HP ProLiant G7 c-Class server blades with Intel® Xeon® processors

When the LAN and SAN connect to the pool of servers, the server administrator uses Virtual Connect
Manager to define a server connection profile for each server. The Virtual Connect Manager creates
omers to fully utilize the 10-Gb
dule
n embedded HP NC553i FlexFabric adapter,
to the data center network. The 10Gb Flex-10 LOM,
server
al
t and Flex-10 technology”:
bay-specific profiles, assigns unique MAC addresses and WWNs to these profiles, and administers
them locally. Network and storage administrators can establish all LAN and SAN connections once
during deployment. If servers are later deployed, added, or changed, no connection changes are
needed because Virtual Connect keeps the profile for that LAN and SAN connection constant. When
you have more than four enclosures, you can use Virtual Connect Enterprise Manager to manage up
to 250 Virtual Connects (1000 enclosures or 16,000 servers).
The advantages of using Flex-10 technology are significant. The 10GbE infrastructure becomes more
cost efficient and easier to manage because Flex-10 allows cust
bandwidth. Customers can also match bandwidths to the network functions, such as management
console or production data. Flex-10 provides four times more network ports per server blade, cutting
network connection costs by up to 75% per virtual server. The fact that Flex-10 is hardware based
means that multiple FlexNICs are added without the additional processor overhead or latency
associated with server virtualization. Flex-10 also reduces infrastructure costs by eliminating the need
for additional server NIC mezzanine cards and interconnect modules. With the Virtual Connect
FlexFabric module, one Flex-10 connection per port can function as a FlexHBA.
Flex-10 technology uses two hardware components:
 The HP Virtual Connect Flex-10 10Gb Ethernet or FlexFabric 10Gb/24-Port Mo
 Either the embedded HP NC532i Flex-10 adapter, a
or HP NC551m FlexFabric Adapter.
The Virtual Connect Flex-10 10Gb Ethernet or FlexFabric 10Gb/24-Port Module is required to
manage the 10GbE server connections
integrated FlexFabric adapter and mezzanine cards are NICs, each with two 10Gb ports. Each
10Gb port can be configured from one to a maximum of four individual Flex-10 functions. The
ROM and the operating system or hypervisor recognize each FlexNIC or FlexHBA as an individu
NIC or storage connection.
Full details about Flex-10 technology are available on the HP technology website in the technology
brief titled “HP Virtual Connec
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c01608922/c01608922.pdf.
Full details about Virtual Connect technology are available
technology brief titled “HP Virtual Connect technology implementation for the HP BladeSys
on the HP technology website in the
tem c-
Class”:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c00814156/c00814156.pdf.
sive integrated
ponents:
essors such as the HP Virtual Connect Manager
ote
s”:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c00814176/c00814176.pdf
Configuration and management technologies
The HP BladeSystem c-Class provides an intelligent infrastructure through exten
management capabilities. These capabilities are based on three unique HP com
 BladeSystem Onboard Administrator
 Integrated Lights-Out 3 (iLO 3) management processor on each server blade
 Interconnect module management proc
Integrating all these management capabilities provides powerful hardware management for rem
administration, local diagnostics, and troubleshooting.
For detailed information about c-Class management technologies and capabilities, refer to the HP
white paper titled “Managing HP BladeSystem c-Class system
.
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