Lenovo ThinkSystem SR850 Server (Xeon SP Gen 2)

The Lenovo ThinkSystem SR850 is a 4-socket server that features a streamlined 2U rack design that is optimized for price and performance, with best-in-class flexibility and expandability. The SR850 now supports second-generation Intel Xeon Scalable Family processors, up to a total of four,  each with up to 28 cores. The ThinkSystem SR850’s agile design provides rapid upgrades for processors and memory, and its large, flexible storage capacity helps to keep pace with data growth.

Suggested uses: General business consolidation, data analytics, virtualization, database, dense computing and scientific applications

Figure 1. Lenovo ThinkSystem SR850

With a dense 2U design, the Lenovo ThinkSystem SR850 provides advanced features and capabilities. These include support for up to four sockets and 48 DIMMs, mix and match internal storage, and enterprise-grade systems management with the embedded Lenovo XClarity Controller.

The SR850 has space for 16x 2.5-inch drive bays, up to 8 of which can be configured as AnyBay drives - supporting SAS, SATA or NVMe drives. NVMe drives are high-speed, low-latency storage, ideal for storage tiering. The server also offers easy expansion, with up to nine PCIe slots (two of which are x16) and up to 2 (mirrored) M.2 drives for rapid OS boot, faster than either USB keys or SD cards.

The flexible ThinkSystem SR850 server now supports second-generation Intel Xeon Scalable Gold or Platinum processors and can scale from two to four processors. Built for standard workloads like general business applications and server consolidation, it can also accommodate high-growth areas such as databases and virtualization. The ThinkSystem SR850’s agile design permits rapid upgrades for processors and memory, and its large, flexible storage capacity helps to keep pace with data growth.

With the capability to support up to 48 DIMMs, four sockets, mix-and-match internal storage with up to 16 drives, and a dedicated slot for Gigabit or 10 GbE networking, the SR850 provides unmatched features and capabilities in a dense 2U rack-mount design.

Scalability and performance

The SR850 offers numerous features to boost performance, improve scalability and reduce costs: 

• Supports second-generation Intel Xeon Processor Scalable processors
• Supports Gold and Platinum level processors in the Intel Xeon Processor Scalable Family. Processors supported have up to 28 cores, core speeds of up to 3.8GHz, and TDP ratings of up to 205W.
• The SR850's processor mezzanine tray design enables you to start with two processors and 24 DIMM sockets and upgrade to four processors and 48 DIMM sockets when you need it, helping lower initial costs and manage growth.
• Up to four processors, 112 cores, and 224 threads maximize the concurrent execution of multithreaded applications.
• Intelligent and adaptive system performance with Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 allows processor cores to run at maximum speeds during peak workloads by temporarily going beyond processor TDP.
• Intel Hyper-Threading Technology boosts performance for multithreaded applications by enabling simultaneous multithreading within each processor core, up to two threads per core.
• Intel Virtualization Technology integrates hardware-level virtualization hooks that allow operating system vendors to better use the hardware for virtualization workloads.
• Intel Speed Select Technology provides improvements in server utilization and guaranteed per-core performance service levels with more granular control over processor performance.
• Intel Deep Learning Boost (Vector Neural Network Instruction set or VNNI) is designed to deliver significant, more efficient Deep Learning (Inference) acceleration for high-performance Artificial Intelligence (AI) workloads.
• Intel Advanced Vector Extensions 512 (AVX-512) enable acceleration of enterprise-class workloads, including databases and enterprise resource planning (ERP).
• Support for up to 48 TruDDR4 memory DIMMs operating at up to 2933 MHz means you have the fastest available memory subsystem and memory capacity of up to 6 TB using 48x 128 GB 3DS RDIMMs
• Supports 2933 MHz Performance+ memory DIMMs which allow configurations of 2 DIMMs per channel to operate at the 2933 MHz rated memory speed.
• Supports the new Intel Optane DC Persistent Memory; up to 24 Data Center Persistent Memory Modules (DCPMMs) can be installed in conjunction with regular system memory. DCPMMs are up to 512 GB each, for a total of up to 12 TB of Persistent Memory.
• The use of solid-state drives (SSDs) instead of, or along with, traditional spinning drives (HDDs), can improve I/O performance. An SSD can support up to 100 times more I/O operations per second (IOPS) than a typical HDD.
• Up to 16x 2.5-inch drive bays -- supporting combinations of SAS or SATA HDDs, SAS or SATA SSDs, and NVMe PCIe SSDs -- provide a flexible and scalable all-in-one platform to meet your increasing demands.
• Support for up to 8x NVMe PCIe SSDs in a 2.5-inch form factor maximizes drive I/O performance, in terms of throughput, bandwidth, and latency.
• New high-speed RAID controllers from Broadcom provide 12 Gb SAS connectivity to the drive backplanes. A variety of RAID adapters are available, with cache up to 4 GB and support for 16 drives on a single controller.
• Supports the Lenovo patented-design M.2 adapter for convenient operating system boot functions. Available M.2 adapters support either one M.2 drive or two M.2 drives in a RAID 1 configuration for boot drive performance and reliability.
• The server has a dedicated flexible LAN-on-motherboard (LOM) slot, supporting a variety of 10 GbE or Gigabit Ethernet adapters that do not occupy one of the standard PCIe slots.
• A total of up to 9 general-purpose PCIe 3.0 slots plus slots dedicated to the LOM adapter and the M.2 adapter.
• The server offers PCI Express 3.0 I/O expansion capabilities that improve the theoretical maximum bandwidth by almost 100% (8 GTps per link using 128b/130b encoding) compared to the previous generation of PCI Express 2.0 (5 GTps per link using 8b/10b encoding).

