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Lenovo System x3850 X6 and x3950 X6 
Quick Start Guide

Abstract

The Lenovo® System x3850 X6 and x3950 X6 servers are new four-socket and eight-socket 
servers that deliver fast application performance thanks to an innovative scalable design and 
new storage technology that is designed to optimize overall solution performance. These 
servers are based on the highly scalable Intel Xeon processor E7-4800 v2 and E7-8800 v2 
product families and are the first servers designed and optimized for eXFlash™ 
memory-channel storage, the latest in ultra-low latency flash storage technology.

This quick start guide addresses the preferred practices for setting up the x3850 X6 and 
x3950 X6 servers. It provides all of the information necessary to unpack a system and be up 
and running in the minimal amount of time. The paper provides insightful information from 
experts in the field and in development and covers the system architecture and major 
subsystems such as memory, I/O, power and cooling. The paper also offers a pre-installation 
checklist and tips on troubleshooting. This paper is intended for pre-sales and post-sales 
technical support professionals.

Contents

Introducing the x3850 X5 and x3950 X6  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2
Architecture  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
Memory subsystem  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
I/O subsystem  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  12
Power subsystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Cooling subsystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Pre-installation checklist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  22
Troubleshooting tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  25
Related publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  31

John R. Encizo

Timothy M. Wiwel

Loc X. Nguyen

Содержание System x3850 X6

Страница 1: ...nology This quick start guide addresses the preferred practices for setting up the x3850 X6 and x3950 X6 servers It provides all of the information necessary to unpack a system and be up and running in the minimal amount of time The paper provides insightful information from experts in the field and in development and covers the system architecture and major subsystems such as memory I O power and...

Страница 2: ...an innovative scalable design and new storage technology that is designed to optimize overall solution performance The X6 servers are the first servers designed and optimized for eXFlash memory channel storage With eXFlash memory channel storage they can deliver up to 12 8 TB of ultra low latency flash storage With the new Intel Xeon processor E7 4800 v2 and E7 8800 v2 product families the x3850 X...

Страница 3: ...to eight Intel Xeon processor E7 8800 v2 product family processors Up to 192 DIMM slots 24 DIMM slots per processor for up to 12 TB of memory using 64 GB DIMMs Up to 1600 MHz DDR3 memory speeds and up to 2667 MHz SMI2 link speeds Up to 12 8 TB of eXFlash memory channel storage Up to 16 2 5 inch hot swap drives or up to 30 two 1 8 inch hot swap SSDs Support for 12 Gbps SAS connectivity for the inte...

Страница 4: ... preferred practices in regards to configuring the system Memory should be installed in quantities of eight DIMMs per CPU for optimal performance and to avoid any potential issues with memory installation order interfering with the memory mode chosen For best I O performance install the correct amount of adapters so that as many processors as possible have a direct connection to I O Figure 3 x3850...

Страница 5: ...e provides higher memory bandwidth at the cost of advanced memory RAS features and memory frequency Single Device Data Correction only Figure 4 shows the two memory modes Figure 4 Memory modes Performance mode left and RAS mode right Intel Xeon processor DIMM Memory controller DIMM DIMM Memory controller DIMM DIMM DIMM DIMM DIMM DIMM DIMM DIMM DIMM DIMM DIMM DIMM DIMM DIMM DIMM DIMM DIMM DIMM DIMM...

Страница 6: ... quantity supported 96 96 96 96 Maximum DIMM capacity 8 GB 16 GB 32 GB 64 GB Maximum memory capacity 768 GB 1 5 TB 3 TB 6 TB Maximum operating speed Independent Performance mode 1 DIMM channel 1333 MHz 1333 MHz 1333 MHz 1333 MHz 1333 MHz 1333 MHz 1333 MHz 1333 MHz 2 DIMMs channel 1333 MHz 1333 MHz 1333 MHz 1333 MHz 1333 MHz 1333 MHz 1333 MHz 1333 MHz 3 DIMMs channel 1066 MHz 1333 MHz 1066 MHz 1333...

