System x · rack (now Lenovo, EOL as IBM brand)
Models. x3550 M4/M5, x3650 M4/M5, x3850 X5/X6, x3950 X6
Typical use. Banks, public administration, manufacturing
IMM2 + HMC / ASMI · original & refurbished spares
IBM System x / Power Systems server repair.
IBM hardware repair across two distinct domains: the legacy System x line (acquired by Lenovo in 2014, still everywhere) and the proprietary Power Systems line (POWER9/POWER10) — coordinating with AIX/IBM i specialist when the operating system is involved. Diagnostics via IMM2, HMC or ASMI depending on family.
Brand context
IBM System x / Power Systems: who uses it, why it matters.
IBM is one of the historic names in enterprise IT. Today it pays to distinguish two completely different families: System x (the x86 line ex-IBM, transferred to Lenovo in 2014, still widely in production even if legacy) and Power Systems (proprietary POWER architecture, AIX and IBM i, still active and supported by IBM itself).
Families and models covered
We know where to source spares for every series.
The two major branches of IBM presence in Italian datacenters: legacy x86 System x and Power Systems RISC.
System x · legacy tower
Models. x3500 M4, x3650 T
Typical use. Legacy branch office, industrial applications
Power Systems · single socket
Models. Power S822L, S822, S914, S922
Typical use. AIX, IBM i, mission-critical industrial applications
Power Systems · multi-socket high-end
Models. Power E950, E980, E1050, E1080
Typical use. Large-scale Oracle/DB2 databases, SAP HANA on Power, enterprise AIX
BladeCenter (legacy)
Models. BladeCenter H/E + HS22, HS23
Typical use. Older consolidated datacenters
Out-of-band management
Diagnostics via IMM2 + HMC / ASMI.
On System x (legacy x86) the BMC is IMM2 (Integrated Management Module 2), succeeded by XClarity Controller (XCC) after Lenovo acquisition. IMM2 was advanced for its time: full SEL, temperature/voltage/current sensors, virtual media, graphical remote KVM with Advanced Upgrade license.
SEL reading via IMM2 web UI or via ipmitool on a dedicated network. For diagnosing intermittent failures on x3650 M5/x3850 X6 models: DSA (Dynamic System Analysis) report extraction, containing a complete hardware-state snapshot.
On Power Systems management changes completely. HMC (Hardware Management Console) is a dedicated machine managing one or more POWER systems and their LPARs. ASMI (Advanced System Management Interface) is the direct management interface for each system. POWER diagnostics are highly structured: SRC codes (System Reference Codes), error logs in HMC and AIX/IBM i. For Power Systems we work in coordination with AIX/IBM i specialists from the group.
Diagnostic example
How we "read" a IBM in production.
Anonymized real SEL extract on a IBM System x / Power Systems showing specific symptoms. The fault was in the logs from previous days.
1 | 02/14/2026 | 11:08:09 | Memory ECC Correctable · DIMM CPU1.D1
14 | 02/19/2026 | 09:24:51 | Memory ECC Correctable · DIMM CPU1.D1 (threshold)
32 | 02/24/2026 | 18:55:22 | Memory ECC Uncorrectable · DIMM CPU1.D1
33 | 02/24/2026 | 18:55:22 | System Reboot MCE machine check abort
| → DIMM CPU1.D1 replacement · 16GB DDR4 RDIMM IBM/Lenovo equivalent
What we do on the hardware
Specific IBM interventions.
System x · motherboard replacement. On x3550 M5, x3650 M5, x3850 X6: planar replacement with ServeRAID config re-import, UEFI/BIOS restore, possible IMM2 Advanced re-license. We preserve VPD (Vital Product Data) where technically possible.
System x · ECC DIMM. SEL reading via IMM2 to identify slot and socket. Replacement with IBM Original or compatible equivalent (DDR3, DDR4 by generation).
System x · ServeRAID controllers. Repair and replacement of ServeRAID M5210, M5225, M1215, H1110. Cache battery replacement. Array recovery after controller failure with configuration import.
