Apple Xserve G5 User Manual

Xserve G5

Technology Overview

January 2004

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

Introduction

In May 2002, Apple introduced Xserve, a high-density, 1U rackmount server that

was applauded for its value and versatility. In 2003, we built on that success with

performance enhancements, more storage, and flexible build-to-order options. Now

in its third generation, this highly acclaimed server gets a huge burst of power from

the 64-bit PowerPC G5 processor—accelerating a wide range of intensive server

chores and High Performance Computing (HPC) applications.

What’s New?

• Single or dual 2GHz PowerPC G5 processors

using 90-nanometer process technology

• Gigahertz frontside bus with independent

data paths in and out of the processor

• Two independent frontside buses on dual

processor systems

• Point-to-point system controller

• Support for up to 8GB of 400MHz

ECC memory

• Fast 133MHz PCI-X bus for Fibre Channel,

RAID, SCSI, or cluster interconnect cards

• Dual Gigabit Ethernet interfaces on the main

logic board

• Up to three 80GB or 250GB Serial ATA (SATA)

Apple Drive Modules¹

The groundbreaking PowerPC G5 made its debut in Apple’s Power Mac G5, enabling

computer users to tackle projects never before possible on a desktop system. In fact,

its performance was so remarkable that Virginia Tech chose the G5 processor as the

engine for its newest supercomputing facility, ranked third most powerful in the

world.²With the introduction of Xserve G5, the same processing performance is

packed into a slim 1U form factor. Combine the superefficient PowerPC G5 with high-

bandwidth, server-optimized system I/O and fast internal storage, and Xserve G5

outperforms today’s fastest 1U Xeon- and Opteron-based systems.³

In addition to robust hardware features, Xserve G5 comes complete with an unlimited-

client license for Mac OS X Server software, a host of powerful network services, and

integrated remote management and monitoring tools. Easy to set up and easy

to maintain, Xserve G5 with Mac OS X Server dramatically reduces the complexity

of system administration and minimizes maintenance costs. For added peace of mind,

Apple offers enterprise-class service and support products for Xserve G5 hardware

and Mac OS X Server software, with a single vendor to call.

This uniquely Apple integration results in superior performance, unparalleled manage-

ability, and increased uptime—enabling organizations to lower their total cost of

ownership and reduce the pressure on network administrators. Whether in small or

large business, higher education or K–12 schools, creative departments, or science and

technology research centers, the affordable Xserve G5 is the perfect server for today’s

new breed of UNIX-based solutions.

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

Product Overview

Key Features

Xserve G5 combines 64-bit processors, a high-bandwidth system architecture, and

massive storage with Apple’s legendary ease of use. The following features make Xserve

a robust, versatile server solution for businesses and institutions everywhere.

Xserve G5

Apple’s new Xserve packs high-density

PowerPC G5 computing power and fast,

affordable storage in a 1U rack-optimized

enclosure. Customers can choose from

two standard server configurations and

one cluster node configuration, as well as

from an array of build-to-order options.

Single or dual 2GHz processors. Each 64-bit PowerPC G5 processor features an

optimized Velocity Engine unit, two floating-point units, and robust branch prediction

logic. To get more work done faster, its superpipelined, superscalar architecture can

handle large numbers of complex operations in parallel.

Gigahertz frontside bus. The industry’s fastest frontside bus maximizes processor

performance by transferring instructions and data at rates of up to 8GB/s. In dual

processor systems, each PowerPC G5 has a dedicated frontside bus for a combined

throughput of up to 16GB/s.

Advanced ECC memory technology. A 128-bit memory controller speeds data in and

out of main memory at up to 6.4GB/s. Today’s Xserve G5 supports 8GB of fast, 400MHz

RAM with Error Correction Code (ECC) protection.

High-bandwidth I/O. Two open 64-bit PCI-X slots provide throughput of up to 1GB/s for

PCI devices. Dual onboard Gigabit Ethernet interfaces and FireWire 800 ports offer high-

performance connectivity and deployment flexibility.

Xserve RAID

Connect Xserve to Apple’s affordable

Xserve RAID storage solution for enormous

capacity—up to 3.5TB¹—and advanced data

protection in a high-availability 3U enclosure.

Flexible storage. Three drive bays hold up to 750GB of fast, internal Serial ATA (SATA)

storage¹in hot-plug Apple Drive Modules.⁴Fast PCI-X slots and optional cards allow

connection to external storage devices, including Apple’s Xserve RAID storage system.

Innovative hardware monitoring. Dedicated monitoring hardware integrates with

industry-leading software for remote monitoring of one or many Xserve G5 systems.

The software can even send automatic notifications via email or pager.

UNIX-based operating system. An unlimited-client license for Mac OS X Server,⁴

complete with easy-to-use open source workgroup and Internet services, is included at

no additional cost. Built on open standards, Mac OS X Server integrates seamlessly into

enterprise infrastructures. What’s more, Apple has written the latest version of Mac OS X

Server to maximize the computing power of the 64-bit PowerPC G5.

Server-class support products. To minimize downtime, Apple offers a suite of

enterprise-class support products, including onsite hardware repairs, advanced software

support, and convenient spares kits.

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

Rack-Optimized Server Design

With enormous processing power and ample storage in a compact 1U-high, 19-inch-

wide enclosure, Xserve G5 is designed from the ground up for performance, service-

ability, and easy integration into a wide range of computing environments. All the

necessary rackmounting hardware is in the box, including rack rails with sliders,

mounting brackets for industry-standard four-post racks and telco center-post racks,

and complete setup instructions. For trouble-free servicing, the power cord connection

has a cable-locking clip, and a cable management arm keeps cables with the system

when you slide it out of a four-post rack.

Xserve G5 Server Configuration

Front view

Back view

Indicator lights. Xserve G5 gives you continuous feedback

on the status and activity of hardware components. Indicator

lights display the health and status of power, enclosure lock,

drives, Ethernet links, and processor, as well as drive and

processor activity.

Drive bays. Three bays support up to 750GB¹of hot-plug

SATA internal storage on three independent channels.⁴Hot-

plug support allows you to add storage without bringing

down the server. Apple Drive Modules have LEDs that indicate

drive status and health using Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and

Reporting Technology (SMART) data.

System identifier. Duplicate buttons on the front and back

can be turned on manually or by using remote monitoring

software, making it easy to locate a particular server in a rack.

The buttons also illuminate if a system event occurs.

Optical drive. The slot-loading 24x-speed CD-ROM drive is

convenient for software installation and recovery. Or choose

the optional Combo drive for reading DVD data and backing

up files on CDs.⁴

FireWire and USB ports. Xserve G5 has two FireWire 800

ports on the back and one FireWire 400 port on the front for

high-speed connectivity to storage, backup devices, and other

servers. Two USB 2.0 ports on the back connect to industry-

standard peripherals.

