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What your server offers

Use this information to get an overview of the server functions, features, capabilities, and technologies.

The server uses the following features and technologies:

  • Lenovo XClarity Energy Manager

    Your server supports Lenovo XClarity Energy Manager, a standalone user interface that you can use to monitor and manage the power consumption and temperature of supported servers, including:

    • Monitoring energy consumption, estimating the power demand, and reallocating power to servers as needed.

    • Monitoring the temperature and cooling capacity of servers.

    • Sending notifications when certain events occur or when thresholds are exceeded.

    • Limiting the amount of energy that an endpoint consumes using policies.

    • Optimizing energy efficiency by monitoring real-time inlet temperatures, identifying low-usage servers based on out-of-band power data, measuring power rangers for different server models, and evaluating how servers accommodate new workloads based on the availability of resources.

    • Reducing the power consumption to a minimum level to prolong service time during an emergency power event (such as a data-center power failure).

    For more information about how to download, install, and use Lenovo XClarity Energy Manager, see Lenovo Systems Management website.

  • Dynamic System Analysis (DSA)

    The server comes with the Lenovo Dynamic System Analysis™ (DSA) Preboot diagnostic program stored in the integrated USB memory on the server. DSA collects and analyzes system information to aid in diagnosing server problems, as well as offering a rich set of diagnostic tests of the major components of the server. DSA creates a DSA log, which is a chronologically ordered merge of the system-event log (as the IPMI event log), the integrated management module (IMM) event log (as the ASM event log), and the operating-system event logs. You can send the DSA log as a file to Lenovo Support or view the information as a text file or HTML file.
    Note
    This documentation includes references to IBM web sites, products, and information about obtaining service. IBM is Lenovo's preferred service provider for the Lenovo System x products.

    Two editions of Dynamic System Analysis are available: DSA Portable and DSA Preboot. For more information about both editions, see DSA editions.

  • Features on Demand software Ethernet support

    The server provides Features on Demand software Ethernet support. You can purchase a Features on Demand software upgrade activation key for Fiber Channel over Ethernet and iSCSI storage protocols that is provided through the Ethernet controller. For more information, see Enabling Features on Demand Ethernet software.

  • Features on Demand software RAID support

    The server provides Features on Demand software RAID support for RAID levels 5, 6, 50, and 60 upgrade. Features on Demand software RAID upgrade is integrated into the integrated management module II (IMM2). For more information, see Enabling Features on Demand RAID software.

  • FlexNode Support

    The Lenovo System x3850 X6 and x3950 X6 server provides support for reconfiguring a multinode server into two independent, stand-alone servers, also known as FlexNode. When FlexNode support is enabled, each scalable partition can support its own independent operating-system installation. Each scalable partition has its own local resources as an independent server, and cannot access the resources or boot the operating system of another stand-alone server while FlexNode is enabled. The FlexNode is a feature of the Integrated Management Module II (IMM2).

    For additional information, see Configuring a multinode system.

  • Integrated management module II (IMM2)

    The integrated management module II (IMM2) combines service processor functions, video controller, and remote presence and blue-screen capture features in a single chip. The IMM provides advanced service-processor control, monitoring, and alerting function. If an environmental condition exceeds a threshold or if a system component fails, the IMM lights LEDs to help you diagnose the problem, records the error in the IMM event log, and alerts you to the problem. The IMM also provides a virtual presence capability for remote server management capabilities. The IMM provides remote server management through the following industry-standard interfaces:
    • Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) version 2.0
    • Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) version 3.0
    • Common Information Model (CIM)
    • Web browser

    For additional information, see Using the integrated management module and the Integrated Management Module II User’s Guide at the Integrated Management Module II User’s Guide .

  • Integrated Trusted Platform Module (TPM)

    This integrated security chip performs cryptographic functions and stores private and public secure keys. It provides the hardware support for the Trusted Computing Group (TCG) specification. You can download the software to support the TCG specification, when the software is available. You can enable TPM support through the Setup utility under the System Security menu choice (see Using the Setup utility).

  • Large data-storage capacity and hot-swap capability

    The server can support a maximum of eight 2.5-inch drives or sixteen 1.8-inch drives, or a combination of both 2.5-inch and 1.8-inch drives when you use the supported SAS/SATA backplane configurations. With the NVMe PCIe backplane installed, the server supports 2.5-inch hot-swap NVMe PCIe solid state drives. For more information about the drives that the server supports, see Installing drives.

