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System Overview

Dell™ PowerEdge™ 2650 Systems User's Guide

  System Status Indicators

  System Identification Indicators

  Front-Panel Features

  Back-Panel Features

  System Features

  Supported Operating Systems

  Power Protection Devices

  Other Documents You May Need

  Obtaining Technical Assistance

Your system is a multipurpose, highly-available, rack-dense server with two Intel® Xeon™ microprocessors.

This section describes the major hardware and software features of your system and provides information about the system status indicators, and indicators on the system's front and back panels. It also provides information about other documents you may need when setting up your system and how to obtain technical assistance.

System Status Indicators

The system's bezel has an indictor that can represent system status when the bezel is installed (see Figure 1-1). The indicator signifies when the system is operating properly, when the system needs attention, or when the system is being identified (see "System Identification Indicators"). The back-panel indicator connector allows an indicator to be attached that will function the same as the bezel system status indicator. A caution code signifies a problem with microprocessors, power supply, system or power-supply fans, system temperature, hard drives, system memory, expansion cards, or the integrated SCSI controller. (See your Installation and Troubleshooting Guide for more information.) When the bezel is off, the LCD status display assumes all of the functions of the system status indicator (see "Status LCD").

Table 1-1 and Table 1-2 list the system's status indicator codes.

Figure 1-1. System Status Indicator

Table 1-1. Bezel System Status Indicator Codes

Status Indicator	Caution Indicator	Indicator Code
Off	Off	No power is available to the system, or the system is not powered on.
On	Off	The system is operating normally.
Off	Blinking	The system has detected an error and requires attention.
Blinking	Off	The system is identifying itself.
Blinking	Blinking or Off	Systems management software causes the status indicator to blink to identify a particular system.

Table 1-2. Back-Panel System Status Indicator Codes

Indicator	Indicator Code
Off	No power is available to the system, or the system is not powered on.
Blue	The system is operating normally.
Amber blinking	The system has detected an error and requires attention.
Blue blinking	The system is identifying itself. NOTE: Server management software causes the indicator to blink to identify a particular system.

System Identification Indicators

You can use identification buttons on the front and back panels to locate a particular system within a rack. When you press either of these buttons, the identification indicator on the back and status indicator on the front bezel blink until you press one of the buttons again. If the bezel is removed, the LCD display blinks blue.

See Figure 1-2 to locate the front-panel system identification button. See "Back-Panel Features" to locate the back-panel system identification button and indicator.

Front-Panel Features

Additional indicators for system power and drives are located behind the bezel. The front-panel status LCD provides information by using an alphanumeric character display (see "Status LCD").

Figure 1-2 shows the front-panel features of the system. Table 1-3 describes the front-panel features.

Figure 1-2. Front-Panel Features

Table 1-3. Front-Panel Features

Component	Description
Power button	Turns system power off and on. If you turn off the system using the power button and the system is running an ACPI-compliant operating system (such as Microsoft® Windows® 2000), the system can perform an orderly shutdown before power is turned off. If the system is not running an ACPI-compliant operating system, power is turned off immediately after the power button is pressed. The button is enabled in the System Setup program. When disabled, the button can only turn system power on.
Power indicators	Provides information on power status (see "NIC Indicators").
CD and diskette drive indicators	Indicate read or write access to the respective drive.
hard drive indicators	Provide information on the status of the respective hard drive (see "SCSI Hard-Drive Indicators").
NIC indicators	Indicate whether the NIC has a valid link to the network (see "NIC Indicator Codes").
Status LCD	Signifies when the system is operating correctly or when the system needs attention (see "Status LCD").
System identification button	Used to identify a particular system (see "System Identification Indicators").
NMI button	Can be used to troubleshoot software and device driver errors when using certain operating systems. This button is often referred to as a "force dump switch" and can be pressed using the end of a paper clip. When the option is enabled in the System Setup program and the button is pressed, an NMI alerts the system. Use this button only if directed to do so by qualified support personnel or by the operating system's documentation.

The front panel also features a USB connector, video connector, and PS/2 connector (see Figure 1-2) for connecting a mouse and keyboard using a Y-cable.

Power Indicator

The system has indicators on the front panel and the power supplies that denote system power status (see Figure 1-2).

Power Indicator Codes

The power button controls the AC power input to the system's power supplies. The power button indicator can provide information on power status.

Table 1-4 lists the power-button indicator codes.

Table 1-4. Power Indicator Codes

Indicator	Indicator Code
On	Indicates that power is supplied to the system, and the system is operational.
Off	Indicates that no power is supplied to the system.
Blinking	Indicates that power is supplied to the system, but the system is in a standby state. For more information on standby states, see your operating system documentation.

SCSI Hard-Drive Indicators

Each SCSI hard-drive carrier has two indicators: a busy indicator and a status indicator (see Figure 1-3). The indicators provide information on the status of the respective hard drive. Table 1-5 lists the drive indicator codes.

