IBM Redboks System x3550 M4 User manual

IBM System x3550 M4 1
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IBM System x3550 M4
IBM Redbooks Product Guide
The IBM® System x3550 M4 server provides outstanding performance for your business-critical
applications. Its energy-efficient design supports more cores, memory, and data capacity in a compact 1U
package that is easy to service and manage. With more computing power per watt and the latest Intel
Xeon processors, you can reduce costs while maintaining speed and availability.
Suggested use: database, virtualization, enterprise applications, collaboration/email, streaming media,
web, HPC, and cloud applications.
Figure 1 shows the IBM System x3550 M4.
Figure 1. The IBM System x3550 M4
Did you know?
The x3550 M4 offers a flexible, scalable design and a simple upgrade path to eight HDDs plus an optical
drive at the same time, and up to 768 GB of memory. The flexible onboard Ethernet solution provides four
standard integrated Gigabit Ethernet ports and two optional embedded 10 Gb Ethernet ports without
occupying PCIe slots. Comprehensive systems management tools with the next-generation Integrated
Management Module II (IMM2) make it easy to deploy, integrate, service, and manage.

IBM System x3550 M4 2
Key features
The x3550 M4 is a cost- and density-balanced 1U, 2-socket business-critical server, offering improved
performance and pay-as-you grow flexibility along with new features that improve server management
capability. The powerful system is designed for your most important business applications and cloud
deployments.
Combining balanced performance and flexibility, the x3550 M4 is a great choice for small and medium
businesses and up to the large enterprise. It can provide outstanding uptime to keep business-critical
applications and cloud deployments running safely. Ease-of-use and comprehensive systems
management tools make it easy to deploy. Outstanding RAS and high-efficiency design improves your
business environment and helps save operational costs.
Scalability and performance
The x3550 M4 offers numerous features to boost performance, improve scalability, and reduce costs:
The Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 product family improves productivity by offering superior system
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performance with 8-core processors and up to 2.9 GHz core speeds, up to 20 MB of L3 cache, and up
to two 8 GT/s QPI interconnect links.
Up to two processors, 16 cores, and 32 threads maximize the concurrent execution of multithreaded
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applications.
Intelligent and adaptive system performance with Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 allows CPU cores
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to run at maximum speeds during peak workloads by temporarily going beyond processor TDP.
Intel Hyper-Threading Technology boosts performance for multithreaded applications by enabling
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simultaneous multithreading within each processor core, up to two threads per core.
Intel Virtualization Technology integrates hardware-level virtualization hooks that allow operating
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system vendors to better utilize the hardware for virtualization workloads.
Intel Advanced Vector Extensions (AVT) significantly improve floating point performance for
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compute-intensive technical and scientific applications compared to Intel Xeon 5600 series
processors.
The 24 Load Reduced DIMMs (LRDIMMs) of 1333 MHz DDR3 ECC memory provide speed, high
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availability, and a memory capacity of up to 768 GB (running at 1066 MHz).
The theoretical maximum memory bandwidth of the Intel Xeon processor E5 family is 51.6 GB/s,
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which is 60% more than in the previous generation of Intel Xeon processors.
The use of solid-state drives (SSDs) instead of or along with traditional spinning drives (HDDs) can
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significantly improve I/O performance. An SSD can support up to 100 times more I/O operations per
second (IOPS) than a typical HDD.
The server has four integrated Gigabit Ethernet ports and two optional 10 Gb Ethernet ports with
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mezzanine cards that do not consume a PICe slot.
The server offers PCI Express 3.0 I/O expansion capabilities that improve the theoretical maximum
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bandwidth by 60% (8 GT/s per link) compared to the previous generation of PCI Express 2.0.
With Intel Integrated I/O Technology, the PCI Express 3.0 controller is integrated into the Intel Xeon
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processor E5 family. This helps to dramatically reduce I/O latency and increase overall system
performance.

IBM System x3550 M4 3
Availability and serviceability
The x3550 M4 provides many features to simplify serviceability and increase system uptime:
The server offers memory mirroring and memory rank sparing for redundancy in the event of a
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non-correctable memory failure.
Tool-less cover removal provides easy access to upgrades and serviceable parts, such as CPU,
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memory, and adapter cards.
The server offers hot-swap drives supporting RAID redundancy for data protection and greater
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system uptime.
The server has two redundant hot-swap power supplies and six dual-motor hot-swap N+N redundant
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fans to provide availability for business-critical applications.
The power source-independent light path diagnostics panel and individual light path LEDs quickly
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lead the technician to failed (or failing) components. This simplifies servicing, speeds up problem
resolution, and helps improve system availability.
Predictive Failure Analysis (PFA) detects when system components (processors, VRMs, memory,
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hard disk drives, fans, and power supplies) operate outside of standard thresholds and generates
proactive alerts in advance of possible failure, therefore increasing uptime.
Solid-state drivers (SSDs) offer significantly better reliability than traditional mechanical HDDs for
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greater uptime.
Built-in Integrated Management Module version 2 (IMM v2) continuously monitors system
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parameters, triggers alerts, and performs recovery actions in case of failure, to minimize downtime.
Built-in diagnostics using Dynamic Systems Analysis (DSA) Preboot speeds up troubleshooting tasks
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to reduce service time.
Three-year customer replaceable unit and onsite limited warranty, next business day 9x5. Optional
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service upgrades available.
Manageability and security
Powerful systems management features simplify local and remote management of the x3550 M4:
The server includes an Integrated Management Module II (IMM2) to monitor server availability and
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perform remote management.
An integrated industry-standard Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) enables improved
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setup, configuration, and updates, and simplifies error handling.
An integrated Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2 support enables advanced cryptographic
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functionality such as digital signatures and remote attestation.
There is industry-standard AES NI support for faster, stronger encryption.
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IBM Systems Director is included for proactive systems management. It offers comprehensive
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systems management tools that help to increase uptime, reduce costs and improve productivity
through advanced server management capabilities.
Intel Execute Disable Bit functionality can help prevent certain classes of malicious buffer overflow
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attacks when combined with a supporting operating system.
Intel Trusted Execution Technology provides enhanced security through hardware-based resistance
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to malicious software attacks, allowing an application to run in its own isolated space protected from
all other software running on a system.

