Lenovo ThinkSystem SR650a V4 Server

The Lenovo ThinkSystem SR650a V4 is an ideal 2-socket 2U rack server for customers want to maximize GPU compute power while still retaining the traditional 2U rack form factor. With two Intel Xeon 6700-series or 6500-series processors, plus support for four double-wide GPUs including the NVIDIA H100 NVL 94GB, the SR650a V4 is designed for high density and scale-out workloads.

The SR650a V4 is designed to handle a wide range of workloads, such as AI Lifecycle, VDI/Virtualization, Content Delivery, and Text/Media Analysis.

Figure 1. Lenovo ThinkSystem SR650a V4

The SR650a V4 server supports four double-wide GPUs at the front of the server, including the NVIDIA H100 NVL GPUs. The configuration of the slots means that two GPUs can can connected together using high-speed NVLink connections. Such connectivity is ideal for demanding workloads such as AI training and inference.

Combining performance and flexibility, the SR650a V4 server is a great choice for enterprises of all sizes. The server offers a broad selection of drive and slot configurations and offers numerous high performance features. Outstanding reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) and high-efficiency design can improve your business environment and can help save operational costs.

Scalability and performance

The ThinkSystem SR650a V4 offers numerous features to boost performance, improve scalability and reduce costs:

• Supports one or two Intel Xeon 6700-series or 6500-series processors with Performance-cores (P-cores)
  • Up to 86 cores and 172 threads
  • Core speeds of up to 4 GHz
  • TDP ratings of up to 350 W
• Support for DDR5 memory DIMMs to maximize the performance of the memory subsystem:
  • Up to 32 DDR5 memory DIMMs, 16 DIMMs per processor
  • 8 memory channels per processor (2 DIMMs per channel)
  • Supports 1 DIMM per channel operating at 6400 MHz
  • Supports 2 DIMMs per channel operating at 5200 MHz
  • Using 256GB 3D RDIMMs, the server supports up to 8TB of system memory
• Support for MRDIMMs for increased memory bandwidth with memory bus speeds of up to 8000 MHz.
• Supports up to 4x double-wide GPUs or 8x single-wide GPUs, at the front of the server, for substantial processing power in a 2U system.
• Supports up to 8x 2.5-inch SAS/SATA, NVMe or AnyBay hot-swap drive bays or 8x E3.S 1T NVMe hot-swap drives for local storage.
• Supports 8x NVMe drives without oversubscription of PCIe lanes (1:1 connectivity). The use of NVMe drives maximizes drive I/O performance, in terms of throughput and latency.
• Supports high-speed RAID controllers providing 12 Gb SAS connectivity to the drive backplanes. A variety of PCIe 3.0 and PCIe 4.0 RAID adapters are available.
• Supports M.2 drives for convenient operating system boot functions or data storage. M.2 drives can be internally mounted or can be mounted at the front or rear of the server as hot-swap drives. Optional RAID-0 or RAID-1.
• Up to 8x PCIe slots (front accessible) for GPUs and 6x PCIe slots (rear accessible) for other PCIe adapters, plus two slots dedicated to OCP 3.0 adapters. Some configurations also support an additional internal bay for a cabled RAID adapter or HBA.
• The server has up to two dedicated industry-standard OCP 3.0 slots supporting a variety of Ethernet network adapters. A simple-swap mechanism with a thumbscrew and pull-tab enables tool-less installation and removal of the adapter. The adapter supports shared BMC network sideband connectivity to enable out-of-band systems management.
• The server offers PCI Express 5.0 I/O expansion capabilities that doubles the theoretical maximum bandwidth of PCIe 4.0 (32GT/s in each direction for PCIe Gen 5, compared to 16 GT/s with PCIe Gen 4 and 8 GT/s with PCIe Gen 3). A PCIe 5.0 x16 slot provides 128 GB/s bandwidth, enough to support a dual-port 200GbE network connection or a single-port 400GbE connection.

Availability and serviceability

The SR650a V4 provides many features to simplify serviceability and increase system uptime:

• Designed to run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• The server offers Single Device Data Correction (SDDC, also known as Chipkill), Adaptive Double-Device Data Correction (ADDDC, also known as Redundant Bit Steering or RBS), and memory mirroring for redundancy in the event of a non-correctable memory failure.
• The server offers hot-swap drives, supporting RAID redundancy for data protection and greater system uptime.
• Available M.2 boot adapters support RAID-1 (using onboard hardware RAID or using Intel VROC) which can enable two M.2 drives to be configured as a redundant pair.
• The server has up to two hot-swap redundant power supplies and up to six hot-swap redundant fans to provide availability for business-critical applications.
• The light path diagnostics feature uses LEDs to lead the technician to failed (or failing) components, which simplifies servicing, speeds up problem resolution, and helps improve system availability.
• Solid-state drives (SSDs) offer more reliability and performance than traditional mechanical HDDs for greater uptime.
• Proactive Platform Alerts (including PFA and SMART alerts): Processors, voltage regulators, memory, internal storage (SAS/SATA HDDs and SSDs, NVMe SSDs, M.2 storage, flash storage adapters), fans, power supplies, RAID controllers, server ambient and subcomponent temperatures. Alerts can be surfaced through the XClarity Controller to managers such as Lenovo XClarity Administrator, VMware vCenter, and Microsoft System Center. These proactive alerts let you take appropriate actions in advance of possible failure, thereby increasing server uptime and application availability.
• The built-in XClarity Controller continuously monitors system parameters, triggers alerts, and performs recovery actions in case of failures to minimize downtime.
• Built-in diagnostics in UEFI, using Lenovo XClarity Provisioning Manager, speed up troubleshooting tasks to reduce service time.
• Lenovo XClarity Provisioning Manager supports diagnostics and can save service data to a USB key drive or remote CIFS share folder for troubleshooting and reduce service time.
• Auto restart in the event of a momentary loss of AC power (based on power policy setting in the XClarity Controller service processor)
• Offers a diagnostics port on the front of the server to allow you to attach an external diagnostics handset for enhanced systems management capabilities.
• Support for the XClarity Administrator Mobile app running on a supported smartphone or tablet and connected to the server through the service-enabled USB port, enables additional local systems management functions.
• Three-year or one-year customer-replaceable unit and onsite limited warranty (varies by geography), 9 x 5 next business day. Optional service upgrades are available.

Manageability and security

Systems management features simplify local and remote management of the SR650a V4:

• The server includes XClarity Controller 3 (XCC3) to monitor server availability. Optional upgrade to XCC3 Premier to provide remote control (keyboard video mouse) functions, support for the mounting of remote media files (ISO and IMG image files), boot capture and power capping. XCC3 Premier also offers additional features such as Neighbor Groups, System Guard, a CNSA-compliant security mode, a FIPS 140-3-compliant mode, and enhanced NIST 800-193 support.
• Dedicated Ethernet port at the rear of the server for remote management (BMC management). Optional support for a second dedicated BMC management port, installed in the OCP adapter bay.
• Lenovo XClarity Administrator offers comprehensive hardware management tools that help to increase uptime, reduce costs and improve productivity through advanced server management capabilities.
• UEFI-based Lenovo XClarity Provisioning Manager, accessible from F1 during boot, provides system inventory information, graphical UEFI Setup, platform update function, RAID Setup wizard, operating system installation function, and diagnostic functions.
• Support for Lenovo XClarity Energy Manager which captures real-time power and temperature data from the server and provides automated controls to lower energy costs.
• An integrated industry-standard Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) enables improved setup, configuration, and updates, and simplifies error handling.
• Support for industry standard management protocols, IPMI 2.0, SNMP 3.0, Redfish REST API, serial console via IPMI
• An integrated hardware Trusted Platform Module (TPM) supporting TPM 2.0 enables advanced cryptographic functionality, such as digital signatures and remote attestation.
• Administrator and power-on passwords help protect from unauthorized access to the server.
• Supports Secure Boot to ensure only a digitally signed operating system can be used. Supported with HDDs and SSDs, as well as M.2 drives.
• Industry-standard Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) NI support for faster, stronger encryption.
• Intel Execute Disable Bit functionality can prevent certain classes of malicious buffer overflow attacks when combined with a supported operating system.
• Intel Trusted Execution Technology provides enhanced security through hardware-based resistance to malicious software attacks, allowing an application to run in its own isolated space, protected from all other software running on a system.
• Support for an optional chassis intrusion switch for additional physical security.

