 802.3, 802.3u, and 802.3ab PHY specifications
Integrated PHY for 10/100/1000 Mbps for multispeed, full, and half-duplex auto-negotiation
Automatic MDI crossover
IEEE 802.3x-compliant flow control support
IEEE 1588 protocol and 802.1AS time synchronization implementation
IEEE802.3az - Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE)
I/O Virtualization features:
I/O Virtualization support for VMware NetQueue and Microsoft virtual machine queue (VMQ)
Function Level Reset (FLR)
IEEE 802.1q Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tagging support
Stateless offload and performance features:
TCP, IP, and User Datagram Protocol (UDP) checksum offload
TCP segmentation offload (TCO)
Large Send Offload (LSO)
Receive Side Scaling (RSS) and Transmit Side Scaling (TSS)
Message Signal Interrupt (MSI) and Message Signal Interrupt Extension (MSI-X) support
Support for jumbo frames up to 9600 bytes
Optionally, the x3550 M5 server supports ML2 adapters that are installed in the custom ML2 slot provided
by the PCIe ML2 riser card (part number 00KA063). This slot supports adapters with either two 10 Gb
ports or four Gigabit ports and supports direct connectivity to the IMM2 service processor for out-of-band
systems management.
IBM System x3550 M526
Page 27
The following table lists additional supported network adapters.
Table 14. Network adapters
Part
number
10 Gb Ethernet - ML2
00D2026A40SBroadcom NetXtreme II ML2 Dual Port 10GbaseT for IBM System x1
00D2028A40TBroadcom NetXtreme II ML2 Dual Port 10GbE SFP+ for IBM System x*1
00D1996A40QEmulex VFA5 ML2 Dual Port 10GbE SFP+ Adapter for IBM System x*1
00D8544A4NZEmulex VFA5 ML2 FCoE/iSCSI License for IBM System x (FoD)
00D1994A40PIntel X540 ML2 Dual Port 10GbaseT Adapter for IBM System x1
1 Gb Ethernet - ML2
00D1998A40RIntel I350-T4 ML2 Quad Port GbE Adapter for IBM System x1
40 Gb Ethernet / FDR InfiniBand - PCIe
00D9550A3PNMellanox ConnectX-3 40GbE / FDR IB VPI Adapter for IBM System x*3
10 Gb Ethernet - PCIe
44T1370A5GZBroadcom NetXtreme 2x10GbE BaseT Adapter for IBM System x3
94Y5180A4Z6Broadcom NetXtreme Dual Port 10GbE SFP+ Adapter for IBM System x*3
49Y7960A2ECIntel x520 Dual Port 10GbE SFP+ Adapter for IBM System x*3
Feature
code
DescriptionMaximum
(Features on Demand upgrade for 00D1996 - one for each adapter)
supported
1
00D9690A3PMMellanox ConnectX-3 10 GbE Adapter for IBM System x*3
90Y4600A3MRQLogic 8200 Dual Port 10GbE SFP+ VFA for IBM System x*3
00Y5624A3MTQLogic 8200 VFA FCoE/iSCSI License for IBM System x (FoD)
(Features on Demand upgrade for 90Y4600 - one for each adapter)
1 Gb Ethernet - PCIe
90Y9370A2V4Broadcom NetXtreme I Dual Port GbE Adapter for IBM System x3
90Y9352A2V3Broadcom NetXtreme I Quad Port GbE Adapter for IBM System x3
00AG510A56LIntel I350-T2 2xGbE BaseT Adapter for IBM System x3
00AG520A56MIntel I350-T4 4xGbE BaseT Adapter for IBM System x3
* SFP+ and QSFP+ based adapters require supported transceivers or DAC cables that must be purchased separately.
3
For more information, see the list of IBM Redbooks Product Guides in the Networking adapters category:
Currently, the x3550 M5 server does not support the High IOPS SSD adapters.
IBM System x3550 M528
Page 29
GPU adapters
The x3550 M5 server supports a graphics processing units (GPUs) listed in the following table.
Table 16. GPU adapters
Part
number
None*A3WHNVIDIA Quadro K6001
* These GPU adapters are available via Special Bid or CTO only.
