NonStop NS-Series Planning Guide (H06.03+)
Introduction to Integrity NonStop NS-Series Systems
HP Integrity NonStop NS-Series Planning Guide—529567-004
1-4
Processor Complex
This diagram is an overview of the modular NSAA and shows one processor complex
with four processors, the I/O hardware and the ServerNet fabrics.
In the term ServerNet fabric, the word fabric is significant because it contrasts with the
concept of a bus. A bus provides a single, fixed communications path between start
and end points while a fabric is a complex web of links between electronic routers that
provide a large number of possible paths from one point to another. Two
communications fabrics, the X and Y ServerNet, provide redundant, fault-tolerant
communications pathways. If a hardware fault occurs on one of the ServerNet fabrics,
communication continues on the other with hardware fault recovery transparent to all
but the lowest level of the OS.
Input/output components usually tap into the ServerNet fabrics through ServerNet
adapters that are represented by the Modular I/O block in the preceding diagram of the
NSAA architecture. These adapters provide the system I/O to Fibre Channel storage
devices and gigabit Ethernet communications networks. Connections to the ServerNet
fabric via the NonStop S-series I/O enclosure equipped with IOMF 2 CRUs provide
additional ServerNet interfacing for the NonStop S-series I/O peripherals.
Even though the hardware architecture differs from one series of NonStop servers to
another, the Integrity NonStop NS-series system can be networked with other NonStop
systems using the same message system and the same network software.
CPU Slice
B
CPU Slice
A
CPU Slice
C
VST727.vsd
Logical
Processor
0
Logical
Processor
1
Logical
Processor
2
Logical
Processor
3
PE
0
PE
0
PE
0
PE
1
PE
1
PE
1
PE
2
PE
2
PE
2
PE
3
PE
3
PE
3
LSU
0
X ServerNet
Switching
X ServerNet
Fabric
External
I/O
Modular
I/O
S-Series
I/O
Y ServerNet
Switching
Y ServerNet
Fabric
Modular
I/O
S-Series
I/O
LSU
2
LSU
3
LSU
1
LSU
External
I/O
External
I/O
External
I/O