IBM x3250 M4 User Manual

IBM System x3250 M4 1
I B M ®
IBM System x3250 M4
IBM Redbooks Product Guide
The System x3250 M4 single-socket 1U rack server is designed for small businesses and first-time server
buyers looking for a solution to improve business efficiency. It delivers several IBM® innovative features
in a compact 1U form factor with a competitive price. The IBM System x3250 M4 provides
next-generation performance in an innovative and compact design with flexible configuration options,
built-in security, and systems management capabilities. This server is designed for infrastructure
applications such as firewall, security, disaster recovery, name server, authentication, credit card
processing, email, domain controller, and more. It leverages the next-generation dual-core and quad-core
Intel Xeon processor technology.
Suggested uses: Small-to-medium businesses looking for file and printer servers, Web serving, and small
business infrastructure.
Figure 1. IBM System x3250 M4
Did you know?
The System x3250 M4 server is a compact, cost-effective, single-processor 1U rack server that has been
optimized to provide outstanding availability, manageability, and performance features to
small-to-medium-sized businesses, retail stores, or distributed enterprises. It supports the latest Intel
Xeon E3-1200 v2 family of processors (formerly codenamed "Ivy Bridge") for applications that require
performance and stability, and Core i3 processors for applications that require lower cost.
The system includes features not typically seen in this class of system, such as standard RAID-0/1 for
simple-swap SATA models, remote control capabilities even when the machine is powered off, and
Predictive Failure Analysis (PFA) on processor and memory. This flexible 1U rack-mountable server is
also highly upgradable and expandable, scaling from low-cost, fixed-function models to feature-rich,
highly available models.

IBM x3250 M4 Specifications

General

Form Factor	1U Rack
Max Processors	1
Memory	Up to 32 GB DDR3
Memory Slots	4 DIMM slots
Processor	Intel Xeon E3-1200 v2 series
Chipset	Intel C202
Storage	SATA/SAS
Hard Drive Bays	4x 3.5" or 8x 2.5"
RAID Support	RAID 0, 1, 10
Network	2x Gigabit Ethernet
Power Supply	350W
Expansion Slots	1x PCIe 3.0 x8
Operating System Support	Microsoft Windows Server, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, VMware

Summary

Key Features

Scalability and performance

Details server's performance, scalability, and cost-reduction features with new processors.

Availability and serviceability

Highlights features enhancing system uptime and ease of maintenance, including ECC memory and PFA.

Manageability and security

Systems Management Features

Covers IMM2, UEFI, TPM 1.2, AES-NI, and IBM Systems Director for system control.

Security Features

Includes password protection, TPM, and Intel Execute Disable Bit for enhanced data safety.

Energy efficiency

Energy Saving Features

Discusses energy-saving features like efficient power supplies and cooling technology for reduced costs.

Locations of key components and connectors

Front View Components

Identifies front panel elements like power, LEDs, USB ports, and drive bays.

Rear View Components

Details rear panel connections including serial, Ethernet, USB, and video ports.

Standard specifications

Form Factor, Processor, and Memory

Specifies 1U rack system, Intel processors, memory capacity, and RAID support.

Storage, Expansion, and Connectivity

Details drive bays, maximum storage, PCI slots, external ports, and network interfaces.

Standard models

Models Announced May 2012

Lists standard server models from May 2012 with processor, memory, and storage details.

Models Announced September 2011

Details standard server models from September 2011, including processor and disk bay configurations.

Express models

Regional Express Model Configurations

Lists preconfigured Express models for North America, Latin America, Europe, CEE/MEA.

Processor options

Processors Announced September 2012

Lists Intel Core i3 and Pentium processors available for standard models.

Processors Announced May 2012

Details Intel Xeon E3-1200 v2 and Celeron processors for standard and CTO models.

Memory options

1333 MHz Memory DIMMs

Details 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB DDR3 ECC UDIMMs at 1333MHz.

1600 MHz Memory DIMMs

Lists 4GB and 8GB DDR3 ECC UDIMMs supporting 1600MHz.

Internal disk storage options

3.5" Simple-Swap SATA HDDs

Lists available 3.5-inch SATA HDDs with capacities from 500GB to 4TB.

2.5" Simple-Swap SAS HDDs

Details 2.5-inch SAS HDDs for CTO orders, with capacities from 146GB to 1.2TB.

2.5" Simple-Swap SATA HDDs

Lists 2.5-inch SATA HDDs for CTO orders, available in 250GB, 500GB, and 1TB.

2.5" Simple-Swap SSDs

Provides options for 2.5-inch SAS and SATA SSDs for CTO orders.

Additional Internal Disk Drive Options

2.5" 15K/10K SAS Hot-Swap HDDs

Lists 2.5-inch 15K/10K RPM SAS hot-swap HDDs and their capacities.

2.5" Hot-swap SEDs and Hybrid Drives

Details self-encrypting SAS SEDs and SAS-SED hybrid drives.

