For IBM Power 7

IBM Power7 Expansions - PCIe I/O Drawers & Storage Units

Discover scalable expansion solutions for IBM Power7 systems. These PCIe I/O drawers, disk expansion units, and storage towers add adapter slots, disk bays, and I/O capacity to support growing workloads in AIX, IBM i, or Linux environments. Designed for rack or tower configurations, they connect via appropriate cables and controllers for enhanced performance and scalability on Power7 servers.

Why Choose Power7 Expansions?

IBM Power7 servers (e.g., 8202-E4B/E4C/E4D, 8231-E2B/E2C/E2D, 9117-MMB/MMC/MMD, 9179-MHB/MHC/MHD, 8408-E8D) benefit from external expansions to increase PCIe adapter capacity and storage beyond internal limits. The 5802 and 5796 PCIe I/O drawers provide additional PCIe Gen2 slots and disk bays, while storage expansion units add high-capacity disk options. These units attach via direct cabling or HSL/OptiConnect, offering redundancy and scalability. Ideal for virtualization, databases, and enterprise applications requiring expanded I/O and storage without full system replacement.

Available IBM Power7 Expansions & Components

• IBM 5802 PCIe Expansion Drawer Feature Code: 5802 12U rack-mount PCIe expansion drawer. Supports up to 12 PCIe Gen2 slots (full-length/full-height) and additional disk bays. Connects via appropriate cables and controllers. Provides scalable I/O for Power7 systems requiring high adapter density.
• IBM 5796 PCIe Expansion Drawer Feature Code: 5796 4U rack-mount PCIe expansion drawer. Supports up to 6 PCIe Gen2 slots and disk bays. Compact I/O expansion for Power7 servers, connects via direct cabling. Ideal for adding adapters and storage in mid-range configurations.
• IBM 5887 Disk Expansion Drawer Feature Code: 5887 4U disk expansion drawer with 24 x 2.5" SAS/SATA bays (hot-swap). Supports high-capacity storage expansion for Power7 systems via SAS controllers and cables. Ideal for disk-intensive workloads requiring additional storage.
• IBM 5877 12x I/O Drawer Feature Code: 5877 PCIe expansion units compatible with 8202-E4x and similar Power7 models. Add PCIe slots via direct attachment. Supports AIX, IBM i, and Linux environments.

Note: Power7 expansions primarily use PCIe Gen2 technology (5802/5796 series). Disk expansions (#5887) support SAS/SATA drives. Always verify exact cable/controller requirements and compatibility for your specific Power7 model.

Compatibility & Support

These expansions are compatible with IBM Power7-based systems, including but not limited to 8202-E4B / E4C / E4D, 8231-E1C / E1D / E2B / E2C / E2D / 8268-E1D, 8205-E6B / E6C / E6D, 8233-E8B / 8236-E8C, 8248-L4T / 8408-E8D / 9109-RMD, 8412-EAD / 9117-MMB / MMC / MMD, 9179-MHB / MHC / MHD, and compatible with AIX, IBM i, and Linux environments.

Refer to individual product pages for exact connection requirements, supported adapters/drives, OS/firmware compatibility, and installation notes. All items include a 60-day limited warranty.