The Sun Fire™ X2270
Server Architecture
Solve greater computational challenges faster
White Paper
March 2009
Abstract
Offering a compact form factor, the powerful performance of Intel® Xeon® Processor 5500 Series, innovative
high-speed data storage options, and the versatility to execute most any x86 or x64 application, the Sun
Fire™ X2270 server is an excellent building block for Web infrastructure and high-performance computing
environments. This white paper describes the architecture of the Sun Fire X2270 server, including the processor
technology, I/O subsystem, and system management features.
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Table of Contents
Executive Summary......................................................................................... 1
Escalating Business and Computational Challenges............................................ 2
Sun Fire X2270 server........................................................................................... 3
Creating a superior platform................................................................................. 5
Meeting industry demands................................................................................... 6
The Intel Advantage ........................................................................................ 8
New Intel Core Microarchitecture . ....................................................................... 8
Intel Xeon Processor 5500 platform..................................................................... 12
Server Architecture........................................................................................ 13
Motherboard..................................................................................................... 13
Memory architecture......................................................................................... 15
PCI Express expansion........................................................................................ 15
On-Board interfaces........................................................................................... 16
Internal storage................................................................................................. 17
Power and cooling............................................................................................. 17
System management controller.......................................................................... 18
Flash Technology........................................................................................... 19
Solid state drives............................................................................................... 19
Sun Flash Modules............................................................................................. 20
Solaris ZFS file system........................................................................................ 22
Sun Flash Analyzer............................................................................................. 22
System Management..................................................................................... 23
Sun ILOM service processor................................................................................ 23
SNMP............................................................................................................... 30
Sun xVM Ops Center.......................................................................................... 30
Operating System Support............................................................................. 32
The Solaris Operating System ............................................................................ 32
Linux environments........................................................................................... 33
Microsoft Windows environments....................................................................... 34
VMware virtualization technology...................................................................... 34
Summary...................................................................................................... 35
For more information......................................................................................... 35
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The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Executive Summary
Researchers, engineers, e-commerce pioneers, and financial analysts constantly
face new challenges that drive demand for greater computational power and
throughput. To support more extensive exploration, geophysicists need tools to
analyze deeper oceanic seismic maps. Electronic design engineers must synthesize
and verify increasingly complex integrated circuits. In finance and e-commerce, IT
professionals must find ways to create highly-responsive Web applications and mine
growing datasets with increasing efficiency. An alliance forged between Sun and
Intel® brings together the necessary elements to create systems that support the
most demanding workloads at top performance and an affordable price. The Sun
Fire™ X2270 server provides a prime example of combining Intel products and Sun
engineering expertise to deliver outstanding quality, performance, and
price/performance.
A follow-on product to the successful Sun Fire X2250 server, the Sun Fire X2270 server
takes advantage of Sun’s Open Network Systems design approach, optimizing and
maximizing all the individual components of the system the architecture. The Sun
Fire X2270 server includes some of the fastest technology that Intel has to offer,
including Intel Xeon Processor 5500 Series with integrated memory controller and
fast QuickPath Interconnects (QPI) to link processors to each other and to the I/O
subsystem. With specific optimizations for the New Intel Core Microarchitecture,
the Solaris™ Operating System (Solaris OS) takes full advantage of the Intel Xeon
Processor 5500 Series to achieve outstanding performance. To maximize I/O
responsiveness, the Sun Fire X2270 server delivers the high-speed throughput of
PCI Express 2.0. In addition, the Sun Fire X2270 server supports internal solid state
disks (SSDs) and Sun Flash Modules, accelerating data transfer rates well beyond
traditional approaches. Making this offering even more compelling, the Sun Fire
X2270 server also provides a low-voltage processor option, efficient front-to-back
cooling, and compact form factor to help minimize power and real estate costs.
The Sun Fire X2270 server is ideal for a variety of projects, including highperformance computing (HPC) applications and Web infrastructure initiatives.
Support for simultaneous execution of 32-bit and 64-bit applications and a flexible
choice of operating systems including, the Solaris OS, Linux, Microsoft Windows,
and VMware operating environments helps maximize the versatility of this platform.
Sun has a long history of providing exceptional platforms to serve the needs of
compute-intensive Web and scientific applications. Backed by that experience,
the performance of the Sun Fire X2270 server is optimized for the requirements of
demanding workloads.
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The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Chapter 1
Escalating Business and Computational Challenges
Across a wide spectrum of industries, organizations continue to confront greater
computational challenges than ever before.
• Oil and gas companies need solutions that can help them meet the world’s everincreasing demands for energy. These organizations rely heavily on technology to
increase efficiency in the areas of exploration, data acquisition, and production.
• In the electronic design industry, the complexity of integrated circuit (IC)
devices is increasing dramatically. Integrated circuits now commonly incorporate
hundreds of millions of gates, placing strain on the task of completing simulations
within a reasonable timeframe.
• To avoid losing business to the competition, e-commerce companies are required
to quickly respond to potential buyers and sellers. As customers constantly, buy,
sell, and compare items, back-end systems must keep pace by rapidly querying
vast catalogs of information.
• To improve productivity and economize the product development process,
manufacturers need to reduce their dependence on physical prototypes. As
a result, engineers need to run increasing numbers of simulations at higher
resolution.
• Financial institutions must keep pace with the constant trading of securities. To
complete orders accurately, these organizations need to efficiently query large
collections of information and make rapid updates.
• Through computational biology, the melding of information technology and
the life sciences, scientists are putting applications such as bioinformatics,
molecular modeling, bio-simulation, clinical informatics, and medical imaging to
work in such diverse fields as human therapeutics, diagnostics, prognostics, and
forensics. As a result, information technology has become an essential component
in the advancements and achievements within the life sciences arena.
High-performance, high-caliber tools help organizations capitalize on the valuable
talents of engineering professionals and scientific researchers. With the proper
equipment, individuals can confront greater challenges, express new ideas
and visions, and engage their skills to the greatest effect. Investing in superior
technology provides the potential to solve problems more quickly, and with higher
quality than with lesser tools.
Sun set the industry standards for system design with its Open Network System
approach. By integrating and optimizing open compute, storage, networking,
and software technologies from across the company’s portfolio, Sun creates high-
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The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
performance, efficient, scalable systems that maximize the economics of computing.
Based on Open Network System design principals, the Sun Fire X2270 server
(Figure 1) is optimized to take full advantage of the Intel Xeon Processor 5500 Series,
flash technology, PCI Express 2.0, and high-density internal storage. As a result, the
Sun Fire X2270 server is an ideal platform for confronting increasingly demanding
computational challenges ­— without breaking budgets.
Figure 1. The Sun Fire X2270 server offers two sockets for Intel Xeon Processor 5500
Series in a 1U chassis.
Sun Fire™ X2270 server
The Sun Fire X2270 server is a 1U, two-socket x64 server designed to offer advanced
features and capabilities. The energy-efficient Sun Fire X2270 server utilizes
processor and memory speed grades that are among the fastest available, and
eliminates I/O bottlenecks through support for internal solid state drives and flash
technology. As an Open Network System offering, the Sun Fire X2270 also supports
operating system and application choices that can easily be managed by third-party
systems management tools. This flexibility allows organizations to avoid the lock-in
of proprietary solutions, helping lower costs and ease manageability. The following
technology selections maximize the value of the Sun Fire X2270 server for technical
computing workloads and Web infrastructure deployments:
• Intel Xeon Processor 5500 Series (formerly Nehalem-EP)
• Intel 5500 chipset (formerly Tylersburg-24D) and ICH10-R South Bridge
• High-performance QuickPath Interconnect (QPI)
• Three-channel Integrated Memory Controller supporting up to 1333 MT/sec
Registered DDR3 DIMMs
• Turbo Boost Mode and HyperThreading capabilities
• PCI Express 2.0 technology
• Intel 82575EB Gigabit Ethernet controller (formerly Zoar)
• Support for solid state drives and Sun Flash Modules
• Energy-efficient 60W Intel Xeon processor option
• An optional Sun ILOM service processor
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The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
The Sun Fire X2270 server demonstrates Sun’s commitment to economy and
performance by delivering industry-leading price/performance and
performance per watt. In fact, the Sun Fire X2270 server offers up to three times the
performance, at 66% the energy consumption of current-generation systems. By
offering more memory capacity and drive spindles than similar systems in the same
product class, the Sun Fire X2270 server can provide organizations with up to 50%
savings on datacenter real estate expenses. Entry-level only from a cost perspective,
the Sun Fire X2270 server is a system worthy of being placed at the center of
performance-critical projects. Table 1 describes the features of the Sun Fire X2270
server.
