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IBM System x3550 M4 1

I B M ®

IBM System x3550 M4

IBM Redbooks Product Guide

The IBM® System x3550 M4 server provides outstanding performance for your business-critical

applications. Its energy-efficient design supports more cores, memory, and data capacity in a compact 1U

package that is easy to service and manage. With more computing power per watt and the latest Intel

Xeon processors, you can reduce costs while maintaining speed and availability.

Suggested use: database, virtualization, enterprise applications, collaboration/email, streaming media,

web, HPC, and cloud applications.

Figure 1 shows the IBM System x3550 M4.

Figure 1. The IBM System x3550 M4

Did you know?

The x3550 M4 offers a flexible, scalable design and a simple upgrade path to eight HDDs plus an optical

drive at the same time, and up to 768 GB of memory. The flexible onboard Ethernet solution provides four

standard integrated Gigabit Ethernet ports and two optional embedded 10 Gb Ethernet ports without

occupying PCIe slots. Comprehensive systems management tools with the next-generation Integrated

Management Module II (IMM2) make it easy to deploy, integrate, service, and manage.

Summary of content (47 pages)

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I BM ® IBM System x3550 M4 IBM Redbooks Product Guide The IBM® System x3550 M4 server provides outstanding performance for your business-critical applications. Its energy-efficient design supports more cores, memory, and data capacity in a compact 1U package that is easy to service and manage. With more computing power per watt and the latest Intel Xeon processors, you can reduce costs while maintaining speed and availability.
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Key features The x3550 M4 is a cost- and density-balanced 1U, 2-socket business-critical server, offering improved performance and pay-as-you grow flexibility along with new features that improve server management capability. The powerful system is designed for your most important business applications and cloud deployments. Combining balanced performance and flexibility, the x3550 M4 is a great choice for small and medium businesses and up to the large enterprise.
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Availability and serviceability The x3550 M4 provides many features to simplify serviceability and increase system uptime:  The server offers memory mirroring and memory rank sparing for redundancy in the event of a non-correctable memory failure.  Tool-less cover removal provides easy access to upgrades and serviceable parts, such as CPU, memory, and adapter cards.  The server offers hot-swap drives supporting RAID redundancy for data protection and greater system uptime.
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Energy efficiency The x3550 M4 offers the following energy-efficiency features to save energy, reduce operational costs, increase energy availability, and contribute to a green environment:  Energy-efficient planar components help lower operational costs.  High-efficiency 550 W and 750 W power supplies with 80 PLUS Platinum certification. Available 750 W dc power supply option.
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Figure 3 shows the rear of the server. Figure 3. Rear view of the IBM System x3550 M4 Figure 4 shows the locations of key components inside the server. Figure 4.
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Standard specifications The following table lists the standard specifications. Table 1. Standard specifications (part 1) Components Specification Form factor 1U Rack. Processor Up to two Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 product family CPUs with eight cores (up to 2.9 GHz) or six cores (up to 2.9 GHz) or quad-cores (up to 3.3 GHz). Two QPI links up to 8.0 GT/s each. Up to 1600 MHz memory speed. Up to 20 MB L3 cache. Chipset Intel C604 Memory Up to 24 DIMM sockets (12 DIMMs per processor).
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Table 1. Standard specifications (part 2) Components Specification Hot-swap parts Hard drives, power supplies, fans. Systems management UEFI, IBM Integrated Management Module 2 (IMM2), Predictive Failure Analysis, Light Path Diagnostics, Automatic Server Restart, IBM Systems Director and IBM Systems Director Active Energy Manager™, IBM ServerGuide. Optional IMM Advanced FOD Upgrade for remote presence (graphics, keyboard and mouse, virtual media).
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Standard models The following table lists the standard models. Table 2. Standard models Model Intel Xeon Processors† (2 maximum) Memory RAID Disk bays Disks GbE Optical Power Models announced August 2012 7914-32x 1x E5-2643 4C 3.3GHz 10MB 1600MHz 130W 1x 4 GB M5110 4x 2.5" HS/8 Open 4 Open 1x 750W 7914-DDx* 2x E5-2620 6C 2.0GHz 15MB 1333MHz 95W 8x 4 GB M5110 512MB with Battery 4x 2.5" HS/8 2x 600 GB SAS 6* Multiburner 2x 550W 7914-M2x 1x E5-2690 8C 2.