Gigabit Ethernet interfaces. Xserve G5 comes with dual

Gigabit Ethernet links on the main logic board. These fast

interfaces operate independently to provide deployment

flexibility and support for large numbers of clients.

Air ducts. A robust cooling system provides front-to-back

airflow over high-performance system components. It uses

large air ducts and an array of eight fans managed by a

microcontroller. For minimal noise and power consumption,

the fans run only as required to cool the system effectively.

If a single fan fails, the others speed up to compensate.

Serial port. The DB-9 serial port allows for system access

through a serial console session, even when the network

is down.

PCI-X slots. Two open 64-bit PCI-X slots allow you to add one

card running at up to 133MHz or two cards running at up to

100MHz. Throughput of up to 1GB/s maximizes performance

of transaction-intensive applications and high-performance

networking and storage systems.

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

High-Density Cluster Node Configuration

With the compute performance of two superscalar 2GHz PowerPC G5 processors, the

Xserve G5 cluster node configuration is ideal for High Performance Computing (HPC)

in scientific and technical environments, as well as for workgroup clusters and render

farms. One dual processor node can execute over 9 billion double-precision floating-

point operations per second, or 9 gigaflops per U. That means a rack filled with Xserve

G5 systems can offer over 378 gigaflops of processing power. Single-precision floating-

point performance is also remarkable: With a dual-pipeline Velocity Engine on each

processor, the Xserve G5 cluster node can execute over 30 gigaflops. Best of all, by

eliminating the cost of unneeded components, Apple has made this high-density 1U

system extremely affordable.

Most innovative HPC hardware

HPCwire, a leading journal of High

Performance Computing, gave Apple its

Editors Choice award for the hardware

vendor delivering the most innovative

overall HPC technology in 2003.

For more information about Apple solutions for computational clusters, see

www.apple.com/xserve/cluster.

Xserve G5 Cluster

An Xserve G5 cluster uses a dedicated server system as the head node,

which can manage hundreds of Xserve cluster nodes. Apple’s Xserve RAID

adds high-performance, high-availability storage. Each cluster node has

these robust features:

• Computational power. Dual 2GHz PowerPC G5 processors provide high-

performance computation and superior scalability.

• Fast PCI-X. Two PCI-X slots support cluster interconnect technologies, such

as InfiniBand and Myricom’s Myrinet.

• Dual Gigabit Ethernet. Two onboard high-speed interfaces enable inde-

pendent gigabit connections to the head node for network services and

to the cluster interconnect for loosely coupled cluster environments.

• FireWire 800. Two FireWire 800 ports support small clusters using TCP/IP

over FireWire. FireWire Target Disk Mode allows easy cloning of system

configurations.

• Advanced cooling system. An array of eight fans keeps air flowing over

high-performance processing components. Intelligent management of the

fan array keeps noise and power consumption to a minimum.

• Indicator lights. Xserve G5 provides continuous, at-a-glance information

about the health and status of all the systems in the rack.

• Built-in sensors. Hardware sensors integrate with Server Monitor to provide

easy monitoring of hundreds of systems from a single, intuitive interface.

• Automatic setup. Mac OS X Server makes it easy to set up an entire rack

of systems automatically from a directory on the network or a USB or

FireWire disk.

• Startup options. Front Panel Mode allows the system identifier button

to be used for selecting startup options, such as booting from a network

server or restoring default system settings.

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

Performance Overview

Apple’s new Xserve G5 is designed to deliver phenomenal performance with industry-

leading ease of use. Thanks to 64-bit processing power, server-optimized I/O, and a

high-throughput storage architecture, Xserve G5 is optimized for demanding server

and cluster operations.

Apple compared preproduction Xserve G5 units with currently available, top-selling

1U servers. The following results are based on benchmark testing performed in January

2004 by Apple in a laboratory setting using publicly available software. These server

configurations were tested:

• Apple Xserve G5. Dual 2GHz PowerPC G5, 1GB PC3200 SDRAM, two 250GB Apple Drive

Modules, dual Gigabit Ethernet, Mac OS X Server v10.3.2.

• Dell PowerEdge 1750. Dual 3.2GHz Xeon,1GB PC2100 SDRAM, three 36GB Ultra320 SCSI

drives, dual Gigabit Ethernet, Red Hat Linux 9.0.

• IBM eServer x335. Dual 3.2GHz Xeon,1GB PC2100 SDRAM, two 36GB Ultra320 SCSI

drives, dual Gigabit Ethernet, Red Hat Linux 9.0 (unless otherwise indicated).

• IBM eServer x325. Dual 2GHz Opteron,1GB PC2700 SDRAM, two 36GB Ultra320 SCSI

drives, dual Gigabit Ethernet, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 (AMD 64-bit version).

For each system, Apple installed the operating system on one drive and used the

other drive or drives to create a data volume. On the Xserve and Dell systems, the

two remaining drives were configured as a single volume using RAID 0. The Xeon-

and Opteron-based systems used 15,000-rpm drives.

Processor Performance

Featuring a dual-pipeline Velocity Engine and two double-precision floating-point

units on each 64-bit PowerPC G5 processor, Xserve G5 can manage complex calcula-

tions crucial to users in image processing, media encoding, and scientific computing

environments. In fact, the Velocity Engine on dual processor Xserve G5 systems can

execute over 30 billion single-precision floating-point operations per second, or 30

gigaflops per U, compared with 19 gigaflops on the G4-based Xserve.

To demonstrate this superior processor performance, Apple tested Xserve G5 using

popular benchmarks in the scientific computing community.

LINPACK

Computers use double-precision floating-point mathematics to perform calculations

requiring great numerical magnitude or extremely high decimal accuracy. Apple used

the LINPACK benchmark to illustrate the benefits of the G5 processor’s two floating-

point units. LINPACK measures double-precision floating-point performance by running

a program that solves a dense system of linear equations.

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

LINPACK: Double-Precision Calculations

$333 per gigaflop

Xserve G5

Dual 2GHz PowerPC G5

Apple offers compute power at the

lowest cost per gigaflop of any tier-

one vendor—only $333 per gigaflop,

or $333,000 per teraflop.⁵

9 gigaflops

Dell PowerEdge 1750

Dual 3.2GHz Xeon

IBM eServer x335

Dual 3.2GHz Xeon

IBM eServer x325

Dual 2GHz Opteron

Billions of floating-point operations per second (gigaflops)

Two double-precision floating-point units enable the dual 2GHz Xserve G5 to perform

the linear equations 8 percent faster than the 3.2GHz Xeon-based servers and 50 percent

faster than the 2GHz Opteron-based server.