Figure 1-3. SCSI Hard-Drive Indicators

Table 1-5 lists the drive indicator codes. Different codes display as drive events occur in the system. For example, in the event of a hard-drive failure, the "drive fail" code appears. After the drive is selected for removal, the "prepared for removal" code appears. After the replacement drive is installed, the "prepared for operation, drive online" code appears.

Table 1-5. SCSI Hard-Drive Indicator Codes

Indicator	Indicator Code
Drive bay empty, ready for insertion or removal	Off
Drive being prepared for operation, drive online	Steady green
Identify drive	Blinks green four times per second
Drive being prepared for removal	Blinks green twice per second at equal intervals
Drive rebuilding	Blinks green twice per second at unequal intervals
Drive failed	Blinks amber four times per second
Predicted failure for the drive	Blinks green, then amber, and then off, repeating this sequence every two seconds
Drive online	Steady green
NOTE: The "drive busy" indicator signifies whether the hard drive is active on the SCSI bus. This indicator is controlled by the hard drive.

Status LCD

The system's bezel indicator (see Figure 1-2) shows when the system is operating correctly, when the system needs attention, or when the system is being identified (see "System Identification Indicators"). When the bezel indicator signals an error condition, open the bezel to see further information provided be the LCD.

The LCD can display two lines of alphanumeric characters. The display codes are presented in two color combinations:

• White characters on a blue background — Information only; no action is required.
  
  
• Amber character on a black background — The system needs attention.
  
  

For more information about LCD status messages, see your Installation and Troubleshooting Guide.

Back-Panel Features

Figure 1-4 shows the back-panel features of the system. Table 1-6 describes the back-panel features.

Figure 1-4. Back-Panel Features

Table 1-6. Back-Panel Features

Component	Description
Power supply indicators	Provide information on power status (see "Power-Supply Indicator Codes").
NIC indicators	Provide information on NIC status (see "NIC Indicator Codes").
System status indicator connector	Connects to an indicator that can denote when the system is operating correctly or when the system needs attention (see "Bezel System Status Indicator Codes").
System identification button	Is used to identify a particular system (see your Installation and Troubleshooting Guide for more information).

Power-Supply Indicator

Each hot-pluggable power supply has indicators that can provide information on power status, fault, and the presence of AC power (see Figure 1-5). Table 1-7 lists the power-supply indicator codes.

Figure 1-5. Power-Supply Indicators

Table 1-7. Power-Supply Indicator Codes

Indicator	Indicator Code
Power-on	Green indicates that the power supply is operational.
Fault	Red indicates a problem with the power supply (fan failure, voltage error, etc.).
AC power present	Green indicates that AC power is present at the power supply and that the system is connected to an AC power source.

NIC Indicators

Each NIC on the back panel has an indicator that provides information on network activity and link status (see Figure 1-6). Table 1-8 lists the NIC indicator codes on the back panel.

The front panel has a link indicator for each NIC (see Figure 1-2). Each indicator signifies whether the corresponding NIC is connected to a valid link partner on the network.

Figure 1-6. NIC Indicators

Table 1-8. NIC Indicator Codes

Link Indicator	Activity Indicator	Indicator Code
Off	Off	The NIC is not connected to the network.
Green		The NIC is connected to a valid link partner on the network.
	Amber blinking	Network data is being sent or received.

System Features

• One or two Intel Xeon microprocessors with an internal operating speed of at least 1.8 GHz, a 512 KB cache, and a front-side (external) bus speed of 400 MHz.
  
  
• SMP, which is available on systems with two Xeon microprocessors. SMP greatly improves overall system performance by dividing microprocessor operations between independent microprocessors. To take advantage of this feature, you must use an operating system that supports multiprocessing.
  
  
• A minimum of 256 MB of system memory, upgradable to a maximum of 6 GB by installing identical pairs of DDR SDRAM memory modules in the six memory module sockets on the system board.
  
  
• Support for up to five 1-inch, internal Ultra3 SCSI hard drives (with hot-plug capacity when using the optional ROMB card).
  
  
• A single, 1.44-MB, 3.5-inch diskette drive.
  
  
• An IDE CD or DVD drive.
  
  
• Up to two hot-pluggable, 500-W power supplies in a 1 + 1 redundant configuration.
  
  
• Hot-pluggable system cooling fans and two additional fans integrated in the power supplies.
  
  
• An intrusion switch that signals the appropriate systems management software if the bezel is removed.
  
  

System Board Features

• Three 64-bit PCI/PCI-X slots located on the riser card (two slots on bus 1 and one slot on bus 2). Slots accept full-length cards designed for PCI-X 133 MHz, 100 MHz, 66 MHz, or 33 MHz.
  
  
• An integrated VGA-compatible video subsystem with an ATI RAGE XL video controller. This video subsystem contains 8 MB of SDRAM video memory (nonupgradable). Maximum resolution is 1600 x 1200 x 16.7 million colors (noninterlaced).
  
