NETRA� X4200 M2 SERVERARCHITECTURE
White PaperMarch 2007
Abstract
This white paper describes the architectural features and benefits of the Netra X4200 M2 server.
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Table of Contents
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Key Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
The Netra X4200 Server Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
The AMD Opteron Processor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
x64 Architecture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9AMD Direct Connect Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Memory Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Networking and I/O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
NVIDIA nForce Professional 2200 MCP and 2050 I/O Companion Chips . . . . . . . 13AMD-8132 HyperTransport PCI-X 2.0 Tunnel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
LSI SAS1064 SAS Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Intel 82546GB Dual Port Gigabit Ethernet Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Intel 41210 Serial to Parallel PCI Bridge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16ATI Rage XL Video. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Motorola MPC8248 Service Processor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18I/O Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
PCI-X Expansion Slots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
PCIe Slot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Internal Storage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Ethernet Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Power and Thermal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Power Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Cooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Enclosure and Rackmount. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Server Locator Indicator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
System Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Lights Out Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Out-of-Band Systems Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
WebGUI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Remote Console Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
In-Band System Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
IPMI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25SNMP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
ILOM Alerts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26LDAP and RADIUS Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Sun N1 System Manager Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Hybrid User Interface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Operating Systems and High Availability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Solaris 10 OS on x64 Platforms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Sun and AMD � A Unique Partnership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Built-in Business Value. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Sun Java Enterprise System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Solaris OS Licensing and Usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Linux Environments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Microsoft Windows Environments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Interoperability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Interoperability With Java Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Interoperability With Linux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35Interoperability With Microsoft Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Common Free and Open Source Software and Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Single Point of Contact Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Netra High Availability Suite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
For More Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
1 Introduction
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Chapter 1
Introduction
Deregulation and privatization has created intense competition in the worldwide
telecommunications market over the past few years. The marketplace continues to
evolve as voice and data solutions become more integrated and next-generation
wireless, video, and messaging technologies emerge. Growing demand for scalable and
available services coupled with modern economic realities are re-shaping the design of
the telecommunications infrastructure. Now more than ever, availability of key services
can dictate success or failure, with stringent service-level agreements (SLAs)
increasingly common. At the same time, today's challenging economic climate forces
successful organizations to consider issues such as total cost of ownership (TCO) and
investment protection to make sure their decisions make long-term business sense.
For harsh environments that demand optimum horizontal scalability, continuous
availability, and easy management, Sun builds Netra� rack and blade servers that are
certified to meet Network Equipment Building Specification (NEBS) Level 3
requirements. NEBS Level 3 certification (not merely compliance) requires servers to
pass tests showing they can operate under demanding conditions. Numerous
architectural features, such as redundancy and serviceability, enable Netra servers to
deliver outstanding levels of availability and reliability to drive continuous system
operation and a low TCO.
The Netra X4200 M2 server is Sun�s first Netra server to incorporate the Second
Generation AMD Opteron� dual-core processors. Second Generation AMD Opteron
processors now support DDR2 memory and come with hardware-assisted AMD
Virtualization. In addition, the Second Generation AMD Opteron processors offer a
seamless upgrade path to Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors with the same consistent
socket design. The Netra X4200 M2 server, shown in Figure 1, delivers dramatic
performance and flexibility along with space and power efficiency to meet the
increasing demands of the network infrastructure.
2 Introduction
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Figure 1. Netra X4200 M2 server � two drive with DVD/RW and four drive configurations
The Netra X4200 M2 carrier-grade server offers flexibility and choice in a rack-optimized,
less than 20-inch deep 2 RU enclosure. It runs both 32-bit and 64-bit applications on
multiple operating systems and offers the choice of four internal hard drives,
maximizing storage capacity in a 2 RU form factor. The Netra X4200 M2 server also
integrates four gigabit Ethernet ports to provide connectivity for high-speed, high-
bandwidth networking. System uptime is enhanced by redundant hot-swappable
AC/DC power supplies and hot-pluggable hard disk drives. Additionally, the Netra X4200
M2 server comes with Integrated Lights Out Management (ILOM) enabling simple
remote monitoring and management from anywhere on the network, providing the
kind of reliability and serviceability features that global telecommunication companies,
military installations, and governments demand.
As with other Netra servers, the Netra X4200 M2 is a reliable, ruggedized NEBS Level 3
certified, and European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) compliant
server making it ideal for the most demanding applications in the toughest
environments. In addition to supporting the Solaris� Operating System (Solaris OS), the
Netra X4200 server also compatible with Linux and Windows operating systems offering
customers unmatched agility, efficiency, and investment protection.
Powered by up to two dual core Second Generation AMD Opteron HE-Embedded class
processors, the Netra X4200 M2 server achieves extreme performance, while its high
compute density and low power consumption address constraints related to space,
power, and cooling. The Second Generation AMD Opteron processor leverages the
same proven Direct Connect Architecture and CMP (Chip-level Multi-Processing) design
features of the Single- and Dual-Core AMD Opteron (formerly known as Rev E)
processors.
3 Introduction
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
The Netra X4200 M2 server, delivering extreme performance and flexibility with
optimum power and space efficiency, is ideal for the following applications:
� Media gateway controller
� Operations and maintenance for telecommunications network
� Signaling gateway
� Intelligent network
� MMS (multimedia messaging services) /SMS (short messaging services), unified
messaging
� Defense / military / intelligence applications include shipboard command and
control, mobile weapons control and remote intelligence access servers
� Embedded original equipment manufacturers (OEM) applications such as industrial
process control, semiconductor test equipment and network imaging systems
� Application server
� Web server
� Content caching, network proxy
� Home/visitor location registries (HLR/VLR)
� Base station controller (BSC)
� Content distribution networks
� DNS services
� Firewall for virtual private network/virtual private network/IP security (VPN/IPSEC)
� IP traffic management
� Security
� Streaming media
Key FeaturesThe Netra X4200 M2 server provides features intended to improve performance,
availability, and manageability for delivering key services:
� Up to two Second Generation Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors � with a common
socket design for Second Generation and Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors, AMD
Direct Connect Architecture, and AMD Virtualization technology. Nearly doubles
computing resources without increasing power and cooling. Embedded class parts
have a longer lifecycle and endure more stringent NEBS environmental conditions
while consuming less power than commercial versions.
� HyperTransport Technology � provides a high-speed connection between processors
and core logic, eliminating performance bottlenecks found in traditional front-side
bus architectures. The Netra X4200 M2 server supports full HyperTransport
Technology speeds.
� Integrated DDR2 memory controller � pools memory resources onto a single
coherent space, reducing memory bandwidth latency and power requirements. In
the Netra X4200 M2 server, this memory runs at the fastest speed allowed by AMD
Opteron for any commercial product.
4 Introduction
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
� Up to 32 GB of energy-efficient DDR2/667 memory with error correcting codes (ECC)
�DDR2 memory requires less power than DDR1 and FBDIMM memory. ECC helps
reduce the chances of system downtime caused by memory failures.
� Hardware RAID support � the on-board disk controller supports RAID 1 or RAID 0,
providing data redundancy and increased performance at no additional cost.
� Hot-pluggable internal disk drives � available in two configurations, one with
DVD/RW and two drives, and the other with four drives, for flexibility in storage
options.
� NEBS Level-3 certification � enables continuous operation in earthquake Zone 4
environments and complies with regulations for deployment in central office
environments.
� Ruggedized enclosure � provides high levels of protection from temperature
fluctuations, humidity, vibration, pollutants, or other air contaminants such as dust,
resist/retard fire, or other electrical hazards.
� Rack-optimized system � with support for most industry standard two- and four-post
racks enables easy integration and deployment into existing environments.
� Dry contact alarms � four programmable alarms enable operators to use a relay to
signal fault conditions to a rack, control room panel, or alarm monitoring system.
� Redundant AC/DC power supplies with separate power cords, and redundant disk
drives � increases availability and helps ensure uptime of critical applications.
� Four on-board 10/100/1000 Mb/sec. Ethernet ports � for exceptional I/O
performance and increased network reliable through redundancy.
� Three peripheral component interconnect (extended) PCI-X slots (2x full-length, full-
height and 1x half-length, full-height) and one PCI-Express (PCIe) slot � for external
connection to additional storage and support for legacy telecommunications cards.
� DVD/RW � standard with the two internal drive configuration. Not available with
the four internal drive configuration, provides the ability to store data on a
removable media access device without external storage or hard drives.
� Support for the Solaris 10 OS and compatibility with Linux and Windows � enables IT
to run applications on industry standard platforms with a choice of operating
systems.
� Lights-out remote management � Sun�s Integrated Lights Out Manager (ILOM) is a
core part of the system and easily integrates into existing management
environments by supporting industry standards. Remote keyboard, mouse, video,
and virtual storage (CDROM and floppy) are supported.
� Sun N1� Systems Manager software � optional software provides complete
hardware lifecycle management for Sun systems from a central console.
� SunSM Customer Ready System program � for optional, factory-configured, pre-
racked, custom Netra X4200 servers simplifies and speeds system deployment.
Innovation and technology leadership combine within the Netra server family to deliver
some of the most flexible, high performance systems ever created. Netra based servers
5 Introduction
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
are used around the globe in a variety of locations including telecommunications
central offices and wireless base stations, Internet data centers, metropolitan area
networks, post office protocols (POPs), and enterprise service provider infrastructures.