BLAST

A/G BLAST

To demonstrate the advantages of Xserve G5 for processor-intensive scientific analysis,

Apple used Basic Local Alignment Search Tool, or BLAST. BLAST is a popular open

source biotechnology application used by life science researchers to find matches in

DNA and protein sequences. BLAST searches are based on word size, or the number

of nucleotide pairs specified by the researcher to register as a match. Different word

sizes are used for different kinds of research, and users can adjust word size to the

sensitivity appropriate to their needs. With long-word-size, or high-performance,

searches, the researcher is looking for similarities between DNA sequences that are

nearly identical. For short-word-size searches (fewer than11), the researcher is com-

paring more distantly related sequences; these searches require high resolution to

find the small matches between dissimilar sequences.

A/G BLAST is a version of NCBI BLAST

developed by Apple in collaboration with

Genentech. Optimized for dual PowerPC G5

processors, the Velocity Engine, and the

symmetric multiprocessing capabilities of

Mac OS X, A/G BLAST makes a wide variety

of searches available at higher speeds.

BLAST: DNA Sequence Matching

3.5

Dual 2GHz Xserve G5

3.0

2.5

2.0

1.5

Dual 2GHz IBM eServer x325

Dual 3.2GHz IBM eServer x335

Dual 3.2GHz Dell PowerEdge 1750

1.0

Word length

In common searches using a word size of more than 11, Xserve G5 far outperformed

the Xeon-based servers. Even at word size 11, for which NCBI BLAST has been extensively

optimized, Xserve G5 performed on par with the competition.

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

HMMer 2.3.3

HMMer is another application that demonstrates the advantages of Xserve G5

with Velocity Engine for processor-intensive scientific analysis. HMMer is a genome

sequence–matching application that uses Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) to identify

similarities in genetic structures. The core routines of HMMer repeatedly perform the

same operation on large amounts of data. To test the performance of the HMMer

code, Apple searched for an HMM created from a 358-residue sequence in the protein

databank (PDB) and measured the time to search the entire PDB.

HMMer: Genome Sequence Matching

Xserve G5

Dual 2GHz PowerPC G5

69% faster

Dell PowerEdge 1750

33% faster

Dual 3.2GHz Xeon

IBM eServer x335

27% faster

Dual 3.2GHz Xeon

IBM eServer x325

Baseline

Dual 2GHz Opteron

Percent faster than Opteron-based system

The dual 2GHz Xserve G5 performed the HMMer search up to 33 percent faster than the

3.2GHz Xeon-based servers and 69 percent faster than the 2GHz Opteron-based server.

Networking Throughput

To minimize bottlenecks and ensure maximum data throughput, Xserve G5 features

a high-performance I/O architecture optimized for server tasks.

NetBench SMB

Xserve G5 provides the best balance of processor, network, and disk performance—

critical for delivering file services to large numbers of network clients.

NetBench SMB: Windows File Serving

200

Xserve G5

with Mac OS X Server

160

IBM eServer x335

with Windows Server 2003

120

Simultaneous clients

With more than 12 NetBench clients, Xserve G5 with Mac OS X Server delivers Windows

file services significantly faster than the Xeon-based server with Windows Server 2003,

and its performance remains high even as clients are added to the network.

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

WebBench

For fast network throughput, Xserve G5 features dual onboard Gigabit Ethernet con-

trollers, as well as optimized network drivers and a high-performance BSD network

stack in Mac OS X Server. Apple used WebBench from eTesting Labs to demonstrate

the superior web server performance of Xserve G5 based on the number of connec-

tions each server can support.

WebBench: Apache Web Serving

8000

Dual 2GHz Xserve G5

7000

Dual 2GHz IBM eServer x325

6000

Dual 3.2GHz IBM eServer x335

5000

4000

3000

2000

1000

Simultaneous clients

Xserve G5 easily supports a large number of network connections. With more than

16 WebBench clients, it outperforms the Xeon- and Opteron-based servers, and its

performance advantage increases as clients are added to the network.

Apple performed the NetBench and WebBench tests without the supervision or verification of eTesting Labs, which makes

no representation or warranty of the results. eTesting Labs WebBench version 4.1 was used with the standard test suite

STATIC_WB41.TST, with the threads variable set to 5 and with 28 client computers. For the WebBench test, Xserve G5 ran

Apache 1.3; the IBM systems ran Apache 2.0.

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

PowerPC G5 Processor

The breakthrough performance of the 64-bit PowerPC G5 is now available to Apple

server customers. With 64-bit-wide data paths and registers, this revolutionary pro-

cessor can address vast amounts of main memory, while handling multiple 64-bit

integer and double-precision floating-point math calculations in a single pass. Its

wide execution core manages immense operations in parallel, supporting up to 215

in-flight instructions.

Apple and IBM Partnership

The PowerPC G5 is the product of a long-standing partnership between Apple and

IBM, two companies committed to innovation and customer-driven solutions. In 1991,

they co-created a PowerPC architecture that could support both 32-bit and 64-bit

instructions. Leveraging this design, Apple went on to bring 32-bit RISC processing to

desktop and portable computers, while IBM focused on developing 64-bit processors

for enterprise servers. The new PowerPC G5 represents a convergence of these efforts:

Its design is based on the PowerPC instruction set, as well as the POWER Architecture

that drives IBM’s top-of-the-line enterprise servers.

The PowerPC G5 is fabricated in IBM’s new $3 billion, state-of-the-art facility in East

Fishkill, New York. To get electronics so small requires miniaturization breakthroughs,

and IBM’s dedication to scientific research has made these advances possible. With

industry-leading build, assembly, and test technology, IBM uses a 90-nanometer

process to produce the PowerPC G5. More than 58 million silicon-on-insulator (SOI)

transistors and eight layers of copper interconnects enable this new processor to

deliver tremendous performance. The use of these advanced technologies also means

the PowerPC G5 draws less power and produces less heat—allowing Apple to pack

two 64-bit 2GHz processors in a 1U form factor.

32-bit processing

Postcard =

24 in.²(155 cm²)

64-Bit Computing Power

64-bit processing

Manhattan =

The labels “32-bit” and “64-bit” characterize the width of a microprocessor’s data

stream, which is a function of the sizes of its registers and the internal data paths

that feed the registers. A 64-bit processor moves data and instructions along 64-bit-

wide data paths—compared with the 32-bit-wide paths on 32-bit processors, such

as the Pentium 4 and Xeon. In addition, 64-bit processors have wide registers that

can store 64-bit numbers as well as 32-bit numbers.

22 mi.²(57 km²)

4.3 billion times bigger

To grasp the enormous leap from 32-bit

to 64-bit processing, imagine equating the

range of numbers a processor can express

with a two-dimensional area. A 32-bit

processor can express a range of integers

equal to the size of a postcard, while a 64-bit

processor can express a range of integers

larger than the island of Manhattan.

