| Sun Blade 6048 Modular System Overview |     |
| C H A P T E R 1 |
|
Introduction |
This document provides an overview of the Sun Blade 6048 modular system.
This document is divided into the following sections:
The Sun Blade 6048 modular system chassis consists of four identical shelves, with the following maximum configuration for each shelf:
This section describes the logical components in the Sun Blade 6048 modular system and how they interact with each other.
The Sun Blade 6048 modular system includes four chassis shelves.
The Sun Blade 6048 modular system is designed for ease of service by either the customer for user-upgradeable components or by authorized service personnel. It consists of four identical shelves consisting of:
FIGURE 1-1 Shows the front and rear views of a fully populated system.
FIGURE 1-1 Front and Rear Views of Chassis System
FIGURE 1-2 shows the components that are common to each of the four shelves within a fully populated Sun Blade 6048 chassis.
FIGURE 1-2 Populated Sun Blade Chassis
The logical components include:
| Note - The Chassis Management Module (CMM) is described in Service Processor. |
Blade modules form the backbone of the system; in a sense, the other components exist to support their functionality.
Blade modules come in two categories: server modules and storage modules. For example, the Sun Blade X6250 is a server module. Most server modules are complete, autonomous servers, although some of them have no hard drives and must be attached to external storage.
A single chassis can hold any combination of supported server modules. Each slot operates independently and is not affected by the server modules in adjacent slots. Thus, an x64 module such as a Sun Blade X6250 can be installed next to a SPARC module such as a Sun Blade T6320.
The following table lists the blade modules:
| Note - The lists of supported modules in this document are current as of the date this document was published; however new modules will be added as they are developed. For an up-to-date list, see http://www.sun.com/servers/blades/offerings.jsp |
Many blade servers have a slot for a Raid Expansion Module (REM) and a Fabric Expansion Module (FEM).
REMs provide HBA functionality on some blade servers. They mount to a REM connector on the blade motherboard.
The currently-supported REMs include:
FIGURE 1-3 shows a REM being installed on a Sun Blade X6450 server module.
FIGURE 1-3 Installation of a REM on a Sun Blade X6450 Server Motherboard
FEMs allow blade servers to use the network and InfiniBand connections provided by certain NEMs. These NEMs and the corresponding FEMs operate as a matched set.
FEMs are installed on the FEM connector on the blade motherboard. FIGURE 1-4 shows a Fabric Expansion Module on a Sun Blade X6450 server module.
FIGURE 1-4 Installation of a FEM on a Sun Blade X6450 Server Motherboard
NEMs offer systemic connectivity to the blades in the chassis. Each NEM connects to all 12 blade slots in a single shelf. The basic NEM provides a 10/100/1000 Ethernet connection for each blade.
The chassis provides two NEM slots per shelf. Adding a second NEM provides a second set of 10/100/1000 Ethernet connections for each blade.
| Note - If there is no NEM in the chassis, a PCIe EM can be used to provide server blades with Ethernet connectivity. See PCIe EMs for information on PCIe EMs. |
Most NEMs are hot-swappable or hot-pluggable.
The type of connectivity depends on the NEM.
| Note - Most NEM functions, other than the 10/100/1000 Ethernet port, require a matching REM or FEM mounted on the blade motherboard before the blade server can use that function. See RAID Expansion Modules or Fabric Expansion Modules for more information. |
The supported Sun Blade 6048 InfiniBand Switched NEMS include:
| Note - Network express modules (NEMs): The Sun Blade 6048 chassis supports up to 8 installed NEMs (up to two single-slot or one dual-slot NEMs per shelf). |
| Note - Check http://www.sun.com/servers/blades/offerings.jsp for the latest list of supported NEMs. |
The Sun Blade 6048 chassis supports up to 96 installed PCIe EMs (up to 2 PCIe EMs per server module or 24 per shelf).The PCIe EM slots are labeled PCIe EM 0 to 11.
The PCIe EMs are designed to offer independent, dedicated I/O functions configurable on a per server module basis.
Each blade slot has two dedicated PCIe EM slots, numbered as follows:
The PCIe EM format is a standard developed by the PCI-SIG standards organization. The chassis midplane implements PCI-Express connectivity between the PCIe EMs and server modules and assigns two PCIe EMs to each server module. Most PCIe EMs are hot-swappable or hot-pluggable, allowing system administrators to easily replace them.
PCIe EMs can be installed in a system without any modification to the connected server module hardware. The Sun Blade 6048 modular system supports industry-standard, hot-swappable PCIe EMs.
Check http://www.sun.com/servers/blades/optioncards.jsp for the latest list of supported PCIe EM modules.
The chassis has four service processor modules, (one per shelf) referred to as a Chassis Management Module (CMM). This service processor (SP) supports the service processor program, called the Integrated Lights-Out Manager (ILOM).
The CMM appears in FIGURE 1-2.
In addition to the CMM which manages the shelf, each server blade has its own service processor that operates independently of the CMM. These can be accessed by entering a command on the CMM. The blade service processor can also be accessed directly, through their SP IP address or through a dongle connector on the front of the server module.
Disk blades do not have a service processor. The CMM provides a limited set of commands for managing them.
The service processor allows you to manage chassis components and to access the service processors of the individual server modules even when the chassis and/or the server modules are powered off.
In additional to the CMM which manages the shelf, each server blade has its own service processor that operates independently of the CMM. These can be accessed directly, through their SP IP address, or through a dongle connector on the front of the server module.
Disk blades do not have a service processor. The CMM provides a limited set of commands for managing them.
The infrastructure components provide physical support, power, and cooling for the system. They include the chassis, eight power supplies with integrated fan modules, and the thirty-two rear fan modules.