With the ability to run 32-bit and 64-bit applications on a single high speed platform,
the Netra X4200 M2 server reaffirms Sun�s commitment to enterprises that have
invested in the Netra product line by offering a product that delivers enhanced
performance and throughput with consistent fit, form, and function for those
customers standardizing on a x64 platform infrastructure.
6 The Netra X4200 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Chapter 2
The Netra X4200 Server Architecture
The following pages describe the architecture of the Netra X4200 server in detail. The
AMD Opteron processor, memory architecture, I/O expansion, networking, power and
cooling, enclosure, and rackmount designs are discussed.
OverviewThe Netra X4200 M2 server includes the major components listed below. Figure 2
shows a block diagram of the entire system.
� A high performance, common socket design for Second Generation and Quad-Core
AMD Opteron processors, and up to two AMD Opteron 2214 HE-Embedded class
processors
� Up to 32 GB of DDR2 SDRAM memory in eight available memory slots
� Four on-board gigabit Ethernet ports
� Three PCI-X (2x full-height, full-length and 1x full-height, half-length) slots and one
PCIe MD2 low profile slot
� Up to two serial attached SCSI (SAS) disk drives with a tray-load DVD/RW or four SAS
disk drives with no DVD/RW
� Video, Ethernet, serial, and universal serial bus (USB) ports for management
� Redundant AC/DC power supplies with separate power cords
7 The Netra X4200 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Figure 2. Netra X4200 M2 server block diagram
The AMD Opteron ProcessorSecond-Generation AMD Opteron processors with Direct Connect Architecture introduce
several new features including quad-core upgradeability, AMD Virtualization, and
energy-efficient DDR2 memory. AMD Opteron processors with DDR2 memory feature a
Common Core Architecture that is consistent across 1-way, 2-way, 4-way, and 8-way
systems and is also consistent with previous AMD Opteron processors, helping
minimize the cost of transition and maximize past investments in software
optimization.
Figure 3 illustrates the block diagram for the processor. Features of the Second
Generation 2.2 GHz AMD Opteron 2214 HE-Embedded processor in the Netra X4200 M2
servers include:
� x64 architecture (64-bit extensions) with AMD Direct Connect Architecture using
HyperTransport Technology.
� Three HyperTransport links supporting up to 24 GB/sec. peak bandwidth per
processor.
8 The Netra X4200 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
� Integrated 128-bit wide DDR memory controller that reduces latency and increases
performance.
� Individual L1 instruction cache per core.
� Individual L1 data cache per core.
� Individual 1 MB L2 cache per core.
� 256 TB of memory address space, providing significant performance for applications
that hold large data sets in memory.
� Low power usage and cooling requirements � AMD Opteron processor Model 2214
HE-Embedded running at 68W offers the same performance as a standard wattage
(95W) AMD Opteron processor Model 2214. Efficient heat dissipation reduces cooling
requirements. Servers run cooler and more efficiently, enabling more servers to
operate in the same amount of space, and decreasing costs associated with thermal
control and power consumption. In addition, if servers run cooler, other parts such as
drives, power supplies, and fans tend to have a lower mean-time-between-failure
(MTBF).
� Hardware-enabled AMD Virtualization is designed to improve aspects of x86-based
virtualization by adding instructions to the hardware, selectively intercepting
information destined for guest OSs, running guest OSs unmodified, increasing
isolation of host and guest OSs, and switching between hypervisor and guest OSs
through a tagged translation look-aside buffer (TLB) memory architecture.
� AMD PowerNow! technology with Optimized Power Management can deliver
performance on demand while minimizing power consumption (this feature is
disabled by default on the Netra X4200 M2 server).
� DDR2-based platforms can upgrade to Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors when they
are available, within existing power and thermal envelopes for significantly better
performance-per-watt.
� 3DNow! Professional technology and SSE2/SSE3 instructions provide outstanding
performance for digital content. SSE2 and SSE3 are 128-bit streaming single-
instructions, multiple-data (SIMD) instruction useful for high-performance media and
scientific applications that operate on blocks of data.
� NEBS certified, supporting telecommunications industry requirements for reliability.
� Socket F 1207-pin.
The maximum temperature of the AMD Opteron 2214 HE-Embedded processor is fixed,
enabling it to run at higher temperatures for NEBS certification. Although it runs at a
slightly lower clock rate than standard models, it is possible to saturate the CPU in
more stringent environments due to its lower power consumption and thermal
requirements. These features also enable AMD to offer a longer lifecyle on these parts,
which is especially important for carrier-grade servers.
9 The Netra X4200 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Figure 3. AMD Opteron 2214 HE-Embedded processor block diagram
x64 ArchitectureThe x64 architecture is an x86-compatible architecture that enables simultaneous
32-and 64-bit computing. It allows end users to run their existing installed base of 32-bit
applications and operating systems at peak performance, while providing a 64-bit
migration path. It is designed to support 64-bit computing while remaining compatible
with x86 software infrastructures.
The x64 Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) extends the existing x86 ISA and natively
executes 32-bit code with no emulation mode to degrade performance. For 32-bit
software that does not require immediate 64-bit implementations, x64 processor-based
systems are designed to provide full application performance while continuing to
improve with x64 platform performance enhancements.
Many applications encounter architectural barriers that prevent efficient performance
scaling. The x64 ISA is designed to allow continued performance scaling for
applications that demand multiprocessor scalability, larger addressable memory,
better multimedia performance, or improvements in computational accuracy.
The x64 ISA is designed for applications that:
� Need large memory addressing to handle datasets larger then 3 GB per process
(financial and scientific modeling applications).
� Must manage a large number of concurrent users or application threads, such as
large-scale, thin-client solutions, large databases, data warehouse applications for
solutions in customer relationship management (CRM), supply chain management
IntegratedMemory
Controller
Core 1 Core 2
64 KB1-Cache
64 KB0-Cache
1 MB L2 Cache
System Request Interface
Crossbar Switch
HyperTransporttechnology
10.7 GB/sec. @DDR2-667
HyperTransport technologylinks provide up to 24 GB/sec.Peak bandwidth per processor
1 MB L2 Cache
64 KB1-Cache
64 KB0-Cache
Link 2 Link 372 bit Link 1
10 The Netra X4200 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
(SCM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), and digital rights management (DRM)
systems.
� Require real-time encryption and decryption for enhanced security, including
e-commerce and protection of private or classified data.
� Require mathematical precision and floating-point performance, including modeling,
simulation, statistics and financial analysis, imaging/video/signal processing,
physics, medical research, telecommunications, encryption, and compression.
� Require large, high-power database performance, including decision support,
searching and indexing, document and content management, and voice recognition.
� Require x86 compatibility or the economies of scale of x86 as well as the large
memory addressing capabilities of 64-bit computing, including many high-
performance computing (HPC) cluster applications.
� Provide digital content creation capabilities such as computer-aided design (CAD),
computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), and computer-aided engineering (CAE), digital
music production and video editing, and real-time media streaming solutions.
� Require maximum performance for realistic and cinematic consumer experiences,
including computer games, digital video, and real-time collaboration.
With the x64 ISA, relevant instructions and encodings support 64-bits, increasing the
resources available to hardware and software. Major enhancements over legacy x86
include:
� Sixteen 64-bit general-purpose integer registers that quadruple the general purpose
register space available to applications and device drivers as compared to x86
systems
� Sixteen 128-bit XMM (floating point SIMD multimedia) registers for enhanced
multimedia performance to double the register space of any current SSE/SSE2
implementation
� Full 64-bit virtual address space with 40 bits of physical memory addressing that can
support systems with up to 4 petabytes of physical memory�65,535 times the
amount of RAM supported by 32-bit x86 systems
� 64 -bit operating systems to provide full, transparent, and simultaneous 32-bit and
64-bit platform application multitasking
AMD Direct Connect ArchitectureAMD Direct Connect Architecture helps eliminate the bottlenecks inherent in a front-
side bus by directly connecting the processors, memory controller, and I/O to the CPU
to enable overall system performance and efficiency. Directly connected CPUs provide
more linear, symmetrical multiprocessing. A memory controller directly connected to a
CPU optimizes memory performance. I/O directly connected to a CPU provides more
balanced throughput and performance. Dual-core processors extend the benefits of the
AMD Direct Connect Architecture by connecting two CPU cores to each other on one die
to reduce latencies between those cores. In addition, Direct Connect Architecture
11 The Netra X4200 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
requires fewer chips on the motherboard, further increasing the reliability of the
system.
HyperTransport Technology
HyperTransport Technology is a high-speed, high-performance, point-to-point link for
directly connecting integrated circuits. HyperTransport Technology also directly
connects the I/O to the processors at a rate of 4.8 GB/sec. aggregate bandwidth per
link, enabling a peak bandwidth of 24 GB/sec. per processor. The Second Generation
AMD Opteron processors with HyperTransport Technology continue to use a scalable
direct connection between processors, I/O subsystems, and other chip sets.
HyperTransport Technology helps reduce the number of buses in a system, which can
reduce system bottlenecks and enable today's faster microprocessors to use system
memory more efficiently in high-end multiprocessor systems.
HyperTransport Technology:
� Helps increase overall system performance by removing I/O bottlenecks typically
found in front-side bus architectures and efficiently integrating with legacy buses,
increasing bandwidth and speed, and reducing latency of processors.