IBM System x3550 M4 4
Energy efficiency
The x3550 M4 offers the following energy-efficiency features to save energy, reduce operational costs,
increase energy availability, and contribute to a green environment:
Energy-efficient planar components help lower operational costs.
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High-efficiency 550 W and 750 W power supplies with 80 PLUS Platinum certification.
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The Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 product family offers significantly better performance over the
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previous generation, while fitting into the same thermal design power (TDP) limits.
Intel Intelligent Power Capability powers individual processor elements on and off as needed, to
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reduce power draw.
Low-voltage Intel Xeon processors draw less energy to satisfy the demands of power and thermally
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constrained data centers and telecommunication environments.
Low-voltage 1.35 V DDR3 memory RDIMMs consume 15% less energy compared to 1.5 V DDR3
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RDIMMs.
Solid-state drives (SSDs) consume as much as 80% less power than traditional spinning 2.5-inch
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HDDs.
The server uses hexagonal ventilation holes, a part of IBM Calibrated Vectored Cooling™ technology.
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Hexagonal holes can be grouped more densely than round holes, providing more efficient airflow
through the system.
IBM Systems Director Active Energy Manager™ provides advanced data center power notification and
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management to help achieve lower heat output and reduced cooling needs.
Locations of key components and connectors
Figure 2 shows the front of the server.
Figure 2. Front view of the IBM System x3550 M4

IBM System x3550 M4 5
Figure 3 shows the rear of the server.
Figure 3. Rear view of the IBM System x3550 M4
Figure 4 shows the locations of key components inside the server.
Figure 4. Inside view of the IBM System x3550 M4

IBM System x3550 M4 6
Standard specifications
The following table lists the standard specifications.
Table 1. Standard specifications (part 1)
Components Specification
Form factor 1U Rack.
Processor Up to two Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 product family CPUs with eight cores (up to 2.9 GHz) or
six cores (up to 2.9 GHz) or quad-cores (up to 3.3 GHz). Two QPI links up to 8.0 GT/s each. Up to
1600 MHz memory speed. Up to 20 MB L3 cache.
Chipset Intel C604
Memory Up to 24 DIMM sockets (12 DIMMs per processor). RDIMMs, UDIMMs and LR-DIMMs (Load
Reduced DIMMs) supported but memory types cannot be intermixed. Memory DIMM speeds up
to 1600 MHz.
Memory
maximums
With RDIMMs: Up to 384 GB with 24x 16 GB RDIMMs and two processors
With UDIMMs: Up to 64 GB with 16x 4 GB UDIMMs and two processors
With LRDIMMs: Up to 768 GB with 24x 32 GB LRDIMMs and two processors
Memory
protection
ECC, memory mirroring, and memory sparing.
Disk drive bays Up to eight 2.5" hot-swap SAS/SATA HDDs, or up to three 3.5" hot-swap SAS/SATA HDDs, or up
to three 3.5" Simple Swap SATA HDDs.
Maximum
internal storage
Up to 7.2 TB with 900 GB 2.5” SAS HDDs, or up to 8 TB with 1 TB 2.5" NL SAS/SATA HDDs, or
up to 9 TB with 3 TB 3.5" NL SAS/SATA HDDs. Intermix of SAS/SATA is supported.
RAID support RAID 0, 1, 10 with H1110, M1115 or M5110. Optional upgrades to RAID 5, 50 available for
M1115. Optional upgrades to RAID 5, 50 are available (zero-cache; 512 MB battery-backed
cache; 512 MB or 1 GB flash-backed cache) for M5110. Optional upgrade to RAID 6. 60 are
available for M5110 with caches.
Optical drive
bays
One, optional, for models with 2.5” drives. Support for DVD-ROM or Multiburner.
Tape drive bays None.
Network
interfaces
Four integrated Gigabit Ethernet 1000BASE-T ports (RJ-45); two integrated 10 Gb Ethernet ports
(10GBASE-T RJ-45 or 10GBASE-SR SFP+ based) on optional 10 Gb Ethernet mezzanine card
(does not consume a PCIe slot).
PCI Expansion
slots
Two slots, depending on the riser cards installed. The slots are as follows (all PCIe slots are PCIe
3.0, all PCI-X slots are 64 bit/133 MHz):
Slot 1: PCIe x16; low profile, half-length
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Slot 2: PCIe x8, opt. PCI-X or PCIe x16; full-height/length (req. 2nd CPU)
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Additional dedicated slot for ServeRAID adapter.
Ports Two USB 2.0 (three USB 2.0 for 3.5" HDD models) and one DB-15 video on front. Four USB 2.0,
one DB-15 video, one DB-9 serial, one RJ-45 systems management, four RJ-45 GbE network
ports, two optional RJ-45 or SFP+ 10 GbE network ports on rear. One internal USB ports (for
embedded hypervisor).
Cooling IBM Calibrated Vectored Cooling™ with up to six N+N redundant hot-swap fans (four standard,
additional two with second processor); each fan has two motors.
Power supply Up to two redundant hot-swap 550 W ac or 750 W ac power supplies (80+ Platinum certification).
Hot-swap parts Hard drives, power supplies, fans.

