Overview - IBM BladeCenter T Options

Content

Option part numbers

The IBM BladeCenter T is a compact (20-inch deep) eight-server blade chassis designed for high-density server installations for telecommunications use. This chassis with DC or AC power supplies provides a low-cost, high performance, high-availability solution for telecommunication network and other "rugged" environments. The IBM eServer BladeCenter T chassis is positioned for expansion, capacity, redundancy, and carrier-grade NEBS level /ETSI compliance (planned) in DC models. The IBM eServer BladeCenter T can offer high levels of performance when using the two-way blades or the four-way blades. They provide a cost-effective, scalable solution to satisfy most telecommunications environments.

This power supply option contains a set of two hot-swap 1300W, -48 to -60VDC power supplies to provide both power and redundancy to your IBM eServer BladeCenter T (Type 8720). BladeCenter T supports four power modules. Two 1300W hot-swap, redundant power modules are standard and support the population of BladeCenter T blade servers in bays 1 through 4, switch modules 1 and 2, both management modules and the media tray. Two additional 1300W Power Supply Modules are required to support installation of blade servers in the IBM eServer BladeCenter T bays 5 through 8 and switch modules bays 3 and 4.

Features and benefits

• This option can help protect Service Provider data from power disruptions that cause downtime and reduced availability.
• Two standard 4-lug DC terminals are provided on the rear of the BladeCenter T chassis for customer attachment of DC power. One M6 lug is provided for -48VDC, one M6 lug for RETURN, and two M6 lugs for connecting the safety ground wire. The DC power cable is supplied by the customer. The recommended wire is 4 AWG, minimum strand count.
  
  

This power supply option contains a set of two hot-swap 1300W, 200-240 VAC power supplies to provide both power and redundancy to the IBM eServer BladeCenter T (Type 8730). Two 2.8m (nine foot) IEC309 C19 to C20 rack cables are included for attachment to a supported 200-240V power distribution unit. BladeCenter T supports four power modules. Two 1300W hot-swap, redundant power modules are standard and support the population of BladeCenter T bays 1 through 4. This 1300W Power Supply Module is required to support installation of blade servers in BladeCenter T bays 5 through 8.

Features and benefits

• This option can help protect Service Provider data from power disruptions that cause downtime and reduced availability.
• The power supplies have a single IEC 309 C19 input (16 amp). This option includes two 2.8m (nine foot) C19 to C20 cables making it easy to attach the power supplies to a DPI High-Density PDU or a DPI 3 Front-end PDU.
  
  

This 4-port Gigabit Ethernet Switch Module is a high-speed Ethernet switch option for the IBM BladeCenter T. BladeCenter T contains four network switch module bays. Ethernet connections are supported by installing up to four BladeCenter T 4-port Gigabit Ethernet Switch Modules in module bays one, two, three and four of BladeCenter T. This four-port Ethernet switch option provides high-speed Ethernet connections between blade servers and the outside network environment. Each of the four external ports supports 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet connections. A single switch module can support up to eight 2-way blade servers or four 4-way blade servers when installed in switch module bay 1. A second switch module can be installed in switch module bay 2 to provide redundancy. When used in conjunction with the IBM eServer BladeCenter gigabit Ethernet expansion card, up to two additional 4-port gigabit Ethernet switch modules can be installed in the BladeCenter T chassis. The switch module contains an Ethernet connection to the management module and is used for initialization, configuration and monitoring of switches. In addition, an I2C interface between the switch and the management module collects status and other system management information from the switch modules.

Features and benefits

• Enables connectivity from up to eight 2-way blade servers or 4 four- way blade servers to your IP network
• Install up to four gigabit Ethernet switch modules per chassis to provide failover redundancy
• Minimizes rack space requirements; installs in existing BladeCenter 3 T chassis
• Manage both switch modules through the planned BladeCenter T systems management capabilities
  
  

This optional Redundant KVM/Management Module provides IBM BladeCenter T with even higher levels of resiliency. The BladeCenter T chassis ships standard with one KVM/Management module. While in the chassis, the second module is in passive or standby mode. If the active or primary module faults, the second module is automatically enabled with all the configuration settings of the primary module. This function provides customers with easy remote management and connectivity to the BladeCenter T chassis for their most critical applications.

Features and benefits

• Supports higher levels of resiliency
• Helps support high availability and efficiency
  
  

This optional expansion module is supported in both the BladeCenter and BladeCenter T chassis. It provides the capability to support legacy Power Supply Module telecommunications network interfaces, including T1/E1/J1, SS7, ATM and Power Supply Module ipSEC connectivity. Each module, which supports two 100MHz PCI-X adapters, attaches to either an HS20 or HS40 blade and consumes one of the Power Supply Module eight blade slots available in the BladeCenter T chassis. As a result, a Power Supply Module PCI I/O expansion unit integrated with an HS20 blade creates a double-wide blade solution and a PCI I/O expansion unit integrated with an HS40 Power Supply Module blade uses three blade slots. A second module may be deployed for redundancy within the BladeCenter T chassis or to support two additional Power Supply Module network interfaces (via PCI adapters) non-redundantly. This option provides Service Providers with the flexibility to easily attach to and support many different types of telco voice and data networks.

Features and benefits

• Configuration flexibility
• Improved network integration and efficiency

Note: Refer to the ServerProven web site for additional adapters

These optional blade storage modules support the boot of an operating system locally on a blade server. IDE flash disk drives feature non-rotating media that is typically capable of passing NEBS/ETSI certification often required in thermally challenged telecommunications 3 environments.

Features and benefits

• Configuration flexibility
• Improved reliability
  
  

This mounting kit is specially designed to support the BladeCenter T chassis in 84 inch (42U) tall 2 Post racks, typically deployed in the telecommunications infrastructure.

This mounting kit is specially designed to support the BladeCenter T chassis in the 4-Post rack environment typically deployed in telecommunications infrastructure. BladeCenter T, with a 20 inch deep chassis, requires different mounting rails and support frames than those deployed to support the BladeCenter chassis or rack enterprise rack-mount servers in data centers with 4 Posts.

Features and benefits

• Configuration flexibility
• Minimize investment in rack infrastructure
  
  

The IBM BladeCenter T Gigabit Ethernet switch module and options come with a three-year limited warranty.

• Announce date: 16 Mar 2004
• Planned availability dates: 25 Jun 2004 for BladeCenter T (Type 8720-1RX, 8730-1RX), and BladeCenter HS20 (Type 8832-GTX); 30 Jul 2004 for BladeCenter HS40 (Type 8839-6TX)