Energy efficiency

The SR650a V4 offers the following energy-efficiency features to save energy, reduce operational costs, and increase energy availability:

• The server supports advanced Lenovo Neptune Core direct-water cooling (DWC) capabilities, where heat from key components is removed from the rack and the data center using an open loop and coolant distribution units, resulting in lower energy costs:
  • Processor Neptune Core Module uses liquid cooling to remove heat from the processors
• Energy-efficient system board components help lower operational costs.
• High-efficiency power supplies with 80 PLUS Titanium certifications
• Solid-state drives (SSDs) consume as much as 80% less power than traditional spinning 2.5-inch HDDs.
• Support for Lenovo XClarity Energy Manager provides advanced data center power notification, analysis, and policy-based management to help achieve lower heat output and reduced cooling needs.
• The server uses hexagonal ventilation holes, which can be grouped more densely than round holes, providing more efficient airflow through the system and thus keeping your system cooler.

For details on the front ports, including the optional front VGA port and optional external diagnostic port, see the Local management section.

The following figure shows the architectural block diagram of the SR650a V4, showing the major components and their connections.

Figure 7. SR650a V4 system architectural block diagram

Most of the PCIe connections are implemented using cables, which maximizes the flexibility in how the server can be configured. For example, the block diagram below shows how a configuration with 6 rear slots is connected.

Figure 8. SR650a V4 system architectural block diagram with 6 rear slots

The following table lists the standard specifications.

ThinkSystem SR650a V4 models can be configured by using the Lenovo Data Center Solution Configurator (DCSC).

Topics in this section:

• CTO models
• CTO models for Windows 10 and Windows 11
• Base feature codes
• Preconfigured models

CTO models

ThinkSystem SR650a V4 models can be configured by using the Lenovo Data Center Solution Configurator (DCSC).

Preconfigured server models may also be available for the SR650a V4, however these are region-specific; that is, each region may define their own server models, and not all server models are available in every region.

The following table lists the base CTO models of the ThinkSystem SR650a V4 server.

CTO models for Windows 10 and Windows 11

The SR650a V4 can run Windows 10 and Windows 11, however only a subset of adapters and drives can be installed. For ease of configuration, the following Base CTO models have been announced to assist building a configuration that can be used with the client operating systems.

Base feature codes

Models of the SR650a V4 are defined based on the configuration of front drives. The feature codes for these chassis bases are as listed in the following table.

Preconfigured models

The following tables list the available preconfigured models, grouped by region.

• Models for EMEA region

Refer to the Specifications section for information about standard features of the server.

The SR650a V4 supports one or two of the following Intel processors:

• Intel Xeon 6500-series with P-cores (formerly "Granite Rapids" or GNR)
• Intel Xeon 6700-series with P-cores (formerly "Granite Rapids" or GNR)

Topics in this section:

• Processor options
• Processor features
• Intel On Demand feature licensing
• One-processor configurations
• Processor cooling
• Lenovo Processor Neptune Core Module - Open-loop liquid cooling
• UEFI operating modes

• Intel Dynamic Load Balancer (Intel DLB)

  Improve the system performance related to handling network data on multi-core Intel Xeon Scalable processors. Intel Dynamic Load Balancer (Intel DLB) enables the efficient distribution of network processing across multiple CPU cores/threads and dynamically distributes network data across multiple CPU cores for processing as the system load varies. Intel DLB also restores the order of networking data packets processed simultaneously on CPU cores.

• Intel Data Streaming Accelerator (Intel DSA)

  Drive high performance for storage, networking, and data-intensive workloads by improving streaming data movement and transformation operations. Intel Data Streaming Accelerator (Intel DSA) is designed to offload the most common data movement tasks that cause overhead in data center-scale deployments. Intel DSA helps speed up data movement across the CPU, memory, and caches, as well as all attached memory, storage, and network devices.

• Intel In-Memory Analytics Accelerator (Intel IAA)

  Run database and analytics workloads faster, with potentially greater power efficiency. Intel In-Memory Analytics Accelerator (Intel IAA) increases query throughput and decreases the memory footprint for in-memory database and big data analytics workloads. Intel IAA is ideal for in-memory databases, open source databases and data stores like RocksDB, Redis, Cassandra, and MySQL.

The processors also support a separate and encrypted memory space, known as the SGX Enclave, for use by Intel Software Guard Extensions (SGX). The size of the SGX Enclave supported varies by processor model. Intel SGX offers hardware-based memory encryption that isolates specific application code and data in memory. It allows user-level code to allocate private regions of memory (enclaves) which are designed to be protected from processes running at higher privilege levels.

The following table summarizes the key features of the Intel Xeon 6500 and 6700 P-cores processors that are supported in the SR650a V4.

Intel On Demand feature licensing

Intel Xeon 6 processors do not support Intel On Demand feature licensing for Accelerators.

For details about what configurations are supported with each, see the Thermal Rules section in the Lenovo Docs site for the SR650a V4:
https://pubs.lenovo.com/sr630-v4/thermal_rules

Ordering information is listed in the following table.

With the Processor Neptune Core Module, all heat generated by the processors is removed from the server using water. This means that the server fans and data center air conditioning units only need to remove the heat generated by the other components. This results in lower air conditioning costs and it enables the use of slower fans which results in lower overall power consumption.

The following figure shows the Lenovo Processor Neptune Core Module.

Figure 9. Lenovo Processor Neptune Core Module

The Processor Neptune Core Module also includes a leak detection module which can detect a leakage of more than 0.5ml (about 10 drops) along the length of the tube and then issue an event to the XClarity Controller. XCC will then post an error to the System Event Log and enable further actions. Once the liquid evaporates, a further event is issue to XCC.

The Processor Neptune Core Module is only available in CTO orders, not as a field upgrade. Ordering information is listed in the following table.

The SR650a V4 uses Lenovo TruDDR5 memory operating at up to 8000 MHz. The server supports up to 32 DIMMs with 2 processors. The processors have 8 memory channels and support 2 DIMMs per channel (DPC). The server supports up to 8TB of memory using 32x 256GB RDIMMs and two processors.

DIMMs operate at the following speeds, up to the memory bus speed of the processor selected. See the Processor features section for specifics.

• RDIMMs and 3DS RDIMMs:
  • 1 DIMM per channel: Up to 6400 MHz
  • 2 DIMMs per channel using RDIMMs: Up to 5200 MHz
• MRDIMMs (support for MRDIMMs is processor-model dependent)
  • 1 DIMM per channel: 8000 MHz

Lenovo TruDDR5 memory uses the highest quality components that are sourced from Tier 1 DRAM suppliers and only memory that meets the strict requirements of Lenovo is selected. It is compatibility tested and tuned to maximize performance and reliability. From a service and support standpoint, Lenovo TruDDR5 memory automatically assumes the system warranty, and Lenovo provides service and support worldwide.

The following table lists the RDIMMs, 3DS RDIMMs, and MRDIMMs memory that are currently supported by the SR650a V4. These DIMMs are installed in the DIMM slots adjacent to the processors. The table also lists the supported quantities.

For more information on this memory, see the following Lenovo Press papers,

• Introduction to DDR5 Memory
• Introduction to MRDIMM Memory Technology

The following rules apply when specifying the memory configuration:

• The tables above list the supported quantities per processor. For two processors, install the same number of DIMMs to each processor. Other quantities are not supported.
• Only a subset of processors support MRDIMMs - see the table in the Processor features section for specifics.
• All memory installed DIMMs must be identical part numbers; mixing not supported

For best performance, consider the following:

See the Lenovo Press article "RAS Features of the Lenovo ThinkSystem Intel Servers" for more information about memory RAS features: https://lenovopress.lenovo.com/lp1711-ras-features-of-the-lenovo-thinksystem-intel-servers

If memory channel mirroring is used, then DIMMs must be installed in pairs (minimum of one pair per processor), and both DIMMs in the pair must be identical in type and size. 50% of the installed capacity is available to the operating system.

