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I64 (Itanium, Integrity) Hardware

To run OpenVMS on systems with Intel Itanium processors, you will need hardware.

New HP Integrity systems are available, with prices of HP configurations of (brand-new) entry-level systems roughly comparable to those of high-end Intel IA-32e (Intel EM64T), and AMD AMD64 gamer (PC) systems.

Used systems are also variously available. Obviously.

As an OpenVMS Hobbyist, you will also want and need to acquire the Hobbyist licenses for OpenVMS I64 and layered products, and these are expected to be soon available at the OpenVMS Hobbyist web site.

top of pageI64 Terminology

First, an introduction to the relevant terminology.

With traditional DIGITAL terminology, VAX was and is interchangeably applied to the architecture, to the processor and microprocessor implementations, as the base name for the platforms, and otherwise. Alpha nomenclature was and is similarly applied. Departing from these long-standing VAX and Alpha naming traditions so familiar to many OpenVMS Hobbyists, Intel and HP use different terms for the architecture, the implementation, the platforms, and related.

In particular, Intel IA-64 is the architecture, Intel Itanium (and Intel Itanium 2) is the microprocessor implementation and can also be used as the name for a class or family of microprocessors, HP Integrity is the name of the HP platform based on Intel Itanium, and HP OpenVMS I64 is the name of an HP operating system for HP Integrity systems.

top of pageIntel IA-64 and the Itanium Microprocessor

The Intel IA-64 architecture provide sixty-four (64) bit virtual addressing, and various configuration-specific physical addressing capabilities. (In current implementations, up to 50 bits of physical addressing.)

Intel offers a variety of Itanium processors, specifically targeting vendor markets based on the target entry-level configuration price, on specific features such as density and thermal requirements or multiprocessing capabilities for specific implementations, and on performance. Specialized processor targets and higher performance systems can typically garner higher prices, of course.

When acquiring an Integrity system for hobbyist use, you will want to consider the particular Itanium microprocessor utilized.

Unfortunately and in classic traditional Intel practice (and the semiconductor industry as a wholel), there are core-level microprocessor variants, core shrinks and cache-size adjustments seen across the Itanium Processor Family, meaning that tracking the permutations and codenames approaches a full-time job, and the results more often lead to confusion than to enlightenment.

In apparent response to some of this product confusion, Intel has started providing generic feature-set-based names for its IA-32 microprocessors, and this marketing nomenclature has appeared within the Itanium family with the Itanium 2 processor 9000 series “Montecito” processors — with an announcement by Intel in July 2006. This all means that determining relative performance is comparatively difficult, particularly when comparing across differing Intel microprocessor cores and shrinks. But it's getting a little better.

In addition to raw performance, the features and the system prices are also (obviously) key to the Hobbyist decision. To assist Hobbyists with the selection process and the selection decisions, a HoffmanLabs Rule of Thumb is available below.

top of pageHP Integrity Servers

Various HP Integrity system models are available, with the models of interest to hobbyists discussed within the following sections.

HP Integrity rx3600 (and rx6600) Series

The rx3600, and its double-sized rx6600 series (or is the rx3600 series a half-sized rx6600?), are among the first Integrity servers based on the Intel Itanium 2 series “Montecito” processors.

These boxes and this series are new — announced September 2006 — and are (at least right now) unlikely to be widely available on the Hobbyist market.

Well, unless a Hobbyist simply purchases one of these boxes new.

HP Integrity rx2600, rx2620 Series, and zx2000, zx6000 Series

Different faces of a similar system platform, these are the server (rx) and the (now retired) workstation (zx) variants of the same basic hardware internals.

The zx2000 provides a larger physical enclosure and room for two external 5.25 inch IDE ATA and ATAPI storage bays and two internal disk storage bays, while the rx2600, rx2620 and zx6000 series share the same physical case size, 2U rack spacing (or a pedestal mount), and I/O options, including room for three traditional HP disk storage bricks and a slimline 12.7mm optical drive.

The zx2000 and zx6000 workstations and any of the Integrity series systems with Itanium processors in the McKinley family (older 1 GHz, and slower, Itanium processors) are not supported by OpenVMS I64. (Officially, only Madison and later Itanium processors are supported by OpenVMS.) Hobbyists have reportedly found various of the workstation configurations including those based on McKinley-based systems can be gotten to boot and to work with minimal effort, when configured with the ATi Radeon graphics option and/or options supported by the rx2600 or rx2620 series.

If you want to use the rx2600 or rx2620 series with a graphics display (and strictly as a DECwindows X Windows display, and not as a classic Alpha or VAX graphics console), you will want to acquire the Management Processor, available variously as a standard feature or as an option depending on the platform configuration. (Based on materials available from HP, the zx6000 also has room for a Management Processor.)

For use in typical hobbyist environments, the so-called Office Environment or Office-Friendly (read: quiet) pedestal configuration is recommended by HoffmanLabs; this is the pedestal configuration specifically with the AD244A option with the Integrity rx2620 series.

The AD244A option eliminates the redundant cooling and redundant power options available with the standard rack-mount configurations, but it makes the rx2620 system far quieter and far more suitable for use within a typical hobbyist environment. (If you have your own hobbyist computer room with dedicated cooling, racks, raised floors and acoustically-rated exhibit-grade observation windows, you might not want to bother. If the rx2620 box will be installed under or next to your desk in the classic foot-warmer configuration, HoffmanLabs encourages serious consideration of this quieter option.)