System x · redundant PSUs. Replacement of 750W / 900W / 1100W Platinum PSUs on N+1 configurations. On x3850 X6 and x3950 X6 (4U/8U scale-up): verification of total power considering multiple CPUs/RAM.
System x · thermal paste refresh on Xeon E5-2600 v3/v4 (Haswell-EP/Broadwell-EP, LGA2011-3) typically used on this generation. Thermal trend analysis via IMM2 sensor data.
Power Systems · hardware interventions. On S922, E980, E1080: Power DIMM (dedicated RDIMM) replacement, POWER-specific PSUs, FSP/eBMC management device replacement and diagnostics, anomalous SRC code recovery, compute node/I/O drawer replacement. For each Power intervention we coordinate with the group's AIX/IBM i specialist.
BladeCenter legacy. On BladeCenter H/E still in production: HS22/HS23 blade replacement, Advanced Management Module (AMM), interconnects, chassis fans. Spare sourcing via certified refurbished.
Spare-parts strategy
Original, refurbished, equivalents — always disclosed.
System x: Lenovo channel (post-2014). Lenovo took over support of the ex-IBM x86 line. For models still in active support (rare, all EOL by now) parts may still come from the Lenovo channel.
System x: certified refurbished. Standard mode now. We work with the tnsolutions group's refurbished pool: motherboards, IMM2, IBM/Lenovo DIMMs, ServeRAID, PSUs. Always with warranty.
Power Systems: IBM channel. IBM maintains active Power Systems support with official parts for models in active support (new S922, E980, E1080). On older models we manage via refurbished or compatible donors.
EOL System x sourcing. On x3550 M5, x3650 M5, x3850 X6, x3950 X6: we source motherboards, IMM2, IBM DIMMs, ServeRAID M5210 via refurbished or donors.
FAQ · IBM repair
What customers ask before sending us a IBM.
Difference between IBM System x and IBM Power Systems? Do you work on both?
Yes, on both but with different modes. System x is the x86 ex-IBM line, transferred to Lenovo in 2014 — it's standard x86 hardware, we work directly (motherboards, DIMMs, ServeRAID, IMM2). Power Systems is the proprietary POWER architecture (POWER9/POWER10) with AIX/IBM i: the hardware part (replacements, HMC/ASMI diagnostics) is ours, but for any OS-level analysis we coordinate with an AIX specialist from the group.
Are old IBM System x (x3650 M4/M5, x3850 X6) still supportable?
Yes, still widely in production in banks, public administration, manufacturing. Lenovo officially no longer supports them. We maintain spares via certified refurbished and compatible donors: motherboards, IMM2, ServeRAID M5210, DDR3/DDR4 RDIMM (by generation), PSUs. On IMM2 we have firmware-corruption recovery procedures.
Do you work on IBM Power S922, E980, E1080 for AIX or IBM i?
On the hardware yes: Power DIMM replacement, PSUs, FSP/eBMC, work on compute and I/O drawer nodes, HMC/ASMI diagnostics and SRC codes. For AIX/IBM i (administration, LPAR config, PowerVM) we coordinate with a specialist from the group. It's a specialized domain where hardware-software integration matters a lot.
On a Power System fault what timeframes should I expect?
Initial diagnosis via HMC within 24-48h of intake (log extraction, SRC code analysis, FRU identification). Intervention depends on parts availability: on models in active support typically 24-72h from when we order from the IBM channel; on older models, more time may be needed for refurbished or donors. For AIX-side coordination with the partner: similar timing.
Do you repair old BladeCenter H/E still in production?
Yes, on residual cases. BladeCenter has been officially EOL for years but some datacenters still have them. We work on individual HS22/HS23 blade replacements, Advanced Management Module, interconnects, chassis fans. Our recommendation is always to plan migration: BladeCenter is 12-15-year-old technology, renewal can't be deferred forever.
Got a IBM System x / Power Systems with issues?
Send service tag, IMM2 + HMC / ASMI logs, symptoms.
Quote in 24-48h. Parts and labor split transparently. NDA available before sharing details.