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Installing and removing modules
The procedures for installing or removing a module on the BladeCenter unit are
nearly identical for all modules except the blower modules. To install or remove a
blower module, see “Replacing a blower module” on page 47. To install or remove
all other modules, follow the instructions in this section.
Every module is keyed so that it can be inserted only in an appropriate bay. You
can insert an I/O module only in an I/O-module bay, for example. In addition, most
modules must be installed in a specific sequence or under specific circumstances.
The BladeCenter modules
Your BladeCenter unit contains the following hot-swap modules: power modules, I/O
modules, management module, and blower modules. See “Rear view” on page 10
for the location of each module. These modules supply common functions to the
blade servers that are installed in the blade bays in the front of the BladeCenter
unit.
The chassis and the management module supply I/O (optical drive, USB port,
keyboard, video, and mouse) that is available to all the blade servers, selected by
any one blade server at a time. The chassis can contain up to 14 blade servers.
Attention: To help ensure proper cooling, performance, and system reliability,
make sure that each of the module bays on the rear of the BladeCenter unit has a
module or filler module installed. When replacing a module, do not operate the
BladeCenter unit for more than one minute without either a module or a filler
module installed in each module bay.
Management module
Your BladeCenter unit comes with one hot-swap management module in the
management bay. You can add a management module in management bay 2.
Note: Only one management module will be active; the second management
module, if present, provides redundancy.
The management module functions as a service processor and a
keyboard/video/mouse (KVM) multiplexor for the multiple blade servers. The
management module also configures the BladeCenter unit and modules, configuring
information such as the I/O module IP addresses. The management module
provides the following external connections: keyboard, mouse, and video for use by
a local console, and one RJ-45 connector for a 10/100 Mbps Ethernet remote
management connection. Advanced management modules also provide an RJ-45
connector for serial management connection.
The service processor in the management module communicates with the service
processor in each blade server for functions such as:
v Blade server power-on requests
v Blade server error and event reporting
v Blade server requests for keyboard, mouse, and video
v Blade server requests for removable media drives
The management module also communicates with the I/O modules, power modules,
blower modules, and blade servers to detect presence or absence and any error
conditions, sending alerts when required.
Chapter 4. Installing options 33