26 IBM NeXtScale System Planning and Implementation Guide
3.1.1 Front components
The IBM NeXtScale n1200 Enclosure supports up to 12 1U half-wide compute
nodes, as shown in Figure 3-3.
All compute nodes are front accessible with front cabling as shown in Figure 3-3.
From this angle, the chassis looks to be simple because it was designed to be
simple, low cost, and efficient.
Figure 3-3 IBM NeXtScale n1200 Enclosure Front View with 12 compute nodes
This new enclosure not only supports dense, high-performance compute nodes,
but also expanded compute nodes with more I/O slots for adapters, GPUs, and
coprocessors or other drive bays.
By using this capability, clients can access some powerful IT inside a simple and
cost effective base compute node that can be expanded to create rich and dense
storage or acceleration solutions without the need for any exotic components,
midplanes, or high-cost connectors.