IBM System x3550 M4 7
Table 1. Standard specifications (part 2)
Components Specification
Systems
management
UEFI, IBM Integrated Management Module 2 (IMM2), Predictive Failure Analysis, Light Path
Diagnostics, Automatic Server Restart, IBM Systems Director and IBM Systems Director Active
Energy Manager™, IBM ServerGuide. Optional IMM Advanced FOD Upgrade for remote presence
(graphics, keyboard and mouse, virtual media).
Security
features
Power-on password, administrator's password, Trusted Platform Module (TPM).
Video Matrox G200eR2 with 16 MB memory integrated into the IMM2. Maximum resolution is
1600x1200 at 75 Hz with 16 M colors.
Operating
systems
supported
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 and 2008, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 and 6, SUSE Linux
Enterprise Server 10 and 11, VMware ESX 4.1 and VMware ESXi 4.1 embedded hypervisor,
VMware vSphere 5.
Limited
warranty
Three-year customer-replaceable unit and onsite limited warranty with 9x5/NBD.
Service and
support
Optional service upgrades are available through IBM ServicePacs®: 4-hour or 2-hour response
time, 8 hours fix time, one-year or two-year warranty extension, remote technical support for IBM
hardware and selected IBM and third-party (Microsoft, Linux, VMware) software.
Dimensions Height: 43 mm (1.7 in), width: 429 mm (16.9 in), depth: 734 mm (28.9 in)
Weight Minimum configuration: 12.7 kg (28 lb), maximum: 15.9 kg (35.1 lb)
The x3550 M4 servers are shipped with the following items:
Statement of Limited Warranty
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Important Notices
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Rack Installation Instructions
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Documentation CD containing Installation and User's Guide
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IBM Systems Director 6.3 Base for x86 DVD-ROM
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IBM System x Gen-III Slides Kit
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IBM System x Gen-III Cable Management Arm (CMA)
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2.8 m C13-C14 power cord (one for models with one power supply and two for models with two power
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supplies)

IBM System x3550 M4 8
Standard models
The following table lists the standard models.
Table 2. Standard models
Model Intel Xeon Processors†
(2 maximum)
Memory RAID Disk
bays
Disks GbE Optical Power
Models announced March 2012
7914-A2x 1x E5-2603 4C 1.8GHz
10MB 1066MHz 80W
1x 4 GB H1110 4x 2.5" HS/8 Open 4 Open 1x 550W
7914-B2x 1x E5-2609 4C 2.4GHz
10MB 1066MHz 80W
1x 4 GB M1115 4x 2.5" HS/8 Open 4 Open 1x 550W
7914-C2x 1x E5-2620 6C 2.0GHz
15MB 1333MHz 95W
1x 8 GB M1115 4x 2.5" HS/8 Open 4 Open 1x 550W
7914-C4x 1x E5-2620 6C 2.0GHz
15MB 1333MHz 95W
1x 8 GB H1110 3x 3.5" HS/6 Open 4 None 1x 550W
7914-D2x 1x E5-2630 6C 2.3GHz
15MB 1333MHz 95W
1x 8 GB M5110 512MB (f) 4x 2.5" HS/8 Open 4 Open 1x 550W
7914-F2x 1x E5-2640 6C 2.5GHz
15MB 1333MHz 95W
1x 8 GB M5110 512MB (f) 4x 2.5" HS/8 Open 4 Open 1x 550W
7914-G2x 1x E5-2650 8C 2.0GHz
20MB 1600MHz 95W
1x 8 GB M5110 1GB (f) 4x 2.5" HS/8 Open 4 Open 1x 550W
7914-52x 1x E5-2650L 8C 1.8GHz
20MB 1600MHz 70W
1x 8 GB M5110 1GB (f) 4x 2.5" HS/8 Open 4 Open 1x 550W
7914-H2x 1x E5-2660 8C 2.2GHz
20MB 1600MHz 95W
1x 8 GB M5110 1GB (f) 4x 2.5" HS/8 Open 4 Open 1x 550W
7914-62x 1x E5-2665 8C 2.4GHz
20MB 1600MHz 115W
1x 8 GB M5110 1GB (f) 4x 2.5" HS/8 Open 4 Open 1x 550W
7914-J2x 1x E5-2670 8C 2.6GHz
20MB 1600MHz 115W
1x 8 GB M5110 1GB (f) 4x 2.5" HS/8 Open 4 Open 1x 550W
7914-L2x 1x E5-2680 8C 2.7GHz
20MB 1600MHz 130W
1x 8 GB M5110 1GB (f) 4x 2.5" HS/8 Open 4 Open 1x 750W
† Processor detail: Processor quantity and model, core speed, number of cores, L3 cache, memory speed.
(f) The integrated ServeRAID M5110 RAID controller in this model includes flash-backed cache.
Refer to the Specifications section for information about standard features of the server.

