Entry level

AIX servers for

critical environments

Escala PL250 Series

The Escala PL250 Series systems break new ground for entry-level servers.
Not only are they fast and affordable, they introduce pioneering features
that increase system efficiency while reducing complexity and bringing
cost savings:
- Innovative, powerful, affordable, open and adaptable AIX Power5+
system design
- Up to 20 dynamic micro-partitions : facilitating server consolidation
projects through efficient resource utilization
- Mainframe-inspired reliability, availability and serviceability (RAS)
capabilities.

The Escala PL250 Series servers are well
suited to serve as low cost application
and database server platforms.
Their versatility, leading-edge
performance and manageability
position the Escala PL250 Series as
branch, small database or e-business
servers for enterprises of all size.
The Escala PL250 Series servers handle
mission-critical e-business applications
or secure Web transactions.
Mainframe-inspired RAS helps keep
systems available
The Escala PL250 Series systems extend
the Escala heritage of world-class RAS
to entry level systems by introducing
dynamic firmware updates, in which
applications remain operational.
Flexibility to grow and adapt to changing
needs
The Escala PL250 Series servers are
available with one or two 1.9GHz or
2.1GHz POWER5+ processors; in Rack
or Tower form factors. They have
extensive growth potential with up to
32GB of memory, up to four I/O
drawers resulting in 31.2TB of disk
storage and up to 34 hot-plug PCI-X
slots in a choice of rack-mount or
deskside packages. For the ultimate in
server availability, the Escala PL250
Series can be clustered with Bull’s ARF
(Application Rollover facility) or I
HACMP software.
Consolidation and Workload management
capabilities
The Escala PL250 Series systems
provide innovations like micro-
partitioning which allows businesses to
increase system utilization while
helping to ensure applications
continue to get the resources they
need.
Micro-partitioning helps lower costs by
allowing the system to be finely tuned
to consolidate multiple independent
AIX and Linux workloads. A single
model PL250 can host as many as 20
“virtual servers” (micro-partitions).
Breakthroughs such as virtual I/O,
which allows transparent sharing of
expensive disk drives, communications
adapters and Fibre Channel-attached
disks, reduce complexity and hence
administrative expenses.
The shared processor pool allows for
automatic non-disruptive balancing of
processing power between partitions
assigned to the shared pool - resulting
in increased throughput and utilization.
 Technical Specifications – PL250 Series
ARCHITECTURE PL250R-VL PL250R-L PL250R/T
System packaging 19” rack drawer - (1U) 19” rack drawer - (2U) 19” rack drawer - (4U)
Number of cores per system 1 (1.9GHz only) 1 or 2 (2.1GHz) 1 or 2 (2.1GHz)
or 2 (1.9GHz, 2.1GHz)
CPU core clock rate POWER5+ 1.9GHz, 2.1 GHz 2.1GHz 2.1GHz
Processor (DCM) 64-bit Power5+ 64-bit Power5+ 64-bit Power5+
System Memory per node (min-max) 512Mb – 32Gb 1Gb – 32Gb 1Gb – 32Gb
L2 and L3 cache 1.9Mb L2+36Mb L3, 1.9Mb L2+36Mb L3, 1.9Mb L2+36Mb L3,
no L3 cache on1-way no L3 cache on1-way no L3 cache on1-way
Number of PCI-X slots 2 3 5 to 34
Virtualisation features (micro-partitions, Optional Optional Optional
VIOS…)
RAID daughter card Optional Optional Optional
MEDIA BAYS
Standard 1 slimline 1 slimline 3 (1 half-height and 2 slimline)
Tape drive (VXA or DAT) External External Optional
DVD RAM/ROM Optional Optional Optional
EXPANDABILITY
Max expansion I/O drawers N/A N/A 4
Internal disk capacity (min-max) 73.4 Gb / 300 Gb 73.4 GB / 1.2Gb 73 Gb / 2.4 Tb
Internal disk speed 15 krpm 15 krpm 15 krpm
EMC disk subsystems (Symmetrix, CX/AX Optional Optional Optional
Series)
Bull StoreWay disk subsystems (FDA
Series) Optional Optional Optional
Overland and STK Libraries Optional Optional Optional
RAS FEATURES
Chipkill™ ECC, bit-steering memory Standard Standard Standard
Service processor Standard Standard Standard
Hot-swappable disk bays Standard Standard Standard
Hot-plug PCI-X slots (on base system & N/A N/A Standard
I/O drawers)
Dynamic Processor Deallocation Standard Standard Standard
Dynamic deallocation of lPCI bus slots Standard Standard Standard
Redundant and hot-plug cooling fans N/A Standard Standard
Hot-plug power supply Standard Standard Standard
Redundant hot-plug power supply Optional Optional Optional
COMMUNICATION CONNECTIVITY
Ports USB / system serial / HMC 2 / 1 / 2 (Standard) 2 / 2 / 2 (Standard) 2 / 2 / 2 (Standard)
RIO-G ports N/A N/A Optional (P5+)
Dual port Ethernet 10/100/1K Mbps or 1
Gbps Standard Optional Standard
Ethernet 10/100/1K Mbps 1 port or 2 ports Optional Optional Optional
Ethernet 1 Gbps 1 port or 2 ports Optional Optional Optional
Ethernet-SR or -LR 10 Gbps Optional Optional Optional
CONSOLES
IVM (Integrated Virtualization Manager) Optional Optional Optional
or HMC
Graphic Adapter Optional Optional Optional
OPERATING SYSTEMS
AIX 5L v5.2 / v5.3 / v6.1 Standard Standard Standard
Red Hat AS 4, 5 ; Novell/Suse SLES 9, 10 Optional Optional Optional
HIGH AVAILABILITY
ARF v5 Optional Optional Optional
HACMP v5.4 Optional Optional Optional
PERFORMANCE
© 2007 Copyright Bull SAS All rights reserved – On-the-fly printed on 2/11/2007

Max rPerfs 4,10 (1,9GHz) 6,63 ; 12,46 (2,1GHz) 6,63 ; 12,46 (2,1GHz)
11,49 ; 12,46 (2,1GHz)
SPECIFICATIONS
Operating temperature 5 to 35 degrees C 5 to 35 degrees C 5 to 35 degrees C
Relative humidity 8% to 80% 8% to 80% 8% to 80%
100 to 127 or 200 to 240 V - 1 100 to 127 or 200 to 240 V - 1
Operating voltage phase phase 100 to 127 or 200 to 240 V
Power consumption 400 watts (max – 2-way) 475 watts 600 watts
Thermal output 1365 BTU/hour (max – 2-way) 1622 BTU/hour 2400 Btu/hour
SIZE
Rack 43mm H x 440mm W x 710mm D 89mm H x 483mm W x 686mm D 172mm H x 442mm L x 573mm P
WARRANTY AND EXTENSION
Standard warranty 3 years CRU* 3 years CRU* 3 years CRU*
Warranty extension Optional Optional Optional
* Customer replacement unit

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