Table 1. Sun Fire X2270 system characteristics
Sun Fire X2270 Server
Enclosure
1 rack unit (1U)
Processor
Up to two Intel Xeon Processor 5500 Series
Intel Xeon X5570, 2.93 GHz, 8MB cache, 6.4 GT/sec QPI, HT, Turbo, 95W
Intel Xeon X5550, 2.66 GHz, 8MB cache, 6.4 GT/sec QPI, HT, Turbo, 95W
Intel Xeon E5540, 2.53 GHz, 8MB cache, 5.86 GT/sec, QPI, HT, Turbo, 80W
Intel Xeon L5520, 2.40 GHz, 8MB cache, 5.86 GT/sec QPI, HT, Turbo, 60W
Intel Xeon E5504, 2.00 GHz, 4MB cache, 4.80 GT/sec QPI, No HT, No Turbo, 80W
Memory
Six DIMM slots per CPU
2 GB or 4 GB DDR3 1066 MT/sec or 1333 MT/sec ECC Registered DIMMs
Up to 24 GB per CPU, maximum 48 GB per system
Internal
Storage
Up to four 3.5-inch SATA hard disk drives or solid state drives
500 GB or 1000 GB hard disk drives
32 GB solid state drive
Up to two 24 GB Sun Flash Modules
No internal DVD/CD-RW support (utilize USB device or ILOM Remote KVMS)
System
I/O
Two Gigabit Ethernet ports (one port can be shared with the service processor)
One RJ45 Serial port (shared with the optional service processor)
Four USB 2.0 ports (2 front, 2 rear)
Expansion One 16-lane PCI Express 2.0 slot
Power
Non-redundant, 600W power supply
Operating
Systems
Solaris Operating System, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, SuSE Linux Enterprise
Server, Microsoft Windows Server, VMware ESX Server
Optional
Service
Processor
IPMI 2.0 compliant, Web, graphical, and command line interface
SNMP V1, V2c, and V3, and SSH V2 support
One dedicated 10/100 Base-T Ethernet port and one VGA video port
Remote Keyboard, Video, Mouse, and Storage (KVMS)
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The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
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Creating a superior platform
Organizations with intense computational workloads demand servers that can
offer top performance while also providing cost-savings, energy-efficiency, ease-ofmanagment, and investment protection.
Maximize performance and headroom
The Sun Fire X2270 server delivers a level of performance that can help organizations
save money by tackling complex computing problems with fewer physical platforms.
Built with the highest-performance Intel Microarchitecture, DDR3 memory, Intel
Quickpath (QPI) technology, and PCI Express 2.0 support, the Sun Fire X2270 server
provides top entry-class server processing performance. Through the flexibility to
incorporate up to 48 GB of memory, two Sun Flash Modules, solid state drives and as
much as twice the storage of similar systems in the same class, the Sun Fire X2270
server also provides organizations with plenty of I/O headroom and performance.
Optimize energy efficiency
By combining Intel Intelligent Power Technology with Sun’s energy-efficient system
design principles, the Sun Fire X2270 server can help organizations save on power
and cooling costs. The system lowers energy costs by automatically adjusting
processors and memory into the lowest available power state to meet the current
workload. In addition, the compact form factor and high memory and I/O density
of this platform helps to minimize real estate requirements. In fact, the Sun Fire
X2270 server nearly doubles the computing resources over previous generations
while maintaining the same footprint and incurring only minimal power and cooling
increases.
Simplify system management
Some organizations conduct remote management while others treat entrylevel servers as field-replaceable units. Sun offers options to accommodate both
approaches. Those using remote management require the ability to perform basic
monitoring, control, and administration from a remote location. The optional
Sun Integrated Lights-Out Management (ILOM) service processor supports remote
execution of management functions that do not require physically touching the
system. Based on industry standards, the Sun ILOM service processor also easily
integrates into existing management environments. At the same time, the Sun ILOM
service processor is offered as an optional component, helping to lower costs in
environments where servers are managed as field replaceable units.
Protect Investments
Given the tightening economy, maximizing and protecting IT investments is a high
priority for many organizations. By taking advantage of the flexibility of the Sun
Fire X2270 server, organizations can utilize one hardware platform for a range of IT
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The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
project requirements. The Sun Fire X2270 server supports 32-bit and 64-bit computing
and the Solaris OS, Linux, Microsoft Windows, and VMware operating environments.
The flexibility of the Sun Fire X2270 server allows organizations to match the
operating system choice to the job at hand, and maximizes reuse of investments in
training and procedures.
Meeting industry demands
The speed and flexibility of the Sun Fire X2270 server extends the usefulness of this
system to a broad range of applications. The following sections highlight some of the
specific industries and application areas that can benefit from the performance and
features of the Sun Fire X2270 server.
Visualize larger models
Oil and gas companies and life science researchers are constantly pushing for
the ability to visualize larger models. These organizations can benefit from the
performance and expansion characteristics of the Sun Fire X2270 server. The large
48 GB memory capacity of the Sun Fire X2270 server allows geophysicists to analyze
deeper oceanic seismic maps and biologists to model larger molecular structures.
Assessing how much crude oil sits below the earth’s surface requires computations
against a massive dataset, a process well served by the high-speed
1333 MT/sec DDR3 Registered DIMMs. Analyzing genetic sequences is a
computationally demanding job that can be accelerated by the Intel Xeon Processors
5500 Series with 6.4 giga-transfers (GT/sec) QuickPath interconnects.
Rigorous testing with SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 and Red Hat Enterprise Server
4 and 5 helps ensure that the Sun Fire X2270 server supports a wide array of oil and
gas applications. Recognizing that IT organizations place the highest premium on
absolute compatibility, Sun works closely with ISVs such as Landmark, Paradigm, and
Schlumberger for application certification.
Accelerate design cycles
Equipped with Intel Xeon Processor 5500 Series with 6.4 GT/sec QuickPath
interconnects, integrated memory controller, and Intel Hyper-Threading (HT)
technology, the Sun Fire X2270 server allows electrical engineers to rapidly
synthesize, simulate, and verify sections of processor and ASIC designs. Automotive
engineers can utilize the Sun Fire X2270 server to quickly simulate more realistic,
higher-resolution crash tests and ultimately reduce dependence on physical
prototypes during the design process. The Sun Fire X2270 server also provides one PCI
Express 2.0 16-lane expansion slot for connecting to 10 Gigabit Ethernet, InfiniBand,
Fiber Channel HBAs, or external third-party options such as NVIDIA QuadroPlex
graphic solutions, helping engineers visualize more data sets simultaneously.
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Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Maximize financial returns
Financial institutions and e-commerce companies store extensive collections of
information and require fast access to data as customers constantly buy, sell, and
make comparisons. In order to optimize performance, some organizations invest
in large quantities of DRAM to achieve fast access to working sets. Unfortunately,
the expense of DRAM can make this strategy cost-prohibitive. Another approach to
improve responsiveness is to increase the I/O operations per second (IOPS) delivered
by the storage system. While deploying massive arrays of hard disks can be effective,
this approach wastes a large amount of space on each disk and increases energy and
real estate costs. By supporting internal solid state disks and up to two Sun Flash
Modules, the Sun Fire X2270 server offers a cost-effective alternative to improving
the performance of I/O intensive applications.
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The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Chapter 2
The Intel® Advantage
Sun collaborates closely with the Intel Corporation to design and bring to market a
broad server family based on the latest Intel Xeon processor technology. In the Sun
Fire X2270 server, Sun’s well-known system engineering expertise combines with
Intel’s processor design proficiency to emphasize performance, quality, reliability,
and eco-responsibility. Engineers at both companies work together to optimize
system performance under the Solaris OS as well as other operating environments.
