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Reliability, availability, and serviceability

Three important computer design features are reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS). The RAS features help to ensure the integrity of the data that is stored in the server, the availability of the server when you need it, and the ease with which you can diagnose and correct problems.

The server has the following RAS features:
  • Automatic error retry and recovery
  • Automatic restart after a power failure
  • Built-in monitoring for fan, power, temperature, voltage, and power-supply redundancy
  • Cable-presence detection on most connectors
  • Chipkill memory protection
  • Dual redundant UEFI server firmware images
  • Error codes and messages
  • Error correcting code (ECC) L2 cache and system memory
  • Cooling fans with speed-sensing capability
  • Hot-swap hard disk drives (for servers that support such drives)
  • Information and light path diagnostics LED panels
  • Integrated management module (service processor)
  • Memory mirroring
  • Menu-driven setup, system configuration, and redundant array of independent disks (RAID) configuration programs
  • Parity checking or CRC checking on the serially-attached SCSI (SAS) bus and PCI buses
  • Power management: compliance with Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI)
  • Power-on self-test (POST)
  • Predictive Failure Analysis (PFA) alerts on memory, SAS/SATA hard disk drives, fans, and power supplies
  • Redundant Ethernet capabilities with failover support
  • Redundant hot-swap power supplies
  • Remote system problem-determination support
  • Standby voltage for systems-management features and monitoring
  • Startup (boot) from LAN through Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) boot agent utility or Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol/Boot Protocol (DHCP/BOOTP)
  • System auto-configuring from the configuration menu
  • System error logging (POST and service processor)
  • Systems-management monitoring through the Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) bus
  • Upgradeable POST, UEFI, diagnostics, service processor microcode, and read-only memory (ROM) resident code, locally or over the LAN
  • Vital product data (VPD) on microprocessors, system board, power supplies, and SAS (hot-swap-drive) backplane
  • Wake on LAN capability for remote power up