IBM BladeCenter HX5 Implementation Guide

66 IBM eX5 Implementation Guide
3.4 System architecture
This section explains the system board architecture and the use of the QPI wrap card.
3.4.1 System board
Figure 3-7 shows the system board layout of a single-node 4-way system.
Figure 3-7 Block diagram for single-node x3850 X5
In Figure 3-7, the dotted lines indicate where the QPI Wrap Cards are installed in a
4-processor configuration. These wrap cards complete the full QPI mesh to allow all four
processors to connect to each other. The QPI Wrap Cards are not needed in 2-processor
configurations and are removed when a MAX5 is connected.
Figure 3-12 on page 70 is a block diagram of the x3850 X5 connected to a MAX5.
3.4.2 QPI Wrap Card
In the x3850 X5, QPI links are used for interprocessor communication, both in a single-node
system and in a 2-node system. They are also used to connect the system to a MAX5
memory expansion drawer. In a single-node x3850 X5, the QPI links connect in a full mesh
between all CPUs. To complete this mesh, the QPI Wrap Card is used.
SMI
links
MB 2
MB 1
MB 2
MB 1
MB 2
MB 1
MB 2
MB 1
Memory card 5Memory card 6
Memory card 1
Memory card 2
QPI
links
Intel
Xeon
CPU 3
Intel
Xeon
CPU 1
MB 2
MB 1
MB 2
MB 1
MB 2
MB 1
MB 2
MB 1
Memory card 7Memory card 8
Memory card 3
Memory card 4
QPI
ports
Intel
Xeon
CPU 4
Intel
Xeon
CPU 2
Intel
I/O Hub
QPI
links
Slot 1: x16 FL
Slot 2: x4 FL*
Slot 3: x8 FL
Slot 4: x8 FL
Slot 5: x8 HL
Slot 6: x8 HL
Slot 7: x8 HL†
Intel
I/O Hub
† Slot 7 keyed for the
10Gb Ethernet adapter
Intel
Southbridge
Dual Gb
Ethernet
x4
DVD, USB,
IMM, LP
SAS
x8
* x8 mechanical
QPI QPI
QPI QPI
QPI
ports

IBM BladeCenter HX5 Specifications

General

Brand	IBM
Model	BladeCenter HX5
Category	Server
Language	English