IBM System x3550 M4 9
Processor options
The x3550 M4 supports the processor options listed in the following table. The server supports up to two
processors. This table shows which server models have each processor standard. If there is no
corresponding
where used model for a particular processor, then this processor is only available through
CTO.
Table 3. Processor options
Part number* Description Standard models
where used
Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 product family
69Y5672 Intel Xeon Processor E5-2603 4C 1.8GHz 10MB 1066MHz 80W A2x
69Y5674 Intel Xeon Processor E5-2609 4C 2.4GHz 10MB 1066MHz 80W B2x
69Y5675 Intel Xeon Processor E5-2620 6C 2.0GHz 15MB 1333MHz 95W C2x, C4x
69Y5676 Intel Xeon Processor E5-2630 6C 2.3GHz 15MB 1333MHz 95W D2x
94Y7464 Intel Xeon Processor E5-2630L 6C 2.0GHz 15MB 1333MHz 60W -
94Y7546 Intel Xeon Processor E5-2637 2C 3.0GHz 5MB 1600MHz 80W -
69Y5677 Intel Xeon Processor E5-2640 6C 2.5GHz 15MB 1333MHz 95W F2x
94Y7465 Intel Xeon Processor E5-2643 4C 3.3GHz 10MB 1600MHz 130W -
69Y5678 Intel Xeon Processor E5-2650 8C 2.0GHz 20MB 1600MHz 95W G2x
69Y5685 Intel Xeon Processor E5-2650L 8C 1.8GHz 20MB 1600MHz 70W 52x
69Y5679 Intel Xeon Processor E5-2660 8C 2.2GHz 20MB 1600MHz 95W H2x
94Y7547 Intel Xeon Processor E5-2665 8C 2.4GHz 20MB 1600MHz 115W 62x
69Y5682 Intel Xeon Processor E5-2667 6C 2.9GHz 15MB 1600MHz 130W -
94Y7463 Intel Xeon Processor E5-2670 8C 2.6GHz 20MB 1600MHz 115W J2x
69Y5680 Intel Xeon Processor E5-2680 8C 2.7GHz 20MB 1600MHz 130W L2x
94Y7545 Intel Xeon Processor E5-2690 8C 2.9GHz 20MB 1600MHz 135W -
*Note: The option for the second processor includes two additional system fans.

IBM System x3550 M4 10
Memory options
IBM DDR3 memory is compatibility tested and tuned for optimal IBM System x® performance and
throughput. IBM memory specifications are integrated into the light path diagnostics for immediate system
performance feedback and optimum system uptime. From a service and support standpoint, IBM memory
automatically assumes the IBM system warranty, and IBM provides service and support worldwide.
The IBM System x3550 M4 supports DDR3 memory. The server supports up to 12 DIMMs when one
processor is installed, and up to 24 DIMMs when two processors are installed. Each processor has four
memory channels, and there are three DIMMs per channel. The following rules apply when selecting the
memory configuration:
Mixing different types of memory (UDIMMs, RDIMMs, and LRDIMMs) is not supported.
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Mixing 1.5 V and 1.35 V DIMMs in the same server is supported; in such cases, all DIMMs operate at
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1.5 V.
The maximum number of ranks supported per one channel is eight (with the exception of Load
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Reduced DIMMs, where more than eight ranks are supported because one quad-rank LRDIMM
provides the same electrical load on a memory bus as a single-rank RDIMM).
The maximum quantity of DIMMs that can be installed in server depends on number of CPUs, DIMM
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type, rank, and operating voltage as shown in the "Max. quantity" row in Table 4.
All DIMMs in all CPU memory channels operate at the same speed, which is determined as the
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lowest value of:
The memory speed supported by the specific CPU.
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The lowest of maximum operating speeds for the selected memory configuration that depends on
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rated speed, operating voltage, and quantity of DIMMs per channel, as shown under "Maximum
operating speed" section in Table 4.
Table 4. Maximum memory speeds
Specification UDIMMs RDIMMs LRDIMMs
Rank Dual rank Single rank Dual rank Quad rank Quad rank
Rated speed 1333 MHz 1333 MHz 1600
MHz
1333 MHz 1600
MHz
1066 MHz 1333 MHz
Rated voltage 1.35 V 1.35 V 1.5 V 1.35 V 1.5 V 1.35 V 1.35 V
Operating
voltage
1.35 V 1.5 V 1.35 V 1.5 V 1.5 V 1.35 V 1.5 V 1.5 V 1.35 V 1.5 V 1.35 V 1.5 V
Max quantity* 16 16 16 24 24 16 24 24 16 16 24 24
Largest DIMM 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 16 GB 16 GB 8 GB 8 GB 8 GB 32 GB 32 GB
Max memory
capacity
64 GB 64 GB 64 GB 96 GB 96 GB 256 GB 384 GB 192 GB 128 GB 128 GB 768 GB 768 GB
Max memory
at max speed
32 GB 64 GB 64 GB 64 GB 64 GB 256 GB 256 GB 128 GB 128 GB 64 GB 256 GB 512 GB
Maximum operating speed (MHz)
1 DIMMs
per channel
1333
MHz
1333
MHz
1333
MHz
1333
MHz
1600
MHz
1333
MHz
1333
MHz
1600
MHz
800
MHz
1066
MHz
1333
MHz
1333
MHz
2 DIMMs
per channel
1066
MHz
1333
MHz
1333
MHz
1333
MHz
1600
MHz
1333
MHz
1333
MHz
1600
MHz
800
MHz
800
MHz
1066
MHz
1333
MHz
3 DIMMs
per channel
NS** NS** NS** 1066
MHz
1066
MHz
NS** 1066
MHz
1066
MHz
NS** NS** 1066
MHz
1066
MHz
* Maximum quantity supported is shown for two processors installed. When one processor installed the maximum
quantity supported is a half of shown.
** NS = Not Supported

