Front cover IBM Power System S821LC Technical Overview and Introduction David Barron Alexandre Bicas Caldeira Volker Haug Redpaper International Technical Support Organization IBM Power System S821LC: Technical Overview and Introduction December 2016 REDP-5406-00 Note: Before using this information and the product it supports, read the information in “Notices” on page v. First Edition (December 2016) This edition applies to the IBM Power System S821LC (8001-12C) server. © Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 2016. All rights reserved. Note to U.S. Government Users Restricted Rights -- Use, duplication or disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corp. Contents Notices . .v Trademarks . vi Preface . vii Authors. viii Now you can become a published author, too! . viii Comments welcome. ix Stay connected to IBM Redbooks . ix Chapter 1. Architecture and technical description . 1 1.1 Power S821LC system hardware overview . 2 1.2 System architecture . 4 1.3 Physical package . 6 1.4 Operating environment . 7 1.5 Leveraging innovations of the OpenPOWER Foundation. 7 1.6 Base system and standard features . 7 1.6.1 Power S821LC server minimum configuration . 8 1.7 Available features . 9 1.7.1 IBM POWER8 processor . 9 1.7.2 Memory . 18 1.7.3 Internal storage subsystems . 23 1.7.4 PCI adapters . 26 1.8 Operating system . 30 1.8.1 Ubuntu . 30 1.8.2 Red Hat Enterprise Linux . 31 1.9 IBM System Storage . 31 1.9.1 IBM Storwize family. 31 1.9.2 IBM FlashSystem family . 31 1.9.3 IBM XIV Storage System . 31 1.9.4 IBM System Storage DS8000 . 32 1.10 Java. 32 Chapter 2. Management and virtualization . 33 2.1 Main management components overview. 34 2.2 Service processor . 34 2.2.1 Open Power Abstraction Layer . 35 2.2.2 Intelligent Platform Management Interface . 35 2.2.3 Petitboot bootloader . 36 2.3 IBM Cloud PowerVC Manager . 36 2.3.1 Benefits . 36 2.3.2 Lifecycle . 37 Chapter 3. Reliability, availability, and serviceability. 39 3.1 Introduction . 40 3.1.1 RAS enhancements of POWER8 processor-based scale-out servers . 40 3.2 IBM terminology versus x86 terminology . 41 3.3 Error handling . 41 3.3.1 Processor core/cache correctable error handling . 41 3.3.2 Processor Instruction Retry and other try again techniques . 42 © Copyright IBM Corp. 2016. All rights reserved. iii 3.3.3 Other processor chip functions . 42 3.4 Serviceability . 42 3.4.1 Detection introduction . 43 3.4.2 Error checkers and fault isolation registers. 43 3.4.3 Service processor . 43 3.4.4 Diagnosing . 44 3.4.5 General problem determination. 44 3.4.6 Error handling and reporting . 45 3.4.7 Locating and servicing . 46 3.5 Manageability . 48 3.5.1 Service user interfaces . 48 3.5.2 IBM Power Systems firmware maintenance . 49 3.5.3 Updating the system firmware with the ipmitool command. 50 3.5.4 Updating the ipmitool on Ubuntu. 50 3.5.5 Statement of direction: Updating the system firmware by using the Advanced System Management console . 52 Appendix A. Server racks and energy management . 59 IBM server racks . 60 IBM 42U Slim Rack (7965-94Y) . 60 The AC power distribution unit and rack content . 60 Rack-mounting rules . 63 OEM racks . 63 Energy consumption estimation . 63 Related publications . 65 IBM Redbooks . 65 Online resources . ..