� Provides up to 8 GB/sec. bandwidth per link at 16x16 bits, 1 GHz operation, providing
sufficient bandwidth for supporting new interconnects, such as PCIe.
Memory Interface
In traditional x86 Northbridge/Southbridge architectures, processors share a memory
controller and are not directly connected to one another. Memory transactions must
propagate through the Northbridge chip fabric. This presents a bottleneck at the front-
side bus that greatly reduces productivity and performance potential. In a Direct
Connect Architecture, each CPU has its own integrated memory controller, which
allows for more linear, symmetrical multiprocessing and optimized memory
performance. The memory controller offers available memory bandwidth of up to
10.7 GB/sec. (with DDR2-667) per processor. This direct connection to the memory
controller significantly reduces the memory latency seen by the processor. Latency
continues to drop as the processor frequency scales.
Additionally, hardware and software memory pre-fetching mechanisms can further
reduce the effective memory latency seen by the processor. Reduced memory latency,
coupled with the additional increase in memory bandwidth available directly to the
processor (resulting from the optimized design of this platform architecture), is critical
as it greatly enhances system performance across all application segments.
Chip-to-Chip Interconnect
Current interface schemes offer throughput performance on the order of 266 MB/sec.
to 1 GB/sec. Although these rates may be sufficient for desktop platforms, workstation,
server, and other future platforms require a more robust interface with the bandwidth
12 The Netra X4200 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
to simultaneously integrate high-speed technologies (such as Gigabit Ethernet, PCI-X,
and the InfiniBand Architecture). Direct Connect Architecture using HyperTransport
Technology provides a high-speed, chip- to-chip interconnect that virtually eliminates
the I/O performance bottleneck while providing ample performance headroom for
future growth.
Memory ArchitectureThe Netra X4200 M2 server supports 1 GB, 2 GB, and 4 GB registered DDR2-667 memory,
for up to 32 GB of memory. Each CPU includes a low-latency, high-bandwidth,
integrated memory controller that reduces latencies during memory access over
traditional front-side bus-based memory controllers. Up to four ECC Registered
DDR2-667 memory modules per CPU are supported, running at a clock rate of 333 MHz.
The AMD Opteron processor's memory controller works in 144-bit mode ECC operation.
For optimal performance, memory DIMMs need to be installed in pairs so the processor
is able to run in 128-bit ECC mode. Systems with an odd number of DIMMs are
supported, but the processor then runs in 64-bit ECC mode, reducing performance.
The controller supports 1 bit per byte ECC, and supports DDR2 667 (PC5300) registered
DDR SDRAM modules.
The Netra X4200 M2 server contains 4 DDR DIMM slots per CPU that are color-coded
white and black to indicate population order. White is assigned to slots 0 and 1 and
should be populated first. Black is assigned to slots 2 and 3. LED fault indicators
controlled by the ILOM Service Processor provide the ability to easily identify failed
DIMM modules. Memory capacity scales with the number of processors. Therefore,
memory attached to an unpopulated processor slot is unaddressable. As a result, a
single processor system can support a maximum of four DIMMs. A dual CPU server
supports a maximum of eight DIMMS or 32 GB (8 x 4 GB) of memory.
Features of the Netra X4200 M2 server�s memory architecture include:
� Dedicated on-die 128-bit wide DDR memory controller
� Memory bandwidth up to 6.4 GB/sec. @ DDR400
� Under 80 nanoseconds latency
� Registered ECC DDR2-667 (PC2-5300) supported
� 256 MB to 2 GB low profile (1.2 inch/3.05 centimeter) DIMM support
� Up t0 16 GB per CPU with 4 GB DIMMs in 4 DIMM slots per CPU
� Single supply (2.50 VDC)
� Standard serial presence detect SPD (VCC-SPD=3.3V)
� Lower power requirements (4.4W) vs. DDR1 DIMMs (5.4W)
Networking and I/O
Networking and I/O are provided by the following chips:
� NVidia nForce Professional 2200 MCP and 2050 I/O companion chips
13 The Netra X4200 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
� AMD-8132 HyperTransport PCI-X 2.0 Tunnel
� LSI SAS1064 SAS controller
� Intel 82546GB Dual Port Gigabit Ethernet controller
� Two Intel 41210 Serial to Parallel PCI Bridge chips
� ATI Rage XL Video
� Motorola MPC8248 Service Processor
NVIDIA nForce Professional 2200 MCP and 2050 I/O Companion ChipsNVIDIA nForce Professional media and communications processors (MCPs) are based on
a high-performance, scalable architecture with a low power design and low footprint
optimized for power-constrained rack and blade servers. NVIDIA's fifth-generation
HyperTransport design integrates tightly with the AMD Opteron Direct Connect
Architecture to deliver 32-bit and 64-bit performance.
NVIDIA nForce Professional 2200 MCP
The Netra X4200 M2 server uses one Nividia nForce Professional 2200 MCP for two USB
external ports, one gigabit Ethernet port, IDE CD/DVD connection, the PCIe x8 slot, for
I/O to the Service Processor, and for PCI connection to the ATI Rage XL Video chip.
The NVIDIA nForce Professional 2200 MCP combines PCI Express, gigabit Ethernet, SATA,
and legacy I/O on a single chip. It uses the fifth generation of HyperTransport link to
connect to the CPU. Additional features include:
� Support for 10 USB 2.0 ports.
� Two full 16x PCIe lanes for dual graphics cards.
� Support for 20 configurable PCI lanes via four controllers, enabling support for x8, x4,
x2, and x1 configurations. PCIe lanes have virtual channels enabled, providing
guaranteed bandwidth and latency for time-sensitive traffic.
� TCP/IP acceleration � TCP/IP hardware acceleration capability is built into the
gigabit Ethernet controller. This dramatically lowers CPU utilization when processing
network traffic at gigabit speeds.
� Integrated support for PCI Express, gigabit Ethernet, SATA 3 Gb/sec., USB 2.0, and
remote management capabilities.
NVIDIA nForce Professional 2050 MCP
The Netra X4200 server utilizes the NVIDIA nForce Professional 2050 MCP chip for one
PCI-X slot and one gigabit Ethernet port. The NVIDIA nForce Professional 2050 MCP is
very similar to the 2200 MCP, but without USB 2.0 support.
In the Netra X4200 M2 server, the two MCPs are combined to create a single solution
that can support up to four AMD Opteron processors and up to 40 configurable PCI
Express lanes. It does, however reduce the number of 16x PCIe lanes for graphics from
two to one.
14 The Netra X4200 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
AMD-8132 HyperTransport PCI-X 2.0 TunnelThe Netra X4200 M2 server utilizes an AMD-8132 HyperTransport PCI-X 2.0 Tunnel chip.
The PCI-X bus connects to the Intel 82546GB Dual Port Gigabit Ethernet controller
MAC/phys device and the LSI SAS1064 SAS controller. The single bus for both I/O
devices runs at 100 MHz, which is sufficient for internal storage and dual gigabit
Ethernet throughput. The block diagram for the chip is depicted in Figure 4. Features of
the AMD-8132 HyperTransport PCI-X 2.0 Tunnel include:
� 16-bit HyperTransport interfaces (Side 0 and 1) offering a maximum aggregate
bandwidth up to 8 GB/sec. each side
� Two PCI-X bridges: Bridge A and Bridge B
� Each bridge supports a 64-bit data bus
� Each bridge supports Mode 1 PCI-X and conventional PCI protocol and is designed to
support Mode 2 operation
� In PCI-X Mode 1, bridges support transfer rates of 133, 100, 66, and 50 MHz
� In PCI mode, bridges support transfer rates of 66, 50, 33, and 25 MHz
� Independent transfer rates and operational modes for each bridge
Figure 4. AMD-8132 HyperTransport PCI-X 2.0 Tunnel block diagram
LSI SAS1064 SAS ControllerNetra X4200 M2 servers include an integrated LSI SAS1064 4-port 3 Gb/sec. SAS
hardware RAID disk controller. The LSI SAS1064 is a versatile controller that provides
four SAS ports capable of 3 Gb/sec. data transfers for each phys, for a total maximum
bandwidth of 12 Gb/sec. The LSI SAS1064 features a performance-based message
passing protocol that off loads the CPU by managing all I/Os and minimizes buss
overhead by uniting interrupts. Figure 5 shows the block diagram. SAS features of the
LSI SAS1064 include:
� Four fully independent phys. The SAS phys interface performs serial-to-parallel
conversion of received data and parallel-to-serial conversion to transmit data.
� Support for 3 Gb/sec. and 1.5 Gb/sec. SAS data transfers for each phys.
� High-performance, serial, point-to-point, enterprise-level storage interface.
� Simplified cabling between devices.
� Data transfers using SCSI information units.
� 133 MHz 64-bit PCI-X interface (shared bus with PCI-X 0 100 MHz slot).
HyperTransportLink
Host
HyperTransportLink
AMD-8132 Tunnel
Side 0 Side 1
PCI-XBridge A
PCI-XBridge B
DownstreamDevice
16 bits Upstreamand Downstream
Slots Slots
16 bits Upstreamand Downstream
Tunnel
15 The Netra X4200 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
� Integrated RAID solution provides Integrated Mirroring technology, Integrated
Mirroring Enhanced, and Integrated Striping technology:
� Integrated Mirroring technology provides mirroring of two drives, plus a hot
spare drive.
� Integrated Mirroring Enhanced supports mirroring of three to eight drives, plus
a hot spare drive.