IBM System x3550 M4 11
The following memory protection technologies are supported:
ECC
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Memory mirroring
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Memory sparing
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If memory mirroring is used, then DIMMs must be installed in pairs (a minimum of one pair per each CPU),
and both DIMMs in a pair must be identical in type and size. If Memory Sparing is used then DIMMs must
be installed in sets of three, and all DIMMs in the same set must be identical in type and size.
The following table lists memory options available for the x3550 M4 server.
Table 5. Memory options
Part
number
Description Maximum
quantity
supported
Standard models
where used
UDIMMs
49Y1404 4 GB (1x 4 GB, 2Rx8, 1.35 V) PC3L-10600 CL9 ECC 1333
MHz LP UDIMM
16 (8 per CPU) -
RDIMMs
49Y1405 2 GB (1x 2 GB, 1Rx8, 1.35 V) PC3L-10600 CL9 ECC DDR3
1333 MHz LP RDIMM
24 (12 per
CPU)
-
49Y1406 4 GB (1x 4 GB, 1Rx4, 1.35 V) PC3L-10600 CL9 ECC DDR3
1333 MHz LP RDIMM
24 (12 per
CPU)
A2x, B2x
49Y1559 4 GB (1x 4 GB, 1Rx4, 1.5 V) PC3-12800 CL11 ECC DDR3
1600 MHz LP RDIMM
24 (12 per
CPU)
-
49Y1407 4 GB (1x 4 GB, 2Rx8, 1.35 V) PC3L-10600 CL9 ECC DDR3
1333 MHz LP RDIMM
24 (12 per
CPU)
-
90Y3178 4 GB (1x 4 GB, 2Rx8, 1.5 V) PC3-12800 CL11 ECC DDR3
1600 MHz LP RDIMM
24 (12 per
CPU)
-
49Y1397 8 GB (1x 8 GB, 2Rx4, 1.35 V) PC3L-10600 CL9 ECC 1333
MHz LP RDIMM
24 (12 per
CPU)
C2x, C4x, D2x, F2x
90Y3109 8 GB (1x 8 GB, 2Rx4, 1.5 V) PC3-12800 CL11 ECC DDR3
1600 MHz LP RDIMM
24 (12 per
CPU)
52x, 62x, G2x, H2x,
J2x, L2x
49Y1399 8 GB (1x 8 GB, 4Rx8, 1.35 V) PC3L-8500 CL7 ECC DDR3
1066 MHz LP RDIMM
16 (8 per CPU) -
49Y1563 16 GB (1x 16 GB, 2Rx4, 1.35 V) PC3L-10600 CL9 ECC DDR3
1333 MHz LP RDIMM
24 (12 per
CPU)
-
LRDIMMs
90Y3105 32 GB (1x 32 GB, 4Rx4, 1.35 V) PC3L-10600 CL9 ECC DDR3
1333 MHz LP LRDIMM
24 (12 per
CPU)
-

IBM System x3550 M4 12
Internal disk storage options
IBM System x3550 M4 server supports the following internal storage configurations:
Eight 2.5" Slim-SFF SAS/SATA hot-swap hard drive bays
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Four 2.5" Slim-SFF SAS/SATA hot-swap hard drive bays
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Three 3.5" hot-swap SAS/SATA hard drive bays
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Three 3.5" Simple Swap SATA hard drive bays (only available in CTO)
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Figure 5 shows the first three of these configurations.
Figure 5. Internal drive configurations
Backplanes
All standard models, except C4x, ship with four 2.5" Slim-SFF SAS/SATA hot-swap hard drive bays.
Model C4x ships with three 3.5" SAS/SATA hot-swap hard drive bays. The following table shows the
internal storage expansion options available for the x3550 M4 server.
Table 6. Internal storage expansion options
Part
number
Name Maximum
quantity
supported
81Y6657 x3550 M4 plus 4x 2.5" HDD Assembly Kit 1
Option 81Y6657 upgrades models with four hot-swap HDD bays to eight hot-swap HDD bays. Model A2x
requires H1110 to be replaced by M1115 or M5110 to support eight HDDs. An optical drive can be
installed internally when this option is used.