Memory rank sparing is implemented using ADDDC/ADC-SR/ADDDC-MR to provide DRAM-level sparing feature support.

The SR650a V4 has supported 8x 2.5-inch drive bays or 8x E3.S 1T drive bays in the front of the server:

• Up to 8x 2.5-inch SAS/SATA hot-swap bays, or
• Up to 8x 2.5-inch AnyBay hot-swap bays, or
• Up to 8x 2.5-inch NVMe hot-swap bays, or
• Up to 8x E3.S 1T NVMe hot-swap drive bays

The server supports configurations without any drive bays if desired.

The server also supports one or two M.2 drives, in three possible locations, configuration dependent:

• Installed in an M.2 adapter internal to the server (non-hot-swap)
• Hot-swap in the rear of the server
• Hot-swap in the front of the server (E3.S drive configurations only)

In this section:

• NVMe drive support
• RAID 940 Tri-Mode support
• Front drive bays
• Storage configurations
• Field upgrades
• M.2 drives
• SED encryption key management with SKLM

In addition, the SR650a V4 supports two M.2 NVMe drives for use as boot drives, as described in the M.2 drives section

The specifics of these configurations are covered in the Storage configurations section. The tables in those sections indicate the number of NVMe drives in each configuration.

The specific combinations that are supported in the SR650a V4 are shown in the following figures. The feature codes listed are the backplane feature codes when ordering CTO and correspond to the feature codes listed in the table below the figure.

Figure 10. SR650a V4 front drive bay configurations

The backplanes used to provide these drive bays are listed in the following table.

The use of front drive bays has the following configuration rules:

• The SR650a V4 also supports configurations without any drive bays, allowing for drive bay upgrades as described in the field upgrades section.
• The use front-mounted hot-swap M.2 drives is supported when one E3.S drive bay is installed, as described in the M.2 drives section

Jump down to the details of the configurations.

Return to Storage configurations.

Go back to the overview of the configurations.

Return to Storage configurations.

To add drive bays you will need to order both drive backplanes and cable kits. Backplane kits do not include cables.

In this section:

• Drive bay field upgrades - 2.5-inch chassis
• Drive bay field upgrades - E3.S chassis
• Adding an Internal (CFF) RAID adapter or HBA
• Replacement cable routing walls
• RAID flash power module (supercap) support
• 2.5-inch drive bay fillers

When adding drive bays, you will also need to add the appropriate storage controller(s). Consult the tables in the Storage configurations section to determine what controller sections are supported and what additional controllers you will need. Controllers are described in the Controllers for internal storage section.

Return to Field upgrades.

For more information about the backplane kits and cable kits, see the Lenovo server options site:
https://serveroption.lenovo.com/cable_kit_options/

Return to Field upgrades.

Note: The table indicates the locations of each E3.S backplane. The locations of the 2 backplanes (BP1 and BP2) are shown in the following figure.

Figure 11. E3.S backplane numbering

For more information about the backplane kits and cable kits, see the Lenovo server options site:
https://serveroption.lenovo.com/cable_kit_options/

Adding an Internal (CFF) RAID adapter or HBA

If you want to add an internal (CFF) storage adapter (HBA or RAID adapter) to a configuration, you will need to order the cable kit as listed in the following table. Suitable upgrades are either replacing an existing adapter in a rear PCIe slot, or adding the CFF adapter to a server without any storage adapter installed.

Replacement cable routing walls

Cable walls are used to guide signal and power cables through the server and to maximize airflow across the components. The server comes with 1U cable walls at both side of the processor board. It is recommended to replace the 1U cable walls with 2U cable walls when there are more than five cables routed at one side.

The 2U cable walls are required for some E3.S configurations and will be automatically derived for CTO orders. For field upgrades, see the Drive bay field upgrades - E3.S chassis section, where the table indicates when replacement cable walls are required.

For details on installing the cable wall replacements, see the  SR650a V4 User Guide:
https://pubs.lenovo.com/sr650-v4/cable_wall_replacement_2u

RAID flash power module (supercap) support

If you plan to add one of the RAID adapters that includes a RAID flash power module (supercap) as a field upgrade, then you will also need to order a Supercap installation kit for the power module. For CTO orders, the components in the installation kit are automatically derived when you select the RAID adapter.

The adapters that this applies to are as follows:

• Any supported RAID 940 adapter
• Any supported RAID 9350 adapter

There are up to four possible locations for supercaps, depending on the air baffle or mid-chassis drive bays installed, as follows:

• Standard air baffle: 4 supercaps
• GPU air baffle: 4 supercaps

See the following User Guide page for the specifics on the locations:
https://pubs.lenovo.com/sr650-v4/supercap_replacement

Supercap holders are integrated into the air baffles and mid-chassis drive cage. No additional components are needed.

The following figure shows the SR650a V4 with front and rear hot-swap M.2 drive bays.

Figure 12. Hot-swap M.2 drive bays

The following figure shows the components of the rear hot-swap M.2 drive bays.

Figure 13. Rear hot-swap M.2 drive bays

The following figure shows the components of the front hot-swap M.2 drive bays.

Figure 14. Front hot-swap M.2 drive bays

M.2 ordering information

The supported M.2 module is listed in the following table. For field upgrades see the M.2 field upgrades section below.

Configuration notes:

• M.2 is not supported with all storage configurations - see Storage configurations for details.
• For CTO orders, all other necessary components, except for the M.2 drives themselves, will be automatically included in the order. For drives, see the Internal drive options section.
• For field upgrades of the internal M.2, an additional cable is needed as described in the M.2 field upgrades for internal M.2 section below.
• For field upgrades of the rear or front hot-swap M.2, one additional kit is needed for each M.2 drive you plan to install, as described in the M.2 field upgrades for hot-swap M.2 section below.
• Rear M.2 is not supported with open-loop water cooling

VROC RAID support for the B340i-2i adapter

ThinkSystem M.2 B340i-2i NVMe Enablement Adapter (4Y37A91802) optionally supports RAID with the use of Intel VROC. For CTO orders, ordering information is listed in the following table.

M.2 field upgrades for hot-swap M.2

This section applies to both the front hot-swap M.2 and rear hot-swap M.2.

In addition to the M.2 adapter kit (4XH7B03860 for rear, or 4XH7B03857 for front as listed in the M.2 adapters table), for each M.2 drive you want to add to the server as a hot-swap drive, you will also need to a drive kit which supplies the M.2 adapter, drive tray, and drive heatsink that are needed. One kit is required for each M.2 drive.

The following figure shows the components of the ThinkSystem V4 1U/2U Hot Swap M.2 SATA/NVMe Drive Assembly Kit (4XH7A96837), used for hot-swap M.2 (for both front and rear drive bays, not for internal M.2). The M.2 drive needs to be ordered separately.

Figure 15. Components of the ThinkSystem V4 1U/2U Hot Swap M.2 SATA/NVMe Drive Assembly Kit

The SR650a V4 offers a variety of controller options for internal drives:

• For 2.5-inch drives:
  • RAID adapters and HBAs for SAS/SATA drives (PCIe slot-based)
  • RAID adapters and HBAs for SAS/SATA drives (cabled in a dedicated space)
  • Onboard NVMe ports with RAID support using Intel VROC NVMe RAID
  • Tri-Mode support using RAID 940 adapters for NVMe drives, with RAID provided by the RAID adapter
• For E3.S EDSFF drives:
  • Onboard NVMe ports with RAID support using Intel VROC NVMe RAID
• For M.2 drives (see M.2 drives section)
  • SATA controller integrated on the M.2 adapters
  • NVMe controller integrated on the M.2 adapters (Intel VROC for RAID)

As well as supporting RAID adapters and HBAs that install in a PCIe slot, the SR650a V4 with 2.5-inch front drive bays supports a custom form factor (CFF) adapter that is mounted in the server and cabled to one of the onboard NVMe ports.

