NEC Express5800/320Fd-MR, EXP320K, Express5800/320Fd-LR, EXP320J User Manual

NEC Express5800 Series

N8800-122F, EXP320J
NEC Express5800/320Fd-LR
N8800-123F, EXP320K
NEC Express5800/320Fd-MR

User's Guide

N8800-122F, EXP320J

NEC Express5800/320Fd-LR

N8800-123F, EXP320K

NEC Express5800/320Fd-MR

User's Guide

1st Edition

4-2008

856-127506-101- A

PROPRIETARY NOTICE AND LIABILITY DISCLAIMER

The information disclosed in this document, including all designs and related materials, is the
valuable property of NEC Corporation (NEC) and /or its licensors. NEC and/or its licensors, as
appropriate, reserve all patent, copyright and other proprietary rights to this document, including all
design, manufacturing, reproduction, use, and sales rights thereto, except to the extent said rights are
expressly granted to others.

The NEC product(s) discussed in this document are warranted in accordance with the terms of the
Warranty Statement accompanying each product. However, actual performance of each such
product is dependent upon factors such as system configuration, customer data, and operator control.
Since implementation by customers of each product may vary, the suitability of specific product
configurations and applications must be determined by the customer and is not warranted by NEC.

To allow for design and specification improvements, the information in this document is subject to
change at any time, without notice. Reproduction of this document or portions thereof without prior
written approval of NEC is prohibited.

First Printing, April 2008

Copyright 2008

NEC Corporation

7-1 Shiba 5-Chome, Minato-Ku

Tokyo 108-8001, Japan

All Rights Reserved

Printed in Japan

Keep this User's Guide handy for quick reference when necessary.

SAFETY INDICATIONS

To use NEC Express5800 series safely, follow the instructions in this User's Guide.
This guide explains components that pose a danger, types of dangers, and actions taken to prevent

them; such components are labeled warning.
This guide and warning labels use “WARNING” and “CAUTION” to indicate a danger depending on

the degree. These terms are defined as follows:

WARNING

Indicates a danger that could lead to a death or serious injury.

CAUTION

Indicates a danger that could lead to a burn, other injuries or damage to
physical assets.

This guide uses the following three types of symbols to give indications and precautions against a
danger. They are defined as follows:

Indicates that there is a risk of danger. Each image symbolizes a particular t ype of
danger. (Attention)

Indicates what you must not do. Each image symbolizes a particular type of
prohibition. (Prohibited actions)

Indicates what you must do. Each image symbolizes a particular type of action
necessary to avoid a danger. (Mandatory actions)

(Example)

Symbol to draw attention

Term indicating a degree of danger

CAUTION

High temperature.

Immediately after the power-off, system components such as hard disk are
very hot. Wait the server to cool down completely before adding/removing
some component.

Symbol indicating a prohibited
action (may not always be
indicated)

Description of a danger

SYMBOLS USED IN THIS USER'S GUIDE AND WARNING LABELS

Attention

Indicates a risk of an electric shock.

Indicates a risk of a personal injury due to heat.

Indicates a risk of catching your fingers.

Indicates a risk of a fire or smoke.

Indicates a general precaution or warning that is not defined herein.

Indicates a risk of losing eyesight due to laser beam.

Indicates a risk of an explosion.

Indicates a risk of a personal injury.

Prohibited actions

Indicates a general prohibition that is not defined herein.

Do no touch the indicated area. There is a risk of an electric shock or fire.

Do not touch with wet hands. There is a risk of an electric shock.

Keep from flame. There is a risk of a fire.

Avoid using water or liquid nearby. If it spills on the equipment, there is a risk of an
electric shock or fire.

Do not disassemble, repair, or modify the equipment. There is a risk of an electric
shock or fire.

Mandatory actions

Unplug the server. There is a risk of an electric shock or fire.

Indicates a general action to take that is not defined herein. Make sure to follow the
instructions.

NOTE: Th is equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital
device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to
radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful
interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.

This class A digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing
Equipment Regulations.

Cet appareil numérique de la classe A respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le matériel
brouilleur du Canada.

This system is classified as a CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCT. This label id located on
the internal DVD-ROM installed in your system.

NOTE: This product provides resistance against hardware faults with its redundant hardware

modules. However, this does not mean complete fault-tolerance is assured. For example,
there is a risk of system down when:
– A fatal fault occurs in software.
– Both modules within a redundant hardware pair break down.
– A fatal fault occurs in a non-redundant component, such as the clock generator circuitry

or the interconnect backplane.

– The entire system is cut off from AC power.

CLASS 1
LASER PRODUCT

Trademarks and Patents

NEC EXPRESSBUILDER, NEC ESMPRO and NEC DianaScope are trademarks of NEC
Corporation.

Microsoft, Windows, Windows Server, Windows NT, and MS-DOS are registered trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.

Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.
AT is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States

and other countries.
Adobe, the Adobe logo, Acrobat, and the Acrobat logo are trademarks of Adobe Systems

Incorporated.
Datalight is a registered trademark of Datalight, Inc. ROM-DOS is a trademark of Datalight, Inc.
Xeon is a trademark of Intel Corporation in the United States. DLT and DLTtape are trademarks of

Quantum Corporation in the United States.
Mozilla is a registered trademark of Mozilla Foundation.
Netscape is a registered trademark of Netscape Communications Corporation in the United States

and other countries.
Java is a registered trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc in the United States and other countries.

All other product, brand, or trade names used in this publication are the trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective trademark owners.

Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard x64 edition operating system and Microsoft Windows
Server 2003 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition operating system or Microsoft Windows Server 2003
Enterprise x64 Edition operating system are called Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition for short.
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 32-bit Standard Edition operating system, Microsoft Windows
Server 2003 R2 32-bit Enterprise Edition operating system, Microsoft Windows Server 2003
Standard Edition operating system and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition
operating system are called Windows Server 2003 for short. Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
operating system, Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server operating system and Microsoft
Windows 2000 Professional operating system are called Windows 2000 for short. Microsoft
Windows Vista Business operating system is called Windows Vista for short. Micro soft Windows
XP Professional x64 Edition operating system is called Windows XP x64 Edition for short.
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition operating system and Microsoft Windows XP Professional
operating system are called Windows XP for short. Microsoft Windows NT Server network
operating system version 3.51/4.0 and Microsoft Windows NT Workstation operating system
version 3.51/4.0 are called Windows NT for short. Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
Operating System is called Windows Me for short. Microsoft Windows 98 operating system is
called Windows 98 for short. Microsoft Windows 95 operating system is called Windows 95 for
short. Names used with sample applications are all fictitious. They are unrelated to any existing
product names, names of organizations, or individual names.

AVOCENT and DVC (DAMBRACKAS VIDEO COMPRESSION) are registered trademarks of US
AVOCENT in the United States and other countries.
N8815/006, ft remote management card, adopts the DVC technology of AVOCENT US.

The patent numbers for the DVC technology of AVOCENT US:
US Patent Number: 5,732,212/5,9 37 ,176/6,633,905/6,681,250/ 6 ,7 01,380 (other patents pending)
Taiwanese Patent Number: 173784
European Patent Number: 0 740 811

To prevent voltage sag:

This product may be affected by voltage sag caused due to lightning. To prevent voltage sag, you
are recommended to use an AC uninterruptible power supply (UPS) unit.

ii

Notes:

(1) No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission

of NEC Corporation.
(2) The contents of this manual are subject to change without prior notice.
(3) The contents of this manual shall not be copied or altered without prior written

permission of NEC Corporation.
(4) All efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of all information in this manual. If

you find any part unclear, incorrect, or omitted in this manual, contact the sales agent

where you purchased this product.
(5) NEC assumes no liability arising from the use of this product, nor any liability for

incidental or consequential damage arising from the use of this manual regardless of (4)

above.
© NEC Corporation 2008

iii

PREFACE

Welcome to the NEC Express5800/ft series.

NEC Express5800/ft series is a “fault-tolerant (ft)” server focusing on “high reliability” in
terms of fault-tolerance, in addition to “high performance,” “scalability,” and “general
versatility” provided by NEC Express5800 series. In the event of trouble, its dual
configuration will allow the system to instantaneously isolate the failed parts to assure
non-stop running; operation will be moved smoothly from one module to the other,
minimizing damage to it. You can use this NEC Express5800/ft series in a mission-critical
system where high availability is required. By the use of Windows Server 2003 operating
system, it also provides outstanding openness for general-purpose applications, etc.

To make the best use of these features, read this User's Guide thoroughly to understand how
to operate NEC Express5800/ft series.

iv

ABOUT THIS USER'S GUIDE

This User's Guide helps a user to properly setup and use the product.
Consult this guide to ensure safety as well as to cope with trouble during a system setup and

daily operation.
Keep this manual handy.
This User's Guide is intended for users who have a goo d kn owledge on the basic use of

Windows operating systems and general I/O devices such as a keyboard and mouse.

How to Use This User's
Guide

This guide consists of eight chapters and appendices. To help you find a solution quickly, the
guide contains the following information:

For descriptions on setting up this product, see the separate volume “User’s Guide (Setup).”
Read “Precautions for Use” first.
Before going on to main chapters, be sure to read “Precautions for Use.” These precautions
are very important for using the product safely.

Chapter 1 Precautions for Use

This chapter describes precautions necessary to use the product safely and properly. Be
sure to read this chapter before using the product. It also provides information on user
support. It will be helpful when you need maintenance service, support, etc.

Chapter 2 General Description

This chapter describes what you should know about the product: its component names,
functions, operating procedures as well as handling of devices and oth er parts.

Chapter 3 Windows Setup and Operation

This chapter describes setup and operation specific to the product when it is on
Windows.

Chapter 4 System Configuration

This chapter describes how to make settings of built-in basic input/output system. It also
describes factory-shipped parameters.

Chapter 5 Installing and Using Utilities

This chapter describes features and operating procedures of a standard utility “NEC
EXPRESSBUILDER.” It also describes procedures to install and operate various
software programs contained in its DVD.

Chapter 6 Maintenance

This chapter describes maintenance procedures and use of maintenance tools. If you
need to move the product for maintenance purposes, follow the steps provided in this
chapter.

Chapter 7 Troubleshooting

If the product does not work properly, see this chapter before deciding that it is a
breakdown.

Chapter 8 System Upgrade

This chapter describes procedures to add options and precautions. See also this chapter
when you replace failed components.

Appendix A Specifications

This appendix lists specifications of the product.

v

Appendix B I/O Port Addresses

This appendix lists factory-assigned I/O port addresses.

vi

Additional symbols

The following symbols are used throughout this User's Guide in addition to the caution
symbols describe at the beginning.

IMPORTANT:

Important points or instructions to keep in mind when using the
server or software

CHECK:

Something you need to make sure when using the server of
software

TIPS:

Helpful information, something useful to know

Accessories

This product is shipped with various accessories. See the packing list to make sure
everything is included and check the individual items. If some component is missing or
damaged, contact your sales agent.

 Keep the accessories in a safe place. You will need them when you perform setup,

addition of options, or replacement of failed components.

 To check NEC EXPRESSBUILDER components, see the attached list.
 Be sure to fill out and mail the software registration card that is attached to your

operating system.

 Make backup copies of included floppy disks, if any. Keep the original disks as the

master disks; use these copies in operation.

 Improper use of an included floppy disk or DVD may alter your system

environment. If you find something unclear, stop using them and contact your sales
agent.

vii

CONTENTS

PREFACE.........................................................................................................................