Feature
code
DescriptionMaximum
supported
If the NVIDIA Quadro K600 is installed, the maximum memory that can be installed is 1 TB.
Power supplies
The x3550 M5 server supports up to two redundant power supplies, and is capable of N+N redundancy
depending on the configuration. Standard models come with one power supply. The following table lists
the power supplies.
Table 17. Power supplies
Part
number
00KA094A5AXSystem x 550W High Efficiency Platinum AC
00KA096A5AYSystem x 750W High Efficiency Platinum AC
00KA097A5AZSystem x 750W High Efficiency Titanium AC
Feature
code
Description
Power Supply
Power Supply
Power Supply (200-240V)
Maximum
supported
2A2x, B2x, C2x, C4x,
262x, J2x
2L2x
Standard models
where used
D2x, F2x, G2x, H2x
00KA098A5B0System x 900W High Efficiency Platinum AC
Power Supply
General power supply rules are listed:
Minimum of one and maximum of two power supplies per system
If two are installed, power supplies must be identical
550W power supply restrictions
GPUs not supported
120 W, 135 W, and 145 W processors not supported
Maximum eight RDIMMs or four LRDIMMs
Maximum eight drives
750W power supply restrictions
145 W processors:
Maximum 16 RDIMMs or eight LRDIMMs
Other than 145 W processors:
Maximum 12 LRDIMMs
Maximum eight drives
2M2x
IBM System x3550 M529
Page 30
A power supply ships without a power cable. It must be ordered separately (see the following table).
Table 18. Power cables
Part
number
Rack power cables
39Y7932626312ft Power Cable C13-C14
39Y793762011.5m, 10A/100-250V, C13 to IEC 320-C14 Rack Power Cable
39Y79386204IEC309 C20 to C13 rack jumper cable
Country-specific power cords
39Y79176212European 10A line C13 to CEE 7/7 (2.8M)
39Y79186213Denmark 10A line C13 to DK2-5A (2.8M)
39Y79196216Switzerland 10A line C13 to SEV 1011 (2.8M)
39Y79206218Israel 10A line C13 to SI 32 (2.8M)
39Y79216217Italy 10A line C13 to CEE 7/7 (2.8M)
39Y79226214South Africa 10A line C13 to SABS 164/1 (2.8M)
39Y79236215United Kingdom 10A line C13 to BS 1363 (2.8M)
39Y79246211Australia/NZ 10A line C13 to SAA-AS C112 (2.8M)
39Y79256219Korea 7A line C13 to KETI 15A/250V (2.8M)
39Y79276269India 6A line C13 to Fig 68 (2.8M)
Feature
code
Description
39Y79286210China 6A line C13 to GB 2099.1 (2.8M)
39Y79296223Brazil 10A line C13 to NBR 6147 (2.8M)
39Y79306222Argentina 10A line C13 to IRAM 2063 (2.8M)
39Y79316207Power Cable - C13 / NEMA 5-15P 14ft
00CG265A53EPower Cord Taiwan AC plug 10A/250V, 2.8M; OPT
00CG267A53FPower Cord Taiwan AC plug 15A/125V; 2.8M; OPT
46M2592A1RF10A/250V C13 to NEMA 6-15P 2.8m line cord
46M2593A1REJapan 10A/100V C13 to JIS C-8303 2.8m line cord
IBM System x3550 M530
Page 31
Integrated virtualization
The server supports VMware ESXi installed on a USB memory key. The key is installed in a USB socket
inside the server. The following table lists the virtualization options.
Table 19. Virtualization options
Part
number
41Y8298A2G0IBM Blank USB Memory Key for VMware ESXi Downloads1
Feature
code
DescriptionMaximum
supported
Systems management
The server contains IBM Integrated Management Module II (IMM2.1), which provides advanced
service-processor control, monitoring, and an alerting function. If an environmental condition exceeds a
threshold or if a system component fails, the IMM lights LEDs to help you diagnose the problem, records
the error in the event log, and alerts you to the problem. Optionally, the IMM also provides a virtual
presence capability for remote server management capabilities.