The Sun Fire X2270 server incorporates Intel Xeon Processor 5500 Series (formerly
Nehalem-EP) and includes a revolutionary new interconnect and microarchitecture
design. The server motherboard is populated with up to two processors, allowing the
system to deliver quick response times and high throughput for performance-hungry
applications. Compatible with a legacy of IA-32 software, these 64-bit processors
support a large volume of existing 32-bit applications as well as emerging 64-bit
applications.
This chapter introduces the new Intel Xeon processors and chipsets used in the Sun
Fire X2270 server. For detailed information on these components, please see the
following Web site: http://sun.com/x64.
New Intel Core Microarchitecture
With each release of a new processor series, Intel alternates between enhancing
the manufacturing process (shrinking the processor die) and redesigning the core
microarchitecture. Over a year ago, Intel transitioned to a 45nm manufacturing
process that enabled smaller transistors, allowing the previous processor generation
to consume less power, achieve faster switching times, and provide greater on-die
density than the generation before. This year, Intel is introducing a totally new
microarchitecture design in the Intel Xeon Processor 5500 Series — at the same time
reaping the benefits from its previous expertise with 45nm silicon manufacturing.
Figure 2 depicts the New Intel Core Microarchitecture (formerly Nehalem) of the Intel
Xeon Processor 5500 Series.
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The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Core 0
Core 1
Core 2
Core 3
64KB L1 cache
64KB L1 cache
64KB L1 cache
64KB L1 cache
256KB L2 cache
256KB L2 cache
256KB L2 cache
256KB L2 cache
8MB Shared L3 cache
DDR3 memory controller
Channel 1
Channel 2
Channel 3
QuickPath Interconnects
QP0
QP1
QP2
QP3
3 x 64-bit channels @ 1.33 GT/sec
4 x 20-bit links @ 6.4 GT/sec
Up to 10.6 GB/sec per channel
Up to 25.6 GB/sec per link
Figure 2. The Intel Xeon Processor 5500 Series offers four cores per die, integrates a
DDR3 memory controller, and implements Intel QuickPath technology.
This new Intel Xeon processor generation is targeted at delivering optimal
performance for bandwidth-intensive, threaded applications, with a
microarchitecture that features the following significant innovations over previous
designs:
• Intel® QuickPath technology — This technology provides a high-speed, pointto-point interconnect between processors, memory, and I/O. The Intel QuickPath
interconnect (QPI) links processors in a distributed shared memory design that
provides high-bandwidth and low-latency memory access. Because it is a pointto-point interconnect, processors do not contend for a single bus when accessing
memory and I/O, and do not compete for bus bandwidth — enhancing scalability.
Each QPI port includes two unidirectional links that support from 4.8 GT/sec up to
6.4 GT/sec per link, offering up to 12.8 GB/sec bandwidth in each direction for a
total bandwidth of 25.6 GB/sec — significantly higher than previous bus designs.
• Multiple processor cores — Within the Sun Fire X2270 server, the Intel Xeon
Processor 5500 Series microarchitecture offers four cores per die.
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Sun Microsystems, Inc.
• Integrated DDR3 memory controller — Implemented as a separate component in
earlier architectures, the memory controller is now integrated on the processor
die. The processor design creates a Non-Uniform Memory Access (NUMA)-style
memory architecture since each processor in multisocketed systems can access
local memory (connected to the local memory controller) as well as remote
memory that is connected to another processor.
In addition to independent channel mode operation in which each memory
channel supports direct memory access, the integrated memory controller also
supports the following two modes:
–– Memory channel mode increases reliability through memory mirroring. In
this mode, two memory channels operate as mirrors of each other. The same
content is written to both channels simultaneously, creating data redundancy.
As a consequence of mirroring, the amount of usable system memory reduces
to half of the total physical memory installed. To utilize memory channel mode,
both channels must be populated with identical DIMM types.
–– Lockstep channel mode operates two memory channels in lockstep, increasing
the reliability of each memory operation. In this mode, the cache line is split
across two channels, both channels must be populated identically, and memory
mirroring and sparing are not supported.
Regardless of the mode in use, the integrated memory controller also increases
data protection through support for demand and patrol scrubbing and single
device data correction (SDDC).
–– Demand and patrol scrubbing technology proactively searches system memory,
repairing correctable errors. In the case of uncorrectable errors, the algorithm
permanently marks the memory location as unreadable.
–– x4 and x8 SDDC offer an advanced form of ECC technology that protects
computer memory systems from any single memory chip failure. This
technology can detect and correct 1-bit to 4-bit internal data and data pin
failures within one DDR memory device, and detect up to 8-bit internal data and
data pin failures within two DDR memory devices. SDDC performs this function
by scattering the bits of an ECC word across multiple memory chips, such that
the failure of any one memory chip affects only one ECC bit. (Note: x8 SDDC is
only available in lockstep channel mode)
• Advanced cache model — Each core includes an associated Level-1 (L1)
instruction/data cache (64 KB per core) and a large integrated Level-2 (L2) cache
(256 KB per core). Also, all cores on a die share access to an inclusive Level-3 (L3)
cache. The L3 cache varies in size from 4 MB to 8 MB, depending on the specific
processor model.
• Extended SSE4 (Streaming SIMD Extensions) — These processor extensions
improve performance for XML, string, and text processing.
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Sun Microsystems, Inc.
• Virtualization enhancements — Embedded virtualization technologies provide
hardware-based assistance for I/O device virtualization, improved virtualization
efficiency, and enhanced connectivity within a virtualized server.
• Intel HyperThreading (HT) technology — This technology provides two virtual
threads per core, increasing performance for highly threaded applications.
• Intel Turbo Boost Technology — For both multithreaded and single-threaded
workloads, this technology increases performance by taking advantage of
processor and system power and thermal headroom. The Turbo Boost feature
can increase performance up to two or three speed bins (266 or 400 MHz) above
typical performance levels. Turbo Boost and HyperThreading capabilities vary
according to specific processor models.
• Intel Intelligent Power Technology — When a processor workload decreases,
unneeded components — cores, cache, and memory — are put into sleep mode
to reduce power consumption.
Modular architecture
The New Intel Core Microarchitecture is modular, allowing a range of
implementations to meet a variety of application needs and price points. The
diversity between processor types (Table 2) results from differentiation in the number
of cores, the size of the on-die L3 cache, the speed of QPI links, and maximum
speed to memory, as well as support for Turbo Boost mode and HyperThreading
functionality. The Sun Fire X2270 server is available with processors of each type
shown in Table 2.
Table 2. Differentiation between microarchitecture implementations.
Processor
type
Number of L3 cache QPI link
cores
speed
Max memory Turbo
Hyper
speed
Boost bins Threading
Performance
4
8MB
6.4 GT/sec
1333 MT/sec
3
yes
Volume
4
8MB
5.86 GT/sec
1066 MT/sec
2
yes
Value
2 or 4
4MB
4.8 GT/sec
800 MT/sec
N/A
no
Power management technologies
Continuing the trend of reducing the processor energy footprint, Intel has designed
a microarchitecture that facilitates high performance while minimizing power
consumption. Enhancements to the microarchitecture add a greater number of CPU
power states and decrease latency when a core switches from one state to another.
In fact, the Intel Xeon Processor 5500 Series has up to 15 operating states, offers a
two microsecond state-to-state transition latency, and reduces CPU idle power to
10 W. Power gates that reside on the die allow idle cores to go to a near-zero power
state independently of one another.
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Sun Microsystems, Inc.
To further conserve energy, memory, QPI, and PCI Express circuitry can also transition
to lower power states. Using DIMM self-refresh, DIMMs are automatically idled when
all CPU cores in the system are idle. DIMM Clock Enable (CKE) automatically places
idle DIMMs into a lower power state. QPI links and PCI Express lanes are also placed
in reduced power states during periods of inactivity.
The processor design helps to conserve power use, which can directly translate into
energy savings and reduced operational costs. Table 3 lists typical power envelopes
for the Intel Xeon Processor 5500 Series configurable in the Sun Fire X2270 server.
Because of innovative power efficiencies in the microarchitecture, even the highest
speed processors in the Intel Xeon Processor 5500 Series have a power envelope
of only 95W — in comparison to the previous generation of high-speed processors
which exhibited a power envelope as high as 120W.