III

ABOUT THIS USER'S GUIDE..........................................................................................IV

CHAPTER 1 PRECAUTIONS FOR USE........................................................................1-1

WARNING LABELS........................................................................................................1-2

PRECAUTIONS FOR SAFETY ......................................................................................1-3

General.......................................................................................................................1-3

Use of Power Supply and Power Cord.......................................................................1-4

Installation, Relocation, Storage and Connection.......................................................1-5

Cleaning and Handling of Internal Devices................................................................1-7

During Operation........................................................................................................1-8

Rack-mount Model .....................................................................................................1-9

For Proper Operation................................................................................................1-10

DISPOSAL OF EQUIPMENT AND CONSUMABLES...................................................1-12

IF SYSTEM TROUBLE IS SUSPECTED......................................................................1-13

ABOUT REPAIR PARTS...............................................................................................1-13

ABOUT OUR WEB SERVICE.......................................................................................1-13

CHAPTER 2 GENERAL DESCRIPTION........................................................................2-1

STANDARD FEATURES ................................................................................................2-2

HOW THE OPERATING SYSTEM SEES THE CPU MODULES ..................................................2-6

How CPU modules appear on Task Manager ............................................................2-6

NAMES AND FUNCTIONS OF COMPONENTS............................................................2-7

Front View...................................................................................................................2-8

Rear View.................................................................................................................2-10

DVD-ROM drive........................................................................................................2-13

CPU/IO Module ........................................................................................................2-14

Mother Board............................................................................................................2-15

ft Remote Management Card...................................................................................2-16

LEDs.........................................................................................................................2-17

BASIC OPERATION.....................................................................................................2-23

Installing/removing the front bezel............................................................................2-23

Power ON.................................................................................................................2-24

Power OFF ...............................................................................................................2-25

POST Check.............................................................................................................2-25

Floppy Disk Drive (Option) .......................................................................................2-29

DVD-ROM drive........................................................................................................2-31

CHAPTER 3 WINDOWS SETUP AND OPERATION....................................................3-1

DISK OPERATIONS .......................................................................................................3-2

Disk Operations Using the RDR (Rapid Disk Resync) Function................................3-2

Replacing Failed Hard Disk Drives...........................................................................3-21

CHANGE DRIVE LETTER............................................................................................3-23

DUPLEX LAN CONFIGURATION.................................................................................3-24

Overview...................................................................................................................3-24

Rules of Duplex Configuration on NEC Express5800/ft series................................3-25

Configuring Duplex LAN...........................................................................................3-26

viii

Removing Duplex/Dual LAN.................................................................................... 3-31

CHECKING THE DUPLICATING OPERATION OF MODULES................................... 3-33

Evaluate Startup and Stop of PCI Modules............................................................. 3-33

Confirm Start and Stop of CPU Modules................................................................. 3-36

NEC EXPRESS5800/FT SERIES SERVICE PROGRAM CONFIGURATION ................... 3-38

CHAPTER 4 SYSTEM CONFIGURATION..................................................................... 4-1

SYSTEM BIOS –SETUP–.............................................................................................. 4-2

Starting SETUP Utility................................................................................................ 4-3

Description of On-Screen Items and Key Usage....................................................... 4-4

Configuration Examples............................................................................................. 4-6

Menu and Parameter Descriptions............................................................................ 4-8

SAS BIOS –Adaptec SAS/SATA Configuration Utility– ........................................... 4-34

FORCED SHUTDOWN AND CLEAR........................................................................... 4-43

Forced Shutdown..................................................................................................... 4-43

CLEAR CMOS/PASSWORD ............................................................................................. 4-43

CLEAR CMOS/PASSWORD ............................................................................................. 4-44

HOW TO CLEAR PASSWORDS..........................................................................................4-47

HOW TO CLEAR THE BMC CONFIGURATION.................................................................... 4-48

REMOTE MANAGEMENT FUNCTION .................................................................................. 4-49

Network Default Values ........................................................................................... 4-49

Settings on the Server............................................................................................. 4-50

Initial Settings on the Server.................................................................................... 4-50

Setting a Management PC....................................................................................... 4-52

Using Remote Management....................................................................................4-54

Troubleshooting....................................................................................................... 4-85

CHAPTER 5 INSTALLING AND USING UTILITIES .................................................... 5-1

NEC EXPRESSBUILDER.............................................................................................. 5-2

Start Menu.................................................................................................................. 5-2

Autorun Menu ............................................................................................................ 5-4

PARAMETER FILE CREATOR............................................................................................... 5-5

Parameter File Creator .............................................................................................. 5-6

NEC ESMPRO AGENT AND MANAGER........................................................................... 5-15

Overview.................................................................................................................. 5-15

NEC ESMPRO Agent.............................................................................................. 5-23

NEC ESMPRO Manager ......................................................................................... 5-32

Maintenance of NEC Express5800/ft series............................................................ 5-52

NEC DIANASCOPE......................................................................................................... 5-80

Notes........................................................................................................................ 5-80

ACTIVE UPGRADE........................................................................................................... 5-81

Introduction.............................................................................................................. 5-81

Overview.................................................................................................................. 5-82

Preparing for the Active Upgrade Process............................................................... 5-90

Configuring the Active Upgrade Process................................................................5-110

Performing the Upgrade ........................................................................................ 5-132

Troubleshooting..................................................................................................... 5-164

CHAPTER 6 MAINTENANCE........................................................................................ 6-1

DAILY MAINTENANCE.................................................................................................. 6-2

ix

Checking Alert ............................................................................................................6-2

Checking STATUS LEDs............................................................................................6-2

Making Backup Copies...............................................................................................6-3

Cleaning......................................................................................................................6-3

SYSTEM DIAGNOSTICS...............................................................................................6-7

Test Items ...................................................................................................................6-7

St artup and Exit of System Diagnostics.....................................................................6-7

OFF-LINE MAINTENANCE UTILITY............................................................................6-10

Starting the Off-line Maintenance Utility...................................................................6-10

Function of Maintenance Tools.................................................................................6-12

TO THE ACCIDENT OF PCI MODULE.........................................................................6-16

Procedure to Confirm ...............................................................................................6-16

Procedure to Recover...............................................................................................6-17

Procedure to Check..................................................................................................6-19

CHAPTER 7 TROUBLESHOOTING...............................................................................7-1

TO LOCATE THE ERRORS............................................................................................7-2

Error Messages by LED Indication.............................................................................7-3

POST Error Messages ...............................................................................................7-4

Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition Error Messages.......................................7-9

Server Management Application Error Message......................................................7-10

TROUBLESHOOTING.........................................................................................................7-11

Problems with NEC Express5800/ft series...............................................................7-11

Event Log..................................................................................................................7-24

Problems with NEC EXPRESSBUILDER.................................................................7-29

Problems with Master Control Menu ........................................................................7-30

Problems with Parameter File Creator .....................................................................7-31

Problems with NEC ESMPRO..................................................................................7-32

COLLECTING TROUBLE LOGS..................................................................................7-41

Collection of Event Logs...........................................................................................7-41

Collection of Configuration Information....................................................................7-42

Collection of Diagnostic Information by Dr. Watson .................................................7-42

COLLECTING THE MEMORY DUMP...........................................................................7-43

CHAPTER 8 SYSTEM UPGRADE..................................................................................8-1

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS...............................................................................................8-2

ANTI-STATIC MEASURES.............................................................................................8-3

PRE-UPGRADE VERIFICATION.............................................................................................8-4

PREPARING YOUR SYSTEM FOR UPGRADE.............................................................8-5

3.5-INCH HARD DISK DRIVE.........................................................................................8-6

Installing 3.5-inch Hard Disk Drive.............................................................................8-7

Removing 3.5-inch Hard Disk Drive...........................................................................8-9

Replacing 3.5-inch Hard Disk Drive .........................................................................8-10

CPU/IO MODULE............................................................................................................8-11

Precautions...............................................................................................................8-11

Removing CPU/IO Module.......................................................................................8-12

Installing CPU/IO Module.........................................................................................8-15

DIMM............................................................................................................................8-17

Precautions...............................................................................................................8-18

Installing DIMM.........................................................................................................8-19

x

Removing DIMM...................................................................................................... 8-22

Replacing DIMM ...................................................................................................... 8-24

PROCESSOR (CPU)................................................................................................... 8-25

Installing CPU.......................................................................................................... 8-26

Removing CPU........................................................................................................ 8-28

PCI BOARD ................................................................................................................. 8-29

Installing PCI Board................................................................................................. 8-32

Removing PCI Board............................................................................................... 8-36

Replacing PCI Board ............................................................................................... 8-36

Setup of Optional PCI Board ................................................................................... 8-37

APPENDIX A SPECIFICATIONS ...................................................................................A-1

APPENDIX B I/O PORT ADDRESSES..........................................................................B-1

xi

(THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.)

Chapter 1

Precautions for Use

This chapter includes information necessary for proper and safe operation of the server.

1-2 Precautions for Use

WARNING LABELS

Warning label is placed in the certain part of the system so that the user stays alert to possible risks.
Do not remove or damage the label.

If this label is missing, about to peel off, or illegible, contact your sales agent.
The figures below show the location of this label on the server.

Front of Device

Precautions for Use 1-3

PRECAUTIONS FOR SAFETY

This section provides precautions for using the server safely. Read this section carefully to ensure
proper and safe use of the server. For symbol meanings, see "SAFETY INDICATIONS" described
in the previous section.

General

WARNING

Do not use the equipment in an operation where human lives are involved or
high reliability is required.

This equipment is not intended for use and control in facilities/systems where

human lives are involved or high reliability is required, inc luding medical
devices or nuclear, aerospace, transportation, and traffic control facilities. NEC
assumes no liability for any accidents or damage to physical assets resulting
from the use of this equipment in such systems or facilities.

Do not continue to use the equipment if you detect smoke, odor, or noise.
If the equipment emits smoke, odor, or noise, immediately flip off the POWER

switch, unplug the cord, and contact your sales agent. There is a risk of a fire.
Do not insert a wire or metal object.

Do not insert a wire or metal objects into a vent or disk drive slot. There is a risk
of an electric shock.

Do not use the equipment in an unsuitable place.
Do not install a server rack in an unsuitable environment.

Other systems also may be affected, and the rack may fall over to cause a fire
or injuries. For details about installation environment and quake-resistant
engineering, see the attached manual or contact your sales agent.

CAUTION

Prevent water or foreign objects from getting into the equipment.
Do not let water or foreign objects (e.g., pins or paper clips) enter the

equipment. There is a risk of a fire, electric shock, and breakdown. When such
things accidentally enter the equipment, immediately turn off the power and
unplug the cord. Contact your sales agent instead of trying to disassemble it
yourself.

1-4 Precautions for Use

Use of Power Supply and Power Cord

WARNING

Do not handle a power plug with a wet hand.
Do not plug/unplug a power cord with a wet hand.

There is a risk of an electric shock.
Do not connect the ground wire to a gas pipe.
Never connect the ground wire to a gas pipe.

There is a risk of a gas explosion.

CAUTION

Do not plug the attached cord in a nonconforming outlet.
Use a wall outlet with specified voltage and power type.

There is a risk of a fire or current leakage.
Avoid installing the equipment where you may need an extension cord. If the
cord that does not meet the power specifications, there is a risk of overheating
that could lead to a fire.

Do not plug multiple cords in a single outlet.
If the rated current is exceeded, there is a risk of overheating that could lead to

a fire.
Do not plug the cord insecurely.
Insert the plug firmly into an outlet. There is a risk of heat or fire due to poor

contact. If dust settles on the slots and it absorbs moisture, there is also a risk
of heat or fire.

Do not use nonconforming power cords.
AC cord is to spend the thing of the next specifications.

You also have to observe the following prohibitions about handling and
connecting interface cables.

 Do not pull on the cord.
 Do not pinch the cord.
 Do not bend the cord.
 Keep chemicals away from the cord.
 Do not twist the cord.
 Do not tread on the cord.
 Do not place any object on the cord.
 Do not use cords as bundled.
 Do not alter, modify, or repair the cord.
 Do not staple the cord.
 Do not use any damaged cord. (Replace it with a new one of the same

specifications. For replacement procedures, contact your sales agent.)

Precautions for Use 1-5

Installation, Relocation, Storage and Connection

WARNING

Disconnect the power cord(s) before installing or removing the equipment.
Be sure to power off the equipment and unplug its power cords from the wall

outlet before installation/relocation. All voltage is removed only when the power
cords are unplugged.