The IMM provides remote server management through industry-standard interfaces:
Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) Version 2.0
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) Version 3
Common Information Model (CIM)
Web browser
The optional IBM Integrated Management Module Advanced Upgrade is required to enable the remote
presence and blue-screen capture features. The remote presence feature provides the following
functions:
Remotely viewing video with graphics resolutions up to 1600x1200 at 75 Hz with up to 23 bits per
pixel, regardless of the system state
Remotely accessing the server using the keyboard and mouse from a remote client
Mapping the CD or DVD drive, diskette drive, and USB flash drive on a remote client, and mapping
ISO and diskette image files as virtual drives that are available for use by the server
Uploading a diskette image to the IMM memory and mapping it to the server as a virtual drive
The blue-screen capture feature captures the video display contents before the IMM restarts the server
when the IMM detects an operating system hang condition. A system administrator can use the
blue-screen capture to assist in determining the cause of the hang condition. The following table lists the
remote management option.
All standard models ship with basic light path diagnostics, which include the system LEDs on the front of
the server (See Figure 2) and the LEDs near the monitored components (for example, the DIMM error
LED on the system board). Standard models with 2.5-inch drive bays and the basic light path can be
upgraded to a next-gen light path LCD display panel. The LCD display enables you to have quick access
to system status, firmware, network, and health information. Configure-to-order (CTO) customers can also
elect to have a next-gen ligh path LCD panel for models with 2.5-inch drive bays. The following table
shows the LCD display panel ordering information.
Table 21. Light path diagnostics options
Part
number
00KA054A5ABSystem x Advanced LCD Light path Kit1-
Feature
code
Description
Maximum
supported
Standard models
where used
The following x3550 M5 Express models have the Advanced LCD Light path Kit standard: E1x, E2x, E3x,
E4x, E5x, E6x, E7x, EAx, EBx, ECx, EDx, EEx, EFx, EHx, EJx, EKx, ELx, ENx, EPx, EQx, ERx, and ESx.
IBM Security Key Lifecycle Manager for System x SEDs - FoD (SKLM - FoD) is an optional feature
available in System x environments that centralizes, simplifies, and automates the data encryption key
management process to help minimize risk and reduce operational costs. SKLM - FoD offers a simple and
robust solution for key storage, key serving, and key lifecycle management for IBM self-encrypting drives
(SEDs) in local and distributed System x environments. With the x3550 M5, the feature on demand (FoD)
upgrade can be configured with the ServeRAID M5210 and M1215 RAID controllers paired with SEDs.
The following table lists SKLM-FoD part numbers.
Table 22. Security Key Lifecycle Manager part numbers
Part
number
United States, Canada, Asia Pacific and Japan
00D9998A5U1IBM SKLM for System x w/SEDs - FoD per Install w/1Yr S&S1
00D9999AS6CIBM SKLM for System x w/SEDs - FoD per Install w/3Yr S&S1
Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Africa
Feature
code
DescriptionMaximum
supported
00FP648A5U1IBM SKLM for System x w/SEDs - FoD per Install w/1Yr S&S1
00FP649AS6CIBM SKLM for System x w/SEDs - FoD per Install w/3Yr S&S1
IBM System x3550 M532
Page 33
Supported operating systems
The server supports the following operating systems:
Microsoft:
Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2
Microsoft Windows Server 2012
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2
Red Hat:
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Server x64 Edition (Update 5)
SUSE:
SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 11 for AMD64/EM64T (SP3)
SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 11 with Xen for AMD64/EM64T (SP3)
VMware:
VMware vSphere 5.5 (ESXi) (planned for later in 2014)
VMware vSphere 5.1 (ESXi) (Update 2)
See the IBM ServerProven® website for the latest information about the specific versions and service
levels supported and any other prerequisites:
Server on: 5 °C to 40 °C (41 °F to 104 °F); altitude: 0 to 950 m (3,117 ft); decrease the maximum
system temperature by 1 °C for every 175-m increase in altitude above 950 m.
