Chapter 1. The System x3550 M3 serverThis Installation and User's Guide contains information and instructions for settingup your IBM System x3550 M3 Type 4254 or 7944 server, instructions for installingsome optional devices, and instructions for cabling, and configuring the server. Forremoving and installing optional devices, diagnostics and troubleshootinginformation, see the Problem Determination and Service Guide on the IBM Systemx Documentation CD, which comes with the server.In addition to the instructions in Chapter 2, “Installing optional devices,” on page 35for installing optional hardware devices, updating firmware and device drivers, andcompleting the installation, IBM Business Partners must also complete the steps in“Instructions for IBM Business Partners” on page 35.The IBM ® System x3550 M3 Type 4254 or 7944 server is a 1-U-high 1 rack modelserver for high-volume network transaction processing. This high-performance,multi-core server is ideally suited for networking environments that require superiormicroprocessor performance, input/output (I/O) flexibility, and high manageability.Performance, ease of use, reliability, and expansion capabilities were keyconsiderations in the design of the server. These design features make it possiblefor you to customize the system hardware to meet your needs today and provideflexible expansion capabilities for the future.The server comes with a limited warranty. For information about the terms of thewarranty, see the Warranty Information document that comes with the server.The server contains IBM X-Architecture ® technologies, which help increaseperformance and reliability. For more information, see “What your server offers” onpage 8 and “Reliability, availability, and serviceability” on page 11.You can obtain up-to-date information about the server and other IBM serverproducts at http://www.ibm.com/systems/x/. At http://www.ibm.com/support/mysupport/, you can create a personalized support page by identifying IBMproducts that are of interest to you. From this personalized page, you can subscribeto weekly e-mail notifications about new technical documents, search for informationand downloads, and access various administrative services.If you participate in the IBM client reference program, you can share informationabout your use of technology, best practices, and innovative solutions; build aprofessional network; and gain visibility for your business. For more informationabout the IBM client reference program, see http://www.ibm.com/ibm/clientreference/.If firmware and documentation updates are available, you can download them fromthe IBM website. The server might have features that are not described in thedocumentation that comes with the server, and the documentation might be updatedoccasionally to include information about those features, or technical updates mightbe available to provide additional information that is not included in the serverdocumentation. To check for updates, go to http://www.ibm.com/supportportal/.1. Racks are marked in vertical increments of 1.75 inches each. Each increment is referred to as a unit, or a “U”. A 1-U-high deviceis approximately 1.75 inches tall.© Copyright IBM Corp. 2012 1