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What your blade server offers

Your blade server offers features, such as, the Baseboard management controller, storage disk drive support, IBM® Director, IBM® Enterprise X-Architecture®, microprocessor technology, integrated network support, I/O expansion, large system-memory capacity, Light path diagnostics, PCI Express, and power throttling.

  • Baseboard management controller (BMC)
    The baseboard management controller (BMC) is on the system board of the blade server. The BMC operates as the service processor for the blade server and performs several tasks, including the following:
    • Provides RS-485 interfaces to the management module
    • Provides the following support:
      • Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI)
      • Power control and advanced power management
      • Reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) features
      • Serial over LAN (SOL)
  • Hard disk drive support
    The blade server supports up to two of any one of the following types of storage devices:
    • 2.5-inch fixed SATA SFF solid state storage drives or SATA SFF hard disk drives, up to 80 GB (8014 model)
    • 2.5-inch hot-swap SAS SFF hard disk drives, RAID 0 and RAID 1 support, up to 146 GB (8028 model)
    • 2.5-inch hot-swap SAS SFF solid state storage drives, up to 146 GB (8028 model)
  • IBM® Director

    IBM Director is a workgroup-hardware-management tool that you can use to centrally manage servers. For more information, see the IBM® Director documentation on the IBM® Director CD.

  • IBM Enterprise X-Architecture

    IBM Enterprise X-Architecture technology combines proven, innovative IBM designs to make your x86-processor-based blade server powerful, scalable, and reliable. For more information, see http://www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/xseries/xarchitecture/enterprise/index.html.

  • IBM ServerGuide Setup and Installation CD

    The ServerGuide Setup and Installation CD that comes with the blade server provides programs to help you set up the blade server and install a Windows operating system. The ServerGuide program detects installed optional hardware devices and provides the correct configuration programs and device drivers. For more information about the ServerGuide Setup and Installation CD, see Using the ServerGuide Setup and Installation CD.

  • Microprocessor technology

    The blade server supports an Intel LGA-771 microprocessor. Depending on the model, the blade server comes with one of six specialty of Intel microprocessors. For more information about supported microprocessors and their part numbers, see Parts listing, Types 8014, 8028 and 1916.

  • Integrated network support

    The blade server comes with one integrated Broadcom 5714S dual Gigabit Ethernet controller, which support connection to a 10 Mbps network through an Ethernet-compatible switch module in the BladeCenter® unit. The controller supports Wake on LAN technology.

  • I/O expansion

    The blade server has connectors on the system board for optional expansion cards for adding more network communication capabilities to the blade server.

  • Large system-memory capacity

    The blade server system board supports up to 24 GB of system memory. The memory controller provides support for up to six industry-standard registered ECC DDR2 667 on Very Low Profile (VLP) form factor DIMMs installed on the system board. For the most current list of supported DIMMs, see the ServerProven® list at http://www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/serverproven/compat/us/.

  • Light path diagnostics

    Light path diagnostics provides light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to help you diagnose problems. For more information, see the Problem Determination and Service Guide.

  • PCI Express

    PCI Express is a serial interface that is used for chip-to-chip interconnect and expansion adapter interconnect. With the blade expansion connector you can add optional I/O and storage devices.

  • Power throttling

    Each blade server is powered by two BladeCenter redundant power-supply modules. By enforcing a power policy known as power-domain oversubscription, the BladeCenter unit can share the power load between two power modules to ensure sufficient power for each device in the BladeCenter unit. This policy is enforced when the initial power is applied to the BladeCenter unit or when a blade server is inserted into the BladeCenter unit.

    The following settings for this policy are available:

    • Redundant without performance impact
    • Redundant with performance impact
    • Nonredundant

    You can configure and monitor the power environment by using the management module. For more information about configuring and using power throttling, see the management-module documentation or http://www.ibm.com/systems/support/.