IBM eX5 Implementation Guide

194 IBM eX5 Implementation Guide

5.10 Memory

The HX5 2-socket has eight DIMM sockets per processor (a total of 16 DIMM sockets),

supporting up to 128 GB of memory when using 8 GB DIMMs. With the addition of the MAX5

memory expansion blade, a single HX5 blade has access to a total of 40 DIMM sockets

supporting up to 320 GB of RAM when using 8 GB DIMMs.

The HX5 and MAX5 use registered Double Data Rate 3 (DDR3), very low profile (VLP)

DIMMs and provide reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) and advanced Chipkill

memory protection. For more information about Chipkill memory protection, see “Chipkill” on

page 29. For information about RAS, see 2.3.6, “Reliability, availability, and serviceability

(RAS) features” on page 28.

This section has the following topics:

򐂰 5.10.1, “Memory options” on page 194

򐂰 5.10.2, “DIMM population order” on page 196

򐂰 5.10.3, “Memory balance” on page 199

򐂰 5.10.4, “Memory mirroring” on page 200

򐂰 5.10.5, “Memory sparing” on page 202

To see a full list of the supported memory features, such as Hemisphere Mode, Chipkill,

nonuniform memory access (NUMA), and memory mirroring, and an explanation of each

memory feature, see 2.3, “Memory” on page 22.

5.10.1 Memory options

Table 5-13 lists the memory options for the HX5 and MAX5. They are the same options for

both products

with the exception of the 2 GB DIMM option.

Table 5-13 Memory options HX5 and MAX5

Tip: Memory must be installed in pairs of two identical DIMMs, or in quads if memory

mirroring is enabled. The options in Table 5-13, however, are for single DIMMs.

Part

number

FC Capacity Support

in MAX5

Description Rank Speed

a

a. Although the speed of the supported memory DIMMs is as high as 1333 MHz, the actual memory bus speed is a

function of the processor and the memory buffers used in the HX5 server. In the HX5, memory speed is up to

978 MHz and in the MAX5, memory speed is up to 1066 MHz. See Table 5-12 on page 192 for specifics.

44T1486 1916 1x 2 GB No 2GB PC3-10600 CL9 ECC VLP (2Rx8, 1.5V, 1Gb) Dual 1333 MHz

44T1596 1908 1x 4 GB

Yes 4GB PC3-10600 CL9 ECC VLP (2Rx8, 1.5V, 2Gb) Dual 1333 MHz

46C7499 1917 1x 8 GB

Yes 8GB PC3-8500 CL7 ECC VLP (4Rx8, 1.5V, 2Gb) Quad 1066 MHz

49Y1554 A13Q 1x 8 GB

Ye s

b

b. This DIMM supports redundant bit steering (RBS) when used in the MAX5, as described in “Redundant bit steering”

on page 29.

8GB PC3-10600 CL9 ECC (1x8GB, 2Rx4, 1.5V 2Gb) Dual 1333 MHz

Two GB DIMM option: The 2 GB DIMM option that is listed in Table 5-13 is not supported

in the MAX5, because the MAX5 does not support mixing DIMMs with various DRAM

technologies, such as 1 Gb versus 2 Gb.

Chapter 5. IBM BladeCenter HX5 195

For optimal performance, populate all DIMM slots on the HX5 before filling the MAX5.

Each processor controls eight DIMMs and four memory buffers in the server, as shown in

Figure 5-12. To make use of all 16 DIMM sockets, you must install both processors. If only

one processor is installed, you can only install eight DIMM sockets.

Figure 5-12 Portion of the HX5 block diagram showing the processors, memory buffers, and DIMMs

Figure 5-13 shows the physical locations of the 16 memory DIMM sockets.

Figure 5-13 DIMM layout on the HX5 system board

The MAX5 memory expansion blade has 24 memory DIMM sockets, as shown in Figure 5-14

on page 196. The MAX5, which must be connected to an HX5 system (only the 1-node HX5

supports the MAX5), has one memory controller and six SMI-connected memory buffers.

DDR-3 DIMM 13

DDR-3 DIMM 14

DDR-3 DIMM 15

DDR-3 DIMM 16

DDR-3 DIMM 11

DDR-3 DIMM 12

DDR-3 DIMM 10

DDR-3 DIMM 9

Memory

buffer

Memory

buffer

Memory

buffer

Memory

buffer

Scalability

Connector

QPI Links

Intel 7500

I/O Hub

Intel Xeon

CPU 2

DDR-3 DIMM 5

DDR-3 DIMM 6

DDR-3 DIMM 7

DDR-3 DIMM 8

DDR-3 DIMM 3

DDR-3 DIMM 4

DDR-3 DIMM 2

DDR-3 DIMM 1

Memory

buffer

Memory

buffer

Memory

buffer

Memory

buffer

Intel Xeon

CPU 1

Memory

channels

SMI links

TIGHTEN

SCREWS

ALTERNATELY

Control panel

connector

Battery

DIMM 1

DIMM 2

DIMM 3

DIMM 4

DIMM 13

DIMM 14

DIMM 15

DIMM 16

Microprocessor 2

DIMM 9

DIMM 10

DIMM 11

DIMM 12

I/O expansion

connector

Blade expansion

connector

CIOv expansion

connector

DIMM 5

DIMM 6

DIMM 7

DIMM 8

Microprocessor 1

Scalability

connector