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Management node Model 7914-DDx is a model optimized as a management node and is preloaded with Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard and IBM Systems Director. The model also includes these components as standard: Intel Ethernet Dual Port Server Adapter I340-T2 (49Y4230) IBM Integrated Management Module Advanced Upgrade (90Y3901) Two PCIe x16 slots    Express models The following table lists the express models. Table 3.
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Table 3. Express models (Part 2) Model Intel Xeon Processors† (2 maximum) Memory RAID Disk bays Disks GbE DVD Power Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Middle East & Africa (MEA) 7914-E1G 1x E5-2603 4C 1.8GHz 10MB 1066MHz 80W 1x 4 GB M1115 4x 2.5" HS / 8 Optional 4 Multiburner 1x 550W 7914-E2G 1x E5-2603 4C 1.8GHz 10MB 1066MHz 80W 1x 4 GB M1115 4x 2.5" HS / 8 2 x 500GB HS SATA 4 Multiburner 1x 550W 7914-E3G 1x E5-2620 6C 2.0GHz 15MB 1333MHz 95W 1x 8 GB M5110 512MB Cache 8x 2.
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Processor options The x3550 M4 supports the processor options listed in the following table. The server supports up to two processors. This table shows which server models have each processor standard. If there is no corresponding where used model for a particular processor, then this processor is only available through CTO. Table 4.
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The IBM System x3550 M4 supports DDR3 memory. The server supports up to 12 DIMMs when one processor is installed, and up to 24 DIMMs when two processors are installed. Each processor has four memory channels, and there are three DIMMs per channel. The following rules apply when selecting the memory configuration:      Mixing different types of memory (UDIMMs, RDIMMs, and LRDIMMs) is not supported. Mixing 1.5 V and 1.35 V DIMMs in the same server is supported; in such cases, all DIMMs operate at 1.
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Table 5. Maximum memory speeds (Part 2: UDIMMs and LRDIMMs) Specification UDIMMs LRDIMMs Rank Dual rank Quad rank Part numbers 49Y1404 (4 GB) 90Y3105 (32 GB) Rated speed 1333 MHz 1333 MHz Rated voltage 1.35 V 1.35 V Operating voltage 1.35 V 1.5 V 1.35 V 1.
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The following table lists memory options available for the x3550 M4 server. Table 6. Memory options Part number Feature code Description Maximum Standard models supported where used 8648 4 GB (1x 4 GB, 2Rx8, 1.35 V) PC3L-10600 CL9 ECC 1333 MHz LP UDIMM 16 (8 per CPU) UDIMMs 49Y1404 - RDIMMs - 1066 MHz and 1333 MHz 49Y1405 8940 2 GB (1x 2 GB, 1Rx8, 1.35 V) PC3L-10600 CL9 ECC DDR3 1333 MHz LP RDIMM 24 (12 per CPU) 49Y1406 8941 4 GB (1x 4 GB, 1Rx4, 1.
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Internal disk storage options IBM System x3550 M4 server supports the following internal storage configurations:     Eight 2.5" Slim-SFF SAS/SATA hot-swap hard drive bays Four 2.5" Slim-SFF SAS/SATA hot-swap hard drive bays Three 3.5" hot-swap SAS/SATA hard drive bays Three 3.5" Simple Swap SATA hard drive bays (only available in CTO) Figure 5 shows the first three of these configurations. Figure 5. Internal drive configurations Backplanes All standard models, except C4x, ship with four 2.
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RAID controllers The following table lists the RAID controllers and the additional options used for the internal disk storage of the x3550 M4 server. Table 8.
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The ServeRAID M1115 SAS/SATA Controller has the following specifications:        Eight internal 6 Gbps SAS/SATA ports Two x4 mini-SAS internal connectors (SFF-8087) Supports RAID levels 0, 1, and 10 Supports RAID levels 5 and 50 with optional M1100 Series RAID 5 upgrades 6 Gbps throughput per port PCIe x8 Gen 3 host interface Based on the LSI SAS2008 6 Gbps ROC controller The ServeRAID M5110 SAS/SATA Controller has the following specifications:          Eight internal 6 Gbps SAS/SATA port
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Drive options for internal storage The following table lists hard drive options for internal disk storage of the x3550 M4 server. Table 9. Disk drive options for internal disk storage (Part 1) Part number Feature code Description Maximum supported 3.5" simple-swap HDDs - NL SATA* 81Y9802 A22U IBM 500GB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 3.5" G2SS HDD 3 81Y9806 A22X IBM 1TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 3.5" G2SS HDD 3 81Y9810 A22W IBM 2TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 3.5" G2SS HDD 3 81Y9814 A22V IBM 3TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 3.
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Table 9. Disk drive options for internal disk storage (Part 2) Part number Feature code Description Maximum supported 2.5-inch hot-swap HDDs - SAS 90Y8926 A2XB IBM 146GB 15K 6Gbps SAS 2.5" SFF G2HS HDD 8 90Y8944 A2ZK IBM 146GB 15K 6Gbps SAS 2.5" SFF G2HS SED 8 90Y8877 A2XC IBM 300GB 10K 6Gbps SAS 2.5" SFF G2HS HDD 8 90Y8913 A2XF IBM 300GB 10K 6Gbps SAS 2.5" SFF G2HS SED 8 81Y9670 A283 IBM 300GB 15K 6Gbps SAS 2.5" SFF HS HDD 8 90Y8872 A2XD IBM 600GB 10K 6Gbps SAS 2.