� Integrated Striping technology enables data striping across up to eight drives.
Although the LSI SAS1064 controller is capable of supporting both SAS and serial ATA
(SATA) drive types, the Netra X4200 M2 servers only support SAS hard disk drives.
Figure 5. LSI SAS1064 controller block diagram
Intel 82546GB Dual Port Gigabit Ethernet ControllerThe Netra X4200 M2 server is equipped with one Intel 82546GB Dual Port Gigabit
Ethernet controller that provides two gigabit Ethernet interfaces to the system for
network interface controllers (NIC)s 2 and 3. It incorporates two full gigabit Ethernet
media access control (MAC) and physical (PHY) layer functions and Serializer/
Deserializer (SerDes) on a single chip. It is capable of transmitting and receiving two
channels of data at 10/100/1000 MB/sec. with half or full duplex capability.
The controller's architecture includes independent transmit and receive queues to limit
PCI bus traffic, and a PCI interface that maximizes the use of bursts for efficient bus
usage. Two 64 KB on-chip packet buffers maintain performance as available PCI
bandwidth changes. In addition, using hardware acceleration, the controller also off-
loads tasks from the CPU, such TCP/UDP/IP checksum calculations and TCP
segmentation. The controller block diagram is shown in Figure 6. Other features
include:
� 100 MHz PCI-X bus � allows wire-speed performance of two gigabit Ethernet
connections
� 64 KB configurable receive and transmit packet first-in, first-out (FIFOs) per port �
FIFO size is tunable to the application
SAS Device
SAS Device
SAS Device
SAS Device
TX, Rx
TX, Rx
TX, Rx
TX, Rx
LSI SAS106464-bit, 133 M zPCI-X Controller
H
32-bit MemoryAddress/Data Bus
I C Interface2
I C2
PCI/PCI-X Interface
Flash ROM/PSBRAM/VMSRAM
16 The Netra X4200 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
� Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers (IEEE) 802.3x compliant flow control
support with software controllable thresholds � reduces frame loss due to receive
FIFO overrun
� Jumbo frame support up to 16 KB � provides high throughput for large data
transfers on networks supporting jumbo frames
� IEEE 802.1Q virtual local area network (VLAN) support with VLAN tag insertion and
stripping, as well as packet filtering for up to 4096 VLAN tags
� Digital adaptive equalization, echo, cross-talk, and baseline wander cancellation �
provides robust gigabit performance in noisy environments or environments with
cable installation problems
� Advanced packet filtering � 16 exact matched (unicast or multicast) and
promiscuous (unicast/multicast) transfer mode
� IEEE 802.3ab auto-negotiation for speed, duplex, and flow control
� Automatic link speed switching from 1000 Mb/sec. down to 10 or 100 Mb/sec.
in standby
� Manageability and system health monitoring with advanced streaming format (ASF)
1.0 and system management bus (SMbus) 2.0 � provides alerting and remote-
control capabilities and enables Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI)
� Ability to automatically detect polarity and cable length and medium dependent
interface (MDI) versus MDI-crossover (MDI-X) cable at all speeds
� Pre-execution environment (PXE) boot is enabled
Figure 6. Intel 82546GB Ethernet controller block diagram
Intel 41210 Serial to Parallel PCI BridgeThe Netra X4200 M2 server utilizes two Intel 41210 Serial to Parallel PCI Bridge chips to
support three PCI-X slots. The block diagrams for this chip are illustrated in Figure 7.
One Intel 41210 chip is connected to the Nvidia 2050 chip and supports one PCI-X slot.
MDI Interface A
Design forTest Interface
External TBIInterface
LEDs
S/W Defined Pins
PCI (64-bit, 33/66 M z PCI-x (133 M z)H H
SM Bus Interface
EEPROM Interface
Flash Interface
LEDs
S/W Defined Pins
Device Function #1MAC/Controller
(LAN B)
10/100/1000PHY
MDI Interface B
GMII/MIIGMII/MII
MDIO MDIO
10/100/1000PHY
1000 Base-T PHYInterface
Device Function #0MAC/Controller
(LAN A)
17 The Netra X4200 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
The second Intel 41210 chip is connected to the Nvidia 2200 chip and supports two PCI-X
slots. The Intel 41210 can be configured with a x4 or x8 lane upstream port connection
to host PCI Express slots, and provides two 133 MHz PCI-X bus segments (1 GB/sec.
each) downstream for attaching legacy PCI and/or newer, higher data throughput
PCI-X devices mounted on add-in cards or host bus adapters (HBAs). Additional features
include:
� Direct write/read transfer between PCI/PCI-X bus segments
� Arbiter support for six masters per PCI-X bus segment allows ample device attach
capability for high-density HBA or add-in card applications
� PCI Express hot-plug capable
� Backward compatibility supports 64-bit PCI-X 133 MHz, 100 MHz, and 66 MHz, as well
as PCI 66 MHz and 33 MHz for mixed PCI/PCI-X modes and frequency bus/device
operation
Figure 7. Intel 41210 Serial to Parallel PCI Bridge block diagram
ATI Rage XL VideoThe Netra X4200 M2 servers use the ATI Rage XL graphics controller to deliver 2D and
3D graphics acceleration. The digital video port (DVI) port is connected to the service
processor for remote graphics redirection. The chip has the following features:
� 64-bit 125 MHz memory clock
� 8 MB memory
� 64-bit SDR: synchronous dynamic random access memory/synchronous graphics
random access memory (SDRAM/SGRAM) memory path
� 64-bit accelerated graphics port (AGP)/PCI bus
� Integrated transmission minimized differential signals (TMDS): DVI, digital flat panel
(DFP), and VESA plug and display interface
� Support for 24-bit TTL
� 1600 x 1200 maximum resolution
� 16.7M maximum color depth
� 1024 x 768 TMDS
PCI-X133 M z(v 1.0a)
H
PCIex4
Intel 41210
PCI-X133 M z(v 1.0a)
H
18 The Netra X4200 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Motorola MPC8248 Service ProcessorThe Netra X4200 M2 server utilizes the Motorola MPC8248 PowerQUICC II processor as
the system service processor on the GRASP daughter card (Graphical Redirection and
Service Processor). It offers integrated hardware security, making it well suited for
networking equipment requiring encryption capabilities. It features a security engine
that supports Data Encryption Standard (DES), triple DES (3DES), message-digest
algorithm 5 (MD-5), secure hash algorithm (SHA-1), Advanced Decryption Standard
(AES), and alleged RC-4 (ARC-4) encryption algorithms. The processors also offer a Public
Key accelerator and on-chip Random Number Generator.
I/O ComponentsWith the exception of the hard disk drives and/or DVD/RW, all I/O device ports are
accessible from the rear of the system, as illustrated in Figure 8. The I/O sub-system
consists of the following components:
� Three PCI-X expansion slots
� One PCIe expansion slot
� Four SAS ports connected to the SAS RAID controller on the LSI SAS1064 chip
providing a total SAS bandwidth of 12 Gb/sec.
� Two external USB 2.0 ports
� One 10/100 MB/sec. Ethernet port (RJ-45) for network management
� Four gigabit Ethernet ports (RJ-45) provide exceptional I/O performance and
increased network reliability through redundancy
� One serial management port (RJ-45) connected to the ILOM service processor
� One VGA video port (HD-15) connected to the ATI Rage XL chip
� One telco alarm output port (DB-15) connected to the service processor
Figure 8. Netra X4200 M2 server rear view
PCI-X slots
Power SuppliesAC or DC
10/100 Base-TEthernet MgmtPort (RJ-45)
PCIeSlot, Short, LowProfile
VGA VideoPort (RJ-45)
TelcomGNDLugs
Telco AlarmOutput (DB-15)
Serial ManagementPort (RJ-45)
Quad GigabitEthernet Ports
(RJ-45)
Dual USBPorts
19 The Netra X4200 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
PCI-X Expansion SlotsThe Netra X4200 M2 server has three PCI-X expansion slots. When viewing the server
from the rear, the PCI slots are present in numeric order from left to right and
numbered from one to three. Slots 1 through 3 support 64-bit, 3.3V PCI-X 133 MHz,
100 MHz, and 66 MHz, as well as PCI 66 MHz and 33 MHz. Slots 1 and 2 support
full-height, full-length cards, and Slot 3 supports full-height, half-length cards.
Full-height PCI-X slots increase investment protection by providing support for legacy
telecommunications cards.
The three PCI-X slots are converted from PCIe busses to PCI-X busses through the two
Intel 41210 bridge chips on the PCI tray. Two cables carry PCIe signals from the PCIe slot
on the motherboard to the PCI tray board. Both PCIe signals are x4 lanes.
PCIe SlotThe system also incudes one PCIe x8 slot (low profile, half-length) located below PCI-X
Slot 1 on the rear of the system. The x8 PCIe lanes are directly connected from the
motherboard through a cable and are located under the PCI tray. This slot operates at
2.5 GHz and supports x1, x2, x4, and x8 lanes low profile (MD2) PCIe cards.
PCIe is a high speed, point-to-point dual simplex chip interconnect. It is designed as the
next-generation system bus interconnect, replacing the aging PCI bus. PCIe operates at
2.5 GHz and supports lane widths of x1, x4, and x8 in the Netra X4200 M2 server.
Most cards, including InfiniBand cards, currently do not require more than a x4 slot for
full bandwidth operation. Graphics cards are the only currently available devices that
can come close to requiring the full x16 operation that PCIe can offer. These larger slots
are usually provided specifically for graphics cards in high-end 3D visualization-oriented
workstations.