Availability and serviceability

The SR850 provides many features to simplify serviceability and increase system uptime:

• 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), memory mirroring, and memory rank sparing 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.
• The Dual M.2 Boot Adapter supports RAID-1 which enables two installed M.2 drives to be configured as a redundant pair.
• The server has up to two hot-swap redundant power supplies and six hot-swap redundant fans to provide availability for business-critical applications.
• The power-source-independent light path diagnostics uses LEDs to lead the technician to failed (or failing) components, which simplifies servicing, speeds up problem resolution, and helps improve system availability.
• The optional LCD system information display panel provides more detailed diagnostics by displaying all error messages and VPD data needed for a service call, thereby aiding with problem resolution and system 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.
• Solid-state drives (SSDs) offer more reliability than traditional mechanical HDDs for greater uptime.
• 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 collects and saves service data to USB key drive or remote CIFS share folder, for troubleshooting and to reduce service time.
• Auto restart in the event of a momentary loss of AC power (based on the power policy setting in the XClarity Controller service processor)
• Support for the XClarity Administrator Mobile app running on a supported smartphone 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, 9 x 5 next business day. Optional service upgrades are available.

Manageability and security

Powerful systems management features simplify local and remote management of the SR850:

• Lenovo XClarity Controller (XCC) monitors server availability and performs remote management. XCC Advanced is standard, which enables remote KVM. Optional XCC Enterprise enables the mounting of remote media files (ISO and IMG image files), boot capture, and power capping.
• Lenovo XClarity Administrator offers comprehensive hardware management tools that help to increase uptime, reduce costs and improve productivity through advanced server management capabilities.
• New 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.
• Integrated Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 support enables advanced cryptographic methods, such as digital signatures and remote attestation.
• 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 in the M.2 Adapter.
• 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.

Energy efficiency

The SR850 offers the following energy-efficiency features to save energy, reduce operational costs, and increase energy availability:

• Energy-efficient planar components help lower operational costs.
• High-efficiency power supplies with 80 PLUS Platinum certifications
• Intel Intelligent Power Capability turns individual processor elements on and off as needed to reduce power draw.
• Low-voltage 1.2 V DDR4 memory offers energy savings compared to 1.35 V and 1.5 V DDR3 DIMMs.
• Solid-state drives (SSDs) consume as much as 80% less power than traditional spinning 2.5-inch HDDs.
• 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.
• Optional 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 following figure shows the architectural block diagram of the SR850, showing the major components and their connections.