Table 3. Power envelopes of Intel Xeon Processor 5500 Series
Processor
Processor speed
QPI link speed
Power
Intel Xeon X5570
2.93 GHz
6.4 GT/sec
95W
Intel Xeon X5550
2.66 GHz
6.4 GT/sec
95W
Intel Xeon E5540
2.53 GHz
5.86 GT/sec
80W
Intel Xeon L5520
2.40 GHz
5.86 GT/sec
60W
Intel Xeon E5504
2.00 GHz
4.8 GT/sec
80W
Intel Xeon Processor 5500 platform
The Sun Fire X2270 server supports up to two Intel Xeon processors interfacing to
each other and to the Intel 5500 I/O Hub (IOH) over Intel QuickPath technology
interconnects. The IOH interfaces to an Intel 82801JR I/O Controller Hub (ICH10R),
providing expandability and high-I/O throughput. Each Intel Xeon Processor 5500
Series Platform is designed to match processor performance with memory capacity,
I/O expandability, and interconnect bandwidth. Chapter 3 includes system block
diagrams and descriptions.
For more information on the Intel Xeon Processor 5500 Series and the related
platform, please see http://www.intel.com/products/processor/xeon/5500/.
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Chapter 3
Server Architecture
The Sun Fire X2270 server is based on a highly-integrated system architecture that
emphasizes performance, memory bandwidth, and I/O capabilities. The sections that
follow detail the physical and architectural aspects of this system.
Motherboard
As shown in Figure 3, the Sun Fire X2270 server motherboard includes two Intel Xeon
processors interconnected to each other and the Intel 5500 Chipset using Intel’s
QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) technology. The Intel Xeon Processor 5500 Series each
have one integrated memory controller with three DDR3 channels and up to two
DIMMs per channel. The Intel 5500 Chipset provides 24 PCI Express 2.0 lanes, 16 of
which are used for the single PCI Express expansion slot. Four PCI Express 2.0 lanes
connect the Intel 5500 Chipset to the Intel 82575EB Gigabit Ethernet controller.
The Intel 82801JR I/O Controller Hub provides PCI, SATA, and USB connectivity. Out
of the six SATA devices provided by the I/O Controller Hub, four ports are utilized by
the drive slots that support both internal SATA hard disk drives and solid state drives.
The two remaining SATA ports are connected to the two Sun Flash Module slots. An
optional Sun ILOM service processor daughter card completes the architecture.
The motherboard of the Sun Fire X2270 server supports the following system
architecture features:
• Integrated memory controller on each CPU, offering three 64-bit channels
that each support two DIMMs and deliver up to 1.33 GT/sec or 10.6 GB/sec of
bandwidth each.
• The Intel QuickConnect Architecture, providing 6.4 GT/sec links, delivering up to
25 GB/sec of total bandwidth.
• High-speed PCI Express 2.0 slot for high-performance I/O expansion
• Two Gigabit Ethernet ports with RJ-45 connectors to provide fast network
connectivity (one port can be utilized for side-band management).
• A six-channel SATA-II disk controller, supporting two Sun Flash Modules and up to
four SATA hard disk or solid state disk drives.
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Sun Microsystems, Inc.
• An optional Sun ILOM service processor daughter card with an ASPEED AST2100
integrated communications processor provides system management and video
capabilities
• In the absence of the optional Sun ILOM service processor daughter card:
–– The graphics interface and dedicated network management port are unavailable
–– The serial port connects directly to the I/O controller hub
–– LEDs and fans are controlled by the BIOS
DDR3
DDR3
Intel Xeon Processor
5500 Series
DDR3
DDR3
QPI
XEON
XEON
TM
TM
DDR3
DDR3
QPI
PCI
Express 2.0
x16
QPI
PCIe 2.0 x16 (8 GB/sec)
Intel
82575EB
(PCIe x4)
Gigabit
Ethernet
Intel
5500
I/O Hub
Side-Band
Interface
Management
10/100
Ethernet
PCI 32-bit 33 MHz
2x Flash
Modules
AST2100
VGA
Video
USB
ESI
(PCIe x4)
Virtual
UART
Optional SP Board
LPC
4x SATA
Hard Disk or
Solid State
Drive
2x SATA
2 x Front
USB 2.0
4x SATA
Intel
82801JR
I/O
Controller
Hub
Serial RJ-45
USB
1 x Internal
USB 2.0
USB
USB
Front Panel
2 x Rear
USB 2.0
Back Panel
USB
Figure 3. The Sun Fire X2270 server architecture
15 The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Memory architecture
The memory architecture of the Sun Fire X2270 server contributes to the platform’s
high performance. Each CPU includes a high-bandwidth, integrated DDR3 memory
controller that reduces access latency. Up to six extended ECC memory modules per
CPU are supported. Memory slots can be populated with the following DIMM types:
• 2 GB DDR3-1066 MT/sec
• 2 GB DDR3-1333 MT/sec
• 4 GB DDR3-1333 MT/sec
The following DIMM population rules and best practices can help organizations
create configurations with the best possible performance.
• Since each processor contains a separate memory controller, a DIMM slot is only
accessible when the corresponding processor slot is populated
• Populate the DIMM slots for each memory channel that are the farthest from the
CPU first. For example, populate D5, D3, and D1 first; then D4, D2, and D0 second.
(DIMM numbering starts with D0 in the position closest to the processor and
increases moving out to the end of the memory bank)
• Populate single-rank (SR) or dual-rank (DR) DIMMs in sets of three for each CPU,
one per memory channel.
• The best performance is achieved by preserving symmetry. For example, installing
three of the same kind DIMMs, one per memory channel and ensuring that both
CPUs are utilizing the same DIMMs sizes populated in the same manner.
• DIMMs for the Sun Fire X2270 server are available in two speeds, 1066 MT/sec and
1333 MT/sec. Although mixing DIMM types within a configuration is supported,
the system operates all memory only as fast as the slowest DIMM.
• In certain configurations, DIMMs operate slower than the maximum individual
DIMM speed, please see Table 4.
Table 4. Memory DIMM speeds by configuration
Configuration
DIMM Speed
Two DIMMs per channel
1066 MT/sec
One DIMM per channel
1333 MT/sec (if using 1333 MT/sec DIMM)
One DIMM per channel
1066 MT/sec (if using 1066 MT/sec DIMM)
PCI Express expansion
High-bandwidth I/O access and flexible expansion are critical to meet evolving
business and application requirements. The Sun Fire X2270 server provides one
internal 16-lane, low-profile, PCI Express slot with support for PCI Express 2.0
technology. Adapter cards insert into a 90-degree angle PCI Express riser slot
16 The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
that provides x16 mechanical and electrical support. PCI Express 2.0 doubles the
interconnect bit rate, increasing the aggregated bi-directional bandwidth of a
16-lane link to approximately 16 GB/sec. Populating this slot with an optional
InfiniBand, Fibre Channel, 10 Gigabit Ethernet, or other high-speed adapter card
provides high-bandwidth connectivity to additional network or storage devices.
On-Board interfaces
In order to accommodate the attachment of a full complement of I/O devices, the
Sun Fire X2270 server provides integrated Gigabit Ethernet, serial, and USB ports. In
addition, the Sun Fire X2270 M2 server provides two USB ports on the front panel
of the system. The front and rear panel of the Sun Fire X2270 server are shown in
Figure 4. Please note that in the absence of the optional Sun ILOM service processor,
the VGA port and network management (Net Mgt) connectors do not appear on the
rear interface of the Sun Fire X2270 server.
Fault
LED
Locator
LED
Power USB
LED Ports
Hard Disk Drive and Solid State Drive Slots
Power
Supply
Gigabit
Ethernet
Ports
Serial
Port
VGA
Port
USB Net
Ports Mgt
Figure 4. Front and rear panel of the Sun Fire X2270 server
PCI
Express
Slot
17 The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Internal storage
The internal storage options for the Sun Fire X2270 server help organizations increase
data throughput for I/O sensitive applications. The Sun Fire X2270 server supports
the following internal storage options:
• SATA 3.5” 500 GB or 1000 GB hard disk drives
• SATA 2.5” 32 GB solid state disk drives (SSDs) in 3.5” carrier with bracket adapter
• Internal 24 GB Sun Flash Modules in a mini-DIMM form factor installed on the
motherboard
Hard disk drives and solid state drives for the Sun Fire X2270 server utilize an
innovative drive carrier that helps maximize air flow above and below each drive.