Server off: 5 °C to 45 °C (41 °F to 113 °F)
Maximum altitude: 3,050 m (10,000 ft), 5 °C to 28 °C (41 °F to 82 °F)
Shipment: -40 °C to +60 °C (-40 °F to 140 °F) at up to 10,700 m (35,105 ft)
Humidity:
Server on: 8% to 85%, maximum dew point 24 °C, maximum rate of change 5 °C/hr
Server off: 8% to 85%, maximum dew point 27 °C
IBM System x3550 M533
Page 34
Design to ASHRAE Class A3, ambient of 40 °C (104 °F), with relaxed support:
Supports cloud-like workload with no performance degradation acceptable (Turbo-Off).
Under no circumstance can any combination of worst case workload and configuration result in
system shutdown or design exposure at 40 °C.
Electrical:
Models with 900 W power supplies:
100 to 127 (nominal) V ac; 50 Hz or 60 Hz; 10.3 A
200 to 240 (nominal) V ac; 50 Hz or 60 Hz; 5.0 A
Input kilovolt-amperes (kVA) (approximately):
Minimum configuration: 0.14 kVA
Maximum configuration: 1.188 kVA
Models with 750 W power supplies:
100 to 127 (nominal) V ac; 50 Hz or 60 Hz; 8.6 A (not supported by the 750 W Titanium
power supply; it supports 200 - 240 V only)
200 to 240 (nominal) V ac; 50 Hz or 60 Hz; 4.2 A
Input kilovolt-amperes (kVA) (approximately):
Minimum configuration: 0.14 kVA
Maximum configuration: 0.994 kVA
Models with 550 W power supplies:
100 to 127 (nominal) V ac; 50 Hz or 60 Hz; 6.5 A
200 to 240 (nominal) V ac; 50 Hz or 60 Hz; 3.3 A
Input kilovolt-amperes (kVA) (approximately):
Minimum configuration: 0.14 kVA
Maximum configuration: 0.725 kVA
BTU output:
Minimum configuration: 461 Btu/hr (135 watts)
Maximum configuration: 4043 Btu/hr (1185 watts)
Noise level:
6.6 bels (operating)
6.4 bels (idle)
Warranty options
The System x3550 M5 has a three-year onsite warranty with 9x5/next business day (NBD) terms. IBM
offers the warranty service upgrades through IBM ServicePac options, discussed in this section. The IBM
ServicePac is a series of prepackaged warranty maintenance upgrades and post-warranty maintenance
agreements with a well-defined scope of services, including service hours, response time, term of service,
and service agreement terms and conditions.
IBM ServicePac offerings are country-specific, that is, each country might have its own service types,
service levels, response times, and terms and conditions. Not all covered types of ServicePacs might be
available in a particular country. For more information about IBM ServicePac offerings available in your
country, visit the IBM ServicePac Product Selector at this website:
The following table explains warranty service definitions in more detail.
Table 23. Warranty service definitions
TermDescription
IBM onsite
repair (IOR)
24x7x2 hourA service technician is scheduled to arrive at your client’s location within two hours after remote
24x7x4 hourA service technician is scheduled to arrive at your client’s location within four hours after remote
9x5x4 hourA service technician is scheduled to arrive at your client’s location within four business hours after
9x5 next
business day
A service technician will come to the server's location for equipment repair.
problem determination is completed. We provide service around the clock, every day, including IBM
holidays.
problem determination is completed. We provide service around the clock, every day, including IBM
holidays.
remote problem determination is completed. We provide service from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the
client's local time zone, Monday through Friday, excluding IBM holidays. If after 1:00 p.m., it is
determined that onsite service is required, the client can expect the service technician to arrive the
morning of the following business day. For noncritical service requests, a service technician will
arrive by the end of the following business day.
A service technician is scheduled to arrive at your client’s location on the business day after we
receive your call, following remote problem determination. We provide service from
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the client's local time zone, Monday through Friday, excluding IBM
holidays.