The leap from 32-bit to 64-bit processing represents an exponential advance in

computing power. With 32-bit registers, a processor has a dynamic range of 2³², or

4.3 billion—which means it can express integers from 0 to 4.3 billion. With 64-bit

registers, the dynamic range catapults to 2⁶⁴, or 18 billion billion—4.3 billion times

larger than the range of a 32-bit processor.

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

Vast amounts of addressable memory

The move to 64-bit processing results in a similarly dramatic leap in the amount of

memory supported. A memory address is a special kind of integer, and each address

points to one byte in memory. Since memory addresses are computed in 64-bit regis-

ters capable of expressing 18 billion billion integers, the PowerPC G5 can theoretically

address 18 exabytes (18 billion billion bytes) of virtual memory.

Support for more memory in

Mac OS X Server

The latest version of Mac OS X Server

makes the most of the expanded memory

capabilities of the PowerPC G5. With up

to 4GB of memory allocated per applica-

tion, each server task can have dedicated

space in the system’s generous memory.

In practice, memory addressing is defined by the physical address space of the proces-

sor. The PowerPC G5, with 42 bits of physical address space, supports a colossal 2⁴²

bytes, or 4 terabytes, of system memory. Although it’s not currently feasible to purchase

4 terabytes of RAM, the advanced architecture of this new processor allows for plenty

of growth in the future.

Multiple high-precision calculations

With 64-bit-wide data paths and registers, the PowerPC G5 can execute multiple

instructions on 64 bits of data—including huge integer calculations and double-

precision floating-point mathematics—in a single pass. In contrast, a 32-bit processor

has to split up any data larger than 32 bits and process it in multiple passes. This leap

in performance, from 32-bit to 64-bit processing, brings previously unmanageable

tasks into the realm of practicality, facilitating highly accurate calculations required

for scientific analysis, technical research, 3D effects, and video encoding.

Next-Generation PowerPC Architecture

Apple and IBM built the PowerPC G5 processor for maximum efficiency and perfor-

mance. Its architecture features processing innovations that optimize the flow of data

and instructions, including a high-bandwidth execution core with dual floating-point

units and dual integer units. For more information about the PowerPC G5 architecture,

see www.apple.com/g5processor.

PowerPC G5 Architecture

The execution core contains 12 discrete

functional units:

• The Velocity Engine uses two large queues

and dedicated 128-bit registers for vector

processing.

• Two 64-bit double-precision floating-point

units provide the speed and accuracy required

for highly complex computations.

• Two 64-bit integer units perform calculations

for a broad range of computing tasks.

• Two load/store units manage data as it is

processed, keeping the processor’s large

registers filled for faster operations.

• The condition register stores the results of

branch predictions to improve the accuracy

of future predictions.

• The branch prediction unit uses innovative

three-component logic to maximize processor

efficiency.

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

High-Bandwidth Server

Architecture

The PowerPC G5 is only part of the Xserve performance story. Xserve G5 features the

industry’s fastest frontside bus to keep data moving in and out of the processor, and

a superefficient point-to-point system controller allows data to move directly between

all subsystems. Bandwidth is further enhanced by a 400MHz, 128-bit memory bus and

a high-speed HyperTransport interface that connects the PCI-X controller and the I/O

subsystems to the system controller. Together these advanced technologies provide

the power and throughput for demanding Internet applications, robust network infra-

structure solutions, and high-performance computational clustering environments.

Server-Optimized Architecture

Gigahertz frontside bus. Provides up to 8GB/s band-

width between the processor and the rest of the system.

Dual independent frontside buses. Provide up to

16GB/s aggregate bandwidth in dual processor systems.

Advanced system controller. Uses a point-to-point

architecture to enable data to pass directly between

subsystems.

400MHz ECC memory. Uses a 128-bit-wide data path to

support high-speed PC3200 SDRAM with Error Correction

Code (ECC) protection.

PCI-X expansion. Supports two high-performance

100MHz PCI-X cards or one 133MHz PCI-X card, providing

total throughput of up to 1GB/s.

Dual onboard Gigabit Ethernet. Provides two indepen-

dent ports, as well as hardware support for VLAN, jumbo

frames, and TCP, IP, and UDP hardware checksum.

High-performance I/O controller. Integrates three

fast Serial ATA (SATA) drive controllers and FireWire 800

interfaces using a HyperTransport interconnect.

Serial ATA storage. Supports up to 750GB of affordable

hot-plug internal storage¹using three independent,

high-performance 150MB/s SATA drive controllers.⁴

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

Gigahertz Frontside Bus

PowerPC G5

Xeon

To harness the power of the G5 processor, a 64-bit Double Data Rate (DDR) frontside

bus speeds up communication between the PowerPC G5 and the memory controller.

Unlike conventional processor interfaces, which carry data in only one direction at

a time, this dual-channel frontside bus has two 32-bit point-to-point links: One link

travels into the processor and another travels from the processor, which means no

wait time while the processor and the system controller negotiate which will use the

bus or while the bus switches direction. This elastic interface self-tunes during startup

for optimal signal quality.

Industry’s fastest frontside bus

The dual-channel frontside bus allows data to

travel to and from the PowerPC G5 processor

at the same time. On dual processor systems,

each PowerPC G5 has its own dedicated

interface to maximize throughput—com-

pared with dual Xeon-based systems, in

which the processors must share a single bus.

On the 2GHz PowerPC G5, the frontside bus operates at 1GHz for a total theoretical

bandwidth of up to 8GB/s. Dual processor systems get an even greater performance

boost, because each PowerPC G5 has a dedicated frontside bus. This unique feature

results in a maximum aggregate raw bandwidth of 16GB/s on dual 2GHz Xserve G5

systems. This is well over twice the 6.4GB/s maximum throughput of Itanium 2–based

systems and almost four times the 4.3GB/s throughput of Xeon-based systems.

Because there’s a dedicated data path in each direction, transaction-intensive server

operations execute fast and without contention for data—so the processor doesn’t

sit idle, waiting for data to arrive.

On dual processor systems, the two independent frontside buses allow each PowerPC

G5 to handle its own tasks at maximum speed with minimal interruption. They also

enable each processor to discover and access data in the other processor’s caches,

a technique called intervention, or snooping. Cache intervention guarantees cache

coherency, which ensures that the processor always fetches the correct data, even if

the data has been modified and is stored in the cache of the other processor.

Point-to-Point System Controller

A new system controller is central to the overall performance of Xserve G5. This

revolutionary application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)—built using advanced IBM

technology—is one of the industry’s fastest. A superefficient point-to-point architec-

ture provides each primary subsystem with dedicated throughput to main memory,

so massive amounts of data can traverse the system without contention for band-

width. In contrast, subsystems on Xeon-based servers must share bandwidth, which

can result in time-consuming arbitration while they negotiate for access across a

common data path.