  
• An integrated, dual-channel Ultra3 SCSI host adapter. The internal channel supports up to five SCSI hard drives on a 1 x 5 or 2 + 3 split SCSI backplane and provides internal RAID support. The SCSI backplane automatically configures SCSI ID numbers and SCSI termination on individual hard drives, greatly simplifying drive installation.
  
  
• Memory spare row feature, which provides your system with failover to a previously reserved row of memory if one row of memory fails.
  
  
• Optional ROMB through an integrated subsystem that incorporates a 128 MB cache memory module, a RAID battery, and a RAID key.
  
  
• Two integrated 10/100/1000 NICs, which provide an Ethernet interface.
  
  
• Embedded systems management circuitry that monitors operation of the system fans as well as critical system voltages and temperatures. The systems management circuitry works in conjunction with your systems management software.
  
  
• Back-panel connectors including video, keyboard, mouse, two serial, two USB, embedded remote access Ethernet, and two NICs.
  
  
• Front-panel connectors including video, keyboard, mouse, and USB.
  
  

For more information about specific features, see "Technical Specifications."

Software Features

The following software is included with your system:

• A System Setup program for quickly viewing and changing system configuration information. For more information on this program, see "Using the System Setup Program."
  
  
• Enhanced security features, including a system password and a setup password, available through the System Setup program.
  
  
• System diagnostics for evaluating system components and devices. For information on using the system diagnostics, see "Running System Diagnostics" in your Installation and Troubleshooting Guide.
  
  
• Video drivers for displaying many application programs in high-resolution modes. For more information on drivers, see "Using the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD."
  
  
• SCSI device drivers that allow the operating system to communicate with devices attached to the integrated SCSI subsystem. For more information on drivers, see "Installing and Configuring SCSI Drivers."
  
  
• Systems management software and documentation.
  
  
• Optional solutions software for web hosting, caching, or load balancing. See your solutions software documentation for more information.
  
  

Supported Operating Systems

• Microsoft Windows 2000 Server and Advanced Server
  
  
• Windows NT® 4.0 Server, Enterprise Edition
  
  
• Red Hat Linux 7.x
  
  

Power Protection Devices

A number of devices are available to protect your system from the effects of power problems such as power surges, transients, and power failures. The following subsections describe some of these devices.

Surge Protectors

Surge protectors are available in a variety of types and usually provide a level of protection commensurate with the cost of the device. Surge protectors prevent overvoltage spikes, such as those that may occur during an electrical storm, from entering the system through the electrical outlet. Surge protectors do not offer protection against brownouts, which occur when the voltage drops more than 20 percent below the normal AC line voltage level.

Line Conditioners

Line conditioners go beyond the overvoltage protection of surge protectors. Line conditioners keep a system's AC power source voltage at a fairly constant level and provide protection from brownouts of short duration. Because of this added protection, line conditioners cost more than surge protectors—up to several hundred dollars. However, these devices cannot protect against a complete loss of power.

Uninterruptible Power Supplies

UPS systems offer the most complete protection against variations in power because they use battery power to keep the system running when AC power is unavailable or unusable. The battery is charged by the AC power while it is available so that once AC power is lost, the battery can provide power to the system for a limited amount of time—from 15 minutes to an hour or so—depending on the UPS system.

UPS systems that provide only 5 minutes of battery power allow you to conduct shutdown of the system but are not intended to provide continued operation. Use surge protectors with all UPS systems, and ensure that the UPS systems are UL safety approved.

Other Documents You May Need

Besides this User's Guide, the following documentation is included with your system:

• The Setting Up Your System document provides general instructions for setting up your system.
  
  
• The System Information document provides important safety and regulatory information. Warranty information might be included within this document or as a separate document.
  
  
• The Rack Installation Guide describes how to unpack, set up, and install your system in a rack.
  
  
• The Installation and Troubleshooting Guide describes how to install, troubleshoot, and upgrade your system.
  
  
• The systems management software documentation describes the features, requirements, installation, and basic operation of the system management software. See the software's online help for information about the alert messages issued by the software.
  
  
• Operating system documentation describes how to install (if necessary), configure, and use the operating system software.
  
  
• Documentation included with any options you purchased separately from the system, which provides information you need to configure and install these options in your system.
  
  

You may also have the following documents.

• Documentation updates are sometimes included with the system to describe changes to the system or software.
  
  

NOTE: Always read these updates before consulting any other documentation because the updates often contain information that supersedes the information in the other documents.

• Optional solutions software documentation for web hosting, caching, or load balancing information.
  
  
• Technical information files—sometimes called "readme" files—may be installed on the hard drive to provide last-minute updates about technical changes to the system or advanced technical reference material intended for experienced users or technicians.
  
  

Obtaining Technical Assistance

If at any time you do not understand a procedure described in this guide or if your system does not perform as expected, a number of tools are provided to assist you. For more information on these help tools, see "Getting Help" in your Installation and Troubleshooting Guide.

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