Abstracts of Magazine FUJITSU 2007-9 (VOL.58, NO.5)

Special Issue : IT Platform

• IT Infrastructure TRIOLE toward IT Optimization

IT has spread into the segments and businesses of various enterprises thanks to the progress made by open systems. This has improved business and accelerated management capability, and made inseparable the relation between management and IT. Fujitsu's IT infrastructure TRIOLE activities have collected about 9000 proposals from various points of view over the past four years. Upon being analyzed, the data revealed the scenes where customers use IT and showed an overall image of their IT infrastructure. The comprehensive IT infrastructure of customers can be seen when categorized by scenes of usage and not by products. As a result, an IT infrastructure optimization model consisting of all elements of IT, such as servers, storages, networks, security, and operations was developed. By discussing IT infrastructure optimization from the viewpoint of total optimization, increasingly evolving IT can quickly correspond to the needs of management. This paper describes the IT infrastructure optimization method of TRIOLE and introduces the IT platform measures that support TRIOLE.

• Partitioning Technologies and Dynamic Reconfiguration of PRIMEQUEST

The PRIMEQUEST series of mission-critical IA servers provide the high performance, reliability, availability, and flexibility required for mission-critical systems on an open platform. Particularly, these servers use the dual synchronous system architecture, which Fujitsu developed to achieve mainframe-class availability. The series also adopt open standard, optimized functionality for data centers, for example, flexible partitioning, multi-OS scale out, and scale up. This paper describes some basic technologies of the PRIMEQUEST series and then explains extended partitioning (XPAR) and dynamic reconfiguration (DR). XPAR can provide up to 16 partitions operating as independent systems by separately allocating a PRIMEQUEST's resources, and DR is a mechanism for reconfiguring these partitions without needing a system reset.

• Fujitsu's PRIMERGY BX620 S4 Blade Server for Solving Server Consolidation Problems

Based on an analysis of about 9000 business talks conducted at Fujitsu, we found that amid the ongoing IT system optimization at enterprises, the blade server has become an increasingly important IT platform for optimizing infrastructure. We also discovered that about 80％ of our customers have introduced blade servers in order to consolidate their own servers. Customers expect to understand their IT systems from the management layer, and thereby alleviate the heavy workload of server operation imposed on the user divisions. Customers also expect reduced IT investment costs in their information system divisions. However, server consolidation entails such problems as a more complex network design and increased workload for the information system division. To solve these problems, Fujitsu's PRIMERGY BX620 S4 blade server provides superior IT system flexibility by expanding the functions of a network, utilizing virtualization technology to simplify operation and maintenance, and reducing power consumption. This paper describes the technologies that enable this server to provide superior flexibility.

• Technology of Enterprise Storage ETERNUS8000

Recently, there has been an explosive increase in the disk capacity of storage devices, and these devices are being connected to more and more servers. Moreover, storage devices need to operate 24/7, even when a server undergoes a scheduled stop. Fujitsu's storage products meet this requirement for non-stop operation by using an advanced redundant-hardware configuration. This paper introduces the technologies of the ETERNUS8000, which is the latest enterprises storage device from Fujitsu. First, it describes the hot-swapping technology that supports redundant copying, cyclic mirroring, and hot firmware swapping for non-stop operation. Then it describes the data guarantee functions such as disk encryption and RAID migration and the QuickOPC and SnapOPC backup functions. Lastly, it describes the remote maintenance function that improves the ETERNUS8000's maintainability.

• IPCOM EX Series for Realizing Network Stability and Safety

Safety and stability are essential requirements in today's corporate systems. This paper discusses network safety and stability in the WAN-edge and server-front areas from the viewpoint of network infrastructure. Then, it describes the obstacles to achieving safety and stability in these areas and how these obstacles can be overcome. Next, this paper discusses the concept of integration for the NETWORK SERVER IPCOM EX series from the viewpoints of design, installation, and troubleshooting. Lastly, it shows how the IPCOM EX series provides safety and stability by using several examples of their application in WAN edge and server-front areas.

• Server Virtualization Technology and Its Latest Trends

IT systems are becoming larger and more complex, and as a result it is becoming harder to build an IT infrastructure in today's rapidly changing business environment. Server virtualization is a base technology for solving this problem. It enables a virtual server to be flexibly built with almost no hardware limitations and therefore reduces the TCO and makes it easier to adapt to the business environment. Fujitsu provides a range of server virtualization technology, for example, the Virtual Machine Function for PRIMEQUEST and PRIMERGY, which uses Xen open source technology. This paper describes the background and latest trends of server virtualization and then outlines the Virtual Machine Function and Xen. Next, it describes our development of various technologies for mission-critical systems such as large memory management, I/O process optimization and enhancement, and RAS enhancement. Lastly, it describes our future plans for server virtualization.