The chassis is the physical enclosure that contains the system components. The chassis can accommodate corresponding front-to-back, rail-to-rail spacing of 26.77 inches (68.0 cm) to 34.25 inches (87.0 cm).
The Sun Cooling Door 5600 is a 35kW cooling system for high-density heat loads that mounts on the rear of the Sun Blade 6048 chassis while allowing access to the back of it.
Room air is drawn in through the front of the rack, picks up heat from the servers, transfers the heat to the Sun Cooling Door 5600’s coil and is expelled through the rear of the rack or chassis. When the entering air temperature is 77˚F (25˚C) or lower, the Sun Cooling Door 5600 removes up to 35kW of heat generated by the components without raising the temperature of the air leaving the rack or chassis.
The Sun Cooling Door 5200 is a highly efficient air-to-water heat exchanger. It is installed onto the rear of the Sun Blade 6048 chassis and has a high cooling capacity. Its slim design and proximity to the heat load provides considerable floor space savings. It is a 100-percent passive system, allowing for minimal operation and maintenance costs. The Sun Cooling Door 5200 requires front-to-back air flow routing. The server fans push the warm air exhausted from the devices in the server chassis/rack into the rear door heat exchanger. The air is then cooled and exhausted out of the Sun Cooling Door 5200. See FIGURE 1-5, Sun Cooling Door.
FIGURE 1-5 Sun Cooling Door 5200
Documentation for the Sun Blade 6048 modular system is on the web at:
http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/prod/blade.6048mod#hic
The documentation for the Sun Blade 6048 modular system is divided by function into the following collections:
The individual web site for each server module also provides documentation for that server module’s service processor.
This section addresses issues related to the firmware in the chassis and the server modules. It includes information about updating firmware and about keeping the firmware in the chassis elements compatible with other chassis elements.
All software and firmware for the Sun Blade 6048 and associated server modules can be downloaded from:
http://www.sun.com/servers/blades/downloads.jsp#6048
The download page for each product provides a list of major changes from one release to the next.
A more detailed list of problems fixed by the download is available in the corresponding product notes and web download page.
The most recently available blade server software release is preferred for use with the Sun Blade 6048 CMM software. Starting with CMM SW Release 3.1.2 this support matrix is available within the CMM SW Release download file list under Optional Files. The software support matrix provides the blade software release versions that are recommended for use with a specific CMM release. To access this page:
http://www.sun.com/servers/blades/downloads.jsp#6048
2. Press the Download button under Sun Blade 6048 Modular System - Downloads.
The Sun Blade 6048 Chassis SW 3.1.2 page opens. From this page you set up an account.
3. Click on the checkbox to select the I agree to the SunBlade X6048 3.1.2 License Agreement.
4. Enter a User Name and Password.
As soon as your account is active you can access the Blade Server Support Matrix, located under Optional Files.
The firmware is incorporated into new chassis and blade products at the factory. However, it is updated periodically in packages called either “software updates” or “firmware updates.”
All of these updates are released for either a single server module (for example the Sun Blade X6450 server module), or for the Sun Blade 6048 chassis.
| Note - For server modules, software updates can include software and firmware. However, the chassis has no software, so the chassis software updates contain only firmware. |
The chassis and server modules each have a corresponding product notes document that lists known issues with the hardware, software (server modules only), firmware, service processor, and documentation. These documents describe the issues and provide workarounds where possible.
The product notes document is updated with each major software release and often for minor releases as well.
| Note - A major release is where the first number changes, for example, from 2.0 to 3.0. A minor release is where the second number changes, for example from 2.0. to 2.1.
Changes from software release to release are usually included as part of the software release web download, available at: http://www.sun.com/servers/blades/downloads.jsp#6000 Minor releases might not include updates to the Product Notes. |
The chassis product notes also include a list of bugs fixed in each release.
| Note - The last two numbers of the Product Notes will vary, according to the release. |
Product notes for the server modules and storage blades can be found at
http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/prod/blade.srvr
Follow the links on this page to the corresponding server module for the complete set of documentation associated with that server module.
If a NEM firmware update is required, Sun recommends that it is installed before other firmware.
See the following section for firmware update procedures. See the corresponding product notes for information about known issues and service dependencies.
Normally, you can install a server module with newer firmware than existing server modules in the chassis without adversely impacting the other components in the chassis.
However, to ensure that this is the case, Sun recommend that all components use the latest version of the firmware or the prior release of the firmware.
The Sun Blade 6048 chassis uses ILOM firmware. See the ILOM documentation collection for the corresponding product for details.
To update firmware for a server module or for the chassis, you must know the name of the firmware update file. The firmware update file name is documented in the platform ILOM Supplement and the Tools and Drivers CD or CD image.
ILOM is Sun's common service processor firmware. It is the standard for rackmount servers and server modules, regardless of the CPU architecture. All newer Sun server modules, including SPARC, Intel, and AMD, run ILOM.
| Note - The T6300 server module is an exception; it uses ALOM. See the T6300 documentation for details. |
The firmware update procedures are located in the corresponding ILOM documentation.
Some server modules were originally shipped with the ELOM (Embedded Lights Out Manager) service processor firmware, such as the Sun Blade X6250 and Sun Blade X6450 server modules. These can all be updated to ILOM.
Sun recommends that all server modules running ELOM be updated to run ILOM.
This procedure is documented in the ELOM-to-ILOM Migration Guide, which is included in the corresponding server module documentation collections. It is also available here:
http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/prod/blade.srvr
The procedure for updating all server modules that run ELOM is in the Sun Blade X6250 Server Module Embedded Lights Out Manager Administration Guide, which is available in the documentation collections for all server modules that run ELOM. It is also available here:
http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/prod/blade.srvr
| Sun Blade 6048 Modular System Overview | 820-7680-11 | |
Copyright © 2009 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