Internal StorageThe Netra X4200 server supports two storage configurations, one with four SAS drives,
and other with two SAS drives and one DVD/RW device.
The Netra X4200 servers supports up to four internal, hot-swappable, 146 GB 10K RPM,
3 Gb/sec., 2.5 inch SAS hard drives. The drives are 100 percent duty cycle small form
factor server-grade drives and are NEBS certified.
Hardware RAID is enabled by the on-board disk controller, providing data redundancy
and increased performance at no additional cost. The controller provides either two-
disk RAID 1 volumes (Integrated Mirror) or two-, three-, or four-disk RAID 0 volumes
(Integrated Stripes).
The optional DVD/RW device (standard with the two drive configuration and not
available with the four drive configuration) provides the ability to read and write to a
20 The Netra X4200 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
removable media access device, enabling users to store data without external storage
or hard drive requirements. In addition, the virtual storage feature of the ILOM service
processor allows host access to networked CDROM ISO images as if they are locally
attached USB CDROM devices, eliminating the cost, complexity, and need for a
separate optical disk drive for each server.
Ethernet PortsThe Netra X4200 M2 server features four gigabit Ethernet ports (RJ-45) located at the
rear of the server. The top two ports (NIC 2 and NIC 3) are connected to the Intel
82546GB Dual Port Gigabit Ethernet controller. These ports support NIC teaming and
failover. NIC 0 is connected to the NVidia nForce Professional 2200 MPC chip and NIC 1
is connected to the NVidia nForce Professional MPC 2050 chip. All ports support 10/
100/1000 Mb/sec. full- and half-duplex operation, IEEE 802.3ab auto negotiation for
speed, duplex, and flow control, as well as PXE boot.
Power and ThermalTypical heat dissipation and power consumption metrics for a Netra X4200 M2 server
equipped with two Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors and 4 GB RAM are as follows:
� AC power: 100-240 VAC, 50-60 Hz
� Maximum input current: 6.5A at 100 to 120 VAC, 3.2A at 200 to 240 VAC
� Maximum heat dissipation: 2150 BTU/hour
� DC power: -48 VDC or -60 VDC (nominal), -40 VDC to -75 VDC (range)
� Maximum input current: 12.7A at -48 VDC, 10.2A at -60 VDC
� Maximum heat dissipation: 2085 BTU/hour
Power SuppliesThe Netra X4200 M2 server is equipped with two highly-efficient, redundant, hot-
swappable AC/DC power supplies with separate power cords. One power supply is
sufficient to run a fully populated server, however for maximum protection against
power supply failures, Sun recommends that both power supplies be installed in the
system at all times.
The power supplies are rated at 550 watts each and can auto-detect between 120/240V
and 50/50 Hz. In normal operation, the power supplies share the power demands of
the system equally between the pair.
To further reduce power requirements and to meet NEBS certification, the systems can
be run on DC power. Using DC power can reduce overall operating costs by lowering
energy use, reducing heat, and increasing server reliability.
21 The Netra X4200 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
CoolingThe chassis of the Netra X4200 M2 sever is segregated by an air divider into two distinct
air flow chambers. One chamber draws air flow for the motherboard (CPUs, RAM) and
PCI trays. The other chamber provides air flow for the hard drives, DVD/RW device
(if present), and power supplies. Both areas are front-to-back cooled, as illustrated in
Figure 9. The power supply/storage chamber is cooled by individual fans on the back of
each power supply. The motherboard/PCI chamber is cooled by a row of fans mounted
in front of the server behind the bezel. Fan failures are indicated in the front chassis
Service Required amber LED.
Figure 9. Cooling � air flow
Enclosure and RackmountThe Netra X4200 M2 server is enclosed in a ruggedized, 2 RU, rack-optimized chassis
with the following dimensions:
� Height � 3.44 inches / 87.4 millimeters
� Width � 17.4 inches / 442 millimeters (including bezel), 16.73 inches /
424 millimeters (without bezel)
� Depth � 19.0 inches / 484 millimeters (bezel to rear I/O0, 20.0 inches /
508 millimeters (maximum depth)
Two chassis are available � one housing four disk drives and no DVD/RW device, and
one housing two disk drives and a DVD/RW device.
The server ships with a hard rackmount 19 inch 4-post kit. Optional kits are available for
19 inch 2-post, 23 inch 2-post, and 600 millimeter x 600 millimeter hard rackmount, as
well as 19 inch 4-post slide rackmount.
22 The Netra X4200 Server Architecture
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Server Locator IndicatorThe Netra X4200 M2 server includes a pair of small lights that can be turned on to help
identify a specific server among many in a data center. One light is positioned on the
front of the server in the upper-left corner, and the other light is on the back of the
server in the upper-center section
23 System Management
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Chapter 3
System Management
The ability to easily manage system from remote locations is an absolute requirement
for telco, military, and government environments. The Netra X4200 M2 server is
specifically designed with this in mind, featuring Integrated Lights Out Management
(ILOM) for individual system management. Sun systems can also be managed from a
central console throughout their lifecycle with N1 System Manager software.
Lights Out ManagementThe service processor and Integrated Lights Out Manager (ILOM) in the Netra X4200 M2
server are implemented by the integrated GRASP daughter card (Graphical Redirection
and Service Processor. It provides full local or remote access to the system for setup,
maintenance, and on-going monitoring and management. ILOM enables multiple in-
band and out-of-band management solutions.
ILOM includes the following components:
� Service Processor (SP) � A dedicated processor board that communicates through
the system serial port and a dedicated Ethernet port.
� Command Line Interface (CLI) � A dedicated software application that allows the
user to operate the ILOM using keyboard commands. The command-line interface is
used to send commands to the ILOM. A terminal or emulator can be directly attached
to the system serial port, or the ILOM can be accessed over the Ethernet using a
Secure Shell (SSH).
� WebGUI �The WebGUI provides a powerful, yet easy-to-use browser interface that
allows the user to log in to the SP and perform system management, monitoring,
and Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) tasks.
� Remote Console/Java Client (JavaRConsole) � The Java� Client supports the Remote
Console functionality, which allows remote access to the server�s console. It redirects
the keyboard, mouse, and video screen, and can redirect input and output from the
local system�s DVD/RW device.
No other hardware or software is necessary to begin managing the Netra X4200 M2
server. However, ILOM also supports IPMI and Simple Network Management Protocol
(SNMP).
Out-of-Band Systems ManagementOut-of-band management is enabled through the serial port or dedicated Ethernet port.
The serial port provides access to the CLI and to the system console. IPMI terminal
mode and PPP mode are not available on the serial port.
24 System Management
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
The full functionality of the IlOM can be accessed by connecting a LAN to the Ethernet
port. ILOM supports Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) and static IP
addressing.
WebGUIThe WebGUI provides the ability to monitor and manage local and remote systems.
Using a standard Internet browser, the WebGUI can be up and running in less than five
minutes.
One of the most powerful features of ILOM is the ability to redirect the server's
graphical console to a remote workstation or laptop system. When the host console is
redirected, it is possible to configure the remote system's keyboard and mouse to act
as the server's mouse and keyboard. The diskette drive or CDROM drive on the remote
system can also be configured as a device virtually connected to the Sun server.
In addition, diskette images (.img) and CD-ROM images (.iso) can be redirected for
remote access.
Some of the common tasks that can be performed using the WebGUI include:
� Redirect the system's graphical console to a remote client browser
� Connect a remote diskette drive or diskette image to the system as a virtual diskette
drive
� Connect a remote CD-ROM drive or CD-ROM image to the system as a virtual CD-ROM
drive
� Monitor system fans, temperatures, and voltages remotely
� Monitor BIOS power-on self-test (POST) progress log entries remotely
� View IPMI log entries, which the operating system can write
� Examine component information, including CPU information, dynamic random
access memory (DRAM) configuration, host Media Access Control (MAC) addresses,
system serial numbers, and other features
� Manage user accounts remotely
� Power on, power off, power cycle, and reset the system remotely
� Administer user accounts
Remote Console ApplicationThe remote console application which is started using the WebGUI, allows the server�s
operating system to be controlled remotely, using the screen, mouse and keyboard,
and to redirect local CD and diskette (floppy) drives as if they were connected directly to
the server.
� The screen, mouse, and keyboard functionality allows the operator to use the
operating system and other GUI-based programs, instead of restricting the operator
to the command-line-based utilities provided by terminals and emulators.
� The ability to redirect CD and diskette drives allows software to be downloaded and
uploaded to and from the server as if it were accessing its own CD and diskette drives.
25 System Management
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
In-Band System ManagementIn-band management through the host operating system is enabled by the Intelligent
Platform Management Interface (IPMI) and Simple Network Management Protocol
(SNMP) agents that are resident in the operating system.
IPMIIPMI is an open-standard hardware management interface specification that defines a
specific way for embedded management subsystems to communicate. IPMI
information is exchanged though baseboard management controllers (BMCs), which
are located on IPMI-compliant hardware components. Using low-level hardware
intelligence instead of the operating system has two main benefits: first, this
configuration allows for out-of-band server management, and second, the operating
system is not burdened with transporting system status data.