• Automation Technology for Virtualized Systems

To optimize IT infrastructures, maximize system investment efficiency, and reduce server energy consumption, there has been a recent trend to consolidate burgeoning systems onto blade servers. This trend heightens the demand to increase the efficiency of system integration and operation. Furthermore, with the increased performance of multi-core CPUs and advances in virtualization technology, the number of systems being consolidated onto blade servers is increasing. However, this consolidation brings the need to make configuration changes while balancing overall system resources and maintaining stable operation. As a result, the consolidation is greatly increasing the workload of system managers. Fujitsu's Systemwalker Resource Coordinator Virtual server Edition is a new package that reduces the system manager workload and dramatically increases the manageability and availability of blade server systems. This paper introduces the technologies of this package and then describes its core technologies in more detail.

• Innovative Technologies Realizing Compact Size Server PRIMERGY TX120

The need for internal control in enterprises reflects a growing market demand in recent years for data integrity. In responding to this trend, enterprises that previously used PCs for data management are now introducing server systems for centralized data processing. For such introduction, customers tend to have three main points in selecting a server: size, low noise, and low power consumption. At the same time, innovations are being made in space-saving technology and low power consumption technology. Given these market trends and technological innovations, Fujitsu has introduced a compact size server—PRIMERGY TX120—that achieves 1) small size, 2) low power consumption, and 3) low noise. The server is so small that it can be installed on the desk next to a desktop PC. This server incorporates space-saving technology such as a 2.5-inch HDD and component miniaturization, low power technology such as parts that consume low power and a pulse width modulation (PWM) FAN, and low noise technology such as a heat pipe cooling system and a push-pull cooling system. Concerning its reliability as a server, the PRIMERGY TX120 utilizes reliability technology equivalent to that of conventional 1-way servers.

• Power Noise Analysis of Large Scale Printed Circuit Boards

The problems posed by ground bounce noise, simultaneous switching noise, and EMI noise with regard to higher digital equipment operating frequency and lower LSI supply voltage are prolonging the development period and increasing costs. We have developed a system that enables us to optimize noise countermeasure designs by performing large-scale simulation to unify LSI and PCB design from the upper stage to verification stage of final design. The power noise analysis system is used to greatly reduce the time and cost of redesign necessitated by noise problems. This paper introduces the features of the system and describes the results of application to high-end servers.

• Power Saving Techniques of SPARC64 V/VI and Its Future Design Direction

The performance of high-end microprocessors has increased along with improvements in semiconductor integration. Unfortunately, this performance increase has been accompanied by an increase in power consumption. This paper describes the techniques we used to save power in the SPARC64 V/VI microprocessor for mission-critical servers. First, we describe how we reduced the dynamic power consumption with designs that reduced circuit switching. We then describe the circuit management techniques we used to reduce the static power consumption, which is due to transistor leakage current in a static state. Lastly, we analyze the power consumption of the SPARC64 V/VI with these technologies applied and discuss the future design direction for this microprocessor.

• Fujitsu's PalmSecure-Based e-POS System for School Cafeteria

The first commercial application for PalmSecure in Europe is an unusual one. Rather than the expected high security application for a bank or government facility, Fujitsu's PalmSecure biometric technology has proved itself to be an ideal way for Primary School pupils in Scotland to pay for their school meals. This opportunity was discovered through Fujitsu Europe Limited's (FEL) innovative Enterprise Business model where no prejudgement of possible applications is made, end user needs are identified through dialogue directly with end-users and solutions are quickly provided through close collaboration with Fujitsu Group companies and third parties alike. FEL worked closely with a construction company (Amey), a software developer (Abelon), and a developer/system integrator (Yarg) amongst others to develop a solution whereby school children can quickly and simply pay for their meals by presenting their palm to the PalmSecure reader, rather than use cash, vouchers, swipe cards or some other system that would prove open to abuse or mis-use. This solution has been rolled out successfully in the first school, Todholm Primary School in Paisley, and is at the time of writing being rolled out to other schools in Scotland and is under consideration for Schools across the UK.