Chapter 3. IBM System x3850 X5 and x3950 X5 87
Figure 3-20 Relative memory performance using mixed DIMMs
As you can see, mixing DIMM sizes can cause performance loss up to 18%, even if all
channels are occupied and Hemisphere Mode is maintained.
3.8.4 Memory mirroring
Memory mirroring is supported using x3850 X5 with or without the MAX5. To enable memory
mirroring, you must install DIMMs in sets of four, one pair in each memory card. All DIMMs in
each set must be the same size and type. Memory cards 1 and 2 mirror each other, cards 3
and 4 mirror each other, memory cards 5 and 6 mirror each other, and cards 7 and 8 mirror
each other.
For x3850 X5, you install the memory evenly across all memory cards and then work your
way to filling all eight memory cards for the best performance.
The source and destination cards that are used for memory mirroring are not selectable by
the user. For a detailed understanding of memory mirroring, see “Memory mirroring” on
page 28.
x3850 X5 memory mirroring population order
Table 3-17 on page 88 shows DIMM placements for each solution.
Intel Xeon 7500 processor
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMMDIMM
Buffer Buffer Buffer Buffer
Memory
controller
Memory
controller
Intel Xeon 7500 processor
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMMDIMM
Buffer Buffer Buffer Buffer
Memory
controller
Memory
controller
Intel Xeon 7500 processor
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMMDIMM
Buffer Buffer Buffer Buffer
Memory
controller
Memory
controller
Intel Xeon 7500 processor
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
DIMM
Buffer Buffer Buffer Buffer
Memory
controller
Memory
controller
DIMM
2 GB DIMM
DIMM
4 GB DIMM
Empty DIMM socket
Relative performance: 100 Relative performance: 97
Relative performance: 92 Relative performance: 82
AB
C
D
88 IBM eX5 Implementation Guide
Table 3-17 x3850 X5 memory mirroring 4-processor 2-node
Table 3-18 shows the memory mirroring card pairs.
Table 3-18 Memory mirroring: Card pairs
MAX5 memory mirroring population order
Table 3-19 on page 89 shows the installation guide for MAX5 memory mirroring.
Number of DIMMs
Processor 1 Processor 4 Processor 2 Processor 3
Card 1Card 2Card 7Card 8Card 3Card 4Card 5Card 6
DIMM 1 and 8
DIMM 3 and 6
DIMM 2 and 7
DIMM 4 and 5
DIMM 1 and 8
DIMM 3 and 6
DIMM 2 and 7
DIMM 4 and 5
DIMM 1 and 8
DIMM 3 and 6
DIMM 2 and 7
DIMM 4 and 5
DIMM 1 and 8
DIMM 3 and 6
DIMM 2 and 7
DIMM 4 and 5
DIMM 1 and 8
DIMM 3 and 6
DIMM 2 and 7
DIMM 4 and 5
DIMM 1 and 8
DIMM 3 and 6
DIMM 2 and 7
DIMM 4 and 5
DIMM 1 and 8
DIMM 3 and 6
DIMM 2 and 7
DIMM 4 and 5
DIMM 1 and 8
DIMM 3 and 6
DIMM 2 and 7
DIMM 4 and 5
4 x x
8
x x x x
12
x x x x x x
16
x x x x x x x x
20
x x x x x x x x x x
24
x x x x x x x x x x x x
28
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
32
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
36
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
40
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
44
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
48
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
52
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
56
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
60
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
64 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Source card Destination card
Memory card 2 Memory card 1
Memory card 4 Memory card 3
Memory card 6 Memory card 5
Memory card 8 Memory card 7

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