The AD244A option reportedly requires the HA113A1 (#53E) service visit by HP if/when retrofit into an rx2620 series system, as this option is reportedly not installable by an end-user. This AD244A option can also apparently be ordered with and factory-integrated with new rx2620 systems.

The zx2000 and zx6000 series were intended for use in office environments, and are quiet. (See the HP QuickSpecs for accoustical output and for other installation and environmental details.)

Itanium processors seen in the rx2600 and rx2620 series are the “McKinley”-, “Madison”-, and “Montecito”-class Itanium microprocessors, respectively from lowest to highest performance.)

HP Integrity rx1600 and rx1620 Series

The smallest and lowest-cost Integrity server. 1U rackmount.

This is a comparatively loud server in its normal operations, and intended for installations into computer rooms and racks. Not a particularly good choice for mounting under a desk or in an office, and not available from HP in pedestal configurations. Works great in a computer room rack configuration.

Do consider the Management Processor option.

Other HP Integrity Series Systems

These are nice higher-end boxes, but are generally somewhat less available and/or less affordable for OpenVMS Hobbyists. Integrity server systems with rx-series model numbers rx4000 and up generally require specific power, cooling and such, as well. (This as differentiated from the zx-series zx2000 and zx6000 series workstations.)

As additional Integrity systems debut and as these then-older systems are retired, these higher-end systems may well become more widely available to Hobbyists.

As there are OpenVMS Hobbyists with various AlphaServer 8400 series (TurboLaser-class) and other higher-end Alpha systems, at least one hobbyist will probably eventually acquire most any high-end Integrity server available.

There are a few older Integrity servers which HP indicates are not and will not be supported by OpenVMS I64, such as the Integrity rx5670 series. The first generation of Integrity Blades may or may not (eventually) be supported by OpenVMS I64; as of this writing, no Integrity Blades are supported, though future support for (unspecified) blades is included in the HP OpenVMS roadmap.

As mentioned earlier, HP also indicates that systems with McKinley-class Itanium processors, and the zx2000 and zx6000 series workstation boxes, are not supported by OpenVMS I64. These McKinley-based rx2600 series and these workstation series boxes are, however,apparently sufficiently similar to supported systems however, and hobbyists have been seen to bootstrap these configurations. (This, unlike the Integrity rx5670 series and the currently-available HP Integrity Blades, neither of which have been seen to nor reported to bootstrap OpenVMS I64, and neither of which are apparently sufficiently similar to any boxes that HP presently supports with OpenVMS I64.)

HoffmanLabs hasn't seen and hasn't seen any reports of OpenVMS I64 successfully bootstapping on non-HP servers with Itanium processors; the feasibility of a successful bootstrap on non-HP hardware is not known.

top of pageThe Management Processor and the Graphics Interface

If you are interested in baseline (ATi Radeon 7000-class) DECwindows graphics capabilities with your Integrity server, and you also want to avoid filling a PCI slot with a traditional PCI graphics controller, consider acquiring a management processor. Beyond the embedded graphics controller capabilities, the management processor also offers the obvious remote management capabilities, which can be quite useful. (OpenVMS I64 apparently does not support AGP-based graphics.)

Alternatively, you can utilize the remote display capabilities of X Windows implementations such as the DECwindows software, and avoid the need to install a graphics controller. This remote display approach does obviously require a network connection and an X Server, of course.

Or you can use one of the most traditional of all approaches, and utilize the EFI serial console or management, and connect into the system via IP or DECnet network connections.

top of pageChoices, and the Hobbyist Hardware Rule Of Thumb

Which Integrity system to choose? The Rule of Thumb for OpenVMS Hobbyists: check with HP and HP product documentation. Usual best choices for an OpenVMS Hobbyist include the Integrity rx2600, rx2620 (with the office-friendly option) series servers, and the zx2000 or zx6000 workstation series.

You will probably want to acquire an Integrity system with an Intel Itanium DP, DP Low Voltage, or MP processor. This will typically net you a Madison- or Deerfield-class Itanium processor, for what that Intel code-name translation is worth — also remember to check the HP platform support status within the OpenVMS Software Product Description (SPD) for any system(s) of interest, as well, as that will indicate which platforms and configurations have been formally tested. Systems with early-adopter Merced or early-generation McKinley series Itanium processors are not officially supported by OpenVMS I64, per HP.

Many of these Integrity server systems are clearly intended and designed for installation into the dedicated environment of a computer room, and into computer room rack-based cabinetry. Accordingly, do confirm the HP QuickSpecs for environmental data, and for system and mounting requirements and particularly if you plan to use one of these systems outside of a dedicated computer room.

HoffmanLabs recommends and encourages the office-friendly AD244A option (and the HA113A1 (#53E) installation retrofit service, as required) for rx2620 series boxes in typical hobbyist environments.

HP reportedly does not offer quieter rx1600 nor rx1620 series systems, nor any office office environment retrofit conversion kits for any of the rx16xx 1U series. These 1U series boxes (like blade servers, for that matter) are clearly designed and intended for rack-and-stack installation into and use within dedicated computer rooms; these are comparatively loud.

The AD244A/HA113A1 (#53E) options might or might not install into the rx2600 series; that is not presently known. Do check with HP here, particularly if you have an rx2600 presently best suited for use in a computer room (read: a loud rx2600). (If you know if this kit does or does not install in an rx2600 series, do let HoffmanLabs know. Those older rx2600 series systems encountered by HoffmanLabs have been quiet.)

The zx2000 and zx6000 series workstations were intended for use in office environments, and thus also in typical hobbyist environments.