CAUTION

Do not install or store the equipment in an unsuitable place.
Install or store the equipment in such a place as specified in this User's Guide.

Avoid the following, or there is a risk of a fire.

 a dusty place
 a humid place located near a boiler, etc
 a place exposed to direct sunlight
 an unstable place

Be careful not to hurt your fingers.
Exercise great care not to hurt your fingers on the rail when you

mount/dismount the equipment into/from the rack.
Do not use or store this product in corrosive environment.

Avoid the usage or storage of this product in an environment which may be
exposed to corrosive gases, such as those including but not limited to:
sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen dioxide, chlorine, ammonia and/or
ozone.
Avoid installing this product in a dusty environment or one that may be exposed
to corrosive materials such as sodium chloride and/or sulfur.
Avoid installing this product in an environment which may have excessiv e metal
flakes or conductive particles in the air.
Such environments may cause corrosion or short circuits within this product,
resulting in not only damage to this product, but may even lead to be a fire
hazard.
If there are any concerns regarding the environment at the planned site of
installation or storage, please contact your sales agent.

1-6 Precautions for Use

CAUTION

Do not connect any interface cable with the power cord of the server plugged to
a power source.

Make sure to power off the server and unplug the power cord from a power
outlet before installing/removing any optional internal device or
connecting/disconnecting any interface cable to/from the server. If the server is
off-powered but its power cord is plugged to a power source, touching an
internal device, cable, or connector may cause an electric shock or a fire
resulted from a short circuit.

Do not use any non-designated interface cable.
Use only interface cables designated by NEC; identify which component or

connector to attach beforehand. If you use a wrong cable or make a wrong
connection, there is a risk of short-circuit that could lead to a fire.
You also have to observe the following prohibitions about handling and
connecting interface cables:

 Do not use any damaged cable connector.
 Do not step on the cable.
 Do not place any object on the cable.
 Do not use the equipment with loose cable connections.
 Do not use any damaged cable.

Precautions for Use 1-7

Cleaning and Handling of Internal Devices

WARNING

Do not disassemble, repair, or alter the server.
Unless described herein, never attempt to disassemble, repair, or alter the

equipment. There is a risk of an electric shock or fire as well as malfunction.

Do not look into the DVD-ROM drive.
The DVD-ROM drive uses a laser beam. Do not look or insert a mirror inside

while the system is on. A laser beam is invisible; if your eyes are exposed to
the laser beam, there is a risk of losing eyesight.

Do not detach a lithium battery yourself.
This equipment has a lithium battery. Do not detach it yourself.

If the battery is exposed to fire or water, it could explode.
When the lithium battery is running down and the equipment doesn’t work

correctly, contact your sales agent. Do not disassemble replace or recharge
the battery yourself.

Disconnect the power plug before cleaning the server.
Make sure to power off the server and disconnect the power plug from a power

outlet before cleaning or installing/removing internal optional devices. Touching
any internal device of the server with its power cord connected to a power
source may cause an electric shock even if the server is off-powered.

Disconnect the power plug from the outlet occasionally and clean the plug with
a dry cloth. Heat will be generated if condensation is formed on a dusty plu g,
which may cause a fire.

CAUTION

High temperature
Immediately after powering off the system, system components such as hard

disk may be very hot. Wait for the server to cool down completely before
adding/removing components.

Make sure to complete installation.
Firmly install all power cords, interface cables and/or boards. An incompletely

installed component may cause a contact failure, resulting in fire and/or smoke.

1-8 Precautions for Use

CAUTION

Protect the unused connectors with the protective cap.
The unused power cord connectors are covered with the protective cap to

prevent short circuits and electrical hazards. When removing the power cord
connector from the internal devices, attach the protective cap to the connector.
Failure to follow this warning may cause a fire or an electric shock.

During Operation

CAUTION

Do not pull out a device during operation.
Do not pull out or remove a device while it works. There is a risk of malfunction

and injuries.
Do not touch the equipment when it thunders.
Unplug the equipment when it threatens to thunder. If it starts to thunder before

you unplug the equipment, do not touch the equipment and cables. There is a
risk of a fire or electric shock.

Keep animals away.
Animal’s waste or hair may get inside the equipment to cause a fire or electric

shock.
Do not place any object on top of the server.
The object may fall off to cause injuries, damage to hardware and/or a fire.
Do not leave the DVD tray ejected.
Dust may get in the equipment to cause malfunction. The ejected tray may also

become a cause of injuries.

Precautions for Use 1-9

Rack-mount Model

CAUTION

Do not install the equipment on a nonconforming rack.
Install the equipment on a 19-inch rack conforming to the EIA standard. Do not

use the equipment without a rack or install it on a nonconforming rack. The
equipment may not function properly, and there is a risk of damage to physical
assets or injuries. For suitable racks, contact your sales agent.

Do not attempt to install the server yourself.
To avoid a risk of injuries, users should not attempt to install the equipment into

a rack. Installation should be performed by trained maintenance personnel.

< For Maintenance Personnel Only >

Do not install the equipment in such a manner that its weight is imposed on a
single place.

To distribute the weight, attach stabilizers or install two or more racks. It may
fall down to cause injuries.

Do not assemble parts alone.
It takes at least two people to mount doors and trays to a rack. You may drop

some parts to cause a breakage or injuries.
Do not pull a device out of the rack if it is unstable.
Before pulling out a device, make sure that the rack is fixed (by stabilizers or

quake-resistant engineering).
Do not leave two or more devices pulled out from the rack.
If you pull out two or more devices the rack may fall down. You can only pull out

one device at a time.
Do not install excessive wiring.
To prevent burns, fires, and damage to the equipment, make sure that the rated

load of the power branch circuit is not exceeded. For more information on
installation and wiring of power-related facilities, contact your electrician or local
power company.

Do not pull out a device from the rack during operation.
Do not pull out a device while it works. There is a risk of malfunction and

injuries.

1-10 Precautions for Use

For Proper Operation

Observe the following instructions for successful operation of the server. Failure to observe them
could lead to malfunction or breakdown.

 Do not use a cellular phone or pager around the equip ment. Turn off your cellular phone or

pager when you use the equipment. Their radio waves may cause the equipment to
malfunction.

 Perform installation in a place where the system can operate correctly. For details, see the

separate volume “User’s Guide (Setup).”

 Before turning off the power or ejecting a disk, make sure that the access LED is off.
 When you have just turned off the power, wait at least 30 seconds before turning it on again.
 Once you have turned on the server, do not turn it off until the "NEC" logo appears on the

screen.

 After plugging in the power cord, do not turn on the power of the equipment for 30 seconds.
 For safe operation, it is recommended to reboot the OS after duplication is completed.
 Before you move the equipment, turn off the power and unplug the cord.
 This server shall not assure reproduction of copy-protect CDs using reproduction equipment

if such disks do not comply with CD standards.

 Clean the equipment regularly. (For procedures, see Chapter 6.) Regular cleaning is effective

in preventing various types of trouble.

 Lightning may cause voltage sag. As a preventive measure, it is recommended to use UPS

(uninterruptible power supply).
This equipment does not support the connection through an UPS serial port (RS-232C) or the

control using PowerChute Pl us.

 Check and adjust the system clock before operation in the following conditions:

- After transporting the equipment

- After storing the equipment

- After the equipment halt under the conditions which is out of the guranteed

environment conditions (Temperature: 10 to 35°C, Humidity: 20 to 80%)

.

Check the system clock once in a month. It is recommended to operate the system clock
using a time server (NTP server) if it is installed on the system which requires high level of
time accuracy. If the system clock goes out of alignment remarkably as time goes by, though
the system clock adjustment is performed, contact your sales agent.

 When you store the equipment, keep it under storage environment conditions (Temperature:

-10 to 55°C, Humidity: 20 to 80%, non-condensing).

 If NEC Express5800/ft series, the built-in optional devices, and the media set for the backup

devices (tape cartridges) are moved from a cold place to a warm place in a short time,
condensation will occur and cause malfunctions and breakdown when these are used in such
state. In order to protect important stored data and assets, make sure to wait for a sufficient
period of time to use the server or components in the operating environment.

Reference: Length of the time effective at avoiding condensation in winter (more than 10°C

Precautions for Use 1-1 1

differences between room temperature and atmospheric temperature)
Disk devices: Approximately 2-3 hours
Tape media: Approximately 1 day

 Make sure that the optional devices are attachable and connectable to the equipment. There is

a risk of malfunctions that could lead to a breakdown of the equipment even if you could
attach and connect.

 Make sure that your options are compatible with the system. If you attach any incompatible

option, there is a risk of malfunction that could lead to a breakdown.

 It is recommended to use NEC's genuine option products. Some competitors’ products are

compatible with this server. However, servicing for trouble or damage resulting from such a
product will be charged even within the warranty period.

1-12 Precautions for Use

DISPOSAL OF EQUIPMENT AND CONSUMABLES

 When you dispose of the main unit, hard disk drives, floppy disks, DVDs, optional boards,

etc., you need to observe your local disposal rules.

Dispose the attached power cable along

with the equipment to avoid being used with other equipment.

For details, ask your municipal office.

IMPORTANT:

For disposal (or replacement) of batteries on the motherboard, consult with your sales
agent.
You are responsible for wiping out such data before disposal. Erase all data on the hard
disk, backup data cartridges, floppy disks, o r other wri t able media (such as CD-R and
CD-RW); prevent your data from being rest o red and reus ed by a 3rd party . Yo u need to
exercise sufficient care to protect privacy and confidential information.

 Some of the system components have limited lifetime (e.g., cooling fans, built-in batteries,

built-in DVD-ROM drive, floppy disk drive and mouse). For stable operation, it is
recommended to replace them regularly. For lifetime of individual components and replacing
procedures, ask your sales agent.

WARNING

Do not detach a lithium battery yourself.
This equipment has a lithium battery. Do not detach it yourself. If the battery is

exposed to fire or water, it could explode.

RISK OF EXPLOSION IF BATTERY IS REPLACED WITH INCORRECT TYPE.

DISPOSE OF USED BATTERIES ACCORDING TO THE INSTRUCTIONS.

When the lithium battery is running down and the equipment doesn’t work

correctly, contact your sales agent. Do not disassemble, replace or recharge
the battery yourself.

Precautions for Use 1-13

IF SYSTEM TROUBLE IS SUSPECTED

Before sending the equipment for repair, try the following:

1. Check if its power cord and connection cables are attached correctly.

2. See “Error Messages” in Chapter 7 to check if there is a relevant symptom. If yes, take

measures as instructed.

3. Certain software prog rams are required for operation of NEC Express58 00/ft series.

Check if these programs are properly installed.

4. Use a commercially available anti-virus program to check the server.

If the problem isn’t solved by the above actions, stop using the server and consult with your sales
agent. In this case, check LED indications of the server and alarm indications on the display, which
will serve as helpful information at the time of repair.

ABOUT REPAIR PARTS

The minimum duration of holding repair parts of this equipment may be different for each country,
so contact the NEC sales representatives.
If the period is not specified, the repair parts are kept for 5 years a ft er di sco nti nuance of the product.

ABOUT OUR WEB SERVICE

Information on NEC Express5800/ft series including modification modules is also available on our
web site, NEC Express5800 Web Site Asia Pacific, at
http://www.nec.co.jp/express/index.html

1-14 Precautions for Use

Advice for Your Health

Prolonged use of a computer may affect your health. Keep in mind the
following to reduce stresses on your body:

Sit in a good posture

Sit on your chair with your back straight. If the desk height is appropriate,
you will slightly look down at the screen and your forearms will be parallel to
the floor. This “good” work posture can minimize muscle tension caused by
sedentary work.

If you sit in a “bad” posture—for example, sit round-shouldered or with you
face too close to the display—you may easily suffer fatigue or have your
eyesight affected.

