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

Planning Superdome Configurations
Rules and Guidelines for Configuring a Complex
Appendix A 341
Checklist for Performance
This section summarizes the recommendations in “Recommendations for
Cabling Crossbar Controllers (XBCs)” on page 324, “Choosing Cells for
Partitions” on page 325 and “Partitions, Cells and I/O Chassis” on page
333. Explanations are in those sections or as noted in parentheses below.
❏ A 32-way-capable-system should be connected in a U-Turn
configuration; a 64-way-capable system should be cabled in a
Cross-Flex configuration.
Processors and
Memory
❏ Each cell in a partition should have the same number of active
processors.
❏ Each cell in a partition should have the same amount of memory (see
“Memory” on page 308).
❏ Each cell’s total memory should be evenly divisible by 4 GB.
Cell Placement ❏ If the cells in a given partition will not fill all four of the slots in a
given crossbar, plug the cells into alternate slots.
❏ If a partition comprises four cells or fewer, all the cells should be
connected to the same crossbar.
❏ Do not configure partitions such that two or more partitions share the
same crossbar link.
Distributing
Resources
❏ Use all the possible resources within existing cells rather than adding
cells to a partition.
❏ All 4X I/O cards should be in 4X slots (see “I/O Cards” on page 317).
❏ Do not use the core I/O card as the partition’s main connection to the
network (to your site LAN, for example).
❏ If more than one cell in a partition is attached to an I/O chassis,
spread out the I/O devices amongst the cells.
❏ Within a partition, assign 4X cards evenly across I/O chassis (see “I/O
Cards” on page 25).
❏ Within an I/O chassis, spread the cards out as evenly as possible.