Re: Memory costs -- MIDRANGE-L

Well here's the real deal.

1) There ARE rules which must be followed.

1a) DIMMs must be added in PAIRs or QUADs (varies by system andprocessor type) These rules simply cannot be broken on i5s because youorder one feature code and get either two or four DIMMs depending on thefeature.1b) Memory is required on every processor card in the system. So foran i570 with 8 processors installed (Not activated but installed) youmust have at least four memory features - one for each processor card(Two processors per card). For a 520 that means one memory featureminimum. If you break this rule the system is not orderable and will notbe built.

2) You order feature codes through your BP. Rochester will NOTsubstitute memory features to save themselves money. If the featuresyou need are not available your machine won't be built. (This is rarebut it happens) If you said "Gimme 8GB Please" and the BP didn't ask youhow you wanted that 8GB configured then they screwed up. A competent BPwould ask questions like: "Do you expect growth". "Are you terriblyscrunched for money" and such. Based on the answers they would suggestlower cost but full slots or higher cost with open slots. On largermachines they may suggest CUOD memory. Either way you still get to makethe call.

3) IBM Determines memory placement based on the features you ordered. Wehad a great discussion with several BP folks and some 'really smartpeople' in Rochester where we drew all over some, um, 'napkins' :-)After we got done telling them we wanted control over memory placement,and why, they explained not THAT we were wrong but HOW wrong we were!Turns out they do a huge amount of work under the covers to maximizemachine throughput which our memory placement would *really mess up. Itall has to do with NUMA and which processors are activated when anddoing what. To quote my favorite Vulcan: 'Fascinating.'

So the short of it is the BP screwed up because Rochester built what wasordered. Rochester ALWAYS Builds what was ordered. We atFrankenseries.com, however, build whatever the heck we please. Andsometimes we pay for that.


- Larry

Brian wrote:

Rob,

The machine was checked when it arrived and that is when the conversations
with the BP, AvNet and Rochester occured. I don't specify part numbers;
that's the BP's job. I tell the BP what I want and it's their job to run it
through the IBM configurator and if necessary, hand tune the
configuration to get the results I specified. We have our specifications in
writing and could have pressed the issue but my boss said to just let it go
since it would cost more in wasted time to fight it than it would cost to
just replace the memory. However, IBM and the BP definately lost some
goodwill here.

Kind regards,

BJ


On 3/5/07, rob@xxxxxxxxx <rob@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Double checked with my boss.  You have to be quite clear on the exact part
numbers you are ordering.  You will pay significantly more for the higher
density chips, but if you are planning for growth and are planning on
using the extra slots then it might behoove you to do so.  That is why IBM
does it this way, to keep your initial cost way down.  But if your
paperwork specifically said you are ordering a higher density chip and IBM
gives you the same amount of memory, but it lower density chips then you
have one of two legs to stand on.
If IBM only charged you for the lower price chips then they should offer
you an upgrade path.  However, it would look better if you checked the
order with what you received at installation time, not when you go to
upgrade.
If IBM charged you for the higher density chip then they plain ripped you
off.

Rob Berendt
--
Group Dekko Services, LLC
Dept 01.073
PO Box 2000
Dock 108
6928N 400E
Kendallville, IN 46755
http://www.dekko.com