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IBM System x3550 M4 20
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Internal backup units The server does not support internal tape drive options or other internal backup units. However, it can be attached to the external tape drives using SAS or Fibre Channel connectivity (see Table 26). Optical drives The server supports the optical drive options listed in the following table. Server models with 3.5" HDDs do not support internal optical drive; they provide a third USB port on the front for an external optical drive. Table 10.
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I/O expansion options The server supports two PCI slots with different riser cards installed into two riser sockets on the system planar (one riser socket supports the installation of one riser card). The slot form factors are as follows:   Slot 1: PCIe x16; low profile, half-length Slot 2: PCIe x16, PCIe x8, or PCI-X; full-height, half-length (PCIe x16 slot requires second processor to be installed) Riser 1 supplies slot 1, and riser 2 supplies slot 2.
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The following table lists additional supported network adapters. Table 12.
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Table 12. Network adapters (Part 2) Part number Feature code Description Maximum supported 95Y3750 A2MY Mellanox ConnectX-2 Dual-port QSFP QDR IB Adapter for IBM System x 2 00D9550 A3PN Mellanox ConnectX-3 FDR VPI IB/E Adapter for IBM System x InfiniBand 2 For more information, see the list of IBM Redbooks Product Guides in the Networking adapters category: http://www.redbooks.ibm.
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Table 13.
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GPU adapters The server supports a graphics processing unit (GPU) provided the x16 riser card (69Y5671, feature A1HL) is installed. The server provides up to 225W of external power to each GPU. The following table lists the supported GPUs. Table 15. GPU adapters Part number Feature code Description Maximum supported 00W2299 A1QU NVIDIA Quadro 2000 1 81Y6399 A13K NVIDIA Quadro 600 1 If the NVIDIA Quadro 600 is installed, the maximum memory that can be installed is 128 GB.
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Remote management The server contains IBM Integrated Management Module II (IMM2), which provides advanced service-processor control, monitoring, and an alerting function. If an environmental condition exceeds a threshold or if a system component fails, the IMM lights LEDs to help you diagnose the problem, records the error in the event log, and alerts you to the problem. Optionally, the IMM also provides a virtual presence capability for remote server management capabilities.
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Supported operating systems The server supports the following operating systems:                         Microsoft Windows Server 2012 Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Datacenter x64 Edition Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Datacenter x86 Edition Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Enterprise x64 Edition Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Enterprise x86 Edition Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Standard x64 Edition Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Standard x86 Edition
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Supported environment:  Air temperature       Server on: 5°C to 40°C (41°F to 104°F); altitude: 0 to 915 m (3,000 ft) for models with 60W to 95W processors Server on: 10°C to 35°C (50°F to 95°F); altitude: 0 to 915 m (3,000 ft) for models with 115W to 130W processors Server on: 10°C to 27°C (50°F to 81°F); altitude: 0 to 304 m (1,000 ft) for models with 135W processors Server off: 5°C to 45°C (41°F to 113°F) Shipping: -40°C to +60°C (-40°F to 140°F) Humidity  For models with 115W to 135W proces
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Warranty options The IBM System x3550 M4 has a three-year onsite warranty with 9x5/next business day terms. IBM offers the warranty service upgrades through IBM ServicePacs, discussed in this section. The IBM ServicePac is a series of prepackaged warranty maintenance upgrades and post-warranty maintenance agreements with a well-defined scope of services, including service hours, response time, term of service, and service agreement terms and conditions.
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Regulatory compliance The server conforms to the following standards:                  FCC - Verified to comply with Part 15 of the FCC Rules, Class A Canada ICES-003, issue 4, Class A UL/IEC 60950-1 CSA C22.2 No. 60950-1 NOM-019 Argentina IEC60950-1 Japan VCCI, Class A Australia/New Zealand AS/NZS CISPR 22, Class A IEC 60950-1(CB Certificate and CB Test Report) China CCC (GB4943), GB9254 Class A, GB17625.