Typical sensor-related events are out-of-range temperature or voltage and fan failure.
When an event occurs, it is noted in the system event log and made available to the
management software.
The Service Processor is powered by the power supply stand-by voltage and functions
even when the server is powered down or the operating system is malfunctioning.
This allows platform status to be obtained and recovery initiated under situations in
which in-band delivery mechanisms are unavailable.
The ILOM on the Netra X4200 M2 server is IPMI 2.0 compliant. IPMI functionality can be
accessed through the command line with the IPMItool utility either in-band or out-of-
band. Additionally, an IPMI-specific trap can be generated from the Web interface, or
the server's IPMI functions can be managed from any external management solution
that is IPMI v1.5 or v2.0 compliant.
IPMItool
IPMItool is a simple command-line interface to systems that support the IPMI v2.0
specification. IPMItool provides the ability to read the sensor data repository and print
sensor values, display the content of the system event log, print field-replaceable unit
(FRU) information, read and set LAN configuration parameters, and perform remote
chassis power control. IPMItool was originally written to take advantage of IPMI-over-
LAN interfaces but is also capable of using the system interface as provided by a Linux
kernel device driver such as OpenIPMI or a Solaris driver called BMC, which is included
in the Solaris 10 OS. IPMItool is available under a BSD-compatible license.
System management software is generally complex and makes platform management
only part of a much larger management picture. However, many system administrators
and developers rely on command-line tools that can be scripted and systems that can
be micro-managed. IPMItool takes a different approach by providing a completely
command-line oriented tool. Therefore, it is not designed to replace the OpenIPMI
26 System Management
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
library. Where possible, IPMItool supports printing comma-separated values for output
to facilitate parsing by other scripts or programs. It is designed to run quick command-
response functions that can be as simple as turning the system on or off or as complex
as reading in the sensor data records and extracting and printing detailed sensor
information for each record.
SNMPSNMP management provides remote access by SNMP-compliant entities to monitor
and control network devices, and to manage configurations, statistics collection,
performance, and security on a network. SNMP is a network management protocol
used almost exclusively in TCP/IP networks. The Solaris 10 OS provides SNMP
Management Information Bases (MIBs) to manage and monitor the Netra X4200 M2
server using any SNMP-capable network management system, such as HP OpenView
Network Node Manager, Tivoli, CA Unicenter, or IBM Director.
SNMP v1, v2c, and v3 are supported. v1 and v2c are disabled by default. v3 is enabled
by default. SNMP sets can be enabled and disabled and are disabled by default.
The ILOM has a preinstalled SNMP agent that supports trap delivery to an SNMP
management application. An IPMI-specific trap, called a Platform Event Trap, or PET,
can also be generated.
A MIB is a text file that describes a managed node�s available information and where it
is stored. When a management station requests information from a managed node,
the agent receives the request and retrieves the appropriate information from the
MIBs. The Sun server supports the following SNMP classes MIB files:
� The system group and SNMP group from the RFC1213 MIB
� SNMP-FRAMEWORK-MIB
� SNMP-USER-BASED-SM-MIB
� SNMP-MPD-MIB
� ENTITY-MIB
� SUN-PLATFORM-MIB
ILOM AlertsThe system is equipped with a number of sensors that measure voltages,
temperatures, and other things. ILOM polls the sensors and posts an event in the
system
event log (SEL) when they cross a threshold. Some of these readings are also used to
perform actions such as adjusting fan speeds, illuminating LEDs and powering off
the chassis. The system can be configured to send alerts to IP addresses.
An alert is an IPMI Platform Event Trap (PET) generated when a sensor crosses the
specified threshold. For example, if an alert is configured for critical thresholds, the
27 System Management
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
ILOM sends an IPMI trap to the specified destination when any sensor crosses the upper
or lower critical (CT) threshold. All alerts are IPMI PET traps, as defined in IPMI v2.0.
LDAP and RADIUS SupportThe ILOM supports lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP) authentication for
users, based on the OpenLDAP software. LDAP is a general-purpose directory service.
A directory service is a centralized database for distributed applications designed to
manage the entries in a directory. Thus, multiple applications can share a single
database.
ILOM supports Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) authentication for
users, based on the RFC 2058 and RFC 2059. RADIUS is an authentication protocol that
facilitates centralized user administration. RADIUS allows many servers to share access
to user data in a central database, providing better security and easier administration.
Sun N1 System Manager SoftwareAs the number of systems in an organization grows, the complexities of managing a
system infrastructure through its life cycle become increasingly apparent. A server
could be reprovisioned many times in its lifetime to support business needs.
For example, its role could change from application host to database server, or move
from a staging environment into production. And once the systems are provisioned, IT
operators must continuously monitor and manage them to ensure that they perform at
desired levels.
Managing each step of the infrastructure life cycle is challenging for even the most
sophisticated IT organizations. N1 System Manager provides an alternative to ILOM,
enabling all of the servers in the data center to be managed as one resource.
This software suite provides advanced virtualization features that enable IT operators to
monitor, maintain, and provision multiple Solaris OS, Linux, and Microsoft Windows
servers in the data center.
The software is installed on a dedicated server and allows one or more remote
management clients to perform the following tasks on multiple managed servers:
� Manage multiple servers � configure, provision, deploy, manage, monitor, patch,
and update from one to thousands of Sun servers.
� Monitor system information �system manufacturer, make, model, serial number,
management MAC addresses, disk information, expansion slot information, and
platform CPU and memory information.
� Manage power remotely � power off, power on, power reset, and power status.
� Manage ILOMs and BIOS � information about system ILOM firmware, version, and
status. Remote upgrades can be performed to firmware on ILOMs.
� Manage system boot commands and options � remote boot control via IPMI and
remote mapping of boot devices and boot options.
28 System Management
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
� Manage remote system health checks� information about the status of a server.
� Manage operating systems � deploy, monitor, and patch both the Solaris and Linux
operating systems.
� Perform bare-metal discovery � automatically discover bare metal compute nodes
based on a given subnet address or IP range, this enables the software to capture
server information easily with no human intervention.
Hybrid User InterfaceMost system management products offer separate graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and
CLIs to execute management tasks. While some administrators prefer to use GUIs,
others are more comfortable with CLIs. Often, tasks executed in one tool are not visible
in the other. This makes it difficult for IT organizations to track and analyze actions
performed in their environments.
N1 System Manager takes a unique and innovative approach to address this problem,
offering a hybrid user interface, accessible from the Web, that integrates both the GUI
and CLI into a single console. This approach offers IT organizations maximum flexibility
and productivity. With this hybrid user interface, operators can easily switch between
the GUI and CLI, choosing whichever is most effective for performing a specific task.
Operations performed in the GUI are simultaneously reflected in the CLI, and vice versa.
This enables administrators to maintain visibility of all management functions that are
executed.
29 Operating Systems and High Availability
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Chapter 4
Operating Systems and High Availability
The ability to run the Solaris OS, Microsoft Windows, or Linux software on Sun x64
servers and workstations allows enterprises to use a single vendor to meet a wide
range of requirements. Because of Sun�s support for multiple operating systems across
its multi-core, AMD Opteron processor-powered servers, organizations can deploy their
choice of operating system without having to change hardware platforms when their
requirements change. This helps reduce the cost and complexity required to support
and manage multiple vendors, helping increase return on investment while reducing
risk.
The Netra X4200 M2 servers support multiple 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems,
including the Solaris 10 OS, and compatibility with Linux and Windows. Solaris 10 on
x64 platforms, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3.0, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.0, SuSE Linux
Enterprise Server 9, and VMware ESX Server operating systems can be ordered from
Sun. Support contracts are also available for these operating systems as well as
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise/Advanced Server Editions 32/64-bit from
Sun.
Solaris 10 OS on x64 PlatformsThe Netra X4200 M2 ships with the Solaris 10 OS on x64 platforms, Sun Java Enterprise
System 2005Q4, and Sun� Studio 11 pre-installed.
Sun and AMD � A Unique PartnershipLeveraging more than 20 years of Symmetric Multiprocessing (SMP) expertise, Sun
tunes and optimizes the Solaris 10 OS for the AMD Opteron platform to deliver
exceptional performance and near-linear scalability. For enterprises with demanding
compute, network, and Web applications, the combination of the Solaris 10 OS and
AMD Opteron processor-based systems is often an ideal fit. Dozens of performance and
price/performance world record benchmarks demonstrate this exceptional
combination. The Solaris 10 OS continuously sets world records, employing various
industry-standard benchmarks or workload scenarios on AMD Opteron systems.
Sun and AMD software engineers work jointly on a range of co-development efforts
including future development of HyperTransport Technology, virtualization, fault
management, compiler performance, and other ways Solaris can take advantage of the
AMD Opteron architecture.
� Memory placement optimization (MPO) � With memory placement optimization
originally implemented in 1998 for UltraSPARC® processor-based servers, Sun
harnesses its existing expertise to provide this support to AMD Opteron processor-
30 Operating Systems and High Availability
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
based systems, improving overall system performance on systems with multiple
dual-core CPUs.
� Built to scale � Today, 32-bit applications can experience increased performance by
accessing maximum memory space on AMD Opteron platforms. As customers choose
to move from 32-bit to 64-bit applications, they can immediately deploy the two in
the same environment, experiencing a seamless, risk-free growth path to 64-bit
computing.