The following table lists the adapters used for the internal storage of the server. For VROC ordering information, see the Intel VROC section.

Configuration notes:

• Supercap support limits the number of RAID adapters installable: The table lists whether the adapter includes a power module (supercap) to power the flash memory. The server supports between 1 and 3 supercaps depending on the server configuration as described in the RAID flash power module (supercap) support section. The number of supercaps supported also determines the maximum number of RAID adapters with flash that can be installed in the server.
• Field upgrades: If you are adding a RAID adapter with supercap to the server as a field upgrade, you may need a supercap holder as described in the RAID flash power module (supercap) support section.

The onboard NVMe support has the following features:

• Support integrated into the Intel processor
• Each drive has PCIe 5.0 x4 host interface
• Supports JBOD
• Supports RAID using Intel VROC

For specifications about the RAID adapters and HBAs supported by the SR650a V4, see the ThinkSystem RAID Adapter and HBA Comparison, available from:
https://lenovopress.com/lp1288-lenovo-thinksystem-raid-adapter-and-hba-reference#sr650a-v4-support=SR650a%2520V4

For details about these adapters, see the relevant product guide:

• SAS HBAs: https://lenovopress.com/servers/options/hba
• RAID adapters: https://lenovopress.com/servers/options/raid

On the SR650a V4, Intel VROC provides RAID functions for the onboard NVMe controller (Intel VROC NVMe RAID).

VROC NVMe RAID offers RAID support for any NVMe drives directly connected to the ports on the server's system board or via adapters such as NVMe retimers or NVMe switch adapters. On the SR650a V4, RAID levels implemented are based on the VROC feature selected as indicated in the following table. RAID 1 is limited to 2 drives per array, and RAID 10 is limited to 4 drives per array. Hot-spare functionality is also supported.

The SR650a V4 supports the VROC NVMe RAID offerings listed in the following table.

Configuration notes:

• If a feature code is ordered in a CTO build, the VROC functionality is enabled in the factory. For field upgrades, order a part number and it will be fulfilled as a Feature on Demand (FoD) license which can then be activated via the XCC management processor user interface.
• Intel VROC NVMe is supported on all Intel Xeon Scalable processors

The following tables list the drive options for internal storage of the server.

The server does not supports any internal backup units, such as tape drives or RDX drives. External backup units are available as described in the External backup units section.

The server supports the external USB optical drive listed in the following table.

The drive is based on the Lenovo Slim DVD Burner DB65 drive and supports the following formats: DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD-ROM, DVD-R DL, CD-RW, CD-R, CD-ROM.

The SR650a V4 supports a total of 14x PCIe slots plus 2x OCP slots:

• 8x PCIe slots at the front for GPUs (8x single-wide GPUs or 4x double-wide GPUs)
• 6x PCIe slots at the rear of the server
• 2x OCP slots at the rear of the server

Topics in this section:

• Front slots
• Rear slots
• Slot ordering information
• Slot field upgrades
• Serial port

Front slots

The SR650a V4 offers front slots for the use of GPUs, either 4x double-wide GPUs or up to 8x single-wide. The following figure shows the locations of the front-accessible slots.

Figure 16. SR650a V4 front slots

The supported slot and riser card combinations are as follows:

• With 1 CPU installed:
  • Two x16 slots in Riser 7 (slots 21, 23)
  • Four x8 slots in Riser 7 only (slots 20, 21, 22, 23)
• With 2 CPUs installed:
  • Four x16 slots in Riser 6 (slots 17, 19) and Riser 7 (slots 21, 23)
  • Eight x8 slots in Riser 6 and Riser 7 (all slots)
  • Four x8 slots in Riser 6 (slots 16, 18) and Riser 7 (slots 20, 22)

Configuration notes:

• Both Riser 6 and Riser 7 must have slots configured, even in 1-processor configurations where only Riser 7 is used.

Figure 17. SR650a V4 rear slots

The supported slot and riser card combinations are as follows:

• Riser 2: Slots 3, 4 & 5 (connects to CPU 1), full-height slots
  • Choice 1: x8, x16, x16
  • Choice 2: Empty, x16, x16
  • Choice 3: x16, x16, Empty
  • Choice 4: Empty, Empty, x16
• Riser 3: Slots 6, 7 & 8 (connects to CPU 2), full-height slots
  • Choice 1: x8, x16, x16
  • Choice 2: Empty, x16, x16
  • Choice 3: x16, x16, Empty
  • Choice 4: Empty, Empty, x16

All x8 slots are open-ended slots, which means they can physically support x16 adapters even though only 8 lanes (x8) will be connected.

In addition, the server has two OCP slots:

• OCP1 (connects to CPU 1)
  • Choice 1: x8
  • Choice 2: x16 (requires ThinkSystem SR650 V4/SR630 V4 x16 OCP Cable Kit, feature C1YK)
• OCP2 (connects to CPU 2)
  • Choice 1: x8
  • Choice 2: x16 (requires ThinkSystem SR650 V4/SR630 V4 x16 OCP Cable Kit, feature C1YK)

Slot 8 can instead be configured as a pair of hot-swap M.2 drives. Combinations are shown in the following figure.

Figure 18. PCIe slot combinations

Slot ordering information

In the SR650a V4, rear slots are configured one slot at a time, based on customer need for PCIe slots. This is different to prior generations, where slots were configured at the complete riser level, not the slot level.

The DCSC configurator includes a new slot configuration wizard which will automate the selection of slots and riser cages, based on the adapters and rear drive bays selected. The wizard includes a visual representation of where each adapter is to be placed.

The SR650a V4 uses a modular riser card design for rear Riser 2 and Riser 3, in that risers start with only 1 slot (slot 5 or slot 8) and can be configured with additional slots as needed. Additional slots can be configured CTO and built in the factory, or can be added as field upgrades after delivery. Slots 5 and 8 are connected to riser slots on the system board. The other slots (slots 4 & 3 for Riser 2 and slots 7 & 6 for Riser 3) are connected via cables to additional PCIe connectors on the system board.

The following table lists the ordering information for the rear slots.

Figure 19. SR650a V4 rear and front slots

Configuration notes:

• Both Riser 6 and Riser 7 must have slots configured, even in 1-processor configurations where only Riser 7 is used.

Slot field upgrades

Slot configurations can also be ordered as field upgrades using option part numbers, as listed in the following table.

Figure 20. SR650a V4 rear and front slots

The server has two dedicated OCP 3.0 SFF slots each with either a PCIe x8 or x16 host interface. The OCP slots are both located at the rear of the server. See Figure 3 for the location of the OCP slots.

The following table lists the supported OCP adapters. One port can optionally be shared with the XCC management processor for Wake-on-LAN and NC-SI support.

The table above indicates the PCIe width of host interface for each adapter. All adapters with a PCIe x16 interface will require that the OCP slots have a x16 connection, using the cable kit listed in the following table.

The following table lists additional supported network adapters that can be installed in the regular PCIe slots.

The NVIDIA ConnectX-8 8240 adapter (2x 400Gb) and ConnectX-8 8180 adapter (1x 800Gb) both require the use of an Auxiliary cable which plugs into a second PCIe x16 connection. The combination of the x16 host interface of the adapter plus the x16 connection of the Auxiliary cable results in a PCIe 5.0 x32 connection, needed for 800 Gb networking connectivity. Ordering information for the Auxiliary cable is listed in the following table. For CTO orders, the cable is automatically selected when one of the ConnectX-8 is selected.

For more information, including the transceivers and cables that each adapter supports, see the list of Lenovo Press Product Guides in the Networking adapters category:
https://lenovopress.com/servers/options/ethernet

Adapters with Generic firmware

As indicated in the tables of supported adapters, some adapters are now offered by Lenovo with standard vendor firmware (look for "Generic FW" or "Generic" in the adapter names). These adapters are supported in Lenovo servers however there are currently limitations on the use of Lenovo management tools.