  • Large system-memory capacity

    The server supports up to 6 TB (models with DDR3 compute books) or 12 TB (models with DDR4 compute books) of system memory.
    • The DDR3 compute book memory controller supports error correcting code (ECC) for up to 96 industry-standard PC3-12800R 1600 MHz, PC3L-12800 1600 MHz, or PC3L-10600 1333 MHz Load Reduced (LR), single-rank, dual-rank, or quad-rank, DDR3 (third-generation double-data-rate), registered, synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM) DIMMs.
    • The DDR4 compute book memory controller supports error correcting code (ECC) for up to 96 industry-standard PC4-17000 2400 MHz, single rank x4, dual rank x4, quad rank x4, single rank x8, dual rank x8, and quad rank x8 RDIMM configurations, DDR4 (fourth-generation double-data-rate), registered, synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM) DIMMs.

    The server also supports 200 GB and 400 GB eXFlash™ DIMMs. You can use eXFlash DIMMs to utilize unused DIMM slots to increase high performance storage capabilities. For additional information about installing eXFlash DIMMs, see eXFlash DIMMs.

  • Light path diagnostics

    Light path diagnostics provides LEDs to help you diagnose problems. For more information about light path diagnostics and the LEDs, see LCD system information display panel and Light path diagnostics LEDs description.

  • Memory mirroring

    Memory mirroring provides a redundant copy of all code and data that are addressable in the configured memory map. Through the microprocessor memory controller chip set, memory mirroring replicates and stores data across DIMMs on two or four memory channels simultaneously. If a failure occurs, the memory controller switches from the DIMMs on the primary channel to the DIMMs on the backup channel. To enable memory mirroring through the Setup utility, select System Settings → Memory → Memory Mode → Mirroring. For information about installing DIMMs for memory mirroring, see Memory mirroring and Installing a memory module for more information.

  • Memory sparing

    The server supports memory sparing. Memory sparing reserves memory capacity for failover in the event of a DIMM failure, and the reserved capacity is subtracted from the total available memory. Memory sparing provides less redundancy than memory mirroring does. If a predetermined threshold of correctable errors is reached, the contents of the failing DIMM are copied to the spare memory, and the failing DIMM or rank is disabled. To enable memory sparing through the Setup utility, select System Settings → Memory → Memory Mode → Sparing. For information about installing DIMMs for memory sparing, see Memory rank sparing.

  • Mobile access to Lenovo Service Information Web page

    The server provides a quick reference (QR) code on the system Service Card that you can scan with a mobile device using a QR code reader application to get quick access to the Lenovo Service Information Web page. The Service Information Web page provides additional information for parts installation and replacement videos, and error codes for server support. For the location of the system Service Card and QR code, see QR Codes.

  • Multi-core processors

    The server supports up to four Intel Xeon™ EX versions of the E7-48xx v2/v3/v4 or E7-88xx v2/v3/v4 Series, up to fifteen-core microprocessors (depending on the model). A base model of the server comes with one compute book, all other modules come with two compute books. One microprocessor comes in each compute book.

  • Network support

    The server comes with optional Ethernet adapters that supports dual-port 1 Gb and 10 Gb connections and connection to a 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps, or 1000 Mbps network. For more information, see Configuring the Ethernet controller.

  • PCI Express Gen3 adapter capabilities

    The server provides up to twelve PCIe Gen3 adapter slots. See Installing an adapter for more details and information about installing adapters.

  • Redundant connection

    The dual-port and quad-port Ethernet controller provides failover capability to a redundant Ethernet connection with the applicable application installed. If a problem occurs with the primary Ethernet connection and another Ethernet adapter is installed in the server, all Ethernet traffic that is associated with the primary connection is automatically switched to an secondary Ethernet connection. If the applicable device drivers are installed, this switching occurs without data loss and without user intervention.

  • Redundant cooling and optional power capabilities

    The server supports up to 10 fan packs (two fans in each fan pack) with dual-motor, counter-rotating, speed-controlled hot-swap fans, which provide redundancy and hot-swap capability for a full configuration. The redundant cooling by the fans in the server enables continued operation if one of the fan motors fails.

    The server comes with one 900-watt or one 1400-watt hot-swap power supply. The server supports a maximum of four 750-watt -48 volt to -60 volt dc power supplies, four 900-watt, or four 1400-watt hot-swap power supplies.

    For redundancy support, two or four 900-watt or 1400-watt power supplies must be installed in the server. Two or four 900-watt or 1400-watt power supplies enables continued operation if any of the power supplies fail or are taken off line. For the 750-watt -48 V dc power supply, the server only supports a four power-supply configuration.