In general, the types of IBM ServicePacs are listed:
Warranty and maintenance service upgrades:
One, two, three, four, or five years of 9x5 or 24x7 service coverage
Onsite repair from next business day to 4 or 2 hours
One or two years of warranty extension
Remote technical support services:
One or three years with 24x7 coverage (severity 1) or 9x5/next business day for all severities
Installation and startup support for System x servers
Remote technical support for System x servers
Software support - Support Line:
Microsoft or Linux software
VMware
IBM Systems Director
IBM System x3550 M535
Page 36
Regulatory compliance
The server conforms to the following regulations:
FCC - Verified to comply with Part 15 of the FCC Rules, Class A
Canada ICES-003, issue 5, Class A
UL/IEC 60950-1
CSA C22.2 No. 60950-1
NOM-019
Argentina IEC60950-1
Japan VCCI, Class A
Australia/New Zealand AS/NZS CISPR 22, Class A; AS/NZS 60950.1
China CCC GB4943.1, GB9254 Class A, GB17625.1
Taiwan BSMI CNS13438, Class A; CNS14336-1
Korea KN22, Class A; KN24
Russia, Belorussia and Kazakhstan, TR CU 020/2011 (for EMC) and TR CU 004/2011 (for safety)
IEC 60950-1 (CB Certificate and CB Test Report)
CE Mark (EN55022 Class A, EN60950-1, EN55024, EN61000-3-2, EN61000-3-3)
CISPR 22, Class A
TUV-GS (EN60950-1/IEC60950-1,EK1-ITB2000)
External disk storage expansion
The server supports attachment to external storage expansion enclosures, such as the EXP2500 series,
by using the ServeRAID M5225 SAS/SATA Controller. The server can also be attached to supported
external storage systems, such as the IBM System Storage® DS3500 series, using the supported HBAs.
The following table shows the RAID controllers and options.
Table 24. RAID controllers and options for external disk storage expansion
47C8706A3Z5ServeRAID M5200 Series RAID 6 Upgrade1*-
47C8710A3Z7ServeRAID M5200 Series Performance Accelerator 1*-
47C8712A3Z8ServeRAID M5200 Series SSD Caching Enabler1*-
DescriptionMaximum
supported
Standard models
where used
IBM System x3550 M536
Page 37
The ServeRAID M5225 SAS/SATA Controller has the following specifications:
Eight external 12 Gbps SAS/SATA ports
Supports 12, 6, and 3 Gbps SAS and 6 and 3 Gbps SATA data transfer rates
Two external x4 mini-SAS HD connectors (SFF-8644)
Supports 2 GB flash-backed cache (standard)
Supports RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 10, and 50 (standard)
Supports RAID 6 and 60 with the optional M5200 Series RAID 6 Upgrade
Supports optional M5200 Series Performance Accelerator and SSD Caching upgrades
PCIe x8 Gen 3 host interface
Based on the LSI SAS3108 12 Gbps ROC controller
Supports connectivity to the EXP2512 and EXP2524 storage expansion enclosures
The ServeRAID M5225 SAS/SATA Controller supports connectivity to the IBM System Storage external
expansion enclosures listed in the following table. Up to nine expansion enclosures can be daisy-chained
per one M5225 external port. For better performance, distribute expansion enclosures evenly across both
M5225 ports.
Table 25. IBM System Storage external expansion enclosures
Part numberDescriptionMaximum quantity supported per
one M5210
174712XIBM System Storage EXP2512 Express18
174724XIBM System Storage EXP2524 Express9
The external SAS cables listed in the following table support connectivity between external expansion
enclosures and the ServeRAID M5225 SAS/SATA Controller.
Table 26. External SAS cables for external storage expansion enclosures
Part numberDescriptionMaximum quantity supported per
one enclosure
Server to Expansion enclosure connectivity (Mini-SAS HD x4 to Mini-SAS x4)
00Y24590.6m SAS Cable (mSAS HD to mSAS)1
00Y24611.5m SAS Cable (mSAS HD to mSAS)1
00Y24633m SAS Cable (mSAS HD to mSAS)1
90Y7682External Expansion Cable - 6M SAS Cable - HD SAS to
Mini SAS
Expansion enclosure to Expansion enclosure connectivity (Mini-SAS x4 to Mini-SAS x4)
39R6529IBM 1 m SAS Cable1
39R6531IBM 3 m SAS Cable1
1
IBM System x3550 M537
Page 38
The following table lists the drives supported by EXP2512 external expansion enclosures.