IBM System x3550 M4 13
RAID controllers
The following table lists the RAID controllers and the additional options used for the internal disk storage
of the x3550 M4 server.
Table 7. RAID controllers for internal storage
Part
number
Description Max
quantity
supported
Standard models where used
81Y4492 ServeRAID H1110 SAS/SATA Controller for IBM System x 1A2x, C4x
81Y4448 ServeRAID M1115 SAS/SATA Controller for IBM System
x
1B2x, C2x
81Y4542 ServeRAID M1100 Series Zero Cache/RAID 5 Upgrade
for IBM System x
1 -
81Y4481 ServeRAID M5110 SAS/SATA Controller for IBM System
x
1D2x, F2x, G2x, 52x, H2x,
62x, J2x, L2x
81Y4544 ServeRAID M5100 Series Zero Cache/RAID 5 Upgrade
for IBM System x
1 -
81Y4484 ServeRAID M5100 Series 512MB Cache/RAID 5 Upgrade
for IBM System x
1 -
81Y4487 ServeRAID M5100 Series 512MB Flash/RAID 5 Upgrade
for IBM System x
1D2x, F2x
81Y4559 ServeRAID M5100 Series 1GB Flash/RAID 5 Upgrade for
IBM System x
1G2x, H2x, J2x, L2x, 52x, 62x
81Y4508 ServeRAID M5100 Series Battery Kit for IBM System x 1* -
81Y4546 ServeRAID M5100 Series RAID 6 Upgrade for IBM
System x
1† -
* The ServeRAID M5100 Series Battery Kit (81Y4508) is only supported with ServeRAID M5100 Series 512MB
Cache/RAID 5 Upgrade (81Y4484).
† The ServeRAID M5100 Series RAID 6 Upgrade (81Y4546) requires RAID 5 Upgrade with caches (81Y4484,
81Y4487, or 81Y4559 only).
The RAID controller is installed into a dedicated PCIe slot.
The ServeRAID H1110 adapter has the following specifications:
Four internal 6 Gbps SAS/SATA ports
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One x4 mini-SAS internal connector (SFF-8087)
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6 Gbps throughput per port
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Based on LSI SAS2004 6 Gbps RAID on Chip (ROC) controller
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PCIe x4 Gen 3 host interface
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Supports RAID 0, 1, 1E, and 10
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Connects to up to four SAS or SATA drives
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IBM System x3550 M4 14
The ServeRAID M1115 SAS/SATA Controller has the following specifications:
Eight internal 6 Gbps SAS/SATA ports
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Two x4 mini-SAS internal connectors (SFF-8087)
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Supports RAID levels 0, 1, and 10
z
Supports RAID levels 5 and 50 with optional M1100 Series RAID 5 upgrades
z
6 Gbps throughput per port
z
PCIe x8 Gen 3 host interface
z
Based on the LSI SAS2008 6 Gbps ROC controller
z
The ServeRAID M5110 SAS/SATA Controller has the following specifications:
Eight internal 6 Gbps SAS/SATA ports
z
Two x4 mini-SAS internal connectors (SFF-8087)
z
Supports RAID levels 0, 1, and 10
z
Supports RAID levels 5 and 50 with optional M5100 Series RAID 5 upgrades
z
Supports RAID 6 and 60 with the optional M5100 Series RAID 6 Upgrade
z
Supports 512 MB battery-backed cache or 512 MB or 1 TB flash-backed cache
z
6 Gbps throughput per port
z
PCIe x8 Gen 3 host interface
z
Based on the LSI SAS2208 6 Gbps ROC controller
z

IBM System x3550 M4 15
Drive options for internal storage
The following table lists hard drive options for internal disk storage of the x3550 M4 server.
Table 8. Disk drive options for internal disk storage
Part number Description Maximum quantity
supported
2.5" NL SATA Hot-Swap HDDs
81Y9722 IBM 250GB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 2.5" SFF HS HDD 8
81Y9726 IBM 500GB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 2.5" SFF HS HDD 8
81Y9730 IBM 1TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 2.5" SFF HS HDD 8
2.5" NL SAS Hot-Swap HDDs
90Y8953 IBM 500GB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SAS 2.5" SFF G2HS HDD 8
81Y9690 IBM 1TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SAS 2.5" SFF HS HDD 8
2.5" SAS Hot-Swap HDDs
90Y8926 IBM 146GB 15K 6Gbps SAS 2.5" SFF G2HS HDD 8
90Y8877 IBM 300GB 10K 6Gbps SAS 2.5" SFF G2HS HDD 8
81Y9670 IBM 300GB 15K 6Gbps SAS 2.5" SFF HS HDD 8
90Y8872 IBM 600GB 10K 6Gbps SAS 2.5" SFF G2HS HDD 8
81Y9650 IBM 900GB 10K 6Gbps SAS 2.5" SFF HS HDD 8
3.5" NL SAS Hot-Swap HDDs
90Y8567 IBM 1TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SAS 3.5" G2HS HDD 3
90Y8572 IBM 2TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SAS 3.5" G2HS HDD 3
90Y8577 IBM 3TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SAS 3.5" G2HS HDD 3
3.5" NL SATA Hot-swap HDDs
81Y9786 IBM 500GB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 3.5" G2HS HDD 3
81Y9790 IBM 1TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 3.5" G2HS HDD 3
81Y9794 IBM 2TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 3.5" G2HS HDD 3
81Y9798 IBM 3TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 3.5" G2HS HDD 3
3.5" NL SATA Simple-Swap HDDs*
81Y9802 IBM 500GB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 3.5" G2SS HDD 3
81Y9806 IBM 1TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 3.5" G2SS HDD 3
81Y9810 IBM 2TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 3.5" G2SS HDD 3
81Y9814 IBM 3TB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 3.5" G2SS HDD 3
* These drives are for use in a configuration that is only available through special bid or the Configure To Order (CTO)
process.