Страница 7: ... 1 Slot 0 Slot 2 Slot 1 Slot 0 DIMM 1 DIMM 3 DIMM 2 Memory controller 2 Memory buffer 2 DIMM 6 DIMM 4 DIMM 5 Slot 2 Slot 1 Slot 0 Slot 2 Slot 1 Slot 0 DIMM 24 DIMM 22 DIMM 23 Memory buffer 3 DIMM 16 DIMM 18 DIMM 17 Slot 2 Slot 1 Slot 0 Slot 2 Slot 1 Slot 0 DIMM 10 DIMM 12 DIMM 11 Memory channel 0 Memory channel 1 Memory channel 2 Memory channel 3 Memory buffer 0 DIMM 9 DIMM 7 DIMM 8 Front DIMMs Sl...

Страница 8: ...layout Figure 6 CPU layout left side of board Figure 7 CPU layout right side of board DIMM 1 DIMM 2 DIMM 3 DIMM 4 DIMM 5 DIMM 6 DIMM 10 DIMM 11 DIMM 12 DIMM 7 DIMM 8 DIMM 9 Microprocessor Left side of board DIMM 24 DIMM 23 DIMM 22 DIMM 19 DIMM 20 DIMM 21 DIMM 15 DIMM 14 DIMM 13 DIMM 18 DIMM 17 DIMM 16 Right side of board ...

Страница 9: ...Population sequence DIMM number DDR3 slot number 1st 1 SMI0 Channel0 Slot0 Front 2nd 2 SMI2 Channel0 Slot0 Front 3rd 3 SMI1 Channel1 Slot0 Front 4th 4 SMI3 Channel1 Slot0 Front 5th 5 SMI0 Channel1 Slot0 Back 6th 6 SMI2 Channel1 Slot0 Back 7th 7 SMI1 Channel0 Slot0 Back 8th 8 SMI3 Channel0 Slot0 Back 9 16 Repeat order move to Slot1 Four front four back 17 24 Repeat order move to Slot 2 Four front f...

Страница 10: ...mance mirroring RAS mode RAS mirroring 1 DIMM 9 DIMM 9 19 DIMM 9 15 DIMM 1 9 15 19 2 DIMM 6 DIMM 6 16 DIMM 6 24 DIMM 6 10 16 24 3 DIMM 1 DIMM 1 15 DIMM 1 19 DIMM 2 8 14 20 4 DIMM 10 DIMM 10 24 DIMM 10 16 DIMM 5 11 17 23 5 DIMM 15 DIMM 8 20 DIMM 8 14 DIMM 3 7 13 21 6 DIMM 24 DIMM 5 17 DIMM 5 23 DIMM 4 12 18 22 7 DIMM 19 DIMM 2 14 DIMM 2 20 Not applicable 8 DIMM 16 DIMM 11 23 DIMM 11 17 9 DIMM 8 DIM...

Страница 11: ...k Depending on the memory mode for example Lockstep this configuration might not be sufficient for operation The default memory mode for the X6 system is Lockstep which is important for those scenarios where less than the optimal number of DIMMs per processor are installed Always be sure to properly configure the memory mode in Unified Extensible Firmware Interface UEFI before changing the DIMM in...

Страница 12: ...s in a Processor Book two DIMMs per channel is 1333 MHz are as follows RDIMMs install to DIMM slots 9 6 1 10 15 24 19 16 8 5 2 11 14 23 20 17 eXFlash DIMMs install to DIMM slots 7 4 3 12 13 22 21 18 I O subsystem Figure 8 shows an overview of the I O layout of the x3850 X6 server Figure 8 I O layout of the x3850 X6 server 4x hot swap power supplies 750 W AC 900 W AC 1400 W AC 1x Primary I O Book 2...