Support in Lenovo XClarity management tools for adapters with generic firmware is per the following table.

This section describes the supported GPUs.

• GPU part numbers
• GPU configuration rules
• GPU Full Length Thermal Option Kit
• GPU cable kits

GPU part numbers

The SR650a V4 supports the following graphics processing units (GPUs).

For information about these GPUs, see the ThinkSystem GPU Summary, available at:
https://lenovopress.com/lp0768-thinksystem-thinkagile-gpu-summary

GPU configuration rules

The following configuration requirements must be met when installing GPUs:

• The table includes a Controlled GPU column. If a GPU is listed as Controlled, that means the GPU is not offered in certain markets, as determined by the US Government. If a GPU is listed as No, that means the GPU is not controlled and is available in all markets.
• All GPUs installed must be identical
• In the SR650a V4, GPUs are only supported in the front slots
• When a double-wide GPU is installed  the adjacent slot is not available
• For configurations with H100 GPUs, the server optionally supports NVLink bridges (4X67A71309) to connect two adjacent GPUs together. Each pair of GPUs supports 3x NVLink bridges. NVLink bridges are optional, but if they are used, then 3 must be installed for each pair of GPUs:
  • GPUs in slots 17 & 19: 3x NVLink bridges
  • GPUs in slots 21 & 23: 3x NVLink bridges

For additional GPU requirements, see the Thermal rules page in the User Guide:
https://pubs.lenovo.com/sr650a-v4/thermal_rules

GPU Full Length Thermal Option Kit

When installing any full-length GPU as a field upgrade, you will also need to order the GPU Enablement Kit as listed in the following table. This kit is only required for full-length GPUs and is not required for low profile GPUs such as the NVIDIA L4. See the GPU part number table above for GPU form factors.

GPU cable kits

The following cable kits are offered to provide auxiliary power cables for GPUs that require one. See the GPU part numbers section to see which GPUs require an auxiliary power cable.

Configuration notes:

• This cable kit is only required for field upgrades; factory (CTO) orders will automatically include any required cables.
• This cable kit is only required for GPUs that require an auxilary power cable. See the GPU part number table.
• The cable kit is only required if you are adding additional GPUs to a server that already has at least one GPU installed from a CTO order. If you are doing a field upgrade to install the first DW GPU to a server, order the ThinkSystem SR650 V4 Full Length GPU Thermal Option Kit, 4X67B04303 instead, since 4X67B04303 includes the necessary power cables.

The following table lists the Fibre Channel HBAs supported by the SR650a V4.

For more information, see the list of Lenovo Press Product Guides in the Host bus adapters category:
https://lenovopress.com/servers/options/hba

The following table lists SAS HBAs and RAID adapters supported by SR650a V4 server for use with external storage.

For a comparison of the functions of the supported storage adapters, see the ThinkSystem RAID Adapter and HBA Reference:
https://lenovopress.lenovo.com/lp1288#sr650a-v4-support=SR650a%2520V4&internal-or-external-ports=External

For more information, see the list of Lenovo Press Product Guides in the Host bus adapters and RAID adapters categories:
https://lenovopress.com/servers/options/hba
https://lenovopress.com/servers/options/raid

The SR650a V4 optionally supports open-loop water cooling to remove heat from the processors. For details of available cooling methods, see the Processor cooling section.

The SR650a V4 server has up to six 60 mm hot-swap variable-speed fans. Five fans are needed when one processor is installed and six fans are required when two processors are installed. The server offers N+1 rotor redundancy. The server also has one or two additional fans integrated in each of the two power supplies.

System fan choices are as follows:

• High performance fans, dual-rotor, 20K RPM
• Ultra performance fans, dual-rotor, 21K RPM

Fan selection is based on the configuration of the server, as follows:

• Performance fans: Under the following conditions, Performance fans can be used:
  • 8x Single-wide GPUs
  • 4x Double-wide GPUs ≤ 250W
• Ultra fans: Under the following conditions, Ultra fans are required:
  • 4x Double-wide GPUs > 250W

Ordering information for the fans is listed in the following table.

The SR650a V4 supports up to two redundant hot-swap power supplies.

The power supply choices are listed in the following table. If two power supplies are installed, both power supplies used in server must be identical.

Topics in this section:

• Power supply LEDs
• Power cords
• Power cords (C19 connectors)
• -48V DC power cord
• HVAC/HVDC power cord

Supported voltage ranges are as follows:

• The 230V/115V AC power supplies support both low-range (100-127V 50/60 Hz) and high-range (200-240V 50/60 Hz) power, except where noted. For China customers, all power supplies support 240V DC.
• The -48V DC power supply supports voltage range -44V to -54V DC.
• The HVAC/HVDC power supply supports voltage ranges 200-277V AC single phase, and 240-380V DC

For inlet current requirements, see the Physical and electrical specifications section.

Power supply options do not include a line cord. See the tables below for details about supported line cords, including the power cords for the DC power supplies. For server configurations, the inclusion of a power cord is model dependent. Configure-to-order models can be configured without power cords if desired.

The SR650a V4 supports both CRPS and CRPS Premium power supplies. CRPS Premium power supplies offer the following additional features:

• Over-subscription
• More accurate power metering
• Virtual reseat
• Enhanced fault detection
• System cooling assist (fan override)
• Fault LEDs
• VPD support
• Zero-output mode support (cold redundancy mode)

The SR650a V4 contains an integrated service processor, XClarity Controller 3 (XCC3), which provides advanced control, monitoring, and alerting functions. The XCC3 is based on an OpenBMC design, using the AST2600 baseboard management controller (BMC) with a dual-core ARM Cortex A7 32-bit RISC service processor running at 1.2 GHz.

Topics in this section:

• System I/O Board (DC-SCM)
• Local management
• System status with XClarity Mobile
• Remote management
• Shared connectivity for remote management
• MicroSD for XCC local storage
• XCC3 Premier
• Lenovo XClarity Provisioning Manager
• Lenovo XClarity One
• Lenovo XClarity Administrator
• Lenovo XClarity Integrators
• Lenovo XClarity Essentials
• Lenovo XClarity Energy Manager
• Lenovo Capacity Planner

Note: The NMI (non-maskable interrupt) button is not accessible from the rear of the server. Lenovo recommends using the NMI function that is part of the XCC user interfaces instead.

Figure 24. System I/O Board

The board also has the following components:

• XClarity Controller 3, implemented using the ASPEED AST2600 baseboard management controller (BMC).
• Root of Trust (RoT) module - implements Platform Firmware Resiliency (PFR) hardware Root of Trust (RoT) which enables the server to be NIST SP800-193 compliant. For more details about PFR, see the Security section.
• MicroSD card port to enable the use of a MicroSD card for additional storage for use with the XCC3 controller. XCC3 can use the storage as a Remote Disc on Card (RDOC) device (up to 4GB of storage). It can also be used to store firmware updates (including N-1 firmware history) for ease of deployment.

  Tip: Without a MicroSD card installed, the XCC controller will have 100MB of available RDOC storage.

Ordering information for the supported Micro SD cards are listed in the MicroSD for XCC local storage section.

The steps to connect the mobile device are as follows:

1. Enable USB Management on the server, by holding down the ID button for 3 seconds (or pressing the dedicated USB management button if one is present)
2. Connect the mobile device via a USB cable to the server's USB port with the management symbol
3. In iOS or Android settings, enable Personal Hotspot or USB Tethering
4. Launch the Lenovo XClarity Mobile app

Configuration notes:

• The use of XClarity Mobile requires front USB ports. If your server doesn't already include front USB ports, order the field upgrade ThinkSystem SR650/a V4 Left Rack Latch with USB/MiniDP Option kit (4XF7B03892) as described in the Local management section

Remote management

The server offers a dedicated RJ45 Ethernet port at the rear of the server for remote management via the XClarity Controller 2 management processor. The port supports 10/100/1000 Mbps speeds.

