IBM eX5 Implementation Guide

434 IBM eX5 Implementation Guide

򐂰 We recommend that you review all of the RETAIN tips, which relate to this system and the

operating system that you are installing, which are available at the following website:

http://ibm.com/support/entry/portal/Troubleshooting/Hardware/Systems/BladeCente

r/BladeCenter_HX5/7872

򐂰 For further general VMware tuning information, see the paper VMware vCenter Server

Performance and Best Practices for vSphere 4.1, which is available at this website:

http://www.vmware.com/resources/techresources/10145

8.7.4 Windows installation tips and settings

In this section, we provide useful information to assist with the installation of Windows Server

2008. We have not described the installation process in this chapter, because there are no

particular deviations from a standard Windows 2008 installation. However, we provide links to

useful installation instructions and troubleshooting information for certain configurations.

The latest versions of Microsoft Windows 2008 are all UEFI compliant and can therefore take

advantage of the full functionality that is provided by UEFI. The HX5 only supports x64-bit

versions of the Windows 2008 operating system. You can obtain a complete list of supported

Windows Server operating systems for HX5 at the following website:

http://ibm.com/systems/info/x86servers/serverproven/compat/us/nos/microsofte.html

Windows Server 2008 and Windows 2008 R2 with MAX5

Consider these points when installing Windows Server 2008:

򐂰 When running Windows Server on a memory-expanded HX5, set the MAX5 Memory

Scaling option to Non-Pooled. See 8.5.5, “HX5 with MAX5 attached” on page 401 for

instructions.

򐂰 Use at least the Enterprise Edition of Windows 2008 or Windows 2008 R2 to take full

advantage of the MAX5 expansion memory capability. You can obtain information about

Windows Server memory limits at the following website:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa366778.aspx

Installing Windows 2008 with IBM ServerGuide

Consider these points when installing with ServerGuide:

򐂰 We recommend using IBM ServerGuide to simplify the installation of Windows 2008

Server. It integrates RAID-array configuration and driver installation into the operating

system installation process. You can download the IBM ServerGuide image from the

following website:

http://ibm.com/support/entry/portal/docdisplay?lndocid=SERV-GUIDE

򐂰 IBM ServerGuide automatically detects whether to install in Legacy mode or native UEFI

mode, depending on the boot settings that are defined in the UEFI. The operating system

will install in UEFI mode unless Legacy Only is the first entry in the boot order.

򐂰 You can use IBM ServerGuide v8.31 x64 bit or later to install Windows 2008 on the HX5.

򐂰 When using ServerGuide, you set the RAID array configuration in the Configure RAID

Adapter panel. Choose Keep Current Adapter Configuration if the RAID array has been

set previously and the next installation will use that current configuration.

򐂰 In the IBM ServerGuide partition setup panel, selecting the Clear All Disks check box

proceeds with clearing the contents of all of the disks that are attached to the system. This

deletion

includes SAN storage logical drives that are mapped to the system. Ensure that

Chapter 8. IBM BladeCenter HX5 435

the HX5 has not been zoned to external SAN storage at the time of installation unless you

are performing boot from SAN.

Failure to follow this rule potentially will result in

unwanted data loss.

Installing Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 on HX5 without the use of

ServerGuide

The following website provides specific information about installing Microsoft Windows Server

2008 R2 without using the ServerGuide CD:

http://ibm.com/support/entry/portal/docdisplay?lndocid=MIGR-5085004

You can access more information about the Windows Server 2008 R2 installation and

configuration at the following website:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/product-documentation.aspx

Troubleshooting information for Windows 2008: All versions

You must review all RETAIN tips that relate to the HX5 and the operating system that you are

installing. Go to the following website for troubleshooting information relating to HX5 and

Windows 2008 versions:

http://ibm.com/support/entry/portal/Troubleshooting/Hardware/Systems/BladeCenter/B

ladeCenter_HX5/7872

Be aware of these scenarios when performing an installation of Windows 2008 R2 on an HX5:

򐂰 To correct an issue where Windows 2008 R2 fails to boot on UEFI systems with raw disks

attached, see the following Microsoft Hotfix at the following website:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/975535

򐂰 If your system has greater than 128 GB of memory and you plan to enable Hyper-V after

installing Windows 2008 R2, you must first apply the Microsoft Hotfix from the following

website:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/979903/en-us

Performance tuning for Windows 2008

The following links provide specific information about performance tuning the Windows 2008

operating system:

򐂰 Performance tuning recommendations for Windows 2008

For general Windows 2008 performance configuration guidance, see the Performance

Tuning Guidelines for Windows Server 2008 at the following website:

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/sysperf/Perf_tun_srv.mspx

򐂰 Performance tuning recommendations for Windows 2008 R2

For general Windows 2008 R2 performance configuration guidance, see the Performance

Tuning Guidelines for Windows Server 2008 R2 at the following website:

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/sysperf/Perf_tun_srv-R2.mspx

򐂰 Windows software, firmware, drivers, and fixes for HX5

See the following website for all the latest information relating to software, firmware,

drivers, and fixes for HX5 when used with Windows 2008:

http://www-933.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/systemx/quickorder?parent=ibm~BladeCe

nterHX5&product=ibm/systemx/7872&&platform=Windows+2008+x64&function=all&source

=fc