Adjust the installation angle of Display

Most types of displays allow you to adjust the angle vertically and
horizontally. This adjustment i s very important to prevent the reflection of
light as well as to make the screen more comfortable to see. Without this
adjustment, it is difficult to maintain a “good” work posture and may get tired
soon. Be sure to adjust the angle before using the display.

Adjust Brightness and Contrast

Displays allow you to adjust brightness and contrast. Optimum brightness
and contrast vary depending on the individual, age, brightness of the room,
etc; you need to make an adjustment accordingly. If the screen is too bright
or too dark, it is bad for your eyes.

Adjust the installation angle of Keyboard

Some types of keyboards allow you to adjust the angle. If you adjust the
angle to make the keyboard more comfortable to use, you can greatly
reduce stresses on your shoulders, arms, and fingers.

Clean the Equipment

Cleanliness of the equipment is very important not only for reasons of
appearance but also from the viewpoints of function and safety. Especially,
you need to regularly clean the display, which gets unclear due to the
accumulation of dirt.

Take a break when you get tired

If you feel tired, you are recommended to refresh yourself by taking a short
break or doing a light exercise.

Chapter 2

General Description

This chapter describes what you need to know to use the NEC Express5800/ft series. Refer to this
chapter when you want to know about certain components and how to operate them.

2-2 General Description

STANDARD FEATURES

The NEC Express5800/ft series is the server that has hardware for two servers.

High performance

 Quad-Core Intel

®

XeonTM Processor

(2.00GHz/3.00GHz)

 High-speed Ethernet interface

(1000Mbps/100Mbps/10Mbps supported)

 High-speed disk access (SAS (Serial

Attached SCSI))

Expandability

 Three slots

- Low Profile (PCI-X bus, 133MHz) x 1

- Full Size (PCI-X bus, 133MHz ) x 1

- Full Height (PCI-Express x 4 lane) x 1

 Large capacity memory (max: 24 GB)
 USB interface

High-reliability Various Features

 Graphic accelerator “ ES1000” supported
 DVD Combo

Self-diagnosis

 Memory monitoring feature (1-bit error

correction/ 2-bit error detection)

 Bus parity error detection
 Error notification
 BIOS password feature

 Power On Self-Test (POST)
 Test and Diagnosis (T&D) Utility

Management Utilities Maintainability

 NEC ESMPRO

 Off-line Maintenance Utility

Ready-to-use Easy and Fine Setup

 Quick cableless connection: hard disk,

CPU/IO module

 NEC EXPRESSBUILDER (system setup

utility)

 SETUP (BIOS setup utility)

Fault-tolerant Feature

 Redundant modules achieved within a

system

 Higher hardware availability by isolation

of failed module

General Description 2-3

Hardware modules work while synchronizing and comparing with each other. Even if one hardware
module stops, the server can continue its operation as the service with the other hardware module.

Even if one hardware module stops, the server can continue operation with the other module. After the failed
module is replaced, the new module will obtain information from the other and resume operation.

NEC Express5800/ft series is a highly fault-tolerant Windows server that achieves continuous
computing operations, data storage mirror, and continuous network connection. It allows you to run
Windows Server 2003-based applications.

NEC Express5800/ft series achieves continuous computing operations for the Windows server and
server-based applications with its redundant CPU processing and redundant memory. It assures data
redundancy through duplication of server data on an independent storage system. These features
eliminate server downtime that is usually caused by network disconnection or trouble with the I/O
controller, Et h e rnet adapter or disk drive, and support operation of the netwo r k a nd server
applications continuously. While being transparent to application software, NEC Express5800/ft
series achieves high fault-tolerance.

NEC Express5800/ft series detects status changes, errors and other events and notifies the Windows
Event Log of these events. If you use an alarm notification tool, you can configure NEC
Express5800/ft series to notify you when certain events occur.

NEC ESMPRO is installed on the system as a server management solution. NEC ESMPRO, a
GUI-based management tool, allows you to monitor, view, and configure NEC Express5800/ft
series. This tool also supports both local and remote management of NEC Express5800/ft series.

Standard product

New fault-tolerant technology

Mirror

Compare/Sync

Mirrored

Windows software programs

Memory

Memory

CPU Module 1

CPU Module 2

I/OI Module 1

I/O Module 2

2-4 General Description

NEC Express5800/ft series mainly provides the following advantages:

 Highly fault-tolerant processing and I/O subsystems

NEC Express5800/ft series use redundant hardware and software to assure server
operation even if one module suffers trouble with its processor, memory, I/O (including
trouble related to the I/O controller), disk drive, or Ethernet adapter.

 Continuous network connection

NEC Express5800/ft series maintains continuous network connection by detecting any
trouble with the network adapter, connection, etc. If trouble occurs, the standby network
connection will take over all network traffic processing and thus securely maintain the
network system connection of NEC Express5800/ft series without losing network traffic
or client connection.

 Support of multiple network connections

Since NEC Express5800/ft series can support multiple Ethernet connections, you can add
network redundant control or network traffic control.

 Industry standard hardware platform

NEC Express5800/ft series uses IA (Intel Architecture)-based system hardware.

 No need to modify applications

You can run Windows Server 2003-compliant applications on NEC Express5800/ft series.
Thus, unlike other highly fault-tolerant products, special API or scripts are not necessary.

 Automat i c mi rrorin g

NEC Express5800/ft series automatically maintains data as the current data.

 Automatic detection and notification of faults

NEC Express5800/ft series detects and sorts out all events such as general status changes
and faults, and notifies Windows Event Log of these events.

 Transparent migration

NEC Express5800/ft series constantly monitors events. If trouble occurs on NEC
Express5800/ft series’ server module, it will transparently use a redundant module of the
failed module. This feature maintains data and user access without losing application
service.

 Automatic reconfiguration

When the failed module restarts after the trouble is corrected, NEC Express5800/ft series
will perform reconfiguration automatically, and if necessary, resynchronize the affected
modules. Reconfiguration can include CPU processing (e.g., CPU memory), server's
operating system (and related applications), and system data stored on the hard disks. In
most cases, NEC Express5800/ft series automatically restores redundancy of the server
modules after recovery.

General Description 2-5

 Local and remote management

NEC Express5800/ft series uses NEC ESMPRO as a server management tool. This tool
uses a GUI that enables monitoring and setting of NEC Express5800/ft series. NEC
ESMPRO can be used both locally and remotely on work station PCs or server PCs.

 Event notification function

When trouble or other events are detected on NEC Express5800/ft series, they will be
notified to Windows Event Log and saved. Therefore, you can view the log items locally
or remotely by a usual Windows procedure. Since an NEC Express5800/ft series events
use unique IDs, they are easy to distinguish.

 In-service repairing

You can repair or replace a failed module even if NEC Express5800/ft series is operating.

 Partition structure

On this server model, the first logical drive will be the following state when the setup by
NEC EXPRESSBUILDER is complete.

* The size varies depending on the specification at setup.

CHECK:

The partition for operating system is not mirrored at the time of NEC
EXPRESSBUILDER setup completion. Mirror the partition separately.

 Windows OS and media

The Windows OS media used on NEC Express5800/ft series are not specifically processed
for it. The standard operating methods of Windows are same as general.

Partition for operating system (*)

Free area (*)

2-6 General Description

HOW THE OPERATING SYSTEM SEES THE CPU MODULES

On NEC Express5800/ft series, the CPU modules are redundantly configured and all processors
installed on this server are shown.

How CPU modules appear on Task Manager

CPUs are displayed as many as there are.

System with one CPU (Quad-Core)

System with two CPUs (Quad-Core)

General Description 2-7

NAMES AND FUNCTIONS OF COMPONENTS

Names and functions of components are shown below:

(1) LEDs

For more information see the description on the front view (page 2-8).

(2) Front bezel

The cover to protect devices in the front.

2-8 General Description

Front View

(1) CPU/IO module 0

This is a module with a set of CPU (processor), memory (DIMM), PCI board, cooling fan unit,
and hard disk drive.

(2) POWER switch

This switch is used to power on/off the server. The in-built LED illuminates for the primary
CPU/IO module, showing that it is primary. (The secondary POWER LED (off) cannot be used.
If the switch is pressed once, the server is powered on. If the switch is pressed again, the server is
powered off. If the switch is pressed for more than 4 seconds, the server is forcibly shut down.

(3) DVD-ROM drive

This device is used to read data from DVDs and CD-ROMs.

(4) DISK AC CESS LED

This LED illuminates when the set optical disks are accessed.

(5) Tray eject button

This button ejects the tray.

(6) Forcible eject hole

This is the hole for forcibly eject by inserting a metal pin.

With the front bezel removed

General Description 2-9

(7) Hard disk drive bay

This is the bay to mount the hard disk drive. The number after the parenthesized number
indicates a slot number.

(8) CPU/IO module DISK ACCESS LED (green/amber)

This LED illuminates in green when the internal hard disk drives are accessed. If any internal
hard disk drive is failing, the LED illuminates in amber.

(9) CPU/IO module 1

This is a module with a set of CPU (processor), memory (DIMM), PCI board, cooling fan unit,
and hard disk drive.

(10)-1 CPU/IO module status LED 1 (amber)

This LED indicates the status of the CPU/IO module. When the module is successfully running,
the LED is powered off. If a module has a problem, the LED illuminates in amber.

(10)-2 CPU/IO module status LED 2 (green)

This LED indicates the status of the CPU/IO module. When both of the CPU/IO modules are
running, the LED illuminates in green. When one of th e modules is running, the LED blinks in
green or is powered off.

(11) CPU/IO module POWER LED (green)

When the power is turned on, the LED illuminates in green.

(12) EXPRESSSCOPE LEDs (amber)

This LED indicates the fault status of the designated modules. If a module has a problem, the
LEDs illuminate in amber.

2-10 General Description

Rear View

General Description 2-11

(1) CPU/IO module 0

This is a module with a set of CPU (processor), memory (DIMM), PCI board, and cooling fan
unit.

(2)-1, 2 PCI slots 1, 2, 3

(2)-1: A Low Profile type PCI board is mounted on this slot (64 bit 133MHz 3.3V PCI).
(2)-2: A Full Size and Full Height PCI-Express board is mounted on this slot (x8 socket

x4 lane).

(2)-3: A Full Size and Full Height PCI board is mounted on this slot (64bit 100MHz 3.3V

PCI-X).

(3)-0, 1, 2 USB connector 0, 1, 2

These connectors attach USB2.0-interface-s up p orted devices.

(4) Monitor connector

This is used to attach a display device.

(5)-1, 2 serial port 1, 2 connector

This is used to attach a serial interface connector.
This is not supported with this server model.

(6)-1 AC inlet A connector

A power cord is connected to this socket (for the CPU/IO module 0). If you want make the
CPU/IO module 0 primary, connect a power cord to this inlet first.

(6)-2 AC inlet B connector

A power cord is connected to this socket (for the CPU/IO module 1). If you want to make the
CPU/IO module 1 primary, connect a power cord to this inlet first.

(7) LAN connector (VTM)

This is not used with this server model.

(8)-1 LINK/ACT LED (VTM)

This is not used with this server model.

(8)-2 Speed LED (VTM)

This LED indicates the transfer speed of LAN(VTM).

(9) DUMP (NMI) switch

This switch executes a memory dump.

Press the DUMP switch on the primary CPU/IO module, whose POWER LED has been blinking,
for four to eight seconds.

(10)-1, 2 PCI slot status LEDs (Slot 1, 2, 3)

These LEDs display the status of the PCI slot. The status is shown by the display combination of
the 2 LEDs (Refer to the chart on p 2-19).

2-12 General Description

(11)-1 CPU/IO module status LED 1 (amber)

This LED indicates the status of the CPU/IO module. When the module is successfully running,
the LED is powered off. If a module has a problem, the LED illuminates in amber.

(11 )-2 CPU/IO module status LED 2 (green)

This LED indicates the status of the CPU/IO module. When both modules are operating, the LED
illuminates in green. When one module is operating, the LED blinks in green or is powered off.