Drives insert into a modular disk tray and cable-free disk backplane that increases
reliability and serviceability. The carrier includes an ejection handle that simplifies
drive removal. Drive status lights indicate “Ready to remove”, “Fault”, and “Status”.
Using the four internal hot-swappable drive bays, the Sun Fire X2270 server can
support up to a maximum of 4 TB. The RAID controller embedded inside the Intel I/O
Controller Hub supports RAID 0, 1, 5, or 10 on Windows Server 2003 and Windows
Server 2008 operating environments and requires Intel Matrix Storage Technology,
available at: http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/matrixstorage_sb.html.
For more information on the capabilities and benefits of solid state drives and
Sun Flash Modules for the Sun Fire X2270 server, please see Chapter 4 “Flash
Technology”.
Power and cooling
Built to support energy efficiency, the power and cooling subsystem of the Sun
Fire X2270 server helps maintain cost-effective datacenter operation. The chassis of
the Sun Fire X2270 server is cooled with front-to-back airflow. A sensor chip within
the service processor modulates fan speed. In the absence of the Sun ILOM service
processor daughter card, the BIOS performs this function. The service processor
reads the fan speeds and turns the fan fault LED on if the rotations per minute (RPM)
falls under a specific threshold. The Sun Fire X2270 server provides a single, 600 Watt
power supply. To assist with proactive maintenance, the power supply is actively
monitored by the system.
18 The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
System management controller
The Sun Fire X2270 server offers an optional Sun ILOM service processor, allowing
remote management of activities that do not require physically touching the
system. Industry standards are embraced throughout, letting these systems easily
integrate into existing environments. The Sun ILOM service processor is an optional
component of the Sun Fire X2270 server, helping organization further lower the cost
of projects without remote management requirements. More information about the
optional service processor can be found Chapter 5 “System Management”.
19 The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Chapter 4
Flash Technology
Modern servers are driving throughput levels that rapidly outpace the capabilities
of typical storage solutions. While many servers can achieve processing capabilities
in excess of one million I/O operations Per Second (IOPS), today’s fastest hard
disk drives are only capable of about 300 to 400 IOPS. To match throughput more
closely to server performance and meet the challenging demands of data-intensive
applications, many datacenters implement large pools of high-speed disk drives.
In some cases, a large buffer of expensive DRAM is also deployed so that the
application’s working set can be stored in memory to reduce latency.
Flash technology provides a more economical alternative that can dramatically
enhance application I/O performance while also operating with significantly better
energy-efficiency than conventional rotational hard disk drives (HDDs). The Sun Fire
X2270 server supports flash technology in the form of solid state drives (SSDs) and
internal Sun Flash Modules.
Solid state drives
Recent advances in the quality of flash technology have made solid-state drives
(SSDs) an effective and reliable solution for enterprise storage. Flash technology
contains no moving parts, avoiding the seek times and rotational latencies inherent
with traditional hard disk drive technology. Because SSDs offer low latency and are
significantly less expensive than DRAM storage, they balance cost and performance
in a manner that can provide tremendous value for I/O-intensive workloads. SSDs
utilize a disk drive form factor (Figure 5) and are directly supported by the drive bays
of the Sun Fire X2270 server. The operating system and BIOS for the Sun Fire X2270
server views the SSDs as standard SATA drives.
Figure 5. Sample solid state drive for the Sun Fire X2270 server
20 The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Sun Flash Modules
Engineered by Sun — the Sun Flash Module is a storage innovation that combines
NAND flash components and a flash memory controller (FMC) to provide an industrystandard SATA device in a compact, highly efficient form factor. The Sun Fire X2270
server supports installation of up to two 24 GB Sun Flash Modules to deliver a highcapacity and high-performance storage option for I/O sensitive applications. Similar
to SSDs, Sun Flash Modules are viewed by the operating system and BIOS as standard
SATA drives. Table 5 provides the characteristics of the Sun Flash Module and Figure
6 shows the key components on the front and back of the Sun Flash Module.
Table 5. Sun Flash Module characteristics
Feature
Description
Capacity
24 GB
Buffer cache
64 MB
Form factor
JEDEC MO-285A, 3 Gb SATA-II/SAS-I
Reliability
7 x 24 x 3 years (100% write duty cycle)
Peak performance per module
Random write: 20,000 IOPS
Random read: 24,000 IOPS
Sequential write: 150MB/sec
Sequential read: 250MB/sec
Flash Memory Controller
LED Indicator
Flash
NAND
Flash
NAND
Flash
NAND
Flash
NAND
DRAM
Voltage Regulator
Figure 6. Front and rear views of Sun Flash Module
21 The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Components of the Sun Flash Module include:
• NAND SLC flash — Each module contains eight 4 GB SLC NAND components
(four on the front side and four on the back), for a total of 32 GB of which 24 GB
is addressable for primary back-end storage. Excess capacity is used to optimize
performance and longevity. Because of the availability of spare blocks, slower
erase cycles can occur independently in the background, and faulty blocks can be
mapped out so they are not reused.
• DRAM — 64 MB of DDR-400 DRAM per module provides a local buffer to accelerate
flash write performance and maintain active data structures. Automatically
draining the write buffer to non-volatile flash memory helps to protect data
integrity in the event of sudden power loss to the array.
• Flash memory controller — Each Sun Flash Module incorporates a Marvell
flash memory controller — a SATA-2 controller that allows each module to
communicate via standard SATA protocol. The controller manages the back-end
storage and buffer cache, and provides a communication interface to the system.
To extend the life of NAND devices, the controller performs “wear-leveling” (a
technique that decreases wear by minimizing writes to the same location) and
on-the-fly ECC error correction (34 bits per 2 KB of data). The controller is also
responsible for tracking and mapping out bad blocks. In addition, the controller
load-balances and interleaves data accesses to back-end NAND devices to
accelerate I/O operations.
• Voltage regulator — A voltage regulator on each module governs the single 3.3v
input voltage to the module.
• LED indicator — An LED indicator on each module is used to signal the location of
a faulty module, helping to speed servicing if necessary.
Logical block diagram
Figure 7 depicts a logical block diagram of a single Sun Flash Module. Four 1 GB
NAND die are stacked together in a single package, forming each of the eight NAND
flash devices. Each NAND device communicates via a single SATA-2 interface to the
flash memory controller. The controller also interfaces to the 64 MB DRAM and the
voltage regulator, and provides a connection to the array’s SAS expander, which
communicates to the controller using standard SATA-2 commands.
The NAND devices are enterprise-quality components, which means they have an
extended lifespan rating compared to commercial-grade flash components. To
develop enterprise-grade NAND SLC devices, Sun engineers worked closely with
NAND manufacturers to make specific reliability enhancements. These design
changes allow Sun’s enterprise-quality SLC NAND devices to exhibit greater
endurance. In addition, Sun performs extensive quality assurance testing and
component screening to optimize NAND device reliability. A worst-case estimate
22 The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
of module life is 7 x 24 x 3 years (given the worst case of 100% duty cycle under
large sequential writes). Under normal workloads, this level of reliability translates
to approximately a 10-year data retention rate. For more information on flash
technology, please see http://sun.com/flash.
NAND
NAND
NAND
NAND
Flash
Memory
Controller
NAND
NAND
DDR-400
NAND
NAND
64MB
DRAM
Voltage
Regulator
SATA-2
3.3v
Figure 7. Logical block diagram of the Sun Flash Module
Solaris ZFS™ file system
Taking best advantage of the performance and cost characteristics of flash
technology requires an enabling technology that can transparently combine the
strengths of HDDs, SSDs, and Sun Flash Modules. The Solaris ZFS file system can
harness these technologies within Hybrid Storage Pools to create a solution that
offers a balance between the speed of flash technology and the economy of HDDs.
