Node canisters

Boot drive and TPM

Each node canister has two externally accessible boot drives, which hold the system software and associated logs and diagnostics. The boot drives are also used to save the system state and cache data if there is an unexpected power-loss to the system or canister.

The system supports hardware root of trust and secure boot operations, which protect against unauthorized physical access to the hardware and prevents malicious software from running on the system.

The system provides secure boot by pairing the boot drive with the Trusted Platform Module (TPM). The TPM provides a secure cryptographic processor that performs verification of hardware and prevents unauthorized access to hardware and the operating system. The TPM protects secure boot to ensure that the installed code images are signed, trusted, and unchanged.

As the system boots, the TPM acquires hash values from each part of the boot (software and configuration settings) in a process that is known as measuring. If a particular set of hash values reach the right values, TPM secures and locks this information into the TPM. This process is known as sealing information into the TPM. After the information is sealed within the TPM, it can only be unsealed if the boot arrives at the correct hash values. TPM verifies each of these hash values and unlocks the operating system only during a boot operation when these values are correct.

Batteries

Each node canister contains two redundant battery, which provide power to the canister if there is an unexpected power loss. This allows the canister to safely save system state and cached data.

Node canister indicators

A node canister has several LED indicators, which convey information about the current state of the node.

Node canister ports

Each node canister has the following on-board ports:

Table 1. Node canister ports

Port Marking	Logical port name	Connection and Speed	Function
1	Ethernet port 1	RJ45 copper, 1 Gbps	Primary Management IP Service IP
2	Ethernet port 2	RJ45 copper, 1 Gbps	Secondary Management IP (optional)
	Technician port	RJ45 copper, 1 Gbps	DCHP port direct service management
	USB port	USB type A	Encryption key storage, Diagnostics collection May be disabled

Adapter cards

Each canister contains three removable adapter cages, each of which may contain up to two network adapter cards. These adapter cages connect with a single x16 PCIe connector on the main canister board, and have two connectors into which adapter cards can be inserted. If an adapter is present in the higher-numbered of the two slots in the cage, the x16 link is split into two x8 links. Otherwise, all 16 lanes are routed to the lower-numbered slot.

Adapter slots 3 and 4 are not in a removable cage, and are used for the Compression Accelerator card (fixed configuration).

Port Numbering

For each adapter card, ports are numbered downwards from top to bottom. Fibre Channel cards have a fixed relationship between port numbers and slot number.

Note: The cards are populated in order of slots 1, 2 followed by 7, 8 then 5, 6 to ensure best performance. The card in slots 7 and 8 will be numbered as shown even if there are not Fibre Channel adapters in slots 5 and 6.

Table 5. Port numberings

Adapter slot numbers	1	2	5	6	7	8
Fibre channel port numbers	1	5	9	13	17	21
	2	6	10	14	18	22
	3	7	11	15	19	23
	4	8	12	16	20	24

Ethernet port numbering starts with the on-board ports (1, 2) and then progresses incrementally across any installed adapter cards, starting with the leftmost slot and numbering down each adapter in turn.

Memory configurations