2.5" Hot-swap NL SAS/SATA HDDs

Lists 2.5-inch Nearline SAS and SATA hot-swap HDDs with capacities up to 1TB.

RAID controllers for internal storage

2.5" Hot-swap SSDs - Enterprise

Lists SATA and SAS SSDs for enterprise value and enterprise use.

Integrated and Hardware RAID Controllers

Describes integrated SATA controller and lists hardware RAID options like BR10il, H1110, M1015.

ServeRAID Controller Specifications

ServeRAID Controller Specifications

Details BR10il v2, H1110, M1015, M5014 controllers' features and specs.

ServeRAID M5015 Controller Specifications

Details M5015 controller specs: 2x Mini-SAS, 6Gbps, PCIe 2.0 x8, RAID levels.

Optical drives

DVD-ROM and Multi-Burner Drives

Details IBM UltraSlim DVD-ROM and Multi-Burner drives, including media compatibility.

I/O expansion options

PCI Express Slots

Details the two PCI Express slots (x4 and x8) and their form factors.

Network adapters

Integrated Gigabit Ethernet

Covers the two integrated Gigabit Ethernet ports and their features.

Optional Network Adapters

Lists Broadcom dual-port adapter for Slot 1 and other 10Gb/Gigabit adapters for Slot 2.

Storage host bus adapters

Fibre Channel HBAs

Lists supported Emulex, Brocade, and QLogic Fibre Channel HBAs.

Converged Network Adapters (CNA)

Details Brocade and QLogic 10 Gb CNA adapters.

SAS HBAs

Lists the IBM 6 Gb SAS HBA Controller.

Power supplies

Fixed and Hot-Swap Power Supply Options

Details the 300W fixed and 460W hot-swap power supply options.

Integrated virtualization

VMware ESXi USB Memory Keys

Lists available USB memory keys for VMware ESXi installations.

Remote management

IMM2 Basic, Standard, and Advanced Features

Covers IMM2 Basic, Standard, and Advanced features for remote system management.

Supported operating systems

Microsoft Windows Support

Lists supported Microsoft Windows Server versions and editions.

Linux Distributions Support

Details supported Red Hat Enterprise Linux and SUSE LINUX versions.

VMware Support

Lists supported VMware ESX and vSphere versions.

Physical and electrical specifications

Dimensions, Weight, and Environment

Provides physical specs, operating temperature, and humidity requirements.

Electrical Specifications

Covers power supply ratings, kVA input, BTU output, and acoustical noise levels.

Warranty options

Standard Warranty and ServicePacs

Explains the 3-year onsite warranty and details IBM ServicePac upgrade options.

Regulatory compliance

International Standards Compliance

Lists standards the server conforms to, including FCC, CE, UL, CSA, and others.

External disk storage expansion

ServeRAID M5025 Controller and Expansion Enclosures

Details the M5025 controller and supported EXP3000 enclosures and SAS cables.

External backup units

External Tape Expansion Enclosures

Lists tape drive enclosures for internal tape drives.

Internal Backup Drives Supported

Details RDX and LTO tape/disk drives supported by external enclosures.

External Backup Units

Lists RDX removable hard disk storage systems for external backup.

Top-of-rack Ethernet switches

1 Gb, 10 Gb, and 40 Gb Ethernet Switches

Lists IBM System Networking 1 Gb, 10 Gb, and 40 Gb Ethernet switches.

Uninterruptible power supply units

Rack-mounted UPS Units

Lists various IBM UPS units supported by the server.

Power distribution units

Switched, Monitored, and Enterprise PDUs

Details IBM Active Energy Manager, Switched/Monitored, and Enterprise PDUs.

Front-End PDUs

Details various DPI Front-end PDUs with different connectors and ratings.

Universal and 0U Basic PDUs

Universal and 0U Basic PDUs

Lists DPI Universal Rack PDUs and IBM 0U Basic PDUs.

Racks cabinets

IBM Office Enablement Kit and Standard Racks

Includes the IBM 11U Office Enablement Kit and standard rack cabinets.

Enterprise, Expansion, and Dynamic Racks

Details enterprise, expansion, and dynamic racks of various U heights and depths.

Rack options

Monitor Kits, Keyboard Trays, and Console Switches

Lists console kits, trays, and IBM Global/Local Console Managers.

Console Cables and Conversion Options

Lists conversion options for USB, KVM, Virtual Media, and Serial console connections.

IBM Global Financing

Financing Benefits and Options

Explains financing benefits, options, and availability for acquiring IBM technology.

Related publications

Product Documentation and Support Resources

Lists links to product pages, guides, compatibility, and the support portal.

Notices

U.S. Product Development, Usage, and Patents

Information on U.S. product development, non-IBM product use, and patent inquiries.

Warranty Disclaimers and Copyright License

Contains warranty disclaimers, copyright license, and sample program usage terms.

Trademarks

IBM and Third-Party Trademarks

Lists IBM and other company trademarks, with links for verification.