(12) CPU/IO module POWER LED (green)

This LED illuminates in green when the system is powered on.

(13) CPU/IO module 1

This is a module with a set of CPU (processor), memory (DIMM), PCI board, and cooling fan
unit.

(14)-1 LINK/ACT LED

This LED indicates the access status of the LAN connector.

(14)-2 Speed LED

This LED indicates the transfer speed of the LAN connector.

(15)-1, 2 LAN connector 1, 2

These connectors support 1000BASE-T/100BASE-TX/10BASE-T. These are connected to the
network system on LAN.

(16)-F-MRC connector

A management device is connected to this connector.

General Description 2-13

DVD-ROM drive

(1) Status LED

The LED that illuminates while accessing the loaded DVD/CD-ROM

(2) Tray eject button

The button to eject the tray.

(3) Manual release hole

When the eject button does not work, insert a metal pin into this hole to forcefully eject the
tray.

2-14 General Description

CPU/IO Module

CPU/IO module

General Description 2-15

Mother Board

(1) Lithium battery
(2) DIMM slot ((2)-1 from the bottom)

(2)-1 DIMM CH0 Slot 0
(2)-2 DIMM CH0 Slot 1
(2)-3 DIMM CH0 Slot 2
(2)-4 DIMM CH1 Slot 0
(2)-5 DIMM CH1 Slot 1
(2)-6 DIMM CH1 Slot 2

(3) Processor 0 socket (CPU0)
(4) Processor 1 socket (CPU1)
(5) Jumper switch for clearing CMOS/password
(6) Jumper switch for clearing BMC configuration
(7) F-RMC card slot
(8) LAN 2 connector
(9) LAN 1 connector

CPU/IO module mother board

2-16 General Description

ft Remote Management Card

(1) Attaching to servers.

This is a card edge part touching to the F-RMC slot inside of the server.

IMPORTANT:

Do not mount this card on other slots or devices in order to avoid a fault.

(2) Management LAN port

This port can be connected to network system, and supports 100Mbps/10Mbps. The port can’t
be connected to phone line. The port is also used when managing the ser v er wi t h the
management software NEC DianaScope attached on this device.

IMPORTANT:

Communication mode on the management LAN port cannot be manually set or
changed because the mode is fixed as auto negotiation mode.
Please set the link partner side (switch/hub) as auto negotiation mode.

(3) MAC address

On the back side of the management card, a seal is labeled with MAC address printed.
The MAC address can also be confirmed on the server’s BIOS Setup screen.

General Description 2-17

LEDs

POWER LED

The POWER switch of the CPU/IO module has an in-built LED. If the AC power is supplied, the
LED of the primary POWER switch illuminates (only the primary POWER switch functions). Also,
the CPU/IO module has the POWER LED to show the status of the module power status.

CPU/IO Module POWER LED

LED indication Description Action

Not on Power supply is off. Check that the status LED 1

on both CPU/IO modules is
powered off, and then press
the POWER LED to power on
the system.

On Power supply is on.

CPU/IO Module Status LED 1, 2

There are two kinds of LEDs that indicate the module status on the front and back sides of the
CPU/IO module. The display combination of the two LEDs indicates the CPU/IO module status.

Status
LED1

Status LED2 Description Action

Not on Power supply is off.

When the system is starting, the
initialization process is performed.

Wait for a while; the LED
will illuminate in green.

Blinking in

green

If the OS is running, duplex
configuration is not made for one
of the components in the CPU/IO
modules.

Check that the cable is
firmly connected. If the LED
does not illuminate in green
after a while, record the
status LED status, and
contact a maintenance
service company.

Not on

Green The device is duplexed and

running normally.
After the AC power is supplied, the
device running in the standby
power mode is being initialized.

Wait for a while. The status
LED 1 will be powered off,
and the POWER switch will

be enabled.
When the system is starting, the
initialization process is performed.

Wait for a while; the status

LED 1 is powered off.

Amber

Not on

When the OS is running, the
CPU/IO module has a problem.

Check that the cable is

firmly connected. If the LED

does not illuminate in green

after a while, record the

status LED status, and

contact a maintenance

service company.

2-18 General Description

PCI Slot status LED 1, 2

There are two kinds of LEDs that indicate the PCI slot status on the back of the CPU/IO module.
The PCI slot status is indicated by the display combination of the two LEDs.

Status
LED1

Status LED2 Description Action

Power supply is off. Not on
When the system is starting, the

initialization process is performed.

Wait for a while; the LED

illuminates in white.
Blinking in
white

If the OS is running, and it is in the
Simplex mode, the PCI slot of the
other CPU/IO module is
degenerated.

Check that the cable is
firmly connected. If the LED
does not illuminate in white
after a while, record the
status LED status, and
contact a maintenance

service company.
If the PCI slot status LED 2 of the
other CPU/IO module is on, the
device is successfully running in
the Duplex mode.

Not on

White

If the PCI slot status LED 2 of the
other CPU/IO module is blinking,
the cable may be disconnected,
the option PCI board of the slot
has a problem, or the CPU/IO
module itself has a problem.

Check that the cable is

connected securely. If the

PCI slot status LED 2 of the

other CPU/IO module does

not illuminate white, record

the status of the status LED,

and call your maintenance

service company.
When the system is starting, the
initialization process is performed.

Wait for a while; the status

LED 1 is powered off.

Amber

Not on

When the OS is running;

1) The optional PCI board of the

slot has a problem.

2) The CPU/IO module has a
problem.

Check that the cable is

firmly connected. If the LED

does not illuminate in white

after a while, record the

status LED status, and

contact a maintenance

service company.

General Description 2-19

Hard Disk Drive LED

Hard Disk LED Description Action

Not on The disk is in the idle state.
Green Accessing the disk
Amber Disk failure Contact a maintenance

service company.
Blinking in amber
(Illuminate in green when
accessing the disk)

The mirror of the disk is
disconnected.

Perform mirroring.

Blinking in green and amber
in turn

The hard disk drive configuration
(rebuild) is on going.

Wait for a while; the LED

blinks in green after rebuild

finishes. If the rebuild fails,

the LED illuminates in

amber.

2-20 General Description

Access LED on the DVD-ROM drive

This LED illuminates when the installed DVD or CD-ROM is being accessed.

LAN Connector LED

• LINK/ACT LED

The LINK/ACT LED shows the status of a standard network port. It is green if power is
supplied to the main unit and hub, and they are connected correctly (“LINK”). It blinks green
while the network port sends or receives data (ACT).

When the LED does not illuminate during “LINK,” check the condition and conn ection of
network cables. If there is nothing wrong with the cables, a defect is suspected in the network
(LAN) controller. In this case, contact your sales agent.

• Speed LED

This LED indicates the network interface of the communication mode used by a network port.
1000BASE-T and 100BASE-TX are the supported LAN port types. When this LED illuminates

in amber, the port is operating on 1000BASE-T; when in green, 100BASE-TX; and when not
illuminate, 10BASE-T.

General Description 2-21

EXPRESSSCOPE

Corresponding EXPRESSSCOPE LEDs (amber) illuminate when modules have failures.

The LEDs on the upper line correspond to the upper names, and the LEDs on the lower line

correspond to the lower names.

CPU (CPU module error LED)

Amber LED illuminates when failure occurs on CPU of CPU/IO module.

I/O (I/O module error LED)

Amber LED illuminates when failure occurs on I/O of CPU/IO module.

VLT (Power error LED)

Amber LED illuminates when electric voltage failure occurs in CPU/IO module.

MEM0 (Memory slot 0 error LED)

Amber LED illuminates when failure occurs on the memory slot 0 of CPU/IO module.

MEM1 (Memory slot 1 error LED)

Amber LED illuminates when failure occurs on the memory slot 1 of CPU/IO module.

MEM2 (Memory slot 2 error LED)

Amber LED illuminates when failure occurs on the memory slot 2 of CPU/IO module.

PSU (Power supply unit error LED)

Amber LED illuminates when failure occurs on the power supply unit of CPU/IO module.

TMP (Abnormal temperature LED)

Amber LED illuminates when temperature in CPU/IO module becomes abnormal.

2-22 General Description

FAN0 (Fan 0 error LED)

Amber LED illuminates when failure occurs on the cooling fan for CPU0 of CPU/IO module.

FAN1 (Fan 1 error LED)

Amber LED illuminates when failure occurs on the cooling fan for CPU1 of CPU/IO module.

FAN2 (Fan 2 error LED)

Amber LED illuminates when failure occurs on the disk cooling fan of CPU/IO module.

FAN3 (Fan 3 error LED)

Amber LED illuminates when failure occurs on the power supply unit’s fan of CPU/IO module.

General Description 2-23

BASIC OPERATION

This section describes basic operation procedures of NEC Ex press5800/ft series.

Installing/removing the front bezel

When you power on/off the server, handle the DVD-ROM drive, or remove/install a hard
disk drive or CPU/IO module, remove the front bezel.

IMPORTANT:

The front bezel can only be removed by unlocking the lock with the security key
attached.

(1) Insert the product-accessory security key into the key slot and push lightly. Turn the key to the

left to unlock.

(2) Hold the right edge of the front bezel

and pull it forward.

(3) Slide the front bezel to take the tab off

the frame and remove the front bezel.

When attaching the front bezel, hook the left tab into the server’s frame first, then push forward on
the right side.

2-24 General Description

Power ON

To power on NEC Express5800/ft series, press the POWER switch (the one whose in-built LED is
illuminating).

Follow the steps below to turn on the power.

1. Power on the display unit and other peripheral devices connected to the server.

CHECK:

If the power cord is connected to a power controller like a UPS, make sure that it is
powered on.

2. Remove the front bezel.

3. Press the power switch located on the front

of the front panel.
After a while, the “NEC” logo will appear

on the screen.

IMPORTANT:

Do not turn off the power before you see
the “NEC” logo and a character below
the logo.

While the “NEC” logo is displayed on the screen, NEC Express5800/ft series is
performing a power-on self test (POST) to check itself. For details, see “POST Check”
described later in this chapter. Upon the completion of POST, Windows Server 2003 will
start.

CHECK:

If the server finds errors during POST, it will interrupt POST and display the error
message. See Chapter 7.

Power switch

General Description 2-25

Power OFF

Follow the steps below to turn off the power. If NEC Express5800/ft series is plugged to a UPS, see
manuals included with the UPS or the application that controls th e UPS.

1. Perform a normal shutdown from Windows Server 2003.

The system will be powered off automatically. (Note: the POWER switch on the primary
side will remain illuminating when AC power is supplied.)

2. Power off all peripheral devices.

POST Check

POST (power-on self test) is a self-test function stored on the motherboard of NEC Express5800/ft
series.

When you power on the server, POST will start automatically to check the motherboard, ECC
memory modules, CPU/IO modules, keyboard, mouse, etc. It also shows startup messages for
various BIOS setup utilities.

According to the factory default settings, the “NEC” logo appears on the display while POST is
being performed. (To view details of POST, press Esc.)

TIPS:

 You can view POST details from the beginning without the need to press Esc when the

BIOS menu is displayed: select [System Configuration] - [Advanced], and set [Boot-time
Diagnostic Screen] to “Enabled” (see Chapter 4).

 You can view the test items and details from a management PC where NEC ESMPRO

Manager is installed.

You do not always need to check POST details. You will need to check messages when:

 You install a new NEC Express5800/ft series.
 A failure is suspected.
 You hear several beeps between the time of the power-on and OS start-up.
 The display unit shows an error message.

2-26 General Description

Flow of POST

This section walks you through how POST is performed.

1. When you power on the system, one selected CPU/IO module will start up.

POST will be performed on this selected CPU/IO module.

2. Memory check starts.

A message appears at the upper left of the screen to show that the basic and expanded
memories are being counted. The memory check may take a few minutes to complete
depending on the server’s memory size. Likewise, it may take about one minute for the
screen to appear when the server is rebooted.