Advanced ECC Memory Technology

Xserve G5 maximizes the efficiency of its computing power with an advanced 128-bit

DDR memory architecture and support for up to 8GB of RAM. This high-speed, high-

capacity memory architecture enables video encoding, transaction-intensive network-

ing, and scientific applications to perform radically faster. What’s more, it works with

ECC logic in the system controller to protect data from corruption or errors.

Double Data Rate (DDR) memory

Xserve G5 features a memory controller that supports 400MHz, 128-bit DDR SDRAM.

With fast DDR memory and a wider 128-bit interface that addresses two banks of

SDRAM at a time, Xserve G5 can reach a memory throughput of up to 6.4GB/s—more

than double the throughput of the G4-based Xserve. For even greater performance,

direct memory access (DMA) works with the point-to-point system controller, so

subsystems can access main memory without needing to interact with the processor.

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

Support for up to 8GB of RAM

Xserve G5 comes standard with 512MB or 1GB of DDR SDRAM. Main memory is scalable

up to 8GB in eight DIMM slots, allowing you to increase memory as application and

networking requirements increase. More main memory enables the system to run

strenuous processes simultaneously and to accommodate spikes in demand. Enormous

files and data sets can be loaded into RAM for rapid processing by the PowerPC G5—

without having to access disk storage. Data is transferred to memory 40 times faster

than to the hard drive. In fact, accessing the first critical word of data from memory is

60,000 times faster than from a hard drive, so manipulation and analysis of data can be

performed at remarkable speeds.

ECC protection

Xserve G5 uses Error Correction Code (ECC) logic to protect the system from data

corruption and transmission errors. Each DIMM has an extra memory module that

stores checksum data for every transaction. The system controller uses this ECC data

to identify single-bit errors and corrects them on the fly, preventing unplanned system

shutdowns and protecting data integrity. In the rare event of multiple-bit errors, the

system controller detects the error and triggers a system notification to prevent bad

data from corrupting further operations.

For additional protection, the ECC modules on the DIMMs integrate with Server Monitor

software. If error rates exceed a defined threshold, which typically indicates a hardware

problem, Server Monitor can alert the administrator for fast resolution.

High-Performance PCI-X Expansion

Xserve G5 features the latest 133MHz PCI-X expansion protocol with throughput of up

to 1GB/s. PCI-X operates more efficiently than PCI, resulting in more usable bandwidth

at any PCI-X bus speed—ideal for connecting to high-performance networking, storage,

and backup devices using optional SCSI and Fibre Channel cards. For fast data access,

the PCI-X bus connects to the system controller using a high-speed, dual-channel

HyperTransport bus with a throughput of up to 4.8GB/s (2.4GB/s each way).

PCI expansion options

Built-to-order Xserve G5 configurations can

include the following:

• Apple Fibre Channel PCI Card

• Hardware RAID PCI card

• Apple PCI-X Gigabit Ethernet Card

• Dual-channel Ultra320 SCSI PCI-X card

• VGA video card

Two open 64-bit PCI-X slots allow you to add one card running at up to 133MHz

or two cards running at up to 100MHz. The PCI-X specification is designed to support

3.3V signaling and is compatible with Universal 33MHz and 66MHz PCI cards.⁶

Dual Onboard Gigabit Ethernet

Apple extends the networking performance of Xserve G5 with a high-performance

Ethernet controller on the main logic board. This advanced controller includes two

independent 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet interfaces, each with its own interrupt, on a

dedicated 64-bit, 133MHz PCI-X bus. The result is tremendous networking bandwidth

and no contention for data with the I/O subsystems.

In addition, the Gigabit Ethernet controller provides these networking features:

• Hardware-generated TCP, IP, and UDP checksum detects packet corruption and

transmission errors.

• 802.1q VLAN (Virtual LAN) tags allow Xserve G5 to be a member of multiple virtual

networks and to provide unique network services to each one.

• A large 64K packet buffer per interface supports jumbo frames, or packets up to 9K,

to reduce system overhead and increase throughput of all network activities.

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

Dual Gigabit Ethernet ports deliver near-line-rate throughput of up to 980Mb/s per

port, alleviating bottlenecks even with very large files and expediting mail, web, file,

and printer sharing services. Together with the multihoming function in Mac OS X

Server, dual network ports enable Xserve G5 to serve more client systems; provide

redundant links; or support an isolated management network that is independent of

a client services network. Dual Gigabit Ethernet also enables the high-speed network

interconnect required by many computational cluster deployments.

Additional Connectivity

The Xserve G5 architecture uses the HyperTransport protocol to connect the I/O

controller to the system controller. The Serial ATA controller, optical drive, and

FireWire, USB 2.0, and serial ports are all integrated through a bidirectional 800MHz

HyperTransport interconnect for a maximum throughput of 1.6GB/s.

Xserve G5 offers industry-standard interfaces for connecting I/O devices:

• Dual FireWire 800 ports. Two FireWire 800 ports on the back panel and one FireWire

400 port on the front panel connect to high-bandwidth FireWire (IEEE 1394) devices,

such as storage devices and audio and video input devices. In addition, TCP/IP over

FireWire can be used to create small clusters, and FireWire Target Disk Mode allows

easy cloning of system configurations.

• DB-9 serial port. An industry-standard 9-pin serial port allows for system access

through a serial console session.

• Two USB 2.0 ports. USB ports on the back panel connect to keyboards, mice,

speakers, and other industry-standard peripheral devices.

• Optical drive. For software installation and recovery, a slot-loading 24x-speed CD-ROM

drive comes standard on server configurations. A Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) is

available as an alternative for customers who need to read DVD data and back up data

on CDs.

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

Affordable, Scalable Storage

Exponential growth in the creation and distribution of digital content is driving the

need for high-capacity storage in business and education. Large databases, digital

video footage, immense scientific data sets, and uncompressed audio all place

enormous demands on server storage resources.

Xserve G5 addresses these growing requirements by providing up to 750GB of afford-

able internal storage capacity.¹With each Apple Drive Module on an independent

Serial ATA (SATA) drive channel and connected to a high-speed I/O system, the Xserve

storage subsystem scales without compromising performance. This unique architecture

delivers the best balance of performance, reliability, capacity, and price.

Up to 750GB of storage

Each Xserve G5 has three drive bays for

up to three hot-plug Apple Drive Modules.⁴

Internal storage comparison

Server

Apple

Dell

IBM

Sun

Xserve G5

PowerEdge 1750

eServer x335

Sun Fire V60x

Maximum internal

storage capacity

750GB

438GB

292GB

219GB

(three 250GB drives) (three 146GB drives) (two 146GB drives) (three 73GB drives)

Onboard disk controller Three independent Ultra320 SCSI

Ultra320 SCSI

for internal drives

SATA

Hot-plug drives

Yes

Cost of additional

drives*

$499

(250GB)

$699

(146GB)

$899

(146GB)

$500

(73GB)

Cost per GB

$2.00

$4.79

$6.16

$6.85

* Based on suggested retail prices published on manufacturers’ websites as of December 21, 2003.

