Specifications

processors and the virtual server resources that can run within the server hard partitions (resource
management groups, soft partitions) across an entire multitier application based on the demand
generated at the front end. By ensuring that each service can access the resources it requires to meet
its service levels, HP gWLM reduces the complexity and management challenges associated with
multitier applications and web services.
For more information on virtualization and the HP VSE, see the white paper HP Virtual Server
Environment for HP Integrity and HP 9000 servers—Optimize server utilization in real time.
HP Instant Capacity
With HP iCAP solutions running on HP-UX, the HP 9000 rp7440 and rp8440 Servers can be fully
populated with high-performance Dual-Core PA-8900 processors at a significantly lower cost. It is no
longer necessary to fully pay for inactive processors—with iCAP, you only pay when you start using
the extra capacity. These additional processors can be activated with a simple command, providing
immediate increases in processing power to accommodate application traffic demands.
iCAP is also an availability feature. In the unlikely event that a processor fails, the HP system
automatically replaces the failed processor on the cell board at no additional charge—without
rebooting. In online mode, the iCAP processor brings the system back to full performance and
capacity levels, reducing downtime and ensuring no degradation in performance.
HP Temporary Instant Capacity (TiCAP) is the ability to turn iCAP processors that are already installed
in the system on and off for short periods to provide added capacity. TiCAP gives you the ability to
adjust to unplanned or planned spikes in computing.
Cell board iCAP extends the iCAP value proposition to include a complete standby cell board
(processors and memory) in the system for a fraction of the cost. When processing capacity is
needed, simply activate the cell board (memory and at least one processor) to immediately increase
the compute power of the server.
HP iCAP tools use the following algorithm to activate new processors:
1. Verify that there is at least one active processor per cell board.
2. Activate processors round robin style across cell boards within a partition—the number of active
processors per cell board differs by, at most, one across the partition.
3. Enable processors on a cell board in the order 0, 1, 2, 3 to spread the processors across the two
internal cell controller buses and allocate processors in the best thermal fashion.
4. When a failed processor is replaced, choose one from the same cell board when possible; if that
is not possible, choose the next available processor, following rules 2 and 3.
For increased performance, all cell boards in the same partition should contain the same number of
active processors. For high availability reasons, each cell board should contain at least two active
processors.
High availability
High availability (HA) continues to be the hallmark of HP computer systems. But HP knows that
delivering solutions that fully enable the highly available 24 × 7 operations demanded of today’s
businesses requires more than just delivering laundry lists of unusable HA features—or HA features
with limited utility. The high availability features of the HP 9000 rp7440 and rp8440 Servers address
the real causes of downtime, as determined by actual field data from midrange computer users.
The HA features of the HP 9000 rp7440 and rp8440 Servers can be classified as those that address
per partition reliability and those that address intra-partition reliability—that is, single points of failure
between hard partitions.
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