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IBM System x3690 X5

Ground-breaking two-socket server delivers outstanding performance, memory and storage

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Highlights:

  • Achieve four-processor performance at a two-processor investment
  • Grow to meet changing workload demands with unmatched memory expansion
  • Own and operate your systems with less complexity and cost
  • Get peace of mind with enterprise-class reliability and availability

EXA performance, two-processor value

When it comes to business productivity, more is always better—especially if you can achieve it without using more money, space or energy. Innovative and cost-efficient, the IBM System x3690 X5 delivers four-processor performance, memory capacity and reliability features in a breakthrough two-processor system that incorporates Intel® Xeon® processors and fifth-generation IBM X-Architecture® (eX5) technology. By purchasing a system with two fewer processors, you can cut your licensing costs in half while using less energy for a lower total cost of ownership. And you won’t have to trade performance for a denser form factor. The x3690 X5 offers leadership performance, including the ability to better handle database transactions than industry-standard two-processor servers.1

Unparalleled flexibility

The x3690 X5 features greater flexibility to help you meet changing workload demands as your business grows. With MAX5, you can double the memory capacity of your two-processor system to 64 DIMM slots. Increase utilization and optimize your investments by fitting 100 percent more virtual machines per system at half the cost per virtual machine with MAX5 memory expansion.¹ An easy upgrade path and customizable growth options offer freedom of choice. For example, you can add more memory without having to purchase unneeded processing capabilities.

The x3690 X5 can be tailored with a wide range of options to meet your needs.

Product features

  • Performance and memory capacity of previous 4-processor, 4U servers in a 2-processor, 2U system
  • Built on the latest IBM X-Architecture technology with fifth-generation eX5 chipset design enhancements
  • Easy upgrade path and customizable growth options for unmatched flexibility
  • Advanced service and remote management capabilities for greater ease of use and improved productivity
  • Balanced, power-optimized design for enhanced performance per watt

Hardware summary

  • 2-processor, 2U rack-optimized enterprise server with Intel Xeon processors.
  • 6-core, 8-core and 10-core processor options with up to 2.4 GHz (ten-core), 2.67 GHz (eight-core) and 1.73 GHz (six-core) speeds with up to 30 MB L3 cache
  • Expand memory in a 2-processor system from 32 DIMMs to 64 DIMMs via MAX5
  • 5 PCIe Gen 2 expansion slots
  • Up to 16 2.5" HDDs or 24 1.8" SSDs
  • Internal USB for embedded hypervisor

Feature Benefits
Industry-leading enterprise X-Architecture® performance, now available in a 2-processor system
  • Greater performance in a denser form factor for a lower purchase price and total cost of ownership
  • Ample flexibility to meet changing requirements
Fifth-generation IBM X-Architecture chipset design combined with next-generation Intel® Xeon® processor E7 product line
  • Increased productivity for your investment with higher utilization and greater throughput and bandwidth
  • Optimized for databases, enterprise applications and virtualized server workloads
  • Deploy more virtual machines than ever in a 2-processor system and double the number of virtual machines on that system with MAX5
  • Higher database transactions processed per minute1
IBM Systems Director
  • Increased uptime, reduced costs and improved productivity via advanced server management capabilities
  • Simplified management including around-the-clock remote management capability
  • Helps improve physical and virtual server availability by continuously monitoring your system and notifying you of potential system failures or changes
IBM Systems Director Active Energy Manager™
  • Advanced power notification, control and monitoring to help achieve lower heat output and cooling costs
Balanced, energy-smart design
  • Promotes greater energy savings in the data center
Hot-swap, redundant, rear-access power supplies
  • Increase system and application uptime by eliminating another single point of failure with a second hot-swap power supply
  • Improved usability with rear chassis accessibility, allowing you to remove the power supplies without having to pull the system from the rack
Light path diagnostics
  • Provides information on failing components without interrupting system operations
  • Provides a lighted path to failing components inside the system
  • Speeds hardware repairs to reduce service time
Predictive Failure Analysis
  • Detects when components or hard drives are operating outside of set thresholds or are approaching historical failure thresholds
  • Helps you increase uptime by enabling you to receive proactive alerts in advance of failure via IBM Systems Director
RAID-0, -1 and -1E (optional RAID-5, -6 with battery-backed cache)
  • Enhanced system availability and data protection by supporting solid-state drives with advanced RAID capabilities
Optional embedded hypervisor
  • Embedded hypervisor technology to simplify adoption and deployment of industry-leading third-party virtualization solutions
  • New, system-friendly thin hypervisor architecture can help optimize virtualization performance
  • Integrated into server hardware, the hypervisor can provide compatible, pretested and optimized hardware configurations
Hot-swap redundant components
  • Allow the server to continue operating in case of fan, power supply or disk drive failure
  • Replace components without taking your server offline or out of the rack
Memory reliability features through IBM Active Memory™
  • Enhanced error recovery with Chipkill error correction, memory scrubbing, Memory ProteXion and memory mirroring to help maintain data integrity
Integrated dual Gigabit Ethernet
  • Provides increased network throughput and redundancy with efficient slot-saving integration
  • Optional Emulex 10 GbE Virtual Fabric Adapter
OS flexibility
  • Choice of Microsoft® Windows® 64-bit, Red Hat Enterprise Linux® and SUSE Enterprise Linux, (Server and Advanced Server), VMware vSphere Hypervisor
3-year onsite limited warranty for parts and labor
  • Provides peace of mind for an extended period of time

Form factor/height Rack/2U per chassis
Processor (max) Intel® Xeon® up to 2.4 GHz (10-core)/1066 MHz memory access
Number of processors (std/max) 1/2
Cache (max) Up to 30 MB
Memory (std/max) 8 GB/1 TB PC3-10600 DDR3 or DDR3L, up to 2.0 TB with 32 GB DIMM and MAX5
Expansion slots 5 total PCIe Gen 2
Disk bays (total/hot swap) 16/16 2.5" Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) or 24/24 1.8" SAS SSD internal storage
Maximum internal storage 9.6 TB SAS per chassis (supports 73.4 GB, 146.8 GB, 300 GB, 500 GB and 600 GB hard disk drives, 50 GB and 200 GB SSD)
Network interface Integrated dual Gigabit Ethernet with TCP-IP off-load engine, optional Emulex 10 GbE Virtual Fabric Adapter
Power supply (std/max) 675 W 220 V 1/4
Hot-swap components Power supplies, fans, hard disk drives
RAID support Integrated RAID-0, -1, optional RAID-5, -6
Systems management Alert on LAN 2, automatic server restart, IBM Systems Director, IBM ServerGuide, IMM, light path diagnostics (independently powered), predictive failure analysis on hard disk drives, processors, VRMs, fans and memory, Wake on LAN, dynamic system analysis
Operating systems supported Microsoft® Windows® Server 2008 (Standard, Enterprise and Datacenter editions 64-bit), Microsoft Windows Server 2003 (Datacenter and Datacenter x64), 64-bit Red Hat Enterprise Linux® and SUSE Enterprise Linux, VMware vSphere Hypervisor
Limited warranty 3-year customer replaceable unit and on-site limited warranty

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IBM System x3690 X5

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