A Hybrid Storage Pool automatically places data on the most appropriate storage
media to optimize performance and manage costs. In fact, the ZFS file system can
transparently cache data on SSDs without any need to modify applications. For more
information, please see the solution brief “Solaris ZFS Enables Hybrid Storage
Pools — Shatters Economic and Performance Barriers,” available at:
http://www.sun.com/software/solaris/pdf/solariszfs_solutionbrief.pdf.
Sun Flash Analyzer
To help simplify the adoption of flash technology, the Sun Flash Analyzer tool can
be utilized to detect I/O intensive applications that can best benefit from flash. The
Sun Flash Analyzer tool runs on the Solaris 10 OS, Microsoft Windows, and Linux
operating environments and can easily be downloaded at the following Web site:
http://sun.com/flash/resources.
1. In Sun Fire X2270 servers that do not include the optional service processor, control over the platform fans and LEDs
is achieved via the capabilities of the platform BIOS.
23 The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Chapter 5
System Management
A horizontally-scaled architecture can provide the best possible performance for
many types of workloads, including scientific analysis, Web applications, and product
design engineering. Unfortunately, this architectural approach often requires
provisioning, monitoring, and managing a large number of servers. Remote server
monitoring, system management, and task automation capabilities can help ease
administrative burden. To address this need, the Sun Fire X2270 server provides a full
complement of advanced system management features through installation of an
optional Sun ILOM Service Processor1. The Sun Fire X2270 server also supports open
standards to simplify integration with Sun and third-party enterprise management
software tools.
Sun ILOM service processor
Lights-out management features provided by the Sun ILOM service processor can
help organizations simplify system management tasks. The Sun ILOM service
processor is a Sun-designed customer replaceable unit (CRU) daughter card. Powered
by an ASPEED AST2100 integrated communications processor, the service processor
runs independent of the host platform, executing a robust, security-hardened
operating system.
Capabilities of the Sun ILOM service processor include the following:
• Full local and remote keyboard, video, mouse, and storage (RKVMS) access via
redirection over IP, eliminating the need for KVM switches
• Monitoring and reporting of environmental, power, hardware, BIOS, and
operating system events
• Remote power control, diagnostics, media attachment, and flash upgrades of the
system BIOS and service processor software
• System configuration information retrieval
• User configurable serial console access through a physical port or redirected
through the management network
• Java™-enabled remote console access across a secure Web connection
• Multi-level role based access with support for RADIUS, LDAP, and Microsoft Active
Directory Service lookup of authentication data
• Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) V1, V2c, and V3 support
24 The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
For system management operations, the AST2100 uses the following connections:
• Two USB ports for virtual devices (both ports are routed directly on the
motherboard between the AST2100 and the ICH10R)
• One RJ45 RS-232 serial interface for console redirection
• Two RJ45 10/100 MB/sec Ethernet network interfaces for IP-based management
connections (one for dedicated out-of-band management, and one shared hostport for side-band management)
• One HD-15 SVGA video port for local video output
Management functions provided by the service processor are implemented by
Sun ILOM 2.0 system management software. This software provides an Intelligent
Platform Management Interface (IPMI 2.0) Baseboard Management Controller,
platform control agents, diagnostics software, and Remote Keyboard, Video,
Mouse, and Storage (RKVMS) drivers. Many other Sun servers incorporate this same
firmware, providing organizations with a single, consistent, and standards-based
management interface.
Secure access to the service processor and associated ILOM software functions is
available in several ways:
• Intuitive browser-based user interface (BUI) over SSL
• Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF) command line interface over Secure
Shell (SSH)
• Redirection of the platform console, keyboard, mouse, and video to the Sun ILOM
Remote Console application
• SNMP v3 interfaces, providing easy integration with Sun xVM Ops Center, or thirdparty applications from companies such as Hewlett-Packard and IBM
• IPMI 2.0 command interface, for remote management using IPMI-based tools,
such as IPMItool
Maximizing management flexibility
While system management tools can play an important role in streamlining
operations, organizations must consider the best approach for each environment.
Executing management software directly on the host with or without use of a service
processor is known as in-band management. Using a dedicated Ethernet or serial
port to execute administrative tasks independent of the host is known as out-of-band
management. Sharing a single Ethernet port for host and service processor network
connectivity is known as side-band management. Table 6 offers a comparison of each
of these management strategies.
25 The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Table 5. Comparison of in-band, out-of-band, and side-band management
In-band
Characteristics
Benefits
Ideal use cases
Relies upon operating system-resident
software
Use of a single network connection
and switch port minimizes cost and
complexity.
Heterogeneous environments with
requirements to provide a common
administrative tool across all platforms
Utilizes a dedicated Ethernet or serial
port for administrative traffic
Continuous access to management
capabilities even when host is disabled
Environments with compute or
bandwidth intensive applications
Management tasks execute on an
independent service processor
Management tasks do not consume
host resources
Projects with complex management
requirements or high-levels of
administrative burden
Management tasks utilize platform
compute resources
Out-of-band
Increased security by physically
separating management traffic and
server data
Side-band
The host and service processor share an
Ethernet port and are each assigned an
independent MAC and IP address
Management tasks execute on an
independent service processor
Continuous access to management
capabilities even when host is disabled
Cost-sensitive environments
Management traffic uses part of the
host network bandwidth
Requires only one switch port, lowering
implementation costs
Minimizes processing overhead on the
host
The Sun Fire X2270 server offers extensive flexibility by supporting in-band, out-ofband, and side-band management. Organizations can choose a single management
method or utilize in-band management in tandem with out-of-band or sideband management approaches. The Sun Fire X2270 server provides out-of-band
management across a dedicated 10/100 Mb Ethernet port or a RS232 serial port on
the Sun ILOM service processor. Side-band management is supported over one of
the two Gigabit Ethernet interfaces that is shared by both the host and the service
processor (Figure 8). When utilizing a side-band management approach, the single,
shared physical Ethernet port provides unique MAC addresses and IP addresses for
both the platform and the service processor. Side-band management can provide all
the benefits of out-of-band management at considerable cost savings, by eliminating
the need to consume a switch port for both the management and platform
connection1.
1. Side-band management capabilities are not enabled by default. To enable this feature, please consult product
documentation for the Sun Fire X2270 server.
26 The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Intel
82575EB
Intel
5500
I/O Hub
PCI Express x4
2 x 1GB
Ethernet
0&1
Side-band
Connection
AST2100
Management
10/100
Ethernet
Figure 8. Side-band management takes advantage of the connection between the
AST2100 and the Intel 82575EB Gigabit Ethernet controller on the motherboard
In-band server management
In-band server management offers the opportunity for organizations to take
advantage of industry-standard protocols and applications across all datacenter
platforms. The Sun Fire X2270 server facilitates in-band server management by
supporting the IPMI 2.0 and SNMP v1, v2c, and v3 standards. Operating systemresident platform management functions for the Sun Fire X2270 server are
accomplished using one of the following two options:
• IPMI with a Keyboard Controller Style (KCS) interface and an IPMI kernel driver
• SNMP agents
Out-of-band and side-band server management
Out-of-band and side-band management approaches support the completion
of administrative tasks without placing unnecessary burden on the host. This
administrative strategy is desirable for performance-intensive environments. While
in-band management only works as long as the host operating system is up and
running, out-of-band and side-band management are fully functional even while the
host is powered off. In order for side-band management to work even while the host
is shut down, the Intel 82575EB Gigabit Ethernet network controller device operates
on stand-by power (similar to the service processor). Although out-of-band and sideband approaches differ in the approach to network connectivity, these methods offer
similar capabilities and benefits.
• Based on serial port redirection (serial-over-LAN), serial port connectivity to
the ILOM service processor provides direct console access to the command line
interface (CLI) and to the system console stream. The CLI is designed to follow the
Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF) Command Line Protocol (CLP).
27 The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
• Utilizing Ethernet connectivity, administrators can access a Web interface or
command-line interface (CLI). A secure shell (SSH) session is required for access to
the CLI and the Web interface supports both secure (https) and non-secure (http)
access. Secure access is the default configuration for Web-based access.