� Virtualization on x64 � Building on a solid foundation of resource management
functionality, Solaris Containers offer efficient application consolidation that helps
reduce system administration complexity. With the inherent performance of AMD
Opteron systems, IT can use Solaris Containers to consolidate multiple applications
into a single system, while benefiting from independent control over allocated
resources. By isolating applications and faults, security is further ensured.
� Solaris Dynamic Tracing (DTrace) �System administrators, integrators, and
developers can use dynamic instrumentation and tracing capabilities to really see
what the system is doing, for both the kernel and user processes. DTrace can be
utilized on production systems without modification to applications. This unique,
powerful tool gives a true system-level view of application and kernel activities, even
those running in a Java Virtual Machine. Baseline data gathering reduces the time for
diagnosing problems from days and weeks to minutes and hours, enabling faster
data-driven fixes and an opportunity to unleash the full potential of the powerful
AMD Opteron processor.
� Solaris Predictive Self Healing � An innovative capability in the Solaris 10 OS, Solaris
Predictive Self Healing automatically diagnoses, isolates, and recovers from many
hardware and application faults. As a result, business-critical applications and
essential system services can continue uninterrupted in the event of software failures
and major hardware component failures, even software misconfiguration problems.
To deliver fault management support for AMD Opteron processor-based systems, Sun
works closely with AMD.
� Multicore platform support � Solaris 10 features are not just fully supported, they
are specifically engineered for multicore systems. For example, Solaris Containers
can allow for fine-grain resource management at the core level. Additionally, the
Solaris Predictive Self Healing functionality can automatically detect failing cores
and take them off line, without taking the entire CPU off line or affecting application
availability.
Built-in Business ValueFor customers facing business and technical issues such as lowering costs and
simplifying system administration while keeping service levels high, the Solaris 10
Operating System is the ideal cross-platform choice. The Solaris 10 OS has the built-in
virtualization, high availability, and advanced security technologies to meet these
stringent requirements�all at a great price.
31 Operating Systems and High Availability
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
� Great product � $500 million R&D investment in the Solaris 10 OS has produced
what Sun considers to be the most advanced operating system on the planet.
� Great Price. (It's Free) � The Solaris 10 OS can be used commercially, in production,
for free. And Solaris OS support is 20 percent to 40 percent less than equivalent
support from Red Hat.
� Application Compatibility� With the Solaris Application Guarantee, Sun guarantees
Solaris binary compatibility from release to release and source compatibility between
SPARC® and x64/x86 processors.
� Solaris ZFS � Solaris ZFS (zettabyte file system) is designed from the ground up to
deliver a general-purpose file system that spans from the desktop to the datacenter.
Anyone who has ever lost important files, run out of space on a partition, spent
weekends adding new storage to servers, tried to grow or shrink a file system, or
experienced data corruption knows that there is room for improvement in file
systems and volume managers. Solaris ZFS addresses these shortcomings efficiently
and with minimal manual intervention.
� Solaris Fault Manager and Solaris Service Manager � Both part of Solaris Predictive
Self Healing, Solaris Fault Manager continuously monitors data relating to hardware
and software errors. It automatically and silently detects and diagnoses the
underlying problem and can automatically take the faulty component off-line on
both SPARC and AMD Opteron processor-based systems. Easy-to-understand
diagnostic messages link to articles in Sun's knowledge base that clearly guide
administrators through corrective tasks requiring human intervention.
Solaris Service Manager creates a standardized control mechanism for application
services by turning them into first-class objects that administrators can observe
and manage in a uniform way. These services can automatically be restarted if
they are accidentally terminated by an administrator, if they are aborted as the
result of a software programming error, or if they are interrupted by an
underlying hardware problem.
� Security � Security is more than a mix of technologies, it's an ongoing discipline.
Sun understands this and continues its 20-year commitment to enhancing security in
the Solaris OS with the release of the Solaris 10 OS, Sun�s most security enabled OS
yet. User and Process Rights Management work in conjunction with Solaris
Containers to enable secure hosting of thousands of applications and multiple
customers on the same system. To implement a secure foundation for deploying
services, administrators can minimize and harden the Solaris OS even more.
And Solaris Trusted Extensions offers military-grade level security. Solaris 10 security
features enable organizations to:
� Verify a system's integrity by employing Solaris Secure Execution and file verifi-
cation features.
� Reduce risk by granting only the privileges needed for users and processes.
This greatly reduces the chances of key network applications, such as Voice over
IP (VoIP) and unified messaging, being the target of hacking attempts.
32 Operating Systems and High Availability
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
� Simplify administration and increase privacy and performance by using the stan-
dards based Solaris Cryptographic Framework.
� Secure a system using dynamic service profiles, including a built-in, reduced-
exposure network services profile.
� Control access to data based on its sensitivity level by using the labeled security
technology in Solaris Trusted Extensions.
� Networking � Exponential growth in Web connectivity, services, and applications is
generating a critical need for increased network performance. With the Solaris 10 OS,
Sun meets future networking challenges by radically improving network
performance without requiring changes to existing applications. The Solaris 10 OS
speeds application performance via the Network Layer 7 Cache and enhanced TCP/IP
and UDP/IP stacks. The latest networking technologies, such as 10 Gb Ethernet, and
hardware off-loading are all supported out of the box. Additionally, the Solaris 10 OS
supports current IPv6 specifications, high availability, streaming, and VoIP
networking through extended routing and protocol support � meeting the carrier-
grade needs of a growing customer base.
In addition, in-kernel support for Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) and
bundled Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server elements make Solaris 10 an ideal
development and deployment platform for VoIP and other telephony applications.
� PostgreSQL for Solaris � The PostgreSQL open source database is integrated into the
Solaris 10 OS, and Sun provides worldwide 24 x 7 support for customers looking to
develop and deploy open source database solutions into their enterprise
environments. Additionally, Sun is working with the PostgreSQL community to take
advantage of advanced technologies in the Solaris 10 OS, such as Solaris Predictive
Self Healing, Solaris Containers, and DTrace.
� Platform choice for telecommunications � Services can be deployed on a broad
range of platforms including SPARC, AMD Opteron, and Intel® Xeon. This also
includes support for certified NEBS level 3 hardware and Advanced Telecom
Computing Architecture (ATCA) platforms.
Sun Java Enterprise SystemThe Sun Java Enterprise System provides the core services needed to support a
company�s operations and business-critical applications. It is an integrated software
system, with messaging, instant messaging, calendaring, directory, identity, portal,
clustering, Web, and application server components. The Java Enterprise System is
preintegrated, pretested, and shipped as a single system with a regular release
schedule. This virtually eliminates versioning problems and inconsistencies typical
when combining point products from multiple vendors. Best of all, it incorporates a
revolutionary business model. Sun offers the Java Enterprise System, Sun N1 Systems
Manager software, and Sun developer tools available at no cost for both development
33 Operating Systems and High Availability
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
and deployment and further, is reaffirming its commitment to open source this
software over time.
Solaris OS Licensing and UsageUnder the Free SolarisSM Binary License Program, Sun offers the binary (runtime)
version of its Solaris 10 OS available to anyone who accepts the terms of the Solaris OS
Binary Code License (BCL) and the Free Solaris Binary License Program. There are no
fees for the right to use the software on computers with a capacity of eight or fewer
processors. There is a small charge for the media kit. Refer to http://www.sun.com/
software/solaris for current licensing details.
Features of the Solaris OS license include the following:
� No distinction between desktop and server licenses
� Free-of-charge binary (runtime) license for all systems with eight or fewer CPUs for
users who accept the terms of the Solaris 10 OS Binary Code License and the Free
Solaris Binary License Program
� Solaris 10 OS software is provided via the Solaris 10 Media Kit available for purchase
at http://www.sun.com/solaris/binaries
� Single Solaris Media Kit for installing multiple systems
� Solaris Media Kit contains additional bundled software
� Solaris Supplemental CD of bundled user and system management tools
� Oracle® 8i Enterprise Edition (with development license)
� StarOffice 8.0 productivity suite
� Solaris Software Companion CD of popular freeware
Linux EnvironmentsA newly released platform seldom has a certified set of drivers already in a current
Linux distribution. Typically, the result is that an IT operator is required to generate
driver disks for each of the supported Linux distributions that they plan to install.
Additionally, Linux distributions do not contain support for non-platform drivers such as
the Service Processor. Sun Installation Assistant is a Linux installation utility that
reduces the complexity of installing supported Linux distributions on new hardware.
The CD provides a set of Sun supported drivers that are tested for quality assurance.
It detects the hardware configuration and automatically installs device drivers.
The Sun Installation Assistant works well with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3, Red Hat
Enterprise Linux 4, and SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 9. A complete Linux installation on
a Netra X4200 M2 server can be easily performed using the Sun Installation Assistant
CD either locally or remotely using the remote features provided by ILOM and the
JavaRConsole.
Once the system is booted from the media or image, a boot kernel is loaded and probes
the platform configuration. Upon recognition that the server is a supported platform, a
34 Operating Systems and High Availability
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
list of the currently supported Linux distributions is displayed and the user is prompted
to insert Disk 1 of the supported Linux distribution of their choice. Disk 1 can be either a
physical CD-ROM disk or a JavaRConsole redirected iso disk image. The Linux
distribution installation continues as usual until completion. After the installation
completes, the certified platform and device drivers are installed and the complete
installation is completed without necessitating cumbersome driver installation
procedures. The Sun Installation Assistant manages the software installation of:
� Supported Linux operating systems
� Platform-specific software
� Diagnostic and fault management software
� Add-on components such as the Java Enterprise System middleware stack
Microsoft Windows EnvironmentsSun�s x64 servers and workstations, as well as most of Sun�s storage products, pass
Microsoft�s stringent compatibility testing suite and are listed in the Windows Server
Catalog. These Sun systems have earned the Designed for Windows certification,
demonstrating Sun�s commitment to meeting the needs of diverse enterprises.
