Managing Superdome Complexes: A Guide for HP-UX System Administrators

Overview of the Superdome System Environment

Overview of Superdome System Features

Chapter 1 17

needed. A Superdome 16-way server can be upgraded to a Superdome

32-way server, and likewise the Superdome 32-way server can be

upgraded to Superdome 64-way server.

Superdome System Hardware Conﬁguration

Conﬁguring HP Superdome system hardware involves performing the

following tasks. You can manage the tasks and issues listed below by

consulting with your HP sales or HP support representative.

When conﬁguring your HP Superdome server, you have the following

options.

• Installing cells in cell slots establishes which cell slots are

physically populated with cell boards.

Superdome 16-way systems have 4 cell slots, Superdome 32-way

systems have 8 cell slots, and there are 16 cell slots in Superdome

64-way systems.

• Connecting cells to I/O chassis establishes which I/O backplanes

(chassis) are physically connected to which cells.

Each I/O chassis provides 12 PCI I/O slots.

Each cell can be directly connected to a single I/O chassis. This

connection is established through a cable that connects the cell board

to an I/O chassis system bus adapter.

• Installing PCI cards in I/O chassis determines which I/O cards

populate which PCI slots in each I/O chassis.

The Core I/O card, if present, must be installed in PCI slot 0.

• Installing Flex cables (on Superdome 32-way and Superdome

64-way servers) establishes the type of backplane connections for a

Superdome server.

For Superdome 32-way servers, a U-Turn connection is established to

provide the best bandwidth within a single cabinet.

For Superdome 64-way servers, a Cross-Flex connection is

established to provide the best bandwidth between the left and right

system backplanes in the server’s two cabinets.

See the sections that follow for details on Superdome hardware

components and for information on system conﬁguration requirements.