IBM System x3550 M4 16
Internal backup units
The server does not support internal tape drive options or other internal backup units.
Optical drives
The server supports the optical drive options listed in the following table. Server models with 3.5" HDDs
do not support internal optical drive; they provide a third USB port on the front for an external optical
drive.
Table 9. Optical drives
Part
number
Description Maximum quantity
supported
Standard models
where used
46M0901 IBM UltraSlim Enhanced SATA DVD-ROM 1 -
46M0902 UltraSlim Enhanced SATA Multi-Burner 1 -
IBM UltraSlim Enhanced SATA DVD-ROM (part number 46M0901) supports the following media and
speeds for reading:
CD-ROM 24X
z
CD-DA (DAE) 20X
z
CD-R 24X
z
CD-RW 24X
z
DVD-ROM (single layer) 8X
z
DVD-ROM (dual layer) 8X
z
DVD-R (4.7 GB) 6X
z
DVD-R DL 4X
z
DVD+R 6X
z
DVD+R DL 4X
z
DVD-RW (4.7 GB) 4X
z
DVD+RW 4X
z
DVD-RAM (4.7/9.4 GB) 4X
z
IBM UltraSlim Enhanced SATA Multi-Burner (46M0902) supports the same media and speeds for reading
as DVD-ROM (46M0901). This drive also supports the following media and speeds for writing:
CD-R 24X
z
CD-RW 4X
z
High Speed CD-RW 10X
z
Ultra Speed CD-RW 16X
z
Ultra Speed Plus CD-RW 16X
z
DVD-R 8X
z
DVD-R DL 6X
z
DVD+R 8X
z
DVD+R DL 6X
z
DVD-RW 6X
z
DVD+RW 8X
z
DVD-RAM 5X
z

IBM System x3550 M4 17
I/O expansion options
The server supports two PCI slots with different riser cards installed into two riser sockets on the system
planar (one riser socket supports the installation of one riser card). The slot form factors are as follows:
Slot 1: PCIe x16; low profile, half-length
z
Slot 2: PCIe x16, PCIe x8, or PCI-X; full-height, half-length (requires second processor to be installed)
z
Riser 1 supplies slot 1, and riser 2 supplies slot 2. Standard models have two riser cards installed that
provide one PCIe x16 Gen 3 slot and one PCIe x8 Gen 3 slot.
You can replace the second riser card with one of the following (or configure one of these riser cards
instead of the second riser card using special bid or CTO), provided a second processor is also installed:
A riser with one PCIe x16 Gen 3 slot
z
A riser with one PCIe x8 Gen 3 slot
z
A riser with one PCI-X 64 bit/133 MHz slot
z
The following table lists the PCI riser card options.
Table 10. PCI riser card options
Part number Description Maximum quantity
supported
69Y5670 x3550 M4 PCIe Gen-III Riser Card (1 x8 FH/HL Slot) 1
69Y5671 x3550 M4 PCIe Gen-III Riser Card (1 x16 FH/HL Slot) 1
69Y5669 x3550 M4 PCI-X Riser Card (1 PCIX FH/HL Slot) 1