Table 27. Drive options for EXP2512 external expansion enclosures
Part numberDescriptionMaximum quantity supported per
one enclosure
3.5" NL SAS HS HDDs
49Y19031TB 7,200 rpm 6Gb SAS NL 3.5" HDD12
49Y19022TB 7,200 rpm 6Gb SAS NL 3.5" HDD12
90Y87203TB 7,200 rpm 6Gb SAS NL 3.5" HDD12
46W09754TB 7,200 rpm 6Gb SAS NL 3.5" HDD12
3.5" SAS HS HDDs
49Y1899300GB 15,000 rpm 6Gb SAS 3.5" HDD12
49Y1900450GB 15,000 rpm 6Gb SAS 3.5" HDD12
49Y1901600GB 15,000 rpm 6Gb SAS 3.5" HDD12
The following table lists the hard disk drives supported by EXP2524 external expansion enclosures.
Table 28. Drive options for EXP2524 external expansion enclosures
Part numberDescriptionMaximum quantity supported per
one enclosure
2.5" NL SAS HS HDDs
49Y1898500GB 7,200 rpm 6Gb SAS NL 2.5" HDD24
81Y99521TB 7,200 rpm 6Gb SAS NL 2.5" HDD24
2.5" SAS HS HDDs
49Y1896146GB 15,000 rpm 6Gb SAS 2.5" HDD24
81Y9944300GB 15,000 rpm 6Gb SAS 2.5" HDD24
00W1595600GB 10,000 rpm 6Gb SAS 2.5" HDD24
46W0970900GB 10,000 rpm 6Gb SAS 2.5" HDD24
46W09801.2TB 10,000 rpm 6Gb SAS 2.5" HDD24
2.5" SAS HS SSDs
49Y6072200GB 6Gb SAS 2.5" SSD24
49Y6077400GB 6Gb SAS 2.5" SSD24
IBM System x3550 M538
Page 39
External disk storage systems
The following table lists the external storage systems that are supported by the server and that can be
ordered through System x sales channel. The server might support other IBM disk systems that are not
listed in this table. Refer to the IBM System Storage Interoperation Center for further information:
http
://www.ibm.com/systems/support/storage/ssic
Table 29. External disk storage systems
Part numberDescription
1746A2D IBM System Storage DS3512 Express Dual Controller Storage System
1746A2S IBM System Storage DS3512 Express Single Controller Storage System
1746A4D IBM System Storage DS3524 Express Dual Controller Storage System
1746A4S IBM System Storage DS3524 Express Single Controller Storage System
181494HIBM System Storage DS3950 Model 94
181498HIBM System Storage DS3950 Model 98
2071CU2IBM Storwize® V3500 LFF Dual Control Enclosure
2071CU3IBM Storwize V3500 SFF Dual Control Enclosure
2072L2CIBM Storwize V3700 LFF Dual Control Enclosure
2072S2CIBM Storwize V3700 SFF Dual Control Enclosure
For more information, see the list of IBM Redbooks Product Guides in the System Storage category:
The server supports the external backup attachment options listed in the following table.
Table 30. External backup options
Part numberDescription
External tape expansion enclosures for internal tape drives
87651UX1U Tape Drive Enclosure
87651NX1U Tape Drive Enclosure (with Nema 5-15P LineCord)
Tape enclosure adapters (with cables)
44E8869USB Enclosure Adapter Kit
Internal backup drives supported by external tape enclosures
00D2786IBM RDX Internal USB 3.0 Dock with 320GB Cartridge
00D2787IBM RDX Internal USB 3.0 Dock with 500GB Cartridge
00D2788IBM RDX Internal USB 3.0 Dock with 1TB Cartridge
External backup units*
362532YIBM RDX External USB 3.0 Dock with 320GB Cartridge
362550YIBM RDX External USB 3.0 Dock with 500GB Cartridge
36251TYIBM RDX External USB 3.0 Dock with 1TB Cartridge
* The external tape drives listed can be ordered through the IBM System x sales channel. The server might support
other IBM tape drives that are not listed in this table. Refer to the IBM System Storage Interoperation Center for
further information.
For more information, see the list of IBM Redbooks Product Guides in the Backup units category:
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IBM System x3550 M550
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