Figure 5. SR850 architectural block diagram

The following table lists the standard specifications.

ThinkSystem SR850 models can be configured by using the Lenovo Data Center Solution Configurator (DCSC).

Configure-to-order (CTO) models are used to create models with factory-integrated server customizations. For CTO models, two types of base CTO models are available for the SR850 as listed in the columns in the following table:

• General purpose base CTO models are for general business (non-HPC) and is selectable by choosing General Purpose mode in DCSC.
• AI and HPC base models are intended for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and High Performance Computing (HPC) configurations and solutions are enabled using the AI & HPC Hardware - ThinkSystem Hardware mode in DCSC. These configurations, along with Lenovo EveryScale Solutions, can also be built using System x and Cluster Solutions Configurator (x-config). Tip: Some HPC and AI models are not listed in DCSC and can only be configured in x-config.

Preconfigured server models may also be available for the SR850, 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 SR850 server.

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

• Models for Australia and New Zealand
• Models for South East Asian countries (ASEAN)
• Models for EMEA countries
• Models for Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea (HTK)
• Models for India
• Models for Japan
• Models for USA and Canada

All models have the following common features:

• No included drives (open drive bays)
• No power cords included; ensure desired power cords are added to the order
• No cable management arm is included however it is available as an option

The SR850 supports Gold and Platinum level processors in the second-generation Intel Xeon Processor Scalable Family.

Topics in this section:

• Continued support for 1st Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors
• Memory capacity of processors
• Processor features
• UEFI operating modes

The server supports up to four processors:

• Processors 1 and 2 are installed in sockets on the system board.
• Processors 3 and 4 are installed on the Processor and Memory Expansion Tray.

The SR850 Processor and Memory Expansion Tray has a patent-pending sliding and rolling lift mechanism that requires only a one-handed operation to insert or remove from the server. It has a toolless design for superior usability, serviceability and reliability. 

Figure 6. SR850 Processor and Memory Expansion Tray

The ordering information for the Processor and Memory Expansion Tray is shown in the following table.

The following processor quantities are supported:

• Two processors, installed in sockets 1 and 2, without the Processor and Memory Expansion Tray
• Four processors, installed in all four sockets
• Configurations of one processor or three processors are supported via Special Bid

The table below lists the supported second-generation Intel processors.

All supported processors have the following characteristics:

• Second-generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors (formerly codenamed "Cascade Lake")
• 14 nm process technology
• Six DDR4 memory channels
• 48 PCIe 3.0 I/O lanes
• 1 MB L2 cache
• 1.375 MB or more L3 cache per core
• Intel Hyper-Threading Technology
• Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0
• Intel Advanced Vector Extensions 512 (AVX-512)
• Intel Ultra Path Interconnect (UPI) links at 10.4 GT/s (replaces QPI)

Some processors include a suffix letter in the processor model number:

• L: Large memory tier (supports total memory up to 4.5TB per processor)
• M: Medium memory tier (supports total memory up to 2TB per processor)
• N: NFV optimized
• S: Search optimized
• T: High Tcase
• U: Single socket
• V: VM Density optimized
• Y: Speed Select

Processors without a suffix support up to 1TB per processor.

With two processors installed, the two processors are connected together using one UPI link. With four processors installed, the processors are connected together using a ring topology, using two UPI links, one to each adjacent processor in the ring.

For specifications of these processors, see the Intel Xeon Scalable Processor Reference for Lenovo ThinkSystem Servers:
https://lenovopress.com/lp1262-intel-xeon-sp-processor-reference#term=SKL

Processor features

The following table lists the features of the supported second-generation Intel Xeon processors.

* L3 cache is 1.375 MB per core or larger. Processors with a larger L3 cache per core are marked with an *
** The Intel Xeon Gold 5218 and 5218B processors have similar specifications; however, they use different silicon designs and cannot be mixed in the same system.