Remote server management is provided through industry-standard interfaces:

• Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) Version 2.0
• Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) Version 3 (no SET commands; no SNMP v1)
• Common Information Model (CIM-XML)
• Representational State Transfer (REST) support
• Redfish support (DMTF compliant)
• Web browser - HTML 5-based browser interface (Java and ActiveX not required) using a responsive design (content optimized for device being used - laptop, tablet, phone) with NLS support

The SR650a V4 also supports the use of an OCP adapter that provides an additional redundant Ethernet connection to the XCC3 controller. Ordering information is listed in the following table.

The use of this adapter allows concurrent remote access using both the connection on the adapter and the onboard RJ45 remote management port provided by the server. The adapter and onboard port have separate IP addresses.

Configuration rules:

• The adapter is only supported in OCP slot 1

Shared connectivity for remote management

To reduce the number of Ethernet connections needed for remote management, the SR650a V4 supports an adapter that installs in the OCP slot that allows four servers to share the one Ethernet connection. The adapter implements a 5-port Gigabit switch based on the Microchip KSZ9896 switch chip. Ordering information is listed in the following table.

The adapter has four RJ45 ports. One port of the adapter connects to the local remote management port and the other three adapter ports connect to the remote management ports of three nearby servers. Either the included short Cat5e cables can be used or customer-supplied Cat5e Ethernet cables can be used.

Configuration notes:

• The adapter is only supported in OCP slot 1
• When the adapter is installed in slot 1, OCP slot 2 is disabled and cannot be used
• The OCP slot in the other three servers can be used for network connectivity, if desired.

MicroSD for XCC local storage

The server includes a MicroSD card port to enable the use of a MicroSD card for additional storage for use with the XCC controller. XCC can use the storage as a Remote Disc on Card (RDOC) device (up to 4GB of storage). It can also be used to store firmware updates (including N-1 firmware history) for ease of deployment.

Tip: Without a MicroSD card installed, the XCC controller will have 100MB of available RDOC storage.

Ordering information for the supported Micro SD cards is listed in the following table.

XCC3 Premier adds the following functions:

• Enterprise Strict Security mode - Enforces CNSA 1.0 level security
• Remotely viewing video with graphics resolutions up to 1600x1200 at 75 Hz with up to 23 bits per pixel, regardless of the system state
• Remotely accessing the server using the keyboard and mouse from a remote client
• International keyboard mapping support
• Redirecting serial console via SSH
• Component replacement log (Maintenance History log)
• Access restriction (IP address blocking)
• Displaying graphics for real-time and historical power usage data and temperature
• Mapping the ISO and image files located on the local client as virtual drives for use by the server
• Mounting the remote ISO and image files via HTTPS, SFTP, CIFS, and NFS
• Power capping
• License for XClarity Energy Manager

The following additional XCC3 Premier features are planned for 2Q/2025

• System Guard - Monitor hardware inventory for unexpected component changes, and simply log the event or prevent booting
• Neighbor Group - Enables administrators to manage and synchronize configurations and firmware level across multiple servers
• Syslog alerting
• Lenovo SED security key management
• Boot video capture and crash video capture
• Virtual console collaboration - Ability for up to 6 remote users to be log into the remote session simultaneously
• Remote console Java client
• System utilization data and graphic view
• Single sign on with Lenovo XClarity Administrator
• Update firmware from a repository

With XCC3 Premier, for CTO orders, you can request that System Guard be enabled in the factory and the first configuration snapshot be recorded. To add this to an order, select feature code listed in the following table. The selection is made in the Security tab of the DCSC configurator.

For more information about System Guard, see https://pubs.lenovo.com/xcc2/NN1ia_c_systemguard

XClarity One is the next milestone in Lenovo’s portfolio of systems management products. Now you can leverage the benefits of a true next-generation, hybrid cloud-based solution for the deployment, management, and maintenance of your infrastructure through a single, centralized platform that delivers a consistent user experience across all Lenovo products.

Key features include:

• AI-powered Automation

  Harnesses the power of AI and predictive analytics to enhance the performance and reliability of your infrastructure with proactive protection.

  • AI-Powered Predictive Failure Analytics - predict maintenance needs before the failure occurs, with the ability to visualize aggregated actions in customer dashboard.
  • AI-Powered Call-Home - A Call-Home serviceable event opens a support ticket automatically, leveraging AI technology for problem determination and fast resolution.
  • AI-Powered Premier Support with Auto CRU - uses AI to automatically dispatch parts and services, reducing service costs and minimizing downtime.
• Secure Management Hub

  Lenovo’s proprietary Management Hub is an on-premises virtual appliance that acts as the bridge between your infrastructure and the cloud.

  • On-Premises Security with Cloud Flexibility - your infrastructure has no direct connection to the cloud, greatly reducing your attack surface from external threats while still having the deployment benefits, flexibility, and scalability of a cloud solution.
  • Authentication and Authorization - built on a Zero Trust Architecture and requiring OTP Application authentication for all users to handle the support of all customers’ servers and client devices. Role-based access controls help define and restrict permissions based on user roles.
• AI-Powered Management

  Go beyond standard system management leveraging AI algorithms to continuously learn from data patterns to optimize performance and predict potential issues before they impact operations.

  • AI Customizable Insights and Reporting - Customize AI-generated insights and reports to align with specific business objectives, enabling data-driven decision-making and strategic planning.
  • AI-driven scalability and flexibility - Guided with AI-driven predictions, the platform supports dynamic scaling of resources based on workload demands.
  • Monitor and Change - AI Advanced analytics capabilities providing deep insights into server performance, resource utilization, and security threats, to detect anomalies and suggest optimizations in real-time. NLP capabilities enabling administrators to interact with the platform using voice commands or text queries.
  • Upward Integration - Integrated with Lenovo Open Cloud Automation (LOC-A), Lenovo Intelligent Computer Orchestration (LiCO) and AIOps engines providing an end-to-end management architecture across Lenovo infrastructure and devices solutions.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility - Compatibility across different server types and cloud environments

Lenovo XClarity One is an optional management component. License information for XClarity One is listed in the following table.

Because Lenovo XClarity Administrator does not require any agent software to be installed on the managed endpoints, there are no CPU cycles spent on agent execution, and no memory is used, which means that up to 1GB of RAM and 1 - 2% CPU usage is saved, compared to a typical managed system where an agent is required.

Lenovo XClarity Administrator is an optional software component for the SR650a V4. The software can be downloaded and used at no charge to discover and monitor the SR650a V4 and to manage firmware upgrades.

If software support is required for Lenovo XClarity Administrator, or premium features such as configuration management and operating system deployment are required, Lenovo XClarity Pro software subscription should be ordered. Lenovo XClarity Pro is licensed on a per managed system basis, that is, each managed Lenovo system requires a license.

The following table lists the Lenovo XClarity software license options.

For more information, refer to the Lenovo XClarity Administrator Product Guide:
http://lenovopress.com/tips1200

For more information about all the available Lenovo XClarity Integrators, see the Lenovo XClarity Administrator Product Guide: https://lenovopress.com/tips1200-lenovo-xclarity-administrator

LXEM is a licensed product. A single-node LXEM license is included with the XClarity Controller Premier upgrade as described in the XCC3 Premier section. If your server does not have the XCC Premier upgrade, Energy Manager licenses can be ordered as shown in the following table.

Topics in this section:

• Security features
• Platform Firmware Resiliency - Lenovo ThinkShield
• Security standards

Security features

The SR650a V4 server offers the following electronic security features:

• Secure Boot function of the Intel Xeon processor
• Support for Platform Firmware Resiliency (PFR) hardware Root of Trust (RoT) - see the Platform Firmware Resiliency section
• Firmware signature processes compliant with FIPS and NIST requirements
• System Guard (part of XCC3 Premier) - Proactive monitoring of hardware inventory for unexpected component changes
• Administrator and power-on password
• Integrated Trusted Platform Module (TPM) supporting TPM 2.0
• For China users, optional Nationz TPM 2.0 module
• Self-encrypting drives (SEDs) with support for enterprise key managers - see the SED encryption key management section

The server is NIST SP 800-147B compliant.