Xserve G5 offers affordable internal storage that scales to nearly twice the capacity of most other

1U servers on the market.

SATA Drive Technology

Xserve G5 features sophisticated 150MB/s SATA drive controllers, each with a dedicated

SATA bus to a single Apple Drive Module. In the original Xserve—and before Serial

ATA became available—Apple pioneered a point-to-point storage architecture using

Parallel ATA. This innovative design eliminated the single-threaded operation of the

typical ATA master/slave configuration and delivered superior performance at a much

lower cost than that of SCSI-based systems.

Xserve G5 advances to a SATA-based storage subsystem that provides the same multi-

threaded system operation. Multithreading enables the system to send commands to

multiple drives at once for the fastest possible throughput. An independent drive

architecture also isolates the drives electrically, preventing a single drive failure from

causing unavailability or performance degradation of the surviving drives—a common

problem with multidrive SCSI implementations.

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

Xserve Storage Scalability

Read 165MB/s

Three drives

Two drives

One drive

Write 139MB/s

110MB/s

115MB/s

57MB/s

44MB/s

120

180

Megabytes per second

Apple tested the scalability of Xserve G5 storage using Bonnie++, an open source

benchmark that measures drive throughput. This test shows that both read performance

and write performance improve as drives are added to the system.

Hot-plug Apple Drive Modules

The three Xserve drive bays⁴provide affordable storage expansion using 80GB or

250GB SATA Apple Drive Modules. Apple Drive Modules feature robust hot-plug

connectors called Single Connector Attachment (SCA) II that protect the connecting

pins from bending when drives are inserted or removed. Hot plugging allows admin-

istrators to add storage without bringing down the server: Insert a new Apple Drive

Module at any time and it’s instantly available to the server. This flexibility is made

possible by tight integration between system hardware and software. The three

independent drive controllers detect when a drive is unplugged, so removing the

drive doesn’t mean risking data loss or a system crash. When the drive is plugged back

in, its controller instantly recognizes that it’s back online—without requiring cycles or

resets to reinitiate communication between the drive and the controller, as in other

storage architectures.

Apple Drive Module

Xserve G5 uses reliable, high-performance

Apple Drive Modules to provide cost-

effective, high-capacity system storage.

Apple Drive Modules feature a unique handle design for fast, easy installation and

a positive locking mechanism to hold them tightly in place after insertion. The new

drive carrier employs a drive mounting technique that increases drive isolation and

reduces vibration. Carefully tested and qualified to ensure maximum performance

and reliability, Apple Drive Modules work seamlessly with the sophisticated Xserve

monitoring sensors and Server Monitor remote monitoring software.

Monitoring of drive health

Xserve hardware and software work together to provide industry-leading remote

monitoring and alert capabilities. The server operating system reads Self-Monitoring,

Analysis, and Reporting Technology (SMART) data from each hard drive. SMART data

allows the drive to report its health and enables Server Monitor software to warn the

administrator of a prefailure condition—providing the opportunity to back up critical

data and replace the hard drive before a failure occurs. For local monitoring, each

Apple Drive Module has two LEDs, one for drive activity and one for drive health.

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

Software and Hardware RAID Options

Affordable and easy-to-install drive modules make it simple to expand Xserve systems

to meet growing storage needs over time. For even greater storage capacity or to

share storage among multiple servers, high-throughput PCI-X slots enable users to

connect to external rackmount storage and backup systems, including SCSI devices

and Apple’s Xserve RAID.

Software RAID in Mac OS X Server

Using software RAID built into Mac OS X Server, the three Apple Drive Modules can be

striped or mirrored for improved performance or data redundancy.⁴

• RAID 0, or striping. Increases storage performance dramatically by distributing data

across two or three Apple Drive Modules and enabling the drives to read and write

data concurrently. Drive striping takes full advantage of the three independent drive

channels and utilizes the I/O capabilities of Mac OS X Server.

• RAID 1, or mirroring. Provides a high level of data protection by creating a real-time

exact duplicate of the contents of one Apple Drive Module on a second drive. With

the new volume promotion feature in Mac OS X Server v10.3, you can upgrade a

single drive to a RAID 1 mirror without needing to back up and reformat the drive. If

a mirrored drive fails, the system can rebuild the array in the background, while con-

tinuing to serve data. The independent drive architecture and software RAID combine

to provide RAID 1 protection with no performance penalty.

For additional protection or higher performance, Mac OS X Server on Xserve can boot

from a mirrored or striped volume.

Optional hardware RAID PCI card

For enhanced storage performance and data protection, the hardware RAID PCI

card provides RAID levels 0, 1, and 5 using a hardware RAID controller and 64MB

of battery-backed, ECC cache memory. When Xserve is configured with three 250GB

Apple Drive Modules and the hardware RAID PCI card, it offers half a terabyte of

internal, RAID 5–protected storage in a 1U form factor—unmatched in the industry.

This compact solution provides affordable protected RAID storage for small to

medium-size storage requirements.

Xserve RAID storage solution

For massive capacity and advanced data protection and availability features, Xserve

connects to the Xserve RAID storage system using the Apple Fibre Channel PCI

Card. Xserve RAID holds up to 14 hot-swap Apple Drive Modules, for up to 3.5TB¹

of storage in a rack-optimized 3U enclosure. The innovative Apple-designed architec-

ture combines affordable, high-capacity ATA drive technology with a dual 2Gb Fibre

Channel SFP interface for fast, reliable data access, even at distances of up to 500

meters. Redundant components further increase data protection and system avail-

ability. With easy-to-use tools for remote setup and management, this powerful

RAID system provides a cost-effective answer to the growing storage requirements

of businesses and institutions.

Apple Fibre Channel PCI Card

Xserve RAID connects to a host Xserve

G5 system using the dual-port 2Gb Apple

Fibre Channel PCI Card (sold separately),

for easy integration into copper or optical

infrastructures.

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

Integrated Hardware

Monitoring

Xserve G5 includes built-in remote monitoring capabilities that enable network

administrators to stay in touch with their Xserve systems from anywhere on the

network or over the Internet. Xserve monitoring tools run over TCP/IP using robust

password authentication to protect management data and server deployments from

unauthorized access.

With 38 sensors in the enclosure, Xserve G5 is the most instrumented server in its

class. Embedded hardware sensors integrate with Apple’s sophisticated Server Monitor

software to check the condition of all critical subsystems, such as memory, fans, power

supplies, and Ethernet links. Temperature measurements for hard drives, processors,

memory, PCI, power supply, and incoming ambient temperature are processed using

three dedicated microcontrollers and three dedicated communication buses on the

logic board.

Remote monitoring

Server Monitor allows administrators to

review information on hundreds of Xserve

systems from any Internet-connected

Mac OS X system.

