NonStop NS-Series Planning Guide (H06.04+)

Integrity NonStop NS-Series System Description
HP Integrity NonStop NS-Series Planning Guide—529567-005
4-4
Processor Element
Complexes for a total of 16 processors. Processors communicate with each other and
with the system I/O over dual 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. 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. 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.
In summary, these terms describe the NSAA processor:
Processor Element
Each of the two or four processor elements in a NonStop Blade Element includes:
•
A standard Intel Itanium microprocessor running at 1.6 GHz with a 6-MB cache
•
4, 8, or 16 GB of main memory partitioned from DDR SDRAM DIMMs
Term Description
Processor
Element (PE)
A single Itanium microprocessor with its associated memory. A PE is
capable of executing an individual instruction stream and I/O
communication through fiber-optic links.
NonStop Blade
Element
Two or four PEs contained within a single NonStop Blade Element
enclosure.
Logical
processor
One or more PEs from each NonStop Blade Element executing a single
instruction stream. A duplex processor has two PEs forming a logical
processor. A triplex processor has three PEs.
NonStop Blade
Complex
Two NonStop Blade Elements (duplex processor) or three NonStop Blade
Elements (triplex processor). An Integrity NonStop NS-series system
includes up to four NonStop Blade Complexes.
NonStop Blade
Element
enclosure
The power, processor, memory, and I/O hardware for a complete
NonStop Blade Element. It mounts in a 19-inch computer equipment
rack.