Installation guide

1-4
Installation Guide
Server Hardware
Note:
Abbreviations and acronyms are documented in the Glossary.
Main server hardware components are:
Central SubSystem Module (CSS Module)
Main server hardware components are housed in the CSS Module. For easy access and
servicing, the CSS Module is composed of three interconnected units:
Front Unit Core Unit Rear Unit
1 or 2QBBs
1 MQB
1 or 2 IOCs
1 or 2 Internal Peripheral Drawers
1 MIO
1 or 2 IOLs
2 MSXs
1 PMB
1 MFL
2 or 4 DPS Units
8 Fanboxes
Notes:
• The CSS Module can be logically divided into two Cells, each with one QBB and one
IOC, to allow dynamic partitioning.
• According to version, servers are equipped with one, two, three, or four interconnected
CSS modules.
Front Unit
Quad Brick Block (QBB)
The QBB is equipped with 2 to 4 Itanium

2 processors and 16 DDR DIMMs. The QBB
communicates with the rest of the system the high-speed bidirectional link Scalability Port
Switches (SPS) located on the MSX.
Internal Peripheral Drawer (IPD)
The Internal Peripheral Drawer is equipped with a DVD/CD ROM drive and a USB port. The
Internal Peripheral Drawer is connected to the MQB in the Core Unit via a Device Interface
Board (DIB).
Optionally:
• the Internal Peripheral Drawer can house 2 SCSI Disks for OS partitions or storage,
• two Internal Peripheral Drawers, in the same CSS module, can be connected together to
house 4 SCSI Disks for OS partitions or storage (Chained DIBs).
Core Unit
Midplane QBB Board (MQB)
The QBBs and the Internal Peripheral Drawers are connected to the MQB.
Midplane IO Board (MIO)
The IOCs and the PMB are connected to the MIO.
Midplane SPS & XPS Board (MSX)
Each MSX houses 1 high-speed directional link Scalability Port Switch (SPS) and is connected
to both the MIO and the MQB. Each QBB and IOC communicates with the rest of the system
through the SPS.