To maximize server uptime, Server Monitor aids in the early identification and easy

diagnosis of system problems. This powerful application uses data from the hardware

sensors to continuously report on the status of all Xserve subsystems, for all servers on

the network. If operating conditions for any component exceed predefined thresholds,

Server Monitor can instantly send notification via email or email-capable pager, so

network administrators can respond quickly to prevent or repair the problem.

Server Monitor can monitor hundreds of servers using a single, intuitive interface. Each server

is identified by name and IP address (or DNS host name), and at-a-glance summary information

(green—OK, yellow—warning, red—error) indicates the status of individual components. A click

on any icon displays detailed status and performance information.

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

Server Monitor provides instant access to status and performance details, including

these individual server attributes, subsystems, and system variables:

• Info. Lists key attributes of the server: name, IP address, device kind, operating system

version, processor type, amount of memory, firmware version, uptime, last monitoring

update, and hardware serial number.

• Memory. Displays the size, speed, and type of memory installed in each system, as

well as ECC error counts.

• Drives. Provides the status of each of the server’s hard drives, including SMART data

for predictive failure notification.

Automatic notifications

• Power. Shows the current, voltage, and processor power, as well as a historical line

graph for each supply rail. It also provides Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)

information and status when available.

Server Monitor can send a customized

email to alert specified individuals when

operating conditions exceed predefined

thresholds. Short text messages can be

sent to email-capable pagers, cell phones,

or PDAs; full-text details can be sent to

email clients or full-function PDAs.

• Network. Indicates the status of active network links, network stack, and link settings

and provides a historical line graph for each link.

Xserve Remote Diagnostics

Xserve G5 includes a new set of server-class

diagnostic tools that support hardware

profiling and advanced diagnostics, as well

as remote, headless operation.

• Temperature. Provides the values of the ten enclosure and processor temperature

sensors, as well as a historical line graph for each sensor reading.

• Blowers. Shows the revolutions per minute and status of the eight fans, including a

historical line graph for each one. In the case of a single blower failure, the other fans

speed up to compensate, allowing the server to continue to run, while also notifying

the system administrator.

• Security. Displays the security status of the Xserve enclosure. Xserve G5 features a

hardware enclosure lock that prevents drives from being removed, as well as software-

based I/O port security that allows administrators to disable CD mounting, removal of

hard drives, or use of USB and FireWire devices.

In addition, Server Monitor records a log of activities and messages for each monitored

Xserve. The log provides the times Server Monitor attempted to contact the server and

whether a connection was successful. It also shows changes in server status. For asset

tracking or support logging, a System Profiler report can be saved for a selected server

or multiple servers.

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

Mac OS X Server

Version 10.3

Xserve G5 ships with Mac OS X Server version 10.3, the fourth major release of Apple’s

award-winning server operating system. Mac OS X Server provides open source,

standards-based workgroup and Internet services without the complexity inherent

in Linux and other UNIX-based solutions. Hardware and software work together to

deliver powerful, scalable solutions for supporting Mac, Windows, and Linux work-

groups; deploying powerful Internet services; and hosting enterprise applications—all

with an ease of use that is uniquely Macintosh. And with the unlimited-client license,

there are no additional per-seat fees for connecting more users.⁴This kind of power

has never been easier to put to work—or easier to integrate into your organization.

New in Mac OS X Server version 10.3

The latest release of Mac OS X Server has

more than 150 new features, including:

• PowerPC G5–optimized kernel and

numerical libraries

Optimized for the PowerPC G5

• Automatic Setup for configuring multiple

servers

On all systems, Mac OS X Server features a high-performance 64-bit file system that

supports HFS+ (and HFS+ journaled) file systems up to 16TB, so you can create very

large, single file systems for massive databases, image archives, and digital video

storage. In addition, Apple has written version 10.3 to take maximum advantage of the

PowerPC G5, enabling current 32-bit applications to benefit immediately from the key

advances of 64-bit processing. On PowerPC G5–based systems, Mac OS X Server can

utilize the processor’s 64-bit instructions and registers. It also includes 64-bit math

and vector libraries that accelerate audio, video, and image processing, as well as large

number operations—so existing applications that use these built-in libraries get an

automatic performance boost.

• Server Admin application for easy setup

and monitoring of services

• Open Directory 2 for delivering enterprise

directory and authentication services

• Single sign-on using Kerberos v5

• Samba 3 for supporting Windows users

• Postfix mail server for Mac and Windows

users

• VPN server for Mac and Windows users

• JBoss application server for running

J2EE-based applications

Mac OS X Server v10.3 can address the 4TB of physical memory supported by the

PowerPC G5. To ensure binary compatibility with existing 32-bit applications, Mac OS

X manages access to the 64-bit physical memory space using a 32-bit virtual memory

manager. This enables each Mac OS X application to access 4GB of address space,

allowing multiple memory-intensive applications to run concurrently. For improved

performance, data-intensive applications that require more than 4GB of memory can

map pages of memory using the built-in mmap function.

New in Mac OS X Server for Xserve G5

• 802.1q VLAN support

• Background rebuilding of software

RAID mirrors

• RAID volume promotion

• Enhanced UPS support

• Enhanced Server Monitor

• Customizable keyboard and mouse

security options

Performance gains are even more dramatic when applications, particularly compute-

intensive applications, are recompiled for the PowerPC G5. Using Xcode and GCC (GNU

Compiler Collection) version 3.3, developers can get improved code generation that

keeps the processor’s integer and floating-point units constantly fed with instructions.

• Xserve Remote Diagnostics

Built-In Network Services

Mac OS X Server includes a complete suite of robust solutions for file and print,

Internet and web, networking, workgroup management, and directory services. Apple

has integrated and tested the latest open source technologies—such as OpenLDAP,

Postfix, Apache, and JBoss—making them easy to deploy right out of the box.

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

Built on open standards, Mac OS X Server is compatible with existing network and

computing infrastructures. Samba 3, the new version of the popular open source

SMB/CIFS server, provides reliable file and printer sharing for Windows clients, as well

as support for NT Domain services. The built-in directory services architecture is based

on LDAPv3, allowing Mac OS X Server systems to host LDAP directory services or inte-

grate with any network that uses LDAP directory services. In addition, Mac OS X Server

includes compatibility with legacy directory service solutions such as NIS, as well as

proprietary solutions such as Active Directory. What’s more, the open source UNIX-

based foundation makes it easy to port and deploy existing tools to Mac OS X Server.

Innovative Remote Management

Mac OS X Server comes with innovative remote management tools that provide a

consistent, unified interface for setting up and managing the built-in services. The new

Server Admin application enables network administrators to securely manage services

on multiple servers at the same time—all from the same easy-to-use application.

Administrators can use Server Admin on any Internet-connected Mac OS X computer to install

software updates (including system software), set preferences, and configure workgroup and

Internet services—such as Samba 3, Apache, DHCP, Postfix, and QuickTime Streaming Server.