3. The server starts processor check, IO check, and initialization.

Several messages appear: they show the ID of the selected CPU/IO modules, information
on the processor, detection of the keyboard and mouse, etc.

4. A message appears at the lower left of the screen, prompting for startup of the BIOS setup

utility “SETUP.”

Press <F2> to enter SETUP

You will need to start it when you want to modify the configuration for using the server.
Unless this message appears together with an error message, you do not need to start the
utility to modify the configuration. (If you wait for a few seconds, POST will go on
automatically .)

To start the SETUP utility, press F2 while the above message is displayed. For setting and
parameter functions, see the section of BIOS setup.

When SETUP is completed, the server will reboot itself automatically and perform POST.

5. A message appears prompting for startup of SAS BIOS setup utility.

When a built-in SAS controller is detected, a message will appear prompting for startup of
SAS BIOS setup utility. (If you wait for a few seconds, POST will go on automatically.)

If you press Ctrl + A, the SAS BIOS setup utility will start. However, you usually do not
need to use the setup utility. For setting and parameter functions, see “SAS BIOS” (page
4-33).

When SETUP is complete, the server will reboot automatically and perform POST from
the start again.

6. The screen shows the ID numbers of the connected disk drive.

7. Upon completion of POST, the password entry screen appears prior to OS startup.

The password entry screen will appear after the normal termination of POST only if you
have set a password in the BIOS setup utility “SETUP.”

General Description 2-27

You can enter a password up to three times. If you enter an incorrect password three times,
the startup will be unsuccessful. In this case, turn off the power and then turn it on again
after waiting 30 seconds to boot the server.

IMPORTANT:

Do not set a password before installing the OS.

8. Upon completion of POST, the OS will start up.

Behavior at Occurrence of Error

If POST or OS startup does not finish normally, the server will reboot itself automatically.
At the time of reboot, it will select the other CPU/IO module and run POST or OS startup.
In this manner, the server retries POST or OS startup with different combinations of CPU/IO

modules. If POST does not finish normally with any combinations, the server will stop with the
state of DC OFF or Post end with an error message displayed.

While performing retries, the server displays or registers the error types.

For details of error messages, see Chapter 7 “Troubleshooting.”

POST Error Messages

When the server detects an error during POST, it will notify you of the occurrence in the following
manners:

 Displays an error message on the display unit.

These notification methods are described in “POST Error Messages” (Page 7-4).

IMPORTANT:

Before you contact your sales agent, write down the error messages. They will serve as helpful
information at the time of maintenance.

CPU/IO Module Status

The CPU/IO module (0 or 1) started first is managed as primary, and the module started later is
managed as secondary. If one CPU/IO module is disconnected because of the failure and others, the
other module becomes primary.

The CPU/IO module to be started first is selected depending on the primary/secondary status of
modules when the server was shut down the last time.

The following devices are connected to the primary CPU/IO module by the hardware switch,
although those can be connected to both CPU/IO modules 0 and 1. When one CPU/IO module is
disconnected because of a failure, those are switched to the other module automatically and
continue operating.

2-28 General Description

 VGA (display)
 USB device (keyboard, mouse, floppy disk drive)

TIPS:

As for DVD-ROM drive, the DVD-ROM drive of both CPU/IO modules 0 and 1 can be accessed.
If one CPU/IO module is disconnected because of the failure, only the DVD-ROM of the other
module can be accessed

.

IMPORTANT:

 If the floppy disk drive is connected, the drive letter may change from A to B

by switching CPU/IO modules. Changing of the drive letter does not affect
the operation of the server. If the drive letter is changed, access the floppy disk
drive with the changed drive letter.

 The drive letter of the DVD-ROM drive is allocated again automatically. The letter which is

not used is allocated to the drive in the order of D to Z. If you want to set the fixed drive
letter to the DVD-ROM, specify the drive letter which is not allocated in the order of D to
Z after setting the hard disk drive letter.

General Description 2-29

Floppy Disk Drive (Option)

If you want to use a floppy disk drive with this server, connect N8160-74USB FDD UNIT, which
are available optionally to a USB connector.
This server supports 3.5-inch 2HD (1.44 MB) and 2DD (720KB) floppy disks.

IMPORTANT:

– When using a USB floppy disk drive, the access to the floppy disk is delayed on rare occasions

if the display graphic load is high because a moving picture is being played. In such a case,
retry the operation with the floppy disk inside the floppy disk drive.

– The drive letter of the USB floppy disk may be displayed as B instead of A. This does not affect

the operation of the server. Use B drive for the floppy disk drive.

Insert/Remove Floppy Disk

Before inserting a floppy disk into the drive, make sure that NEC Express5800/ft series is on (the
POWER LED illuminates).

Insert a floppy disk into the drive firmly until it snaps in place. The eject button of the drive is then
raised slightly.

CHECK:

 You cannot use 1.2 MB-formatted disks.
 If you insert an unformatted disk, you will see a message that the disk cannot be

read or that needs formatting. To format a floppy disk, see your OS manual.

 If you power on or restart NEC Expr ess5800/ft series with a floppy disk left in the drive, the

server will access the floppy disk to start the system. Unless a system exits on the FD, the
server will be unable to start.

To remove a floppy disk from the drive, press the eject button.

CHECK:

 Before removing a floppy disk, make sure that the floppy disk access LED is off.

If you eject a floppy disk while the LED is on, the stored data could be damaged.

 When using a USB floppy disk drive, the access to the floppy disk is delayed on

rare occasions if the display graphic load is high because a moving picture is
being played. In such a case, retry the operation with the floppy disk inside the
floppy disk drive.

Use of Floppy Disk

You may need to store important data on floppy disks. Since the floppy disk is a very delicate
medium, you must handle it with extra care:

 Push the floppy disk gently into place.

2-30 General Description

 Attach the label on a proper position.
 Do not use a pencil or ballpoint pen to write on the floppy disk.
 Do not open the protective shutter.
 Do not use the floppy disk in a dusty place.
 Do not place anything on the floppy disk.
 Do not leave the floppy disk in a place that is subject to direct sunlight or high temperatures

(e.g., near a heater).

 Keep away from cigarette smoke.
 Do not leave the floppy disk near water or chemicals.
 Keep away from magnetic objects.
 Do not clip disks. Be careful not to drop.
 Store floppy disks in a protective case where they are kept away from magnetic waves or

dust.

 To prevent data from being erased accidentally,

the floppy disk has a write-protect notch. When
the disk is write-protected, you can read data, but
you cannot write the data or format the disk. It is
recommendable to write-protect floppy disks that
contain important data except when you write
data to the floppy disk. To write-protect a

3.5-inch floppy disk, slide the write-protect notch located on its
back.

 The floppy disk is a very delicate storage medium. Dust or changes in temperature could

cause data to be lost. Data loss could also be caused by faulty operation and computer
trouble. To avoid such possible data loss, it is recommendable to back up important data
regularly. (Be sure to make back-up copies of the floppy disks that are included with NEC
Express5800/ft series.)

Write Protect

Switch

Write

Disabled

Write

Enabled

General Description 2-31

DVD-ROM drive

NEC Express5800/ft series has a DVD-ROM drive on the front panel. It is a device used to read
data from an optical disk (compact disc read-only memory). Compared to a floppy disk, an optical
disk allows for larger volume and fast data readout.

CAUTION

Observe the following instructions to use the server safely. There are risks of a
burn, injury, or damage to physical assets. For details, see “PRECAUTIONS
FOR SAFETY” in Chapter 1.

 Do not leave the DVD-ROM drive tray ejected.

Insert/Remove DVD-ROM

Follow the steps below to set an optical disk.

1. Before you insert an optical disk, make sure that the server is powered on. When the

server is powered on, the LED illuminates in green.

2. Press the tray-eject button located in the front of the

DVD-ROM drive. The tray is then ejected.

3. Hold the optical disk with its signaling side facing the tray.

4. As shown in the figure on the right, place the optical disk

on the tray and press lightly on the center to lock.

5. Push the front side of the tray gently to the drive-closed

position.

IMPORTANT:

If you hear noise while running the DVD-ROM drive,
reset the optical disk.

2-32 General Description

To remove the optical disk, press the tray-eject button as you did in
setting the optical disk.

When the access LED illuminates in green, it indicates the optical disk
is being accessed. Make sure the access LED is not illuminating in
green before you press the tray-eject button.

Press the locking part in the center of the tray and pick the optical disk gently. When you have
removed the optical disk, push the tray to the drive-closed position.

When you cannot eject a DVD/CD-ROM

When you cannot eject the optical disk from the server even by
pressing the eject button, follow the steps below to eject it:

1. Press the POWER switch to power off this server (i.e. the POWER

LED is off).

2. Use a metal pin of about 1.2 mm in diameter and 100 mm long (alternatively, you can use a

fairly large paper clip after straightening). Insert it gently into the manual release hole located at
the low front side of the server until the tray is ejected.

IMPORTANT:

 Do not use a toothpick, plastic pin, or other breakable objects.
 If you cannot eject the optical disk by following the steps above, contact your sales

agent.

3. Hold the tray and pull it out.

4. Take out the opti cal disk.

5. Push the tray back.

General Description 2-33

Handling optical disks

Observe the following when you use an optical disk on NEC Express5800/ft series:

 As for a disk such as a noncompliant “copy-protected CD,” we shall not guarantee that

you can use a CD player to play it with this server.

 Be careful not to drop the optical disk.
 Do not bend or place anything on the optical disk.
 Do not attach labels on the optical disk.
 Do not touch the signal side (blank side).
 Place the optical disk gently on the tray with the printed side up.
 Do not scratch, or use a pencil or ballpoint pen to write on the optical disk.
 Keep away from cigarette smoke.
 Do not leave the optical disk in a place that is subject to direct sunlight or high

temperatures (e.g., due to a heater).

 If the optical disk becomes dirty with dust or fingerprints, wipe it gently from its center to

edge with a dry soft cloth.

 When you clean the optical disk, use the cleaner expressly meant for it. Do not use a

record cleaner (spray), benzine, or thinner.

 Store the optical disk in a protective case when not in use.

2-34 General Description

(This page is intentionally left blank.)

Chapter 3

Windows Setup and Operation

This chapter describes setup procedures to make NEC Express5800/ft series ready for use. CPU/IO
module has a processor function part and IO function part. In utilities in this chapter, the processor
function part is referred to as CPU module and IO function part PCI module.

3-2 Windows Setup and Operation

DISK OPERATIONS

This section explains the disk operation by the RDR (Rapid Disk Resync) function.

NEC Express5800/ft series duplicates disks to secure data by using “Rapid Disk Resync (RDR)
function”. This section describes operations such as configuration of dual settings to disks and
replacement of disks.

IMPORTANT:

On the disks containing OS, do not create a partition other than the system partition,
Create a data disk partition after configuring the RDR.

Disk Operations Using the RDR (Rapid Disk Resync)
Function

RDR (Rapid Disk Resync)

RDR function of ft control software secures reliability by making disks duplexed per disk.
Duplexing disks by the RDR function enables the disks to be resynchronized in a short period of
time when their mirror has been broken due to causes such as PCI module replacement.

Setting RDR to disks duplicates the disks of paired slots as shown in the figure below and Windows
(ex. Disk Management and Device Manager) recognizes paired disks as a single virtual disk.

[Corresponding slots]

Corresponding slots

PCI module 0 Slot 1 Ù PCI module 1 Slot 1
PCI module 0 Slot 2 Ù PCI module 1 Slot 2
PCI module 0 Slot 3 Ù PCI module 1 Slot 3

Note: In the above table, the PCI module names correspond to the following modules:

PCI module (for CPU/IO module 0): PCI module 0
PCI module (for CPU/IO module 1): PCI module 1

Slot 3
Slot 2

Slot 1

Slots corresponding to the mirroring process

Slot 3

Slot 2

Slot 1

Windows Setup and Operation 3-3

[Cautions for using the RDR function]

1. RDR can be set only to the disks inserted into the built-in slots of NEC Express5800/ft series.

2. Be sure to specify RDR to all disks inserted to the built-in slots an d make duplex settings.

3. RDR can be set only to basic disks.

If a span volume or stripe volume is needed, make settings of RDR to a basic disk and then
change the disk to a dynamic disk from [Disk Management].