The following table lists the feature codes that allow you to specify the mode you wish to preset in the factory for CTO orders.

The preset modes for the SR850 are as follows:

• Maximum Performance Mode (feature BFYB): Achieves maximum performance but with higher power consumption and lower energy efficiency.
• Minimal Power Mode (feature BFYC): Minimize the absolute power consumption of the system.
• Efficiency Favoring Power Savings Mode (feature BFYD): Maximize the performance/watt efficiency with a bias towards power savings. This is the favored mode for SPECpower benchmark testing, for example.
• Efficiency Favoring Performance Mode (feature BFYE): Maximize the performance/watt efficiency with a bias towards performance. This is the favored mode for Energy Star certification, for example.

For details about these preset modes, and all other performance and power efficiency UEFI settings offered in the SR850, see the paper "Tuning UEFI Settings for Performance and Energy Efficiency on Intel Xeon Scalable Processor-Based ThinkSystem Servers", available from https://lenovopress.lenovo.com/lp1477.

The SR850 with second-generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors uses Lenovo TruDDR4 memory operating at up to 2933 MHz. The server supports 12 DIMMs per processor, which corresponds to 48 DIMMs with four processors installed. Each processor has six memory channels with two DIMMs per channel.

With 128 GB 3DS RDIMMs installed, a 4-socket server supports a total of 6 TB of system memory.

The SR850 with second-generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors also supports Intel Optane DC Persistent Memory, as described in the Persistent Memory section.

With second-generation processors, the server supports these memory DIMMs:

• 2666 MHz DIMMs, that operate at 2666 MHz both at 1 DIMM per channel and 2 DIMMs per channel
• 2933 MHz DIMMs, that operate at 2933 MHz at 1 DIMM per channel, and at 2666 MHz at 2 DIMMs per channel
• 2933 MHz Performance+ DIMMs, that operate at 2933 MHz both at 1 DIMM per channel and 2 DIMMs per channel

Note that if the processor selected has a memory bus speed of 2666 MHz, then all DIMMs will operate at 2666 MHz, even if the DIMMs are rated for 2933 MHz.

The following three tables lists the memory options that are available for the server.

Lenovo TruDDR4 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 TruDDR4 memory automatically assumes the system warranty, and Lenovo provides service and support worldwide.

The following rules apply when selecting the memory configuration:

• The server supports RDIMMs, LRDIMMs and 3DS RDIMMs. UDIMMs are not supported.
• Mixing RDIMMs, LRDIMMs or 3DS RDIMMs is not supported.
• Mixing x4 and x8 DIMMs is supported.
• Mixing of 2933 MHz Performance+ DIMMs with other DIMMs or Persistent Memory is not supported
• Mixing of 2666 MHz and 2933 MHz and is supported, however, all installed memory will operate at the lowest speed.

For best performance, consider the following:

• Ensure the memory installed is at least the same speed as the memory bus of the selected processor.
• Populate memory DIMMs in quantities of 6 or 12 per processor, so that all memory channels are used.
• When mixing 16 GB and 32 GB DIMMs in the same configuration, use 16GB 2Rx8 DIMMs instead of 16 GB 1Rx4 DIMMs for better performance.
• Populate memory channels so they all have the same total memory capacity.
• Ensure all memory controllers on a processor socket have the same DIMM configuration.
• All processor sockets on the same physical server should have the same DIMM configuration.

The following memory protection technologies are supported:

• ECC
• SDDC (for x4-based memory DIMMs; look for "x4" in the DIMM description)
• ADDDC (for x4-based memory DIMMs)
• Memory mirroring
• Memory rank sparing

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

If memory rank sparing is used, then a minimum of two single-rank or dual-rank DIMMs must be installed per populated channel (the DIMMs do not need to be identical). In rank sparing mode, one rank of a DIMM in each populated channel is reserved as spare memory. The largest rank in the channel will be automatically selected as the spare rank. The amount of memory available to the operating system depends on the number, capacity and rank counts of the DIMMs installed.

