Additional Information on Server Hardware Design

Additional information relating to server hardware design is available from Intel at http://www.intel.com/procs/servers/.
You can also contact the Enterprise Server Group at Intel Corporation:
ESG Server Platform Marketing
CO3-218
Intel Corporation
5220 NE Elam Young Parkway
Hillsboro, OR 97124 USA
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http://www.intel.com/procs/servers/
E-mail: designguide@mail.intel.com
Fax: (503) 677-5503
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A specific hardware model is compatible with Windows NT if it has a Windows NT device driver designed to interact with that hardware model, and if Windows NT and that driver interoperate with the hardware in a stable manner.
Microsoft evaluates hardware compatibility using the Windows NT hardware compatibility tests (HCTs). Windows NT HCTs are run to test the interaction between device drivers and hardware. These tests issue the full range of commands available to applications and operating system software, and they stress hardware beyond the level of most real-world situations. The Windows NT HCT team runs the tests and reports results to the manufacturer. You can obtain a Windows NT HCT kit from the Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) web site at http://www.microsoft.com/hwtest/.
Hardware that passes the tests is eligible to be included on the Windows NT Hardware Compatibility List (HCL), available to customers by way of the World Wide Web and other sources. The HCL helps interested parties identify hardware and software that has been verified to run on Windows NT Server.
WHQL administers the hardware compliance testing programs at Microsoft. Hardware developers whose products pass the WHQL testing program receive a detailed report about how the system runs Windows NT Server based on the results of the testing. Hardware that passes testing is included on the Windows HCL, and drivers are distributed for no fee in the Windows NT Driver Library (WDL).
For information about when the requirements in this guide take effect in the WHQL testing program, or about any of the hardware testing programs at Microsoft, please contact WHQL:
Windows Hardware Quality Labs Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052-6399 USA
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http://www.microsoft.com/hwtest/
E-mail: whqlinfo@microsoft.com
Fax: (425) 703-3872
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Read the first chapter for an overview, and read Chapters 2 and 3 to gain an understanding of the overall system requirements. Study the other chapters to understand details about specific device classes and issues for server hardware.
Chapter
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Contents
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Chapter 1: Overview of Server Design Issues
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Presents overview of server classes and design issues.
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Part 1: Basic Server Requirements
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Defines basic system and device requirements for commodity server design.
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Chapter 2: Basic System Component Requirements
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Presents general system requirements.
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Chapter 3: Basic Bus and Device Requirements
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Presents general bus and device requirements for server systems.
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Chapter 4: Basic Networking and Communications Requirements
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Defines basic feature requirements for network adapters and other related communications hardware.
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Chapter 5: Basic Storage Device Requirements
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Defines requirements for controllers, hard drives, tape drives, CD‑ROM, and related devices.
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Chapter 6: Basic Physical Design and Hardware Security Requirements
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Defines requirements for physical design and hardware security, such as requirements for connectors, locks for case and components, and so on.
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Chapter 7: Basic Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability Requirements
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Provides design guidelines related to ease of use and ease of maintenance issues.
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Part 2: SOHO and Enterprise Server Requirements
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Defines specific requirements for SOHO servers and Enterprise servers as they differ from the generic requirements defined in Part 1.
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Chapter 8: SOHO System Requirements
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Presents specific requirements for SOHO server systems: CPU, memory, power management, buses and devices, storage, Fibre Channel, tape drives, and reliability and availability.
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Chapter 9: Enterprise Server Requirements
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Presents specific requirements for Enterprise server systems: CPU, memory, storage, tape drives, and reliability and availability.
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Appendix A:
Clustering Hardware
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Presents design guidelines for clustering hardware.
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Appendix B: Server Requirements Checklist
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Provides a summary checklist of requirements defined in these guidelines.
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Glossary
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Defines technical terms and acronyms related to hardware and the Windows NT operating system.
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