4. The disks to set RDR must have the same capacity and must be new or physically formatted.

(For physical format, refer to “SAS BIOS” in Chapter 4 and perform Format Disk using
Disk Utilities.)

5. If the system is shut down (or restarted) while the mirror is broken, or a long time (30 minutes

or longer) has passed after the mirror is broken, the mirror resynchronization target will be the
entire disk.
For example, if the mirroring has been broken due to a PCI module failure, when you shut
down the system and replace the PCI module in such a state, the entire area of the disk needs
to be resynchronized.

6. You must insert a new disk or replace a disk while the server is powered on.

7. Create a data disk partition after configuring the RDR. If you create a data disk partition

before configuring the RDR, the partition’s drive letters may be deleted when the RDR is
configured.

3-4 Windows Setup and Operation

Configuring and Removing Duplexed Setting of Disks by the RDR
Function

This section describes how to make disks duplex and how to remove the settings by using the RDR
function. To use the RDR function, use [RDR Utility].

About RDR Utility

z Starting RDR Utility

From [Start], select [All Programs] then [RDR] and click [RDR Utility] to start [RDR
Utility].

z Screen

[Left pane]
The tree shows disks inserted to the built-in slots and virtual disks (RDR Virtual Disks)
created by RDR. Right-click a disk on the tree to display the menu for setting RDR. By
looking at the tree, you can k now which disk corresponds to which disk of the Windows’
[Disk Management] and whether RDR is set to the disk.

For example, in the case of the disk highlighted in the figure above:
Disk (Harddisk1

－LUN2－PLEX0)

(1) (2) (3)

(1) Corresponds to the number of Windows’ [Disk Management]. In this example, this

disk is the Disk1 on [Disk Management].

(2) Corresponds to the number of a virtual disk created by RDR setting. In this example,

this disk is a disk which makes up the RDR Virtual Disk 2 (only appears for disks
with RDR setting).

(3) This section appears only for disks with RDR setting.

Windows Setup and Operation 3-5

[Right pane]
The properties of the disk selected in the left pane is shown.
In the figure above, the properties of the disk inserted to the Slot 2 of the PCI module 0.

IMPORTANT:

The [RDR Utility] display is not updated automatically. Therefore, update it by clicking
[R

efresh] from [Action] on the menu or pressing F5 after performing operations to disk

such as inserting/removing a disk, specifying/removing the RDR setting.

Making disks duplex by RDR

The following describes the procedure to set duplex config u rati on to disk s by RDR.
In this example, the disks of the Slot 2 of the PCI modules 0 and 1 are duplexed.

1. Insert a new disk to a built-in slot.

(In this example, a disk is inserted to the Slot 2 of the PCI module 0.)

2. From [Start], select [Control Panel] then [Administrative Tools] and start [Computer

Management]. On the tree in the left pane, click [Disk Management].
If the inserted disk is indicated as [Not Initialized] in the right pane, right-click the disk and
initialize it.

IMPORTANT:

When a disk is inserted or initialized, a popup window asking for rebo oting the system may
be displayed, but there is no need to reboot it. Select [No] and close the popup window.

3-6 Windows Setup and Operation

3. Start RDR Utility.
IMPORTANT:

 If the inserted disk does not appear on the tree, from the menu of RDR Utility, select

[Action] and click [Refresh] or press F5 to update the display after awhile.

 The display of RDR Utility is not updated automatically. Therefore, update it every time

after you perform disk operations described below.

4. On the left tree of RDR Utility, right-click a disk to set RDR and click [Create RDR Virtual

Disk].

IMPORTANT:

Depending on the disk condition, RDR setting may take some time and RDR Utility may
pause for a few minutes. There is no error, so wait until the process is completed.

Windows Setup and Operation 3-7

IMPORTANT:

If RDR is specified to a disk which contains the system partition or partition which cannot
be unmounted, the following pop-up me ssag e ap pears. If you click [Yes], the system is
restarted in two minutes automatically. Go on to 5. when the system is restarted.

5.

Insert a disk to set duplex configuration into the corresponding slot.
(In this example, a disk is inserted into the Slot 2 of the PCI module 1.)

IMPORTANT:

 When a d i sk is inserted, a popup window asking for rebooting the system may be

displayed, but there is no need to reboot it. Select [No] and close the popup
window.

 For a disk to be inserted, use a new or physically formatted disk which has the

same capacity as the synchronization source. If such a disk is not used, disks are
not duplicated successfully.

For physical format, see “SAS BIOS – Adaptec SAS/SATA Configuration Utility –” in
Chapter 4 “System Configuration” and perform Format Disk with Disk Utilities. When
performing Format Disk, on BIOS Setup Utility, click [Server], [Monitoring
Configuration] and disable [Option ROM Scan Monitoring]. For how to set up, see
“SYSTEM BIOS – SETUP –” on Chapter 4 “System Configuration.”

3-8 Windows Setup and Operation

6.

On the left tree of RDR Utility, right-click a disk to set RDR and click [Add physical
Disk T o RDR Virtual Disk].

Windows Setup and Operation 3-9

7. Confirm that synchronizing disks are started and the DISK ACCESS LEDs and the

display of RDR utility change as shown below:

 Synchronizing

RDR Utility

DISK ACCESS

LED

Op State: State Status

Source disk Amber

(Blinking)

Simplex

Destination disk Amber

(Blinking)

Syncing

RDR V irtual Disk

Simplex

Resync x percent
(x=0, 4, 8, ..., 96)

IMPORTANT:

 The time required for synchronization varies depending on the partition size on the disk.

For 18GB partition, it takes about 20 minutes.
If there is no partition, synchronization may complete in a short period and the disk may
become synchronized after RDR is set.

 If the system is rebooted during synchronization, the process canno t be completed. Do

not restart the system until the synchronization is completed.

3-10 Windows Setup and Operation

 Synchronization completed

RDR Utility

DISK ACCESS

LED

Op State: State Status

Source disk Green

(Blinking)

Duplex

Destination disk Green

(Blinking)

Duplex

RDR V irtual Disk Duplex None

IMPORTANT:

 When a new partition is created on the disk where RDR is configured, the created

partition area is synchronized automatically.

 When the system is halted without shutting down Windows properly, for example, by

pressing the power button, the entire area of the synchronized disks will be
resynchronized after the system is restarted.

Windows Setup and Operation 3-11

Removing duplex configuration of RDR disks

This section describes how to remove duplex configuration from the disk with RDR setting.
In the example below, the duplication setting of the disks in the Slot 2 of the PCI modules 0 and 1 is
removed.

IMPORTANT:

 After executing the command, RDR settings will be cancelled but other data will remain.
 You cannot release the duplex setting of the following disks:

･ Disk containing page files
･ Dynamic disk

 The display of RDR Utility is not updated automatically. Therefore, update it every time you

check the status of disks by clicking [Refresh] from [Action] on the menu or pressing F5.

1. Start the RDR Utility, right-click a d isk you want to cancel RDR from the tree in the left pan e,

and select [Delete RDR configuration on Physical Disk].

2. Click [Yes].

3-12 Windows Setup and Operation

3. Confirm that RDR of the disk is cancelled.

Windows Setup and Operation 3-13

4. Cancel the disk of the corresponding slot in the same manner.

3-14 Windows Setup and Operation

IMPORTANT:

 Cancelled disk may not be displayed properly on [Disk Management] after the RDR is

cancelled. If this is the case, execute the following:

1. Exit [Disk Management].

2. Open [Computer Management] – [Service] and execute “Virtual Disk Service (vds).”

3. Open [Disk Management].

 A partition on the disk where the RDR setting is removed is not assigned a drive letter. To

use the partition, assign a drive letter using [Disk Management].

 If the disk contains a partition which cannot be unmounted, the OS needs to be restarted

when canceling RDR.
In that case, the following pop-up message appears. If you click [Yes], the OS is restarted
automatically after two minutes:

Windows Setup and Operation 3-15

Other functions of RDR Utility

<Commands for physical disks>

Remove Physical Disk From RDR Virtual Disk

All data including RDR settings on a physical disk can be deleted.

IMPORTANT:

 After executing the command, the physical disk becomes an empty basic disk without RDR

settings.

 This command can only be executed to physical disks in Duplex/Syncing state.

1. Start RDR Utility and right-click a target disk on the tree in the left pane, and click [Remove

Physical Disk from RDR Virtual Disk].

2. In the [Remove Physical Disk From RDR Virtual Disk] dialog box, click [Yes].

3. In the [Remove Physical Disk From RDR Virtual Disk] dialog box, click [OK].

Clear Hard MTBF

When a hardware failure occurs to a disk, the mean time between failures (MTBF) is counted and
the value is saved. In RDR Utility, the value is displayed at [MTBF: HardCurrent] and
[MTBF:HardNumberOfFaults].

These MTBF values can be cleared by the [Clear Hard MTBF] command.

1. Start RDR Utility and right-click a target disk on the tree in the left pane, and click [Clear

Hard MTBF].

2. In the [Clear Hard MTBF] dialog box, click [OK].

Clear Soft MTBF

When a software failure occurs to a disk, the mean time between failures (MTBF) is counted and
the value is saved. In RDR Utility, the value is displayed at [MTBF: SoftCurrent] and
[MTBF:SoftNumberOfFaults].

These MTBF values can be cleared by the [Clear Soft MTBF] command.

1. Start RDR Utility and right-click a target disk on the tree in the left pane, and click [Clear

Soft MTBF].

2.

In the [Clear Soft MTBF] dialog box, click [OK].

3-16 Windows Setup and Operation

Resynchronize This Physical Disk From RDR Virtual Disk

Disks whose synchronization by RDR is cancelled for reasons including a failure can be
resynchronized.

1. Start RDR Utility and right-click a target disk in the left pane and click [Resynchronize This

Physical Disk From RDR Virtual Disk].

2. In the [Resynchronize This Physical Disk From RDR Virtual Disk] dialog box, click [OK].

3. Confirm that the resynchronization starts and the status of disks changes as shown below:

 Resynchronizing

RDR Utility

DISK ACCESS

LED

Op State: State Status

Source disk Amber

(Blinking)

Simplex

Destination disk Amber

(Blinking)

Syncing

RDR V irtual Disk

Simplex

Resync x percent

(x=0, 4, 8, ..., 96)

 Synchronization completed

RDR Utility

DISK ACCESS

LED

Op State: State Status

Source disk Green

(Blinking)

Duplex

Destination disk Green

(Blinking)

Duplex

RDR V irtual Disk Duplex None

Windows Setup and Operation 3-17

Set As Active RDR Plex

A physical disk can be set as “Active RDR Plex” by a command.
Active RDR Plex is the disk on which data reading process is performed when Lo ad Balancing of
RDR Virtual Disk is off.

1. Start RDR Utility and right-click a target disk in the left pane and click [Set As Active RDR

Disk].

2. In the [Set As Active RDR Plex] dialog box, click [OK].

Active RDR Plex can be viewed from [Active RDR Plex] of RDR Virtual Disk. (In the image below,
the disk in the slot 2 of PCI module 0 is set to Active RDR Plex among physical disks constructing
RDR Virtual Disk 2.)

3-18 Windows Setup and Operation

Commands for RDR Virtual Disk

Verify RDR Virtual Disk

Whether the synchronization by RDR is performed normally can be checked.

1. Start RDR Utility and right-click [RDR Virtual Disk x] in the left pane and click [Verify

RDR Vi rtual Disk].

2. In the [Verify RDR Virtual Disk] dialog box, click [OK].

The progress of verification can be viewed using RDR Utility .