IBM System x3550 M4 18
Network adapters
The x3550 M4 supports four integrated Gigabit Ethernet ports.
Integrated NICs have the following features:
An Intel I350AM4 chip
z
Four GbE ports
z
TCP Offload Engine (TOE) support
z
Wake on LAN support
z
802.1Q VLAN tagging support
z
NIC Teaming (load balancing and failover)
z
Optionally, two 10 Gb Ethernet ports can be added by installing the a dual-port 10 Gb Ethernet mezzanine
card as listed in the following table. Mezzanine cards use a dedicated connector on the system board and
do not consume a PCI expansion slot.
The following table lists additional supported network adapters.
Table 11. Network adapters
Part number Description Maximum quantity
supported
10 Gb Ethernet (Mezzanine Card - does not consume a PCI expansion slot)
90Y6456 Emulex Dual Port 10GbE SFP+ Embedded VFA III for IBM System x 1*
10 Gb Ethernet
49Y7910 Broadcom NetXtreme II Dual Port 10GBase-T Adapter for IBM System x 2
49Y7960 Intel X520-DA2 Dual Port 10GbE SFP+ Adapter for IBM System x 2
81Y9990 Mellanox ConnectX-2 Dual Port 10GbE Adapter for IBM System x 2
Converged Network Adapters (CNAs)
42C1800 QLogic 10 Gb Dual Port CNA for IBM System x 2*
42C1820 Brocade 10 Gb Dual-port CNA for IBM System x 2*
Gigabit Ethernet
39Y6066 NetXtreme II 1000 Express Ethernet Adapter 2
42C1780 NetXtreme II 1000 Express Dual Port Ethernet Adapter 2
49Y4220 NetXtreme II 1000 Express Quad Port Ethernet Adapter 2
42C1750 PRO/1000 PF Server Adapter by Intel 2
49Y4230 Intel Ethernet Dual Port Server Adapter I340-T2 for IBM System x 2
49Y4240 Intel Ethernet Quad Port Server Adapter I340-T4 for IBM System x 2
90Y9352 Broadcom NetXtreme I Quad Port GbE Adapter for IBM System x 2
90Y9370 Broadcom NetXtreme I Dual Port GbE Adapter for IBM System x 2
* Note: Converged Network Adapters require SFP+ optical transceivers or DAC cables that must be purchased
separately.

IBM System x3550 M4 19
Storage host bus adapters
The following table lists storage HBAs supported by the x3550 M4 server.
Table 12. Storage adapters
Part number Description Maximum quantity
supported
Fibre Channel
59Y1987 Brocade 4 Gb FC Single-port HBA for IBM System x 2
59Y1993 Brocade 4 Gb FC Dual-port HBA for IBM System x 2
39R6525 QLogic 4 Gb FC Single-Port PCIe HBA for IBM System x 2
39R6527 QLogic 4 Gb FC Dual-Port PCIe HBA for IBM System x 2
42C2069 Emulex 4 Gbps FC Single-Port PCI-e HBA for IBM System x 2
42C2071 Emulex 4 Gbps FC Dual-Port PCI-e HBA for IBM System x 2
42D0485 Emulex 8 Gb FC Single-port HBA for IBM System x 2
42D0494 Emulex 8 Gb FC Dual-port HBA for IBM System x 2
42D0501 QLogic 8 Gb FC Single-port HBA for IBM System x 2
42D0510 QLogic 8 Gb FC Dual-port HBA for IBM System x 2
46M6049 Brocade 8 Gb FC Single-port HBA for IBM System x 2
46M6050 Brocade 8 Gb FC Dual-port HBA for IBM System x 2
SAS
46M0907 IBM 6 Gb SAS HBA Controller 2
PCIe SSD adapters
Currently, the server does not support High IOPS SSD adapters.
Power supplies
The server supports up to two redundant power supplies, providing N+N redundancy. Standard models
come with one or two power supplies (model dependent). The following table lists the power supplies. An
AC power supply ships standard with one 2.8 m C13 - C14 power cord.
Table 13. Power supplies
Part number Description Max quantity
supported
Standard models
where used
94Y6668 IBM System x 550W High Efficiency Platinum AC
Power Supply
2A2x, B2x, C2x, C4x, D2x,
F2x, G2x, H2x, J2x, 52x,
62x
94Y6669 IBM System x 750W High Efficiency Platinum AC
Power Supply
2L2x

IBM System x3550 M4 20
Integrated virtualization
The server supports VMware ESXi installed on a USB memory key. The key is installed in a USB socket
inside the server. The following table lists the virtualization options.
Table 14. Virtualization options
Part number Description Maximum quantity
supported
41Y8298 IBM Blank USB Memory Key for VMware ESXi Downloads 1
41Y8300 IBM USB Memory Key for VMware vSphere 5.0 1
Remote management
The server contains IBM Integrated Management Module II (IMM2), which provides advanced
service-processor control, monitoring, and an alerting function. If an environmental condition exceeds a
threshold or if a system component fails, the IMM lights LEDs to help you diagnose the problem, records
the error in the event log, and alerts you to the problem. Optionally, the IMM also provides a virtual
presence capability for remote server management capabilities.
The IMM provides remote server management through industry-standard interfaces:
Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) Version 2.0
z
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) Version 3
z
Common Information Model (CIM)
z
Web browser
z
The optional IBM Integrated Management Module Advanced Upgrade is required to enable the remote
presence and blue-screen capture features. The remote presence feature provides the following
functions:
Remotely viewing video with graphics resolutions up to 1600x1200 at 75 Hz with up to 23 bits per
z
pixel, regardless of the system state
Remotely accessing the server using the keyboard and mouse from a remote client
z
Mapping the CD or DVD drive, diskette drive, and USB flash drive on a remote client, and mapping
z
ISO and diskette image files as virtual drives that are available for use by the server
Uploading a diskette image to the IMM memory and mapping it to the server as a virtual drive
z
The blue-screen capture feature captures the video display contents before the IMM restarts the server
when the IMM detects an operating system hang condition. A system administrator can use the
blue-screen capture to assist in determining the cause of the hang condition. The following table lists the
remote management option.
Table 15. Remote management option
Part number Description Maximum quantity supported
90Y3901 IBM Integrated Management Module
Advanced Upgrade
1