Filter
Top Products
An affordable dual-socket, dual- and quad-core SMP server
with high performance and data protection for small and
medium businesses
Please see the Legal Information section for important notices and information.
9
system reset function and a device driver. As long as the server continues running, the ASR watchdog
timer will keep being reset, but if the operating system crashes or the hardware freezes somehow the ASR
software will be unable to reset the hardware timer. If the timer is not reset within five minutes, it
automatically triggers the ASR hardware, which immediately restarts the server (and logs an ASR event
with IBM Director). These features are designed so that no more than five minutes can pass before the
server is restarted.
Wake on LAN permits the server to be remotely powered on if it has been shut off. Once powered up, the
server can be controlled across the network, using the Preboot Execution Environment (PXE).
Like Wake on LAN, PXE is system firmware. It allows software such as the optional IBM Remote
Deployment Manager to take control of a system before the BIOS, operating system or applications are
loaded (using Wake on LAN/PXE) and lets an administrator perform many low-level tasks remotely that
would otherwise require a visit to each system. These tasks may include such things as formatting a hard
disk drive, updating system firmware, or deploying a Windows or Linux operating system.
Text Console Redirection support allows the administrator to remotely view x3400 text messages over
serial or LAN. An optional upgrade to the Remote Supervisor Adapter II SlimLine adds graphical
console redirect.
Predictive Failure Analysis (PFA) is designed to allow the x3400 to detect impending failure of
supported components (processors, memory, voltage regulator modules (VRMs), power supplies and hard
disk drives) before actual failure, and alert the administrator through IBM Director. This gives you the
ability to replace the failing component before it fails, resulting in increased uptime.
IBM Director 5.x software for advanced workgroup management is included with the x3400. IBM Director
comes with a portfolio of tools, including Management Processor Assistant, Rack Manager, RAID
Manager, Update Assistant and Software Distribution. System Availability (a no-charge download) and
Capacity Manager (sold separately) are available as add-ons for additional server management and
increased availability. IBM Director provides a single uniform graphical interface for all of these systems
management functions.
IBM Director enables you to customize thresholds and monitor system components (for things like
temperature, voltage regulation, etc.) to help maximize uptime.
Key Options
IBM options for System x servers help you take your servers to a higher
level
You can rely on System x options to supply a complete solution for your business needs. Options help you
create an optimized server system to meet your data protection, storage and availability needs. Every IBM
option is designed and tested for peak performance and flexibility, helping to maximize your return on
investment. The combination of System x servers and options lets you keep your fingers on the pulse of
your e-business.
Processors — The Intel Xeon processor provides high clock rates, dual-cores, 64-bit extensions, a large
cache and advanced features for availability and manageability. Large cache size, combined with a fast
1066MHz or 1333MHz front-side, reduces memory latency and facilitates the movement of data through
the processor and I/O devices. (Note: System performance depends not only on the number of
processors in the server but also on the power and functionality of each processor.) Adding a second
processor may be a cost-effective way to achieve significant performance improvements.
Memory — Memory is a significant factor in systems application performance. Adding more memory to a
System x server is one of the most effective ways to increase application performance. For best
performance in a server with a dual-core processor, there should be twice as much memory available as
for a single-core processor. The x3400 takes memory upgrades in pairs and provides either two-way or
four-way interleaving (depending on the number of DIMMs installed).
Hard Disk Drives — IBM hard disk drives help you improve the transaction and cost performance of your
System x servers. The choice of hard disk drives can be a critical aspect of maximizing the I/O throughput
of the system. SAS hard disk drives are available for the x3400 with capacities up to 300GB (3.5-inch) at
10,000 RPMs and up to 146.8GB at 15,000 RPMs. SATA II hard disk drives are available with capacities
up to 500GB (3.5-inch) at 7,200 RPMs.
Backup Drives — Backup drives help you protect your data. IBM offers several choices of capacities and
technologies, including DDS-5, DDS-6, LTO-2, LTO-3, and VXA-3.
Power Supply — The optional second power supply for the x3400 enables redundancy for hot-swap
power (and adds three additional fans for increased cooling capacity and redundancy).
Remote Supervisor Adapter II SlimLine — The x3400 includes a plethora of systems management
features built-in; however, sometimes additional management capability is needed. In those situations, the
Remote Supervisor Adapter II SlimLine not only offers powerful new features, it does so without taking up
a valuable PCI-X or PCI-E adapter slot, using a dedicated slot on the motherboard instead.
ServeRAID Controllers — System x servers using embedded ServeRAID-8k technology allow
companies to build a reliable foundation for business-critical computing. IBM ServeRAID technology
allows an array consisting of multiple physical hard disk drives to be treated as one logical drive.
ServeRAID technology also allows data to be stored redundantly, across multiple hard disk drives—