The SR650a V4 server also offers the following optional physical security features:

• Optional chassis intrusion switch

The following table lists the security options for the SR650a V4.

Platform Firmware Resiliency - Lenovo ThinkShield

Lenovo's ThinkShield Security is a transparent and comprehensive approach to security that extends to all dimensions of our data center products: from development, to supply chain, and through the entire product lifecycle.

The ThinkSystem SR650a V4 includes Platform Firmware Resiliency (PFR) hardware Root of Trust (RoT) which enables the system to be NIST SP800-193 compliant. This offering further enhances key platform subsystem protections against unauthorized firmware updates and corruption, to restore firmware to an integral state, and to closely monitor firmware for possible compromise from cyber-attacks.

PFR operates upon the following server components:

• UEFI image – the low-level server firmware that connects the operating system to the server hardware
• XCC image – the management “engine” software that controls and reports on the server status separate from the server operating system
• FPGA image – the code that runs the server’s lowest level hardware controller on the motherboard

The Lenovo Platform Root of Trust Hardware performs the following three main functions:

• Detection – Measures the firmware and updates for authenticity
• Recovery – Recovers a corrupted image to a known-safe image
• Protection – Monitors the system to ensure the known-good firmware is not maliciously written

These enhanced protection capabilities are implemented using a dedicated, discrete security processor whose implementation has been rigorously validated by leading third-party security firms. Security evaluation results and design details are available for customer review – providing unprecedented transparency and assurance.

The SR650a V4 includes support for Secure Boot, a UEFI firmware security feature developed by the UEFI Consortium that ensures only immutable and signed software are loaded during the boot time. The use of Secure Boot helps prevent malicious code from being loaded and helps prevent attacks, such as the installation of rootkits. Lenovo offers the capability to enable secure boot in the factory, to ensure end-to-end protection. Alternatively, Secure Boot can be left disabled in the factory, allowing the customer to enable it themselves at a later point, if desired.

The following table lists the relevant feature code(s).

Security standards

The SR650a V4 supports the following security standards and capabilities:

• Industry Standard Security Capabilities
  • Intel CPU Enablement
    • Intel Trust Domain Extensions (Intel TDX)
    • Intel Crypto Acceleration
    • Intel QuickAssist Software Acceleration
    • Intel Platform Firmware Resilience Support
    • Intel Control-Flow Enforcement Technology
    • Intel Total Memory Encryption - Multi Key
    • Intel Total Memory Encryption
    • Intel AES New Instructions (AES-NI)
    • Intel OS Guard
    • Execute Disable Bit (XD)
    • Intel Boot Guard
    • Mode-based Execute Control (MBEC)
    • Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
    • Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
  • Microsoft Windows Security Enablement
    • Credential Guard
    • Device Guard
    • Host Guardian Service
  • TCG (Trusted Computing Group) TPM (Trusted Platform Module) 2.0
  • UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) Forum Secure Boot
• Hardware Root of Trust and Security
  • Independent security subsystem providing platform-wide NIST SP800-193 compliant Platform Firmware Resilience (PFR)
  • Management domain RoT supplemented by the Secure Boot features of XCC
• Platform Security
  • Boot and run-time firmware integrity monitoring with rollback to known-good firmware (e.g., “self-healing”)
  • Non-volatile storage bus security monitoring and filtering
  • Resilient firmware implementation, such as to detect and defeat unauthorized flash writes or SMM (System Management Mode) memory incursions
  • Patented IPMI KCS channel privileged access authorization (USPTO Patent# 11,256,810)
  • Host and management domain authorization, including integration with CyberArk for enterprise password management
  • KMIP (Key Management Interoperability Protocol) compliant, including support for IBM SKLM and Thales KeySecure
  • Reduced “out of box” attack surface
  • Configurable network services

  For more information on platform security, see the paper “How to Harden the Security of your ThinkSystem Server and Management Applications” available from https://lenovopress.com/lp1260-how-to-harden-the-security-of-your-thinksystem-server.

• Standards Compliance and/or Support
  • NIST SP800-131A rev 2 “Transitioning the Use of Cryptographic Algorithms and Key Lengths”
  • NIST SP800-147B “BIOS Protection Guidelines for Servers”
  • NIST SP800-193 “Platform Firmware Resiliency Guidelines”
  • ISO/IEC 11889 “Trusted Platform Module Library”
  • Common Criteria TCG Protection Profile for “PC Client Specific TPM 2.0”
  • European Union Commission Regulation 2019/424 (“ErP Lot 9”) “Ecodesign Requirements for Servers and Data Storage Products” Secure Data Deletion
  • Optional FIPS 140-2 validated Self-Encrypting Disks (SEDs) with external KMIP-based key management
• Product and Supply Chain Security
  • Suppliers validated through Lenovo’s Trusted Supplier Program
  • Developed in accordance with Lenovo’s Secure Development Lifecycle (LSDL)
  • Continuous firmware security validation through automated testing, including static code analysis, dynamic network and web vulnerability testing, software composition analysis, and subsystem-specific testing, such as UEFI security configuration validation
  • Ongoing security reviews by US-based security experts, with attestation letters available from our third-party security partners
  • Digitally signed firmware, stored and built on US-based infrastructure and signed on US-based Hardware Security Modules (HSMs)
  • Manufacturing transparency via Intel Transparent Supply Chain (for details, see https://lenovopress.com/lp1434-introduction-to-intel-transparent-supply-chain-on-lenovo-thinksystem-servers)
  • TAA (Trade Agreements Act) compliant manufacturing, by default in Mexico for North American markets with additional US and EU manufacturing options
  • US 2019 NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) Section 889 compliant

The following table lists the rack installation options that are available for the SR650a V4.

For supported racks, see the Rack cabinets section.

See the Rail Kit comparison for the specifications of each rail kit:
https://lenovopress.lenovo.com/lp1838-thinksystem-and-thinkedge-rail-kit-reference#availability=Available&sr650-v4-support=SR650%2520V4

The SR650a V4 supports the following operating systems:

• Microsoft Windows Server 2022
• Microsoft Windows Server 2025
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.5
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP6
• Ubuntu 24.04 LTS 64-bit
• VMware ESXi 8.0 U3
• Windows 11

For configure-to-order configurations, the SR650a V4 can be preloaded with VMware ESXi. Ordering information is listed in the following table.

Configuration rule:

• An ESXi preload cannot be selected if the configuration includes an NVIDIA GPU (ESXi preload cannot include the NVIDIA driver)

You can download supported VMware vSphere hypervisor images from the following web page and install it using the instructions provided:
https://vmware.lenovo.com/content/custom_iso/

For a complete list of supported, certified and tested operating systems, plus additional details and links to relevant web sites, see the Operating System Interoperability Guide: https://lenovopress.lenovo.com/osig

The SR650a V4 has the following overall physical dimensions, excluding components that extend outside the standard chassis, such as EIA flanges, front security bezel (if any), and power supply handles:

• Width: 445 mm (17.5 inches)
• Height: 87 mm (3.4 inches)
• Depth: 924 mm (36.4 inches)

The following table lists the detailed dimensions. See the figure below for the definition of each dimension.

Figure 27. Server dimensions

The server has the following weight:

• Maximum weight: 38.8 kg (85.5 lb)

The server has the following electrical specifications for AC input power supplies:

• Input voltage:
  • 100 to 127 (nominal) Vac, 50 Hz or 60 Hz
  • 200 to 240 (nominal) Vac, 50 Hz or 60 Hz
  • 180 to 300 Vdc (China only)
• Inlet current: see the following table.