Remote keyboard, video, mouse, and storage (RKVMS)
The ILOM Service Processor provides access to Keyboard, Video, Mouse, and Storage
(RKVMS) remotely over IP. Remote video display is accomplished through the Java
Web Start software known as Sun ILOM Remote Console. To set up a system as
a remote console, ILOM Remote Console software is downloaded from the ILOM
service processor to the target machine1. From this point onward, the ILOM Remote
Console executes locally. Since ILOM Remote Console does not run on the server, it
does not put overhead on the host.
ILOM Remote Console software can be used to redirect the BIOS and setup screens
as well as all other platform video output. A true remote video console to the
management console is provided by handling the input and output to and from
virtual devices and the Sun Fire X2270 server. With 8-bit and 16-bit support and 8MB
of video memory, the SVGA display provides resolutions up to 1024 x 768. A single
instance of ILOM Remote Console can open multiple sessions to manage several
remote servers simultaneously.
The two USB 2.0 ports connected to the ILOM service processor enable remote
keyboard, mouse, and storage functions. The ILOM Remote Console software
captures keyboard, mouse, floppy, CD, and DVD input on the management console
and redirects it over IP to the ILOM service processor. Keyboard, mouse, and storage
inputs are then transmitted over the USB ports to the server. The Sun Fire X2270
server interprets these inputs as originating from locally connected USB devices.
These devices are called Virtual devices.
ILOM Remote Console can also be used to boot the remote server from a local device.
The virtual device can be a local physical device or an image file. Several types of
devices can be redirected as virtual devices by ILOM Remote Console, including the
following:
• CD/DVD-ROM
• Floppy
• USB flash disk drives
• CD/DVD-ROM image (.iso files)
• Floppy image (.img files)
1. ILOM Remote Console requires the installation of Java Runtime Environment 5.0 on the management console
28 The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Intelligent platform management interface
Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) refers to the autonomous
monitoring, logging, recovery, and inventory control features implemented in
hardware and firmware. The key differentiation of Intelligent Platform Management
is that these functions are independent of the main CPU, BIOS, and OS. There
are two major components of platform management: the system management
controller (or BMC) and System Management Software (SMS). Intelligent Platform
Management provides key capabilities that allow enterprise-class management for
high-availability systems.
The ILOM service processor provides autonomous sensor monitoring and event
logging. Typical sensor-related events are out-of-range temperature or voltage and
fan failure. When an event occurs, it is noted in the system event log and made
available to the system management controller. The system management controller
is powered by the power supply stand-by voltage and will function even when the
server is powered down or the operating system has crashed. As a result, platform
status can be obtained and recovery initiated under situations where in-band
delivery mechanisms are unavailable.
In modern systems, the Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) provides a
hardware-level interface specification for monitoring and control functions. It defines
a standard, abstract, message-based interface between the BMC and SMS and a
common set of commands for operations such as accessing sensor values, setting
thresholds, logging events, and controlling a watchdog timer. IPMI messages can
be used to communicate with the BMC over serial and LAN interfaces, so software
designed for in-band (local) management can be re-used for out-of-band (remote)
management simply by changing the low-level communications layer.
IPMItool
IPMItool is a simple command-line interface to systems that support the IPMI
v2.0 specification. IPMItool provides the ability to remotely read the sensor data
repository and print sensor values, display the contents of the system event log,
print field-replaceable unit information, read and set LAN configuration parameters,
and perform remote chassis power control. IPMItool was originally written to take
advantage of IPMI-over-LAN interfaces. This tool is also capable of interfacing with
the system through a Linux kernel device driver such as OpenIPMI or the Solaris
BMC driver within the Solaris 10 OS. IPMItool is available under a BSD-compatible
license.
System Management Software (SMS) is generally complex and is only part of a much
larger management picture. However, system administrators and developers can use
command-line tools and scripting to manage these complex systems. IPMItool takes
a different approach to SMS and provides a completely command-line oriented tool.
29 The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
IPMItool is not designed to replace the OpenIPMI library. Where possible, IPMItool
supports printing comma-separated values for output to facilitate parsing by other
scripts or programs. IPMItool is designed to run quick command-response functions
that can be as simple as turning the system on or off, or as complex as reading in the
sensor data records and extracting and printing detailed sensor information for each
record.
New features in ILOM3.0
Since ILOM system management functionality is implemented in firmware, it can be
easily upgraded even after a server is deployed. For example, as support becomes
available for ILOM 3.0 on the Sun Fire X2270 server, this firmware can be deployed as
a free upgrade. As compared to ILOM 2.0, ILOM 3.0 provides many new features and
capabilities, including improved security, improved usability, and easier integration
into the datacenter environment. Table 7 lists new features for ILOM 3.0.
Table 7. Sample list of new features in ILOM 3.0
Category
Feature
General
• DNS support
• Timezone support
• Configuration backup and restore
• Restore to factory defaults
• Enhanced LDAP and LDAP/SSL support
• Java-based remote storage CLI
• Power management capabilities
• Ability to generate new SSH keys
• Scalability and Usability
Scalability and
Usability
• User-configurable filtering of hardware monitoring information in CLI and
web interface
• Use host name to access other services by name, such as LDAP, Active
Directory, LDAP/SSL
Security
• More granular user roles
• Predefined root and default accounts
• User SSH key authentication
• Ability to disable the network management port when you are using only
the serial port
• Ability to disable individual services, such as IPMI, SSH, and KVMS, so
that the port is closed
• Serviceability
• Data collection utility to diagnose system problems
More information about ILOM 2.0 and 3.0 features is available in the documentation
sets at http://docs.sun.com.
30 The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
SNMP
The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) provides remote access to
monitor and control network devices and to manage configurations, statistics
collection, performance, and security on a network. SNMP is a network
management protocol used almost exclusively in TCP/IP networks. The Sun Fire
X2270 server provides SNMP MIBs (Management Information Base) to manage and
monitor the servers using any SNMP-capable network management system, such as
HP OpenView Network Node Manager (NNM), Tivoli, CA Unicenter, or IBM Director.
The MIB data describes the information being managed, reflects current and recent
server status, and provides server statistics.
The ILOM service processor supports SNMP v1, v2c, and v3. SNMP v3 is enabled by
default; v1 and v2c are disabled by default. SNMP sets may be enabled and disabled
and are disabled by default. SNMP traps can be generated from within the service
processor. An IPMI-specific trap, called a Platform Event Trap (PET), may also be
generated. The following SNMP MIBs are supported:
• The system group and SNMP group from the RFC1213 MIB
• SNMP-FRAMEWORK-MIB
• SNMP-USER-BASED-SM-MIB
• SNMP-MPD-MIB
• ENTITY-MIB
• SUN-PLATFORM-MIB
Sun™ xVM Ops Center
Sun™ xVM Ops Center software is a highly-scalable datacenter management platform
that helps organizations improve systems lifecycle management and process
automation. The capabilities of Sun xVM Ops Center can simplify management of
datacenter requirements such as server consolidation, compliance reporting, and
rapid provisioning. This management platform helps provision and administer both
physical and virtual datacenter assets in environments that include Sun Fire X2270
servers as well as other Sun and non-Sun hardware running Windows and Linux
operating systems and the Solaris OS.
Sun xVM Ops Center provides a single console to facilitate the following key
capabilities within globally dispersed heterogeneous IT environments:
• Server discovery and inventory management — Automatically scans and
identifies servers across the network, even when powered off, allowing faster
deployment and management of IT assets.
31 The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
• Firmware and bare metal server provisioning — Delivers automatic and “hands
off” installation of bare-metal operating systems, RPMs and firmware, bringing
new efficiencies to IT departments.
• Patch management and updating —Provides up-to-date patch management tools
for Red Hat, SUSE and the Solaris OS, offering organizations greater control over
datacenter plans and minimizing downtime. In addition, unique patch simulation
capabilities remove uncertainty from the software update process.
• Managing and monitoring — Securely and remotely manages users and
heterogeneous datacenter assets, and proactively resolves problems by
monitoring critical parameters, improving the security and stability of systems.
• Compliance reporting — Provides an up-to-date view into the system state, patch
status, and software portfolio, helping improve the speed and accuracy of report
and compliance validation.
These automation capabilities can be used in conjunction with configuration
management investments to achieve knowledge-based change management. Taking
advantage of Sun xVM Ops Center software can help organizations create a more
compliant Solaris OS environment that requires less maintenance and recovery down
time and can lead to considerable cost savings.