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External disk storage expansion The server supports attachment to external storage expansion enclosures, such as the EXP2500 series, by using the ServeRAID M5120 SAS/SATA Controller. The server can also be attached to supported external storage systems, such as the IBM System Storage® DS3500 series, using the supported HBAs. Table 20.
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The ServeRAID M5120 SAS/SATA Controller supports connectivity to the IBM System Storage external expansion enclosures listed in the following table. Up to nine expansion enclosures can be daisy-chained per one M5120 external port. For better performance, distribute expansion enclosures evenly across both M5120 ports. Table 21.
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The following table lists the hard disk drives supported by EXP2524 external expansion enclosures. Table 24. Drive options for EXP2524 external expansion enclosures Part number Description Maximum quantity supported per one enclosure 2.5-inch NL SAS HS HDDs 49Y1898 500GB 7,200 rpm 6Gb SAS NL 2.5” HDD 24 81Y9952 1TB 7,200 rpm 6Gb SAS NL 2.5” HDD 24 2.5-inch SAS HS HDDs 49Y1896 146GB 15,000 rpm 6Gb SAS 2.5” HDD 24 49Y1895 300GB 10,000 rpm 6Gb SAS 2.5” HDD 24 81Y9944 300GB 15,000 rpm 6Gb SAS 2.
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External disk storage systems The following table lists the external storage systems that are supported by x3550 M4 and can be ordered through System x sales channel. The server may support other IBM disk systems that are not listed in this table. Refer to IBM System Storage Interoperability Center for further information. Table 25.
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External backup units The server supports the external backup attachment options listed in Table 18. Table 26.
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Table 26.
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Top-of-rack Ethernet switches The server supports the top-of-rack Ethernet switches from IBM System Networking listed in the following table. Table 27.
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Uninterruptible power supply units The server supports attachments to the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) units listed in the following table. Table 28.
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Power distribution units The server supports attachments to the power distribution units (PDUs) listed in the following table. Table 29.
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Table 29.
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Rack cabinets The server supports the rack cabinets listed in the following table. Table 30.
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Rack options The server supports the rack console switches and monitor kits listed in the following table. Table 31.
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IBM Global Financing IBM Global Financing can help you obtain the IT solution you need while preserving funding for other strategic investments and optimizing cash flow. Our Fair Market Value (FMV) lease helps ensure that you have the latest IBM technology and with our mid-lease upgrade capability, you can increase the capacity of the system with little to no change in monthly payments. At the end of the lease, take advantage of our flexible end-of-lease options to fit your changing business needs.
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Related publications and links For more information see these resources:  IBM System x3550 M4 product page http://www.ibm.com/systems/x/hardware/rack/x3550m4/index.html  IBM System x 3550 M4 Installation and User's Guide http://ibm.com/support/entry/portal/docdisplay?lndocid=MIGR-5089486  IBM System x 3550 M4 Problem Determination and Service Guide http://ibm.com/support/entry/portal/docdisplay?lndocid=MIGR-5089487  IBM U.S. Announcement Letter - August 21, 2012 http://ibm.
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Notices This information was developed for products and services offered in the U.S.A. IBM may not offer the products, services, or features discussed in this document in other countries. Consult your local IBM representative for information on the products and services currently available in your area. Any reference to an IBM product, program, or service is not intended to state or imply that only that IBM product, program, or service may be used.
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This document was created or updated on March 25, 2013. Send us your comments in one of the following ways: Use the online Contact us review form found at: ibm.com/redbooks  Send your comments in an e-mail to: redbook@us.ibm.com  Mail your comments to: IBM Corporation, International Technical Support Organization Dept. HYTD Mail Station P099 2455 South Road Poughkeepsie, NY 12601-5400 U.S.A.  This document is available online at http://www.ibm.com/redbooks/abstracts/tips0851.html .