Electrical specifications for -48V DC input power supply, 4P57A88625:

• Input voltage: -48 to -60 Vdc
• Inlet current: 29.8 A

Electrical specifications for HVAC/HVDC power supply, 4P57A88627:

• Input voltage ranges:
  • 200-277V AC single phase
  • 240-380V DC
• Inlet current:
  • AC: 7.2 A
  • DC: 6.2 A

The SR650a V4 server complies with ASHRAE Class A2 specifications with most configurations, and depending on the hardware configuration, also complies with ASHRAE Class A3 and Class A4 specifications. System performance may be impacted when operating temperature is outside ASHRAE A2 specification.

Depending on the hardware configuration, the SR650a V4 server also complies with ASHRAE Class H1 specification. System performance may be impacted when operating temperature is outside ASHRAE H1 specification.

Topics in this section:

• Temperature and humidity
• Acoustical noise emissions
• Shock and vibration
• Particulate contamination

Water requirements

The SR650a V4 has the following requirements for open-loop liquid cooling:

• Maximum pressure: 3 bars
• Water inlet temperature and flow rates:
  • 50°C (122°F) inlet temperature: 1.5 liters per minute (lpm) per server
  • 45°C (113°F) inlet temperature: 1 liter per minute (lpm) per server
  • 40°C (104°F) or lower inlet temperature: 0.5 liters per minute (lpm) per server

The water required to initially fill the system side cooling loop must be reasonably clean, bacteria-free water (<100 CFU/ml) such as de-mineralized water, reverse osmosis water, de-ionized water, or distilled water. The water must be filtered with an in-line 50 micron filter (approximately 288 mesh). The water must be treated with anti-biological and anti-corrosion measures. Environment quality must be maintain over the lifetime of the system to receive warranty and support on affecting components. For more information, see Lenovo Neptune Direct Water-Cooling Standards.

Temperature and humidity

The server is supported in the following environment:

• Air temperature:
  • Operating:
    • ASHRAE Class A2: 10°C to 35°C (50°F to 95°F); the maximum ambient temperature decreases by 1°C for every 300 m (984 ft) increase in altitude above 900 m (2,953 ft).
    • ASHRAE Class A3: 5°C to 40°C (41°F to 104°F); the maximum ambient temperature decreases by 1°C for every 175 m (574 ft) increase in altitude above 900 m (2,953 ft).
    • ASHRAE Class A4: 5°C to 45°C (41°F to 113°F); the maximum ambient temperature decreases by 1°C for every 125 m (410 ft) increase in altitude above 900 m (2,953 ft).
    • ASHRAE Class H1: 5 °C to 25 °C (41 °F to 77 °F); Decrease the maximum ambient temperature by 1°C for every 500 m (1640 ft) increase in altitude above 900 m (2,953 ft).
  • Server off: -10°C to 60°C (14°F to 140°F)
  • Shipment/storage: -40°C to 70°C (-40°F to 158°F)
• Maximum altitude: 3,050 m (10,000 ft)
• Relative Humidity (non-condensing):
  • Operating
    • ASHRAE Class A2: 8% to 80%; maximum dew point: 21°C (70°F)
    • ASHRAE Class A3: 8% to 85%; maximum dew point: 24°C (75°F)
    • ASHRAE Class A4: 8% to 90%; maximum dew point: 24°C (75°F)
    • ASHRAE Class H1: 8% to 80%; Maximum dew point: 17°C (63°F)
  • Shipment/storage: 8% to 90% 

Acoustical noise emissions

The server has the following acoustic noise emissions declaration.

Modes:

• Idle mode: Steady state in which the server is powered on but not operating any intended function.
• Operating mode: 100% GPU with 80% CPU TDP.

The declared acoustic sound levels are based on the following configurations, which may change depending on configuration or conditions.

• Typical: GPU chassis, 6*Ultra 6056 fans, 2 x 350 W CPUs, 4x H100 NVL 400W GPUs, 16 x 64 GB RDIMMs, 8 x 2.5" NVME 3.84TB HDDs, 2 x ThinkSystem Broadcom 57508 100GbE QSFP56 2-Port OCP Ethernet Adapter, 2 x 2700W PSUs

Notes:

• These sound levels were measured in controlled acoustical environments according to procedures specified by ISO7779 and are reported in accordance with ISO 9296.
• The declared sound levels may change depending on configuration/conditions.
• Government regulations (such as those prescribed by OSHA or European Community Directives) may govern noise level exposure in the workplace and may apply to you and your server installation. The actual sound pressure levels in your installation depend upon a variety of factors, including the number of racks in the installation; the size, materials, and configuration of the room; the noise levels from other equipment; the room ambient temperature, and employee's location in relation to the equipment. Further, compliance with such government regulations depends on a variety of additional factors, including the duration of employees' exposure and whether employees wear hearing protection. Lenovo recommends that you consult with qualified experts in this field to determine whether you are in compliance with the applicable regulations.

The following specifications indicate the limits of particulates that the system can tolerate:

• Reactive gases:
  • The copper reactivity level shall be less than 200 Angstroms per month (Å/month)
  • The silver reactivity level shall be less than 200 Å/month
• Airborne particulates:
  • The room air should be continuously filtered with MERV 8 filters.
  • Air entering a data center should be filtered with MERV 11 or preferably MERV 13 filters.
  • The deliquescent relative humidity of the particulate contamination should be more than 60% RH
  • Environment must be free of zinc whiskers

For additional information, see the Specifications section of the documentation for the server, available from the Lenovo Documents site, https://pubs.lenovo.com/

The Lenovo Processor Neptune Core Module is the liquid-based processor cooling offering for the SR650a V4, as described in the Lenovo Processor Neptune Core Module section.

The open-loop cooling module requires the following water infrastructure components in the rack cabinet and data center:

• Supported 42U or 48U rack cabinet

  The 42U or 48U Heavy Duty Rack Cabinet (machine types 7D6D or 7D6E) are supported. Two 0U mounting points are required for the water manifolds, at the rear of the rack cabinet, one either side.

  For information about the 42U and 48U Heavy Duty Rack Cabinets, see the product guide:
  https://lenovopress.lenovo.com/lp1498-lenovo-heavy-duty-rack-cabinets

• 38-port water manifold (machine type 7DE6), installed in the rear of the rack cabinet

  The manifold provides quick-disconnect couplings that each server in the rack are connected to. Ordering information is in the table below.

• Coolant distribution unit (CDU), either in-rack or in-row

  In-rack CDUs are installed at the bottom of the rack cabinet. The supported in-rack CDU is as follows:

  • Lenovo Neptune DWC RM100 In-Rack CDU; see the RM100 In-Rack Coolant Distribution Unit section

  In-row CDUs are separate cabinets that are typically installed at the end of a row of rack cabinets. Examples of suitable in-row CDUs include (but not limited to):

  • CoolTera FS400 310KW CDU
  • Vertiv Liebert XDU60 60KW CDU
• Hose kit to connect to the CDU to the manifold

  Ordering information is in the table.

The following figure shows the major components of the solution.

Figure 28. Water manifold connections

Configuration requirements:

• Maximum number of SR650a V4 servers support in a rack:
  • 48U rack: 19 servers
  • 42U rack with in-rack CDU: 18 servers
  • 42U rack without in-rack CDU: 19 servers
• Inlet water flow rate:
  • 0.5 LPM: Maximum 40°C inlet water temperature
  • 1.0 LPM: Maximum 45°C inlet water temperature
  • 1.5 LPM: Maximum 50°C inlet water temperature
• Water pressure requirement:
  • Maximum operating node inlet pressure = 43.5 psi (3 bars)

The 38-drop water manifold and hoses can be ordered as part numbers or by using the CTO process in the configurators using CTO model 7DE6CTO1WW. The following table lists the ordering information for the water manifold for the Processor Neptune Core Module.

Configuration notes:

• This water connection solution described here cannot be used with the DW612S enclosure as the water requirements are different.
• The hoses for in-row CDUs that are listed in the table above have Eaton FD83 quick-disconnect couplings

The SR650a V4 has a 1-year or 3-year warranty based on the machine type of the system:

• 7DGC - 1 year warranty
• 7DGD - 3 year warranty

For more information, consult the brochure Lenovo Operational Support Services for Data Centers Services.

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