IBM eX5 Implementation Guide

398 IBM eX5 Implementation Guide

A server is only as good as its weakest link, so you can have a well-tuned server, but a poorly

configured SAN to which it connects. Generally, you need to look at an entire solution,

including the SAN and network infrastructure, to fully achieve the best performance from the

server.

Table 8-4 provides an overview of UEFI settings for the HX5 that address a number of

performance scenarios.

Table 8-4 Overview of settings

8.5.2 Start-up parameters

UEFI systems, especially when scaled, can take time to start up. The number of adapters

installed in each node, for example, has a direct influence on the time that it takes for UEFI to

initialize.

Setting MaxImum

performance

Virtualization Low latency Performance

per watt

HPC

TurboMode

Enabled Enabled Disabled Disabled Disabled

TurboBoost Traditional Power Optimized Automatically

disabled

Automatically

disabled

Automatically

disabled

Processor

Performance

states

Enabled Enabled Disabled Enabled Disabled

C states Disabled Enabled Disabled Enabled Enabled

C1E state Disabled

Enabled Disabled Enabled Enabled

Prefetcher

Enabled Enabled Enabled Enabled Enabled

Hyper-

Threading

Enabled Enabled Disabled Enabled Enabled

Execute

Disable

Disabled

Enabled Disabled Enabled Disabled

Virtualization

Extensions

Disabled

Enabled Disabled Enabled Disabled

QPI Link Speed Max Performance Max Performance Max Performance Power Efficiency Max

Performance

IMM Thermal

Mode

Performance Performance Performance Normal Performance

CKE Policy Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled

DDR Speed Max Performance Max Performance Max Performance Max Performance Max

Performance

Page Policy Closed Closed Closed Closed Closed

Mapper Policy Closed Closed Closed Closed Closed

Patrol Scrub Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled

Demand Scrub

Enabled Enabled Disabled Enabled Disabled

Chapter 8. IBM BladeCenter HX5 399

A simple step to reduce the overall system start-up time is to remove any unnecessary boot

devices from the boot order list. In particular, ensure that PXE network boot is removed from

the boot order list if it is not used. PXE network boot can increase start-up time substantially,

especially if it is also placed in the incorrect order in the boot order list.

Use the following steps to remove entries from the Boot Order menu and configure the correct

boot order:

1. Log in to the Advanced Management Module and select Blade Tasks  Remote

Control. Click Start Remote Control and select the blade that you want to control from

the blade selection pull-down box.

1. Power on the system using the power control feature on the remote control, and press F1

when the UEFI splash panel displays, as shown in Figure 8-31 on page 396.

2. Navigate to the Boot Manager menu by selecting it from the System Configuration and

Boot Management main menu. The Boot Manager displays, as shown in Figure 8-33.

Figure 8-33 Selecting Boot Manager menu

3. Select Delete Boot Option from the Boot Manager menu.

4. Select all of the items from which you do not want to boot by using the Spacebar to select

them. When you have selected all of the items, scroll down to the end of the page using

the down arrow key and select Commit Changes, as shown in Figure 8-34 on page 400.