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Front I/O assembly

The front I/O assembly of the server provides controls, connectors, and LEDs. The front I/O assembly varies by model.

The following illustrations show the controls, connectors, and LEDs on the front I/O assembly of the server. To locate the front I/O assembly, see Front view.
Figure 1. Front I/O assembly for server models with eight 3.5-inch-drive bays, eight 2.5-inch-drive bays, and sixteen 2.5-inch-drive bays
Front I/O assembly for server models with eight 3.5-inch-drive bays, eight 2.5-inch-drive bays, and sixteen 2.5-inch-drive bays
Figure 2. Front I/O assembly for server models with twelve 3.5-inch-drive bays
Front I/O assembly for server models with twelve 3.5-inch-drive bays
Table 1. Components on the front I/O assembly
1 XClarity Controller USB connector2 USB 3.0 connector
3 Power button with power status LED4 Network activity LED
5 System ID button with system ID LED6 System error LED

1 XClarity Controller USB connector

Depending on the setting, this connector supports USB 2.0 function, XClarity Controller management function, or both.

  • If the connector is set for USB 2.0 function, you can attach a device that requires a USB 2.0 connection, such as a keyboard, a mouse, or a USB storage device.

  • If the connector is set for XClarity Controller management function, you can attach a mobile device installed with the application to run XClarity Controller event logs.

  • If the connector is set to have both functions, you can press the system ID button for three seconds to switch between the two functions.

For more information, see Set the network connection for the Lenovo XClarity Controller.

2 USB 3.0 connector

Used to attach a device that requires a USB 2.0 or 3.0 connection, such as a keyboard, a mouse, or a USB storage device.

3 Power button with power status LED

You can press the power button to turn on the server when you finish setting up the server. You also can hold the power button for several seconds to turn off the server if you cannot turn off the server from the operating system. The power status LED helps you to determine the current power status.
StatusColorDescription
Solid onGreenThe server is on and running.
Slow blinking (about one flash per second)GreenThe server is off and is ready to be powered on (standby state).
Fast blinking (about four flashes per second)GreenThe server is off, but the XClarity Controller is initializing, and the server is not ready to be powered on.
OffNoneThere is no ac power applied to the server.

Compatibility of the NIC LED and the network activity LED

NIC adapterNetwork activity LED
LOM adapterSupport
ML2 NIC adapterSupport
PCIE NIC adapterNot support

4 Network activity LED

The network activity LED on the front I/O assembly helps you identify the network connectivity and activity.

StatusColorDescription
OnGreenThe server is connected to a network.
BlinkingGreenThe network is connected and active.
OffNoneThe server is disconnected from the network.

5 System ID button with system ID LED

Use this system ID button and the blue system ID LED to visually locate the server. A system ID LED is also located on the rear of the server. Each time you press the system ID button, the state of both the system ID LEDs changes. The LEDs can be changed to on, blinking, or off. You can also use the Lenovo XClarity Controller or a remote management program to change the state of the system ID LEDs to assist in visually locating the server among other servers.

If the XClarity Controller USB connector is set to have both the USB 2.0 function and XClarity Controller management function, you can press the system ID button for three seconds to switch between the two functions.

6 System error LED

The system error LED provides basic diagnostic functions for your server. If the system error LED is lit, one or more LEDs elsewhere in the server might also be lit to direct you to the source of the error.

StatusColorDescriptionAction
OnYellowAn error has been detected on the server. Causes might include but not limited to the following errors:

  • The temperature of the server reached the non-critical temperature threshold.

  • The voltage of the server reached the non-critical voltage threshold.

  • A fan has been detected to be running at low speed.

  • A hot-swap fan has been removed.

  • The power supply has a critical error.

  • The power supply is not connected to the power.

Check the event log to determine the exact cause of the error.

For information about troubleshooting, see Troubleshooting by symptom.

OffNoneThe server is off or the server is on and is working correctly.None.