Страница 13: ... x8 slots For the FH FL I O Book this configuration is presented as 2x16 slots and 1x8 slot You can opt for any combination of the two possible I O Books In an eight socket configuration Socket 1 is in the bottom node Table 6 shows the processor and PCIe slot association Table 6 Processor and PCIe slot association Figure 9 shows the numbering of the PCIe slots on the x3850 X6 Figure 9 x3850 X6 PCI...

Страница 14: ...ocket configuration or Slots 39 41 in an eight socket configuration and the additional adapters should be populated so that you have one adapter type per book If using an eight socket configuration have at least one HBA in slots 39 41 and Slots 7 9 first After the initial one adapter type per CPU population is complete go back and populate from higher numbered slots to lower numbered slots using t...

Страница 15: ...lowing as shown in Figure 12 on page 16 a Validate that the system has AC power removed b Place the I O Book into the system There are two non hot swap handles on the Primary I O Book These handles should be engaged at the same time to lock the board into place c Reapply the AC power Release latch Handle Extension bracket Filler panel ...

Страница 16: ...s fully seated Failure to properly align and seat the retention PCIe card retention latch can lead to either PCIe cards becoming loose causing system stability issues or the PCIe retention latch to break when the I O Book is installed With back level firmware the middle slot on FH FL I O Books can become disabled This is connected in UEFI 1 0 BuildID A8E112A Fan pack 9 Fan pack 10 NMI button Seria...

Страница 17: ...100 Figure 14 System properties on the LCD system information panel SystemName SystemStatus Errors Error 1 Error 2 Error 3 Error n System VPD MTM Serial UUID String pDSA Code System FW Levels UEFI Primary Level UEFI Backup Level IMM Primary Level IMM Backup Level IMM Hostname IMM Network Info IMM Ext MAC or IMM Shared MAC IP Add DNS Primary DNS Secondary DNS Tertiary System Environmental Ambient T...

Страница 18: ...rd hosts the IMM and UEFI code as well as the system battery USB hypervisor port and the Mezzanine LAN on motherboard generation 2 ML2 adapter slot The ML2 slot Slot 10 as highlighted in Figure 15 is designed exclusively for ML2 adapters ML2 network adapter cards only work in the ML2 slot Figure 15 ML2 slot Slot 10 ML2 slot ...

Страница 19: ...the PSUs are populated correctly 1400W PSUs in the odd numbered bays and 900W PSUs in the even numbered bays A reboot is required to recalibrate system power any time settings are changed that impact overall power draw on the system Systems plugged into 110 120V power have their 1400W PSUs operate at 900W Keep this in mind when calculating the system power When changing power redundancy settings b...

Страница 20: ...and x3950 X6 Quick Start Guide In an eight socket system the top four supplies power the top four CPUs and the bottom four supplies power the bottom four CPUs Figure 17 Server Power Management tab Figure 18 Power Policies window ...

Страница 21: ...s regarding the cooling subsystem If a fan on a CPU book is removed for more than 10 seconds the system begins to generate thermal events and the system might shut itself down in approximately 5 minutes if the fan is not replaced A failed fan pack on a system causes it to fail to power on If you have a fan installed and the system fails to power on remove the fan pack Figure 20 and validate that t...

Страница 22: ...irmware IMM UEFI Dynamic System Analysis DSA via the IMM Update the firmware in the following order a Update both IMM banks and restart the IMM which can take up to 15 minutes b Update both UEFI banks and start the system This process can take up to 30 minutes for the firmware update to complete The F1 screen displays when UEFI has completed the update c Press F1 go into UEFI and load the defaults...

Страница 23: ...n for Generic RAID 0 1 5 and 6 if applicable This basic configuration gives you little control in how arrays are laid out The Make JBOD option is supported in those scenarios where you have a M5210 adapter but do not have the cache module installed This option sets the controller in pass through mode which allows the drives to become directly addressable to the OS JBOD mode and virtual drive RAID ...