High-availability services

Mac OS X Server also makes it easy to monitor services remotely. Server Admin

displays the current status of all services running on Xserve systems. Administrators

can read access and error logs, view charts of traffic patterns, and graph the perfor-

mance of individual network services and file throughput—providing valuable

information for planning and allocating network resources.

To minimize downtime and maximize data

protection, Mac OS X Server includes high-

availability features such as software RAID,

directory replication, file system journaling, a

two-node IP failover service, and “watchdog”

features such as automatic restart of the

server and individual services.

For administrators who prefer to manage from a terminal, Mac OS X Server includes

Secure Shell (SSH2) technology for encrypted and authenticated login. Xserve G5 is

equipped with a DB-9 (9-pin) serial port, giving UNIX-savvy administrators a way to

access the system through a serial console session even when network services are

down. Command-line tools allow administrators to remotely install software, run

Software Update, or set system and network preferences. In addition, Mac OS X Server

supports industry-standard Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) for inte-

grating with third-party products, such as HP OpenView.

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

Service, Support, and

Training Options

Every Xserve G5 comes with a one-year limited warranty and 90 days of up-and-running

telephone support. In addition, the AppleCare website publishes in-depth product infor-

mation, training on hardware and software installation and configuration, and technical

resources, including the AppleCare Knowledge Base, discussions, and downloadable

software on Apple’s Featured Software site.

For critical server deployments, Apple also offers a comprehensive range of service and

support options for Xserve hardware and Mac OS X Server software. For more informa-

tion about these AppleCare products, see www.apple.com/server/support.

AppleCare Premium Service and Support Plan

This server-class support product provides up to three years of up-and-running tele-

phone and email support and onsite hardware service. Apple technical support experts

are available 24 hours a day to help you determine whether you’re experiencing a hard-

ware failure or a Mac OS X Server configuration issue. In either case, Apple will work to

get systems up and running quickly. And because Apple hardware and software are

uniquely integrated, there’s only one vendor to call.

The AppleCare Premium Service and Support Plan delivers up-and-running telephone

and email support within 30 minutes—24 hours a day, seven days a week. The hardware

repair coverage provides onsite response within four hours during business hours and

next-day onsite response when you contact Apple after business hours (terms apply).⁷

For added peace of mind, you’ll have the assurance that Apple-authorized technicians

will perform repairs using genuine Apple parts.

The AppleCare Premium Service and Support Plan can be purchased at any time while

Xserve G5 is still under its original one-year warranty. However, since coverage ends

three years after the hardware purchase date, you’ll get maximum advantage when you

make both purchases at the same time.

AppleCare Service Parts Kit

Xserve G5 is designed for quick and easy swapping of crucial parts; no special tools or

training certifications are needed. AppleCare Service Parts Kits let system administrators

keep key components handy to address the most common hardware failures. Each kit

has a logic board, a power supply, a PCI fan unit, and a fan array module. When the

AppleCare Premium Service and Support Plan is combined with an AppleCare Service

Parts Kit, technical support experts can often help troubleshoot and fix systems right

over the phone—day or night—eliminating the need for an onsite technician.

Convenient replacement modules

Problem resolution is fast with AppleCare

Service Parts Kits for Xserve G5 (sold

separately).

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

Mac OS X Server Software Support

Apple also offers support programs for Mac OS X Server that extend beyond the up-

and-running support provided by the AppleCare Premium Service and Support Plan.

Apple technical support experts can provide consultative phone and email support for

Mac OS X Server integration and migration issues, as well as help with command-line

configuration.

Mac OS X Server Maintenance Program

This subscription program makes it easy

to manage software expenditures while

benefiting from the latest technologies

and improvements. With one easy payment,

you’ll receive major Mac OS X Server software

upgrades for three years.

Three levels of Mac OS X Server Software Support are available, depending on the

number of incidents supported and desired response time. Each plan provides one

year of coverage.

• Select covers up to 10 incidents with 4-hour response for priority 1 issues (server

down), 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.⁷Support for additional incidents can be

purchased as needed.

• Preferred covers an unlimited number of incidents with 2-hour response for priority

1 issues, 12 hours a day, 7 days a week,⁷and assigns a technical account manager

to the organization.

• Alliance covers an unlimited number of incidents at multiple locations with 1-hour

response for priority 1 issues, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.⁷This plan includes an

onsite review by an Apple technical support engineer.

Training and Certification Programs

Apple offers comprehensive instruction on Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server, covering

such topics as client management, system troubleshooting, and cross-platform network

configuration. A combination of lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on exercises,

classes are taught by Apple Certified Trainers with real-world experience and dynamic

presentation skills. Classes are offered at Apple Authorized Training Centers, as well as

at customer locations.

Once IT professionals have acquired the requisite skills, Apple certification programs

provide tangible evidence of their technical expertise. For more information about

Apple training and certification programs, visit www.apple.com/training.

Technology Overview

Xserve G5

Purchasing Information

Standard Configurations

Xserve G5 is available in three standard configurations to meet the needs of server

and cluster deployments in education and business.

Cluster node

Single-processor server

M9216LL/A

Dual processor server

Order number

Processor

M9215LL/A

M9217LL/A

Dual 2GHz PowerPC G5

1GHz per processor

512MB

2GHz PowerPC G5

1GHz

Dual 2GHz PowerPC G5

1GHz per processor

1GB

Frontside bus

PC3200 DDR memory

(400MHz ECC)

512MB

Hot-plug Apple Drive

Module

80GB Serial ATA¹

Storage expansion

—

Three drive bays supporting up to 750GB, using

80GB and/or 250GB drives

Optical drive

Networking

PCI expansion

Slot-loading CD-ROM

Two onboard Gigabit Ethernet interfaces (10/100/1000BASE-T)

Two open 64-bit PCI-X slots supporting one card at up to133MHz or two cards

at up to100MHz

Ports

Two FireWire 800, two USB 2.0, one DB-9 (back panel); one FireWire 400

(front panel)

Mac OS X Server software 10-client edition

Unlimited-client edition

Also included

Mounting screws with M5 and 10/32-inch threads; caged nuts; cable

management arm for four-post racks; agency-approved 12-foot power cable

Service and support

90 days of free telephone support and one-year limited warranty; optional

extended service and support products

Build-to-Order Options

Customers can order a custom-configured Xserve G5 with the following options.

• Memory: 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 6GB, 8GB

• Internal storage: 80GB and 250GB Apple Drive Modules¹

• Optical drive: Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)

• PCI cards: Apple Fibre Channel PCI Card (includes SFP to SFP cables), hardware RAID

PCI card, Apple PCI-X Gigabit Ethernet Card, dual-channel Ultra320 SCSI PCI-X card,

VGA video card

Technology Overview

Xserve G5