The SR850 server supports Intel Optane DC Persistent Memory, a new class of memory and storage technology explicitly architected for data center usage. Persistent Memory offers significantly lower latency than fetching data from SSDs, even NVMe SSDs, and offers higher capacities than system memory.

Using Lenovo ThinkSystem servers running applications that are tuned for Intel Optane DC Persistent Memory will result in lower data latency compared to solid-state drive technology. When data is stored closer to the processor on nonvolatile media, applications can see significant overall improvement in performance. 

The following table lists the ordering information for the DC Persistent Memory modules (DCPMMs).

The following are the requirements when installing DCPMMs:

• All second generation Intel Xeon Scalable Family processors that the SR850 supports also support DCPMMs. First generation Xeon Scalable processors are not supported.
• All installed DCPMMs must be the same size. Mixing DCPMMs of different capacities is not supported
• Maximum 6 DCPMMs per processor (install 1 in each memory channel)
• Minimum 2 TruDDR4 DIMMs per processor (1 per memory controller)
• For Memory Mode, minimum 2 DCPMMs per processor (install 1 per memory controller)
• For App Direct Mode, mimimum 1 DCPMM installed in the server (any processor)
• When either Memory Mode or Mixed Mode is used, the ratio of memory to DCPMMs must be between 1:16 and 1:4, but the recommended ratio is 1:4 for the best performance. For example, 6x 16GB DIMMs + 2x 256GB DCPMMs is a ratio of 1:5.33. This ratio requirement does not apply to App Direct mode.
• For each memory channel with both a DCPMM and a TruDDR4 DIMM installed, the DCPMM is installed in channel slot 1 (closest) and the DIMM is installed in channel slot 0
• To maximize performance, balance all memory channels
• In configurations with DCPMMs installed, memory mirroring is supported, with two restrictions:
  • Mirroring is only enabled on the DRAM DIMMs installed in the server; The DCPMMs themselves do not support mirroring.
  • Only App Direct mode is supported. Memory mirroring cannot be enabled when DCPMMs are in Memory Mode or Mixed Mode.
• Memory sparing is not supported with DCPMMs installed

DCPMMs offer the following memory protection technologies:

• ECC
• SDDC
• DDDC
• Patrol scrubbing
• Demand scrubbing

In the App Direct mode, the DCPMMs also support memory mirroring that is performed by the processor's integrated memory controllers. Memory mirroring is not supported in Memory Mode or Mixed Mode. Memory rank sparing is not supported by DCPMMs in any mode.

For more information, see the Intel Optane DC Persistent Memory (DCPMM) product guide, https://lenovopress.com/LP1066

The server can support up to 16x 2.5-inch drives, SAS, SATA or NVMe, depending on the selected backplane configuration. You can mix drives in the same server, but not in the same array. Drives are all installed from the front of the server. The server also supports one or two M.2 drives, installed in an M.2 adapter.

In this section:

• Backplanes and drive bays
• Adapters and cabling
• Field upgrades
• M.2 drives
• SED encryption key management with ISKLM

Backplanes and drive bays

The SR850 supports various internal storage configurations based on two different backplanes:

• 8-drive SAS/SATA backplane for 8x 2.5-inch SAS or SATA drives
• 8-drive SAS/SATA+AnyBay backplane for either:
  • 8x 2.5-inch SAS or SATA drives
  • 4x 2.5-inch SAS or SATA drives + 4x 2.5-inch U.2 (NVMe) drives

For configure-to-order (CTO) configurations, ordering information for the backplanes is in the following table.

* Backplanes are configure-to-order (CTO) only; however, upgrade kits are available that include backplanes, as described in the Field upgrades section below.

Regular 2.5-inch SAS/SATA drive bays support only SAS or SATA drives, however the Lenovo AnyBay drive bay design allows a choice of SATA, SAS or NVMe drives. This design enables the flexibility to configure some of the bays with high-performance PCIe SSDs and still use the remaining bays for high-capacity HDDs, which is the ideal solution for storage tiering.