Страница 24: ... RAID card requires a driver to both install and function correctly in older Windows 2008 and 2012 and Linux RHEL 6 4 6 5 SLES 1 and 1 SP1 operating systems The driver inf files for Windows and RPM and DUD files are included on the x3850 X6 driver download site If installing Windows 2012 it is required to install the OS in UEFI mode Failure to perform a UEFI mode install results in the OS installe...

Страница 25: ...this list of troubleshooting tips to aid with problem determination If the fan speed on the CPU book ramps up but there is no error on the LCD display Check the other fan on the same CPU book The power connector might be broken or pushed in the housing as shown in Figure 27 Figure 27 Fan unit with broken lock mechanism Lock broken with the connector pushed in ...

Страница 26: ... b Click the Server Management tab c Select Power Redundancy and check the following i Make sure there is enough power to power the system ii Make sure there is enough power to run the system with the level of redundancy required Downlevel RAID firmware can cause the system to panic when MegaCLI is used to query the adapter Update to the newest firmware on the x3850 X6 support site ibm_fw_sraidmr_...

Страница 27: ...cords If you did not remove the AC power when adding a CPU book and if the server fails to restart properly either fails to power on or goes into an endless boot loop the IMM data might have corrupted The solution is to reflash both IMM banks again Make sure fillers are installed in the empty drive cages and backplanes or the system will generate thermal alerts Windows 2012 R2 Installations have i...

Страница 28: ...rrays For an eight socket system if for any reason one node turns on and the other one does not DC off the node that is on then AC cycle both nodes If the fault LED is lit look at both the IMM web log and the front panel to determine the failure cause In some failure modes an error message is not printed to the LCD but is logged to the IMM All error messages from the IMM might not populate to the ...

Страница 29: ...0 1 and 2 In a four socket or eight socket system the QPI meshes all CPUs together as shown in Figure 29 and Figure 30 Figure 29 Four socket system QPI topology Figure 30 Eight socket system QPI topology QPI Port 2 QPI Port 2 QPI Port 2 QPI Port 2 Four socket QPI topology CPU1 CPU2 CPU3 CPU4 QPI Port 1 QPI Port 1 QPI Port 1 QPI Port 1 QPI Port 0 QPI Port 0 QPI Port 0 QPI Port 0 QPI Port 1 QPI Port...

Страница 30: ...or bent pins on the midplane to avoid a the situation where this one hardware problem can cascade into addition hardware failures Perform this check before starting the defective FRU isolation process b Swap one of the failing books with a good book in the same system c If the IMM still calls out the same two CPU books swap out the other failing book d If the failure follows the book it is the CPU...

Страница 31: ...em x3850 X6 RETAIN tip H212099 http ibm com support entry portal docdisplay lndocid MIGR 5094814 DIMMs may appear as present not configured under UEFI F1 setup menus System x3850 X6 RETAIN tip H212105 http ibm com support entry portal docdisplay lndocid MIGR 5094838 Memory status on IMM web does not match web log entries System x3850 X6 RETAIN tip H212103 http ibm com support entry portal docdispl...

Страница 32: ...eir contributions to this project Tisha R Jefferson Lenovo System x Marketing David Watts Lenovo Press Now you can become a published author too Here s an opportunity to spotlight your skills grow your career and become a published author all at the same time Join an ITSO residency project and help write a book in your area of expertise while honing your experience using leading edge technologies ...

Страница 33: ...are periodically made to the information herein these changes will be incorporated in new editions of the publication Lenovo may make improvements and or changes in the product s and or the program s described in this publication at any time without notice The products described in this document are not intended for use in implantation or other life support applications where malfunction may resul...

Страница 34: ...o trademarks is available on the Web at http www lenovo com legal copytrade html The following terms are trademarks of Lenovo in the United States other countries or both Advanced Settings Utility Bootable Media Creator eXFlash Lenovo Lenovo logo ServerProven System x Intel Intel Xeon Intel logo Intel Inside logo and Intel Centrino logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation ...

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