  • Remote presence and blue-screen capture features

    The remote presence and blue-screen capture features are integrated functions of the integrated management module (IMM). The remote presence feature provides the following functions:
    • Remotely viewing video with graphics resolutions up to 1600 x 1200 at 75 Hz, regardless of the system state
    • Remotely accessing the server, using the keyboard and mouse from a remote client
    • Mapping the USB flash drive on a remote client, and mapping ISO and diskette image files as virtual drives that are available for use by the server
    • Uploading a diskette image to the IMM memory and mapping it to the server as a virtual drive

    The blue-screen capture feature captures the video display contents before the IMM restarts the server when the IMM detects an operating-system hang condition. A system administrator can use the blue-screen capture feature to assist in determining the cause of the hang condition.

    See Using the remote presence and blue-screen capture features for additional information.

  • ServerGuide Setup and Installation DVD

    The Lenovo ServerGuide™ Setup and Installation DVD, which you can download from the web, provides programs to help you set up the server and install a Windows operating system. The ServerGuide program detects installed optional hardware devices and provides the correct configuration programs and device drivers. For more information about the ServerGuide Setup and Installation DVD, see Using the ServerGuide Setup and Installation DVD.

  • ServeRAID support

    A ServeRAID™ adapter provides hardware redundant array of independent disks (RAID) support to create configurations. The server comes with an integrated RAID controller, which provides RAID levels 0, 1 and 10. Additional optional RAID adapters, RAID cache cards, and Features on Demand software RAID are available for RAID levels 5, 6, 50, and 60 upgrade.

  • Service Advisor

    The server comes with the Service Advisor feature that can collect data about the system when the system detects a fault and sends that data to Lenovo Service for problem determination. It also includes the call home feature that automatically calls Lenovo Service when a problem occurs. The Service Advisor feature is integrated into the Integrated Management Module II (IMM2). For more information about Service Advisor, see Service Advisor feature.

  • Systems-management capabilities

    The server comes with an integrated management module II (IMM2). When the IMM is used with the systems-management software that comes with the server, you can manage the functions of the server locally and remotely. The IMM also provides system monitoring, event recording, and network alert capability. The systems-management connector on the rear of the server is dedicated to the IMM. The dedicated systems-management connector provides additional security by physically separating the management network traffic from the production network. You can use the Setup utility to configure the server to use a dedicated systems-management network or a shared network.

  • TCP/IP offload engine (TOE) support

    The Ethernet controllers in the server support TOE, which is a technology that offloads the TCP/IP flow from the microprocessor and I/O subsystem to increase the speed of the TCP/IP flow. When an operating system that supports TOE is running on the server and TOE is enabled, the server supports TOE operation. See the operating-system documentation for information about enabling TOE.
    Note
    As of the date of this document, the Linux operating system does not support TOE.

  • UEFI-compliant server firmware

    The UEFI firmware offers several features, including Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) version 2.1 compliance, Active Energy Management (AEM) technology, enhanced reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) capabilities, and basic input/output system (BIOS) compatibility support. UEFI replaces the BIOS and defines a standard interface between the operating system, platform firmware, and external devices. The server is capable of booting UEFI-compliant operating systems, BIOS-based operating systems, and BIOS-based adapters as well as UEFI-compliant adapters. For more information about UEFI-compliant firmware, go to Understanding Drivers, BIOS, UEFI and Firmware.
    Note
    The server does not support DOS.

  • VMware ESXi embedded hypervisor

    An optional USB flash device with VMware ESXi embedded hypervisor software is available for purchase. Hypervisor is virtualization software that enables multiple operating systems to run on a host system at the same time. Install the USB flash device in the USB embedded hypervisor flash device connector on the standard I/O book (see Standard I/O book for the location of the USB flash device connector). See Using the embedded hypervisor software for more information about enabling the hypervisor software.

  • Lenovo XClarity Administrator

    Lenovo XClarity Administrator is a centralized resource-management solution that enables administrators to deploy infrastructure faster and with less effort. The solution seamlessly integrates into System x, ThinkServer, and NeXtScale servers, as well as the Flex System converged infrastructure platform.

    Lenovo XClarity Administrator provides:

    • Automated discovery

    • Agent-free hardware management

    • Monitoring

    • Firmware updates and compliance

    • Pattern-based configuration management

    • Deployment of operating systems and hypervisors

    Administrators are able to find the right information and accomplish critical tasks faster through an uncluttered, dashboard-driven graphical user interface (GUI). Centralizing and automating foundational infrastructure deployment and lifecycle management tasks across large pools of systems frees up administrator time, and makes resources available to end-users faster.

    Lenovo XClarity is easily extended into the leading virtualization management platforms from Microsoft and VMware using software plug-ins, called Lenovo XClarity Integrators. The solution improves workload uptime and service-level assurance by dynamically relocating workloads from affected hosts in the cluster during rolling server reboots or firmware updates, or during predicted hardware failures.

    For more information about Lenovo XClarity Administrator, see the the Lenovo XClarity website and the Lenovo XClarity Administrator Information Center website.