Implementing an IBM System x iDataPlex Solution

The IBM® iDataPlex™ data center solution is for Web 2.0, high performance computing (HPC) cluster, and corporate batch processing customers experiencing limitations of electrical power, cooling, physical space, or a combination of these. By providing a big picture approach to the design, iDataPlex solution uses innovative ways to integrate Intel® -based processing at the node, rack, and data center levels to maximize power and cooling efficiencies while providing necessary compute density.
An iDataPlex rack is built with industry-standard components to create flexible configurations of servers, chassis, and networking switches that integrate easily. Using technology for flexible node configurations, iDataPlex technology can configure customized solutions for applications to meet specific business needs for computing power, storage intensity, and the right I/O and networking.
This IBM Redbooks® publication is for customers who want to understand and implement the IBM iDataPlex solution. It introduces the iDataPlex solution and the innovations in its design, outlines its benefits, and positions it with IBM System x and BladeCenter® servers. The book provides details of iDataPlex components and the supported configurations. It describes application considerations for an iDataPlex solution and aspects of data center design that are central to an iDataPlex solution. The book concludes by introducing the services offerings available from IBM for planning and installing an iDataPlex solution.

Chapter 1. Introduction
Chapter 2. Benefits of iDataPlex
Chapter 3. Positioning
Chapter 4. Solution overview
Chapter 5. Application considerations
Chapter 6. Designing your data center to include iDataPlex
Chapter 7. Managing iDataPlex
Chapter 8. Services offerings

• Tuning IBM System x Servers for Performance, SG24-5287-05
• IBM BladeCenter Products and Technology, SG24-7523-04

Publish Date
04 August 2009

Rating: Not yet rated

Rate this book

Author(s)

David Watts is a Consulting IT Specialist at the IBM ITSO Center in Raleigh. He manages residencies and produces Redbooks publications on hardware and software topics related to IBM System x and BladeCenter servers and associated client platforms. He has authored over 80 books, papers, and technotes. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the University of Queensland (Australia) and has worked for IBM both in the United States and Australia since 1989. He is an IBM Certified IT Specialist.

• David Watts

Srihari Angaluri is a Technical Solution Architect in the System x Cluster 1350/iDataPlex development group in Research Triangle Park. He has several years of experience in HPC. Srihari holds a Master of Science degree in Computer Science. He previously worked as a research assistant at the NSF Engineering Research Center at Mississippi State University, and at Cornell Theory Center in Ithaca, NY, where he ported the Message Passing Interface (MPI) middleware library for Microsoft Windows clusters, and developed a batch job scheduling system. Prior to joining IBM, Srihari worked on developing various commercial products in the HPC area. Since joining IBM, he has worked on implementing cluster systems at various customer sites, including the Darwin cluster at MIT, and the HPC cluster at Ohio Supercomputer Center, which is ranked #76 in the November 2007 Top500 list.

• Srihari Angaluri

Martin Bachmaier is an IT Architect in the IBM Hardware Development lab in Boeblingen, Germany. He leads the Open Systems Design and Development infrastructure team, which develops systems using IBM next generation processors. His current responsibilities include the architecture and management of Linux-based infrastructures and HPC cluster environments. Martin has worked for IBM for more than five years, and most recently has been involved in IBM's cloud computing activities. He holds a degree in Computer Science from the University of Cooperative Education in Stuttgart, Germany, and a Bachelor of Science (Hons) from the Open University in London, UK. He is an IBM Certified Systems Expert and holds CCNA and CCNA Security credentials.

• Martin Bachmaier

Sean Donnellan is an IT Architect with IBM in Ehningen, Germany and has worked in the IT industry since 1995 when he started as an Enterprise Firewall Designer and an AIX SP2 Cluster Specialist. He has worked for IBM for eight years. Among other IBM specialist certifications, he is an AIX Advanced Technical Expert and holds the CISSP credential. He has been involved in designing solutions for Linux on System z, Intrusion Detections Systems design in hosting environments, designing systems management solutions, and data center and hosting design in general. He is currently architecting shared data center migrations and shared customer virtualization solutions across the entire IBM Systems family.

• Sean Donnellan

Duncan Furniss is a Senior Advisory IT Specialist for IBM Canada, and currently provides technical sales support for System x, BladeCenter and System Storage products. He has co-authored four IBM Redbooks publications: High Availability Without Clustering, SG24-6216, IBM eServer xSeries 440 Planning and Installation Guide, SG24-6196, Using Active PCI Manager, REDP-0446, and Using Process Control, REDP-3637. He contributed to the IBM Redpaper Implementing Sun Solaris on IBM BladeCenter Servers, REDP-4269. He has designed or implemented several Linux clusters for various applications, some of which are on the Top500 list, and others of which are in grids. He is an IBM Regional Designated Specialist for Linux, High Performance Compute Clusters, and Rack, Power and Cooling. He is an IBM Accredited IT Specialist.

• Duncan Furniss

Kevin Xu is a Technical Support Engineer for IBM Greater China Group. He has been part of IBM ISC ShenZhen for four years. He provides technical support and training for System x and BladeCenter. He focus on Linux, virtualization, and performance tuning on System x and BladeCenter. He holds the following certifications: Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, Sun Certified Java Developer, Red Hat Certified Engineer, VMware Certified Professional, IBM eServer Certified Specialist, and IBM eServer Certified Instructor.

• Kevin Xu

ISBN

0738433233

IBM Form Number
SG24-7629-02

Number of pages
272