32 The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Chapter 6
Operating System Support
Support for a variety of 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems can help protect
investments in server hardware. The Sun Fire X2270 server supports multiple
operating systems, letting organizations deploy a choice of application environments
without having to shift hardware platforms when software requirements change.
This added flexibility can reduce cost and complexity and help organizations to
increase return on investment while lowering risk.
The Sun Fire X2270 server is certified to run the Solaris 10 OS, Red Hat Enterprise
Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, Microsoft Windows, and VMware operating
environments. To help streamline maintenance efforts, support contracts for each
of these operating systems are available from Sun. Up-to-date operating system
support information for the Sun Fire X2270 server can be found at the following Web
site: http://www.sun.com/servers/x64/x2270/os.jsp
The Solaris™ Operating System
As a part of a strategic alliance, Sun and Intel have been working together — from
design and architecture through implementation — to optimize the Solaris OS to
unleash the power and capabilities of current and future Intel Xeon processors.
Since 2007, engineering teams from the two companies have delivered a range of
enhancements for Solaris on Xeon processors. This collaboration has focused on
optimizing how the Solaris platform and the New Intel Core Microarchitecture work
together on the Intel Xeon Processor 5500 Series, with compelling results:
• Improved performance — The Solaris OS takes advantage of the Intel Xeon
Processor 5500 Series, including Intel Hyper-Threading Technology, Intel Turbo
Boost Technology, and the new Intel QuickPath Technology resulting in significant
performance improvements.
• Automated power efficiency and utilization — The Solaris OS has been optimized
to take advantage of Intel’s power management functions, improving energy
efficiency and performance-per-watt through Integrated Power Gates and
Automated Power States.
• Increased reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) — The Solaris Fault
Management Architecture (FMA) infrastructure is enhanced to take advantage
of the Intel Xeon Processor 5500 Series RAS features to provide an even stronger
enterprise compute solution.
• Virtualization enhancements — The Solaris OS delivers cost-effective
virtualization by taking advantage of Intel Virtualization Technology features.
33 The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Distributed under a commercial and open source licensing model, the Solaris 10
OS offers many innovative technologies that change the equation for organizations
needing to reduce costs, minimize complexity, and eliminate risk. The Solaris 10
OS is optimized for Sun systems and supported on over one thousand third-party
x86 systems. In addition, the Solaris 10 OS is available for download without cost,
and with no requirement to purchase a support contract, offering an economic
advantage over other community-based operating system offerings. The Solaris 10
OS also includes more than 180 applications from the free and open source software
(F/OSS) community, and thousands of others are freely available for download over
the Internet.
The Solaris OS includes features not found in any other operating system, including:
• Solaris Dynamic Tracing (DTrace) is a powerful tool that provides a true, system
level view of application and kernel activities, even those running in a Java Virtual
Machine. System administrators, integrators, and developers can use this dynamic
instrumentation to reduce the time to diagnose problems from days and weeks to
minutes and hours, providing faster data-driven fixes.
• Solaris Containers technology provides a powerful approach to virtualization and
software partitioning, yielding many private execution environments within a
single instance of the Solaris OS. Using this technology, organizations can improve
resource utilization, reduce downtime, and lower solution costs.
• Sun Predictive Self Healing technology automatically diagnoses, isolates, and
recovers from many hardware and application faults. As a result, business-critical
applications and essential system services can continue uninterrupted in the
event of software failures, major hardware component breakdowns, and software
misconfiguration problems.
• Resource management facilities built into the Solaris 10 OS allow computing
resources to be allocated among individual tasks and users in a structured,
policy driven fashion. The Solaris OS resource management facilities can help
organizations to proactively allocate, control, and monitor systems. Resources
such as CPU time, processes, virtual memory, connect time, and logins can be
managed on a fine-grained basis to help organizations obtain more predictable
service levels.
Linux environments
Sun offers and supports the leading Linux variants on the Sun Fire X2270 server,
including Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server. As the
leader in enterprise services for UNIX® software, Sun brings decades of expertise to
Linux environments. Sun support contracts for Linux provide all front-line support
and transparent access to back-line support from Red Hat and Novell.
34 The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Sun is one of the largest contributors to the open-source community. Areas of
contribution include OpenOffice.org, Mozilla, GNOME, and X.org. In addition, Sun
provides key software offerings for Linux including the following:
• Lustre™ parallel file system
• Sun Ray™ Server Software
• Sun xVM software
• StarOffice™ productivity suite
• Java Desktop Powered Program
• Sun Studio, Sun Java Studio Creator, and NetBeans™ IDE software
• MySQL™ database
Microsoft Windows environments
Organizations are constantly seeking to reduce the variety of platforms in the
datacenter. To help this effort, the Sun Fire X2270 server can run the Microsoft
Windows operating environment. The Sun Fire X2270 server has passed stringent
Microsoft compatibility test suites. Support contracts for Microsoft Windows are also
available from Sun. This certification and support demonstrates Sun’s commitment
to providing the best platforms to run not only the Solaris OS and Linux, but
Microsoft Windows as well.
VMware virtualization technology
Virtualization solutions from VMware help improve asset utilization, operational
efficiency, and business agility. The VMware Infrastructure product suite is available
for Sun hardware systems with full support from Sun. VMware virtualization
technology also combines with key Solaris 10 OS features such as, Solaris
DTrace, Solaris Containers, and Solaris Predictive Self Healing software. As a
result, organizations can create powerful IT solutions through virtualization. In
fact, utilizing VMware virtual infrastructure software with the Solaris 10 OS for
consolidation projects can increase system utilization by up to ten times. By taking
advantage of technology from VMware, enterprises can further capitalize on the
high-performance, scalability, and energy efficiency of the Sun Fire X2270 server.
35 The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Chapter 7
Summary
Organizations with technical computing and demanding Web services applications
need solutions that can help speed operations and provide a competitive edge.
Computing systems must deliver exceptional throughput and flexibility. At the same
time, keeping costs low remains a priority. With hundreds of servers deployed,
system management and energy costs also become key factors in achieving a low
total cost of ownership.
The Sun Fire X2270 server featuring powerful Intel Xeon Processor 5500 Series, the
New Intel Core Microarchitecture, and innovative flash memory storage options
offers flexible, high-performance computing at an entry-level price. Providing
sophisticated functionality in an easy-to-cool compact design, the Sun Fire X2270
server is ideal for rack-dense system environments. In fact, the Sun Fire X2270
server delivers industry-leading price/performance and performance/watt and
offers exceptional memory and internal storage capacity. Combined with a choice
of operating systems and scalable system management tools, the Sun Fire X2270
server is a powerful and manageable server that is ideal for compute-intense Web
and scientific applications. Building on over 25 years of system design expertise and
excellence, the Sun Fire X2270 server demonstrates that Sun continues to deliver
system innovation that maximizes the economics of computing with breakaway
efficiency and intelligent scale.
For more information
To learn more about Sun products and the benefits of the Sun Fire X2270 server,
contact a Sun sales representative, or consult the related documents and Web sites
listed in Table 7.
Table 7. Web sites for more information.
Description
URL
Sun Fire X2270 server
sun.com/servers/x2270
Solaris Operating System
sun.com/solaris
Sun Services Overview
sun.com/service
Sun xVM Ops Center
sun.com/xvmopscenter
Linux offerings from Sun
sun.com/software/linux
Microsoft Windows offerings from Sun
sun.com/software/windows
Virtualization
sun.com/datacenter/consolidation
Intel Xeon Processor 5500 Series
intel.com/products/processor/xeon/5500
The Sun Fire X2270 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Sun Microsystems, Inc. 4150 Network Circle, Santa Clara, CA 95054 USA Phone 1-650-960-1300 or 1-800-555-9SUN (9786) Web sun.com
© 2009 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved. Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, Java, Lustre, MySQL, NetBeans, Solaris, Sun Fire, Sun Ray, and ZFS are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun
Microsystems, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. UNIX is a registered trademark in the United States and other countries, exclusively licensed through X/Open Company, Ltd. Intel and
Xeon are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries. Information subject to change without notice.  Printed in USA
SunWIN #: 557215  04/09