Verifying Verification completed

[Status] of RDR Virtual Disk x

Verify x percent

(x=0, 4, 8, …, 96)

None

TIPS:

 The verification process is automatically performed every 1 week.
 The time required for verification depends on the disk size and load.

Stop Verifying RDR Virtual Disk

Verification of RDR virtual disk in progress can be stopped.

1. Start RDR Utility and right-click [RDR Virtual Disk x] in the left pane and click [Stop Verify

RDR Vi rtual Disk].

2. In the [Stop Verify RDR Virtual Disk] dialog box, click [OK].

Set Resync Priority

Priority of synchronization by RDR can be specified. By changing the priority, I/O load during
synchronization can be reduced.

1. Start RDR Utility, right-click [RDR Virtual Disk x] in the left pane and click [Set Resync

Priority].

2. When a dialog box appears, select Low, Normal or High (a default is Normal) and click

[OK].

3. In the [Set Resync Priority] dialog box, click [OK].

Set RDR LUN Load Balancing

On or off of load balancing can be specifi ed .
When the load balancing is on (default), the read process is performed alternately from two physical
disks forming the RDR Virtual Disk to improve performance. When it is off, the read process is
performed from the physical disk specified as Active RDR Plex.

1. Start RDR Utility, right-click [RDR Virtual Disk x] in the left pane to change the priority and

Windows Setup and Operation 3-19

click [Set RDR LUN Load Balancing].

2. When a dialog box appears, select On or Off (a default is On) and click [OK].

3. In the [Set RDR LUN Load Balancing] dialog box, click [OK].

3-20 Windows Setup and Operation

Replacing Failed Hard Disk Drives

The following describes how to locate and replace the failed hard disk. The failed hard disk
should be replaced with the server powered on.

How to Locate Failed Disks

1. From [Start], select [All Programs], [RDR] and click [RDR Utility] to start RDR Utility.

2. From the tree on the left pane of [RDR Utility], select each disk and check the values of

[MTBF: Current] and [MTBF:NumberOfFaults] in the right pane.

TIPS:

For RDR Utility, see “About RDR Utility” on page 3-4.

[Description of each MTBF value]

Property name Description Normal value*

MTBF: HardCurrent Mean time between hardware failures. Unknown
MTBF: SoftCurrent Mean time between software failures. Unknown

* The normal value denotes the value of when no error has occurred.

If either of the values is different from the normal value, the disk has an error.

Procedures to Replace Failed Disks

This section describes a procedure for replacing a disk when a failure occurs to a disk that is
duplicated by the RDR function.

IMPORTANT:

The display of RDR Utility is not updated automatically. Therefore, update it every time you
check the status of disks by clicking [Refresh] from [Action] on the menu or pressing F5. Do not
update RDR Utility frequently immediately after inserting a disk.

Here, an example that a failure of the disk in slot 2 of the PCI module 0 is determined as described
in “How to Locate Failed Disks” is explained.

1. From [Start], click [All Programs], point to [RDR], and select [RDR Utility] to start RDR

Utility.

2. Remove the disk in the slot 2 of the PCI module 0.

3. Insert a new disk to the slot 2 of the PCI module 0.

RDR is automatically set to the inserted disk and synchronization starts.

Windows Setup and Operation 3-21

IMPORTANT:

 For a disk to be inserted, use a new or physically formatted disk which has the same

capacity as the disk of the corresponding slot (in this example, the disk in slot 2 of the
PCI module 0)

 When a disk is inserted, a popup window asking for rebooting the system may be

displayed, but there is no need to reboot it. Select [No] and close the popup window.

 Insert the replacement disk after waiting for 15 seconds or more after removing a disk.
 Inserted disk may not be configured to RDR automatically. If this occurs, right click on

the inserted disk in the left tree on [RDR Utility] and click [Add Physical Disk To RDR
Virtual Disk] to start synchronizing.

4.

Confirm that the DISK ACCESS LEDs and the display of RDR Utility change as shown
below:

 Synchronizing

RDR Utility

DISK ACCESS

LED

Op State: State Status

Source disk Amber

(Blinking)

Simplex

Destination disk Amber

(Blinking)

Syncing

RDR V irtual Disk

Simplex

Resync x percent
(x=0, 4, 8, ..., 96)

3-22 Windows Setup and Operation

IMPORTANT:

 The time required for synchronization varies depending on the partition size on the disk.

For 18GB partition, it takes about 20 minutes.
If there is no partition, synchronization may complete in a short period of time and the
disk may become synchronized after RDR is set.

 If the system is rebooted during synchronization, the process canno t be completed. Do

not restart the system until the synchronization is completed.



Synchronization completed

RDR Utility

DISK ACCESS

LED

Op State: State Status

Source disk Green

(Blinking)

Duplex

Destination disk

Green

(Blinking)

Duplex

RDR V irtual Disk Duplex None

Windows Setup and Operation 3-23

CHANGE DRIVE LETTER

To add, change or delete drive letters, follow the steps below. Before making any changes,
thoroughly read the NEC Express5800/ft series-specific precautions and general precautions for
Windows.

1. Select [Start] - [Control Panel] - [Administrative Tools] and open [Computer Management].

2. In the console tree of [Computer Management], click [Disk Management].

3. Right-click a target partition, logical drive or volume and click [Change Drive Letter and

Paths…].

4. Perform one of the following:

z To assign a drive letter, click [Add…], a drive letter to use, then [OK].
z To change a drive letter, click the drive letter to change, [Change…], a drive letter to use,

then [OK].

z To delete a drive letter, click the drive letter to delete then [Remove].

IMPORTANT:

<NEC Express5800/ft series-specific precautions>
 When connecting an optional floppy disk drive, drive letters may change from A to B by

switching CPU/IO modules. This does not affect the opearation of the server. Use B drive as
the floppy disk drive.

<General precautions for Wi ndows>

 Drive letter of system volume or boot volume cannot be changed.
 Up to 26 drive letters can be used on a computer. “A” and “B” are drive letters for floppy

disk drives. Generally, hard disk drives are assigned “C” to “Z”, but for network drives, drive
letters are assigned in a reverse order (“Z” to “C”).

 Because many of Windows programs refer to specific drive letters, cautions are required for

assigning drive letters. For example, the Path environment variable specifies a program name
and a specific drive letter.

 For performing the procedure above, you need to be a member of Backup Operator s group or

Administrators group, or you need to have appropriate authorization.

3-24 Windows Setup and Operation

DUPLEX LAN CONFIGURATION

The NEC Express5800/ft series builds a duplex LAN configuration by using “Stratus emb-EB
2-Port Gigabit Adapter,” mounted as standard on the CPU/IO module and the extended PCI slot
“NEC MT Gigabit Adapter”, “NEC MF Gigabit Adapter,” and “Stratus U 575 Dual Port Copper
Gigabit Adapter.”

Overview

The duplex LAN configuration is of three types as described below:

 Adapter Fault Tolerance (AFT)

Adapter Fault Tolerance (AFT) is a feature that places more than one LAN controller on the
same LAN (same segment), and automatically switches the process of the primary controller to
the backup controller when any trouble occurred on the primary.

 Adaptive Load Balancing (ALB)

Adaptive Load Balancing (ALB) is a feature that connects more than one LAN controller to the
same hub and enhances the throughput by operating packet transmission from the server.

Receive Load Balancing (RLB) is enabled by default. Disable RLB. When RLB is enabled
the network duplex configuration may fail.

 Switch Fault Tolerance (SFT)

Switch Fault Tolerance (SFT) is a feature that provides the network availability because the
fail-over target (standby) adapter takes over the MAC address/L3 address when failure occurs
on adapter/cable/connecting switch, as two adapters are connected to corresponding two
switches. One is allocated to the primary adapter and the other is allocated to the standby
adapter. On the network, the primary adapter communicates.

Regarding the path redundancy, you need to construct the environment both on the ft server
and the switch devices. Spanning Tree Protocol (SPT) function is required to construct the path
redundancy on the switch devices.

When you construct the environment, you need to set the switch priority in order to maintain
the path to the primary adapter after the path information is updated if a switch on the path is
broken. In addition, you need to set the priority to use the secondary adapter's switch if the
primary adapter's switch is broken.

The other modes, “Static Link Aggregation” and “IEEE 802.3ad Link Aggregation,” do not
contribute to enhancement against a fault. When a fault occurs, the communication performed on
the controller with the fault is not taken over by the backup controller but lost.

Windows Setup and Operation 3-25

Rules of Duplex Configuration on NEC Express5800/ft
series

Be sure to make the setting of duplex network configuration on the server.
When building duplex configuration, be sure to use at least one adapter of CPU/IO module 0 and of

1 individually.
Example1) Configure the duplex network which enhances the service lif e by using all adapters.

Example 2) Configure the duplex network which corresponds to multiple LAN connection.

Network

CPU/IO module 1

CPU/IO module 0 CPU/IO module 1

Network 1
Network 2

CPU/IO module 0

3-26 Windows Setup and Operation

Configuring Duplex LAN

This section describes how to configure duplex LAN.
The following explains how to configure duplex/dual LAN regarding to the example shown in

“

Rules of Duplex Configuration on NEC Express5800/ft series.”

IMPORTANT:

Log on as "Administrator" or a member of the group "Administrators."

1. Start [Device Manager].

2. Select a target Network Adapter. Right-click on it and select [Properties] from the menu

displayed to show the properties dialog box.

Windows Setup and Operation 3-27

3. Select the [Teaming] tab on the properties dialog box. Select the [Team with other adapters],

and then click the [New Team…] button.

4.

Enter the team name and click [Next].

3-28 Windows Setup and Operation

5. Select the adapters to include in the team and click [Next].

6.

Select [Adapter Fault Tolerance] or [Adaptive Load Balancing] or [Switch Fault Tolerance] as
a team mode (Usually select [Adapter Fault Tolerance]).

Click [Next].

Windows Setup and Operation 3-29

7. Click [Finish].

8.

Start Command prompt to check the physical MAC address set on ipconfig/all.

9.

Select the Team Adapter you have set. Right-click on it and select [Properties] f rom the menu
displayed to show the properties dialog box.

3-30 Windows Setup and Operation

10. Select the [Advanced] tab on the properties dialog box. Select [Locally Administered

Address] from the [Settings] list box, and then enter the MAC address of a Team Adapter,
which you have checked, in the [Value] text box. Click [OK].

Windows Setup and Operation 3-31

Removing Duplex/Dual LAN

This section describes how to remove duplex/dual LAN.

IMPORTANT:

Log on as "Administrator" or a member of the group "Administrators.”

1. Start [Device Manager].

2. Select the Team Adapter of which you want to remove duplex/dual LAN. Right-click on it,

and then select [Properties] from the menu displayed to show the properties dialog box.

3-32 Windows Setup and Operation

3. Select the [Settings] tab in the properties dialog box and click the [Remove Team] button.

4.

The confirmation dialog box appears. Clic k [Yes] b utt on .

Windows Setup and Operation 3-33

CHECKING THE DUPLICATING OPERATION OF
MODULES

This section describes how to check if the system runs properly after system installation or
reinstallation.

CPU/IO module has a processor function part and IO function part. Each part
is monitored and managed by the module. In this section, the processor function part is
referred to as CPU module and IO function part PCI module.

Evaluate Startup and Stop of PCI Modules

This section describes how to confirm the continuous system operation by failover after stopping the
primary PCI module.

1.

Check which is the primary PCI module.
The PCI module with the POWER switch illuminated is the primary module.

2.

Check whether the PCI modules are duplicated.
To check if the PCI modules are duplicated, see the CPU/IO modules’ status LEDs.

[

Indications of the status LEDs when PCI modules are duplicated]

LED Primary Secondary

1

CPU/IO module status LED1 - -

2

CPU/IO module status LED2 Green Green

3

DISK AC C ESS LED Green blinking Green blinking

* The numbers in the table correspond to the numbers in the above figure.

The DISK ACCESS LED (3) lights when the hard disk drive is accessed.