For convenience, all available Microsoft Windows drivers for both Sun x64 systems and
option cards can be downloaded from http://www.sun.com/software/windows/
get.xml/.
Sun StorageTek� products support heterogeneous environments for managing data at
work, data in motion, and data at rest. These storage solutions are built through a
network of best-in-class partners to operate in multi-vendor environments using open
standards including Fibre Channel, NFS, Common Internet File System (CIFS), and
Internet Small Computer Systems Interface (iSCSI). Sun storage products can flexibly
support multiple operating systems, including the Solaris OS, Linux, IBM AIX, and
Microsoft Windows, on the same enterprise class systems � helping to increase
efficiency, reduce costs, and improve reliability.
For years, Sun delivered Windows Catalog certified storage systems and storage
management software. Sun�s storage certifications improve support for clustering, and
continue to help optimize performance of Microsoft Exchange Server and Microsoft SQL
Server, including:
� Multipath Input/Output (MPIO), which helps increase system availability levels and
performance through load balancing and interoperability with third-party storage
devices.
� Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS), a new standard for snapshots, coordinates multi-
vendor data copy management. This technology is key for effective backup and
restore of Microsoft Exchange Server.
35 Operating Systems and High Availability
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
� Virtual Disk Service (VDS), which provides standardized disk management, giving
system and storage administrators a single user interface from which to manage
storage resources in a multi-vendor environment.
Storage certifications with Microsoft Windows can be viewed at http://www.sun.com/
software/windows/storage_cert.pdf/.
InteroperabilityToday, businesses rely on complex, geographically dispersed computing infrastructures
that often consist of hundreds of heterogeneous hardware and software platforms from
a wide variety of vendors. If these environments are to remain manageable,
organizations must be able to rely on interoperable products that work well together.
At the same time, as organizations evolve their computing environments with an eye
toward improving cost-effectiveness and TCO, heavy investments in servers, operating
systems, and applications must be protected, and dependence on specific hardware or
software vendors must be avoided.
The Solaris 10 Operating System meets these challenges through a number of different
ways, from interoperability with both Linux and Microsoft Windows through support
for a wide range of open standards and open source applications.
Interoperability With Java TechnologyThe Java technology revolution has changed how people think about interoperability by
no longer tying application design to a specific platform. Running on every major
hardware platform and supported by virtually every software vendor, Java technology
enables business applications to be developed and operated independent of operating
systems. The Solaris 10 OS provides a rich set of features for Java technology-based
development and deployment, including two Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE�
platform)-compliant application servers � the Sun Java System Application Server and
the open source Tomcat server.
Interoperability With LinuxSun's commitment to open systems stretches back over two decades. Since the Linux
operating system comes from the same roots, the Solaris OS and Linux are
complementary and a natural fit to work together in most any environment. As Linux
interfaces continue to evolve, the Solaris OS maintains source-level compatibility,
helping to ensure that applications developed for Solaris or Linux software compile and
run on both platforms. This includes the addition in the Solaris OS of libraries such as:
� Glib, zlib, and Tcl/Tk
� Scripting and shell utilities such as Perl, Python, zsh, tcsh, and bash
� Common user and administrative interfaces such as GNOME, KDE, and Webmin
36 Operating Systems and High Availability
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
In addition, in a future update to the Solaris 10 OS, the Solaris Linux Application
Environment is expected to allow users on x86 systems to take existing, unmodified
Linux binaries and run them on the Solaris platform. This new level of interoperability is
intended give users access to the applications they prefer while at the same time
enabling them to reap the benefits of Solaris 10 functionality.
Interoperability With Microsoft WindowsThe Solaris OS offers a variety of different features for interoperability with Microsoft
Windows. Samba, which is integrated into the Solaris OS, allows Sun clients and
servers to access file and print services in a Microsoft Windows network. The StarOffice�
office suite provides interoperability with Microsoft Office file formats. The Solaris OS
also supports open standards and interfaces that make it easier to interoperate with
Microsoft Windows systems. Authentication interoperability can be achieved through
the Kerberos protocol using the Sun Enterprise Authentication Mechanism software
built right into the Solaris 10 OS. Separately, LDAP authentication can also be used to
access a Microsoft Active Directory server from a Solaris client.
Common Free and Open Source Software and ToolsIn addition to contributing software to the open source community, Sun also helps
users leverage the power of free and open source software (F/OSS) by providing it up
front with the Solaris 10 OS. They no longer have to download, compile, test, and
integrate the tools they need. The Solaris 10 OS includes 187 software products from
the F/OSS community, also popular on Linux platforms, including:
� Apache, Tomcat, and multiple Zebra routing protocols for network and Web services
� Bison, GCC, Perl, and Python tools for software development
� IP Filter, TCP Wrappers, and Secure Shell utilities for security
� GNOME, Mozilla, and Evolution software for desktop usability
These free software components are either integrated directly into the Solaris 10 OS
distribution or are included on the Solaris Software Companion CD. Additionally, F/OSS
tools integrated into the Solaris 10 OS include the standard GNU development utilities.
Library support includes UNIX standard functions as well as the most popular F/OSS
libraries such as Glib, GTK, JPEG, PNG, Tcl/Tk, TIFF, XML, and zlib, which can be used
across Solaris and Linux platforms.
Single Point of Contact SupportSun�s x64 platform support extends well beyond providing certified servers and
storage. Today, customers who deploy the latest Sun x64 servers and workstations can
enjoy a single point of contact for both hardware and software support for their Solaris,
Microsoft Windows, Red Hat, and SUSE Linux environments. Sun System Service Plans
for Windows OS provide a spectrum of four service offerings, ranging from noncritical
to mission-critical support. Features including up to 24 x 7 telephone and online
37 Operating Systems and High Availability
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
technical support, hardware service coverage, access to tools and remedial software,
and online system administration allow customers to run their applications with
confidence on Sun x64 servers and workstations. And if there is ever a problem that
stumps the experts, Sun is covered by a Microsoft Premier Support Services agreement,
which provides access to dedicated engineering support at Microsoft.
Netra High Availability SuiteToday�s competitive telecom industry is facing pressure to reduce CAPEX and OPEX
while at the same time accelerate time to market. Network equipment providers (NEPs)
and OEMs must provide highly available and scalable systems to carriers so services are
always available with minimal downtime.
Sun�s Netra High Availability (HA) Suite Foundation Services provide a reliable and
scalable platform on which developers and system integrators can rapidly develop and
deploy highly available applications. In addition, Netra HA Suite Foundation Services
offer customers enhanced reliability for system services, increasing overall availability.
Using Netra HA Suite Foundation Services, customers can build cost-effective, carrier-
grade HA solutions for network infrastructures, blade computing, and embedded
environments. For more information see: http://www.sun.com/software/
netrahasuite/.
38 Summary
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Chapter 5
Summary
For harsh environments that demand optimum horizontal scalability, continuous
availability, and easy management, the Netra X4200 M2 server is certified to meet
NEBS Level 3 requirements. The Netra X4200 M2 carrier-grade server offers flexibility
and choice in a rack-optimized less than 20- inch deep 2 RU enclosure. It runs both
32-bit and 64-bit applications on multiple operating systems and offers the choice of
four internal hard drives maximizing storage capacity in a 2 RU form factor. The Netra
X4200 M2 server also integrates four gigabit Ethernet ports to provide connectivity for
high-speed, high-bandwidth networking. The legacy I/O support of full-height, full-
length PCI-X cards, as well as industry leading x8 PCIe makes it easier to migrate from
other systems to the Netra X4200 M2 server without requiring a total infrastructure
upgrade. System uptime is enhanced by redundant hot-swappable AC/DC power
supplies and hot-pluggable hard disk drives. Additionally, the Netra X4200 M2 server
comes with Integrated Lights Out Management enabling simple remote monitoring
and management from anywhere on the network, providing the kind of performance,
reliability, and serviceability features that global telecommunication companies,
military installations, and governments demand.
For More InformationSun Microsystems posts product information in the form of data sheets, specifications,
and white papers on its Web site page at: http://www.sun.com/.
Product documentation is available at: http//docs.sun.com/.
Netra X4200 M2 Server Architecture On the Web sun.com
Sun Microsystems, Inc. 4150 Network Circle, Santa Clara, CA 95054 USA Phone 1-650-960-1300 or 1-800-555-9SUN (9786) Web sun.com
© 2007 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved. Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, Java, J2EE, Netra, Solaris, StarOffice, Sun N1, and Sun StorageTek are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun
Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All SPARC trademarks are used under license and are trademarks or registered trademarks of SPARC International, Inc. in the US and other countries.
Products bearing SPARC trademarks are based upon an architecture developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc. AMD, Opteron, the AMD logo, the AMD Opteron logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Advanced
Micro Devices. INTEL is a trademark or registered trademark of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Information subject to change without notice.� Printed in USA 03/07