Backplane connections are as follows:

• The 8-drive SAS/SATA backplane has two SAS/SATA connectors and connects to a supported RAID controller or SAS HBA.
• The 8-drive SAS/SATA+AnyBay backplane has two SAS/SATA connectors and connects to a supported RAID controller or SAS HBA plus four PCIe connectors to connect to either two PCIe connectors on the Processor and Memory Expansion Tray (see Figure 4), or four PCIe connectors on a NVMe Switch adapter installed in a PCIe slot.

The first five configurations are shown in the following figure.

Figure 7. Drive bay configurations

Field upgrades

This section describes how customers can upgrade their 8-bay configurations after the initial purchase of the server. The two backplane upgrade kits are listed in the following table.

The table also lists cable kits for when you already have the backplanes installed and either want to add a storage adapter or replace a storage adapter. The X30 RAID Cable Kit is for 930/730/530/430 adapters (collectively called X30 adapters) and the X40 RAID Cable Kit is for 940/440 adapters (collectively called the X40 adapters).

In addition to the backplane kits, you will need a RAID adapter or HBA, and for some upgrades you may also need an NVMe adapter. Upgrades needed are listed in the following two tables. Upgrading from an 8-port SAS/SATA adapter to a 16-port SAS/SATA adapter is supported, however that requires removing the existing 8-port adapter.

The following table lists the available upgrades for SR850 servers with a single SAS/SATA backplane (See Configuration 1 above).

The following table lists the available upgrades for SR850 servers with a single AnyBay backplane (See Configuration 2 above).

The M.2 drives install into an M.2 adapter which in turn is installed in a dedicated slot on the system board. See the internal view of the server in the Components and connectors section for the location of the M.2 slot.

Supported drives are listed in the Internal drive options section.

For details about M.2 components, see the ThinkSystem M.2 Drives and M.2 Adapters product guide:
https://lenovopress.com/lp0769-thinksystem-m2-drives-adapters

The IBM Security Key Lifecycle Manager software is available from Lenovo using the ordering information listed in the following table.

The SR850 supports internal SAS and SATA drives with the addition of a RAID adapter or HBA. For NVMe support, the server offers two onboard NVMe ports on the processor and memory expansion tray (with four processors) and two ports with the use of an NVMe Switch Adapter.

The following table lists the adapters used for the internal storage of the SR850 server.

* * The RAID 730-8i 1GB Cache adapter is not available in USA and Canada.

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. 

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 server supports up to 9 PCIe 3.0 slots, plus a slot for the LOM adapter and a slot for the M.2 adapter.

Six PCIe 3.0 slots (1, 2, 8, 9, 10, 11) are on the system board and three slots (slots 3-5) are through a riser card. A riser card is standard on some models and optional on others. The LOM slot (slot 7) is also vertically mounted on the system board. All slots are available with two processors.

The PCIe slots are as follows:

• Slot 1: PCIe 3.0 x16 (low profile) (CPU 2)
• Slot 2: PCIe 3.0 x8 (low profile, x8 physical slot ) (CPU 2)
• Slot 3-5: Riser card slots (see below) (CPU 2)
• Slot 6: PCIe 2.0 x2 dedicated to M.2 adapter and drives
• Slot 7: Dedicated to Ethernet LOM phy adapter (CPU 1)
• Slot 8: PCIe 3.0 x8 (low profile, x8 physical slot ) (CPU 1)
• Slot 9: PCIe 3.0 x8 (low profile, x8 physical slot ) (CPU 1)
• Slot 10: PCIe 3.0 x8 (low profile, x8 physical slot ) (CPU 1)
• Slot 11: PCIe 3.0 x16 (low profile) (CPU 1)

The locations of the slots are shown in the following figure.

Figure 13. SR850 slots

Note: Slot 6 is an internal slot for the M.2 adapter as described in the M.2 drives section.

Slots 3-5 are implemented using a riser card, and the SR850 supports three different riser cards as listed in the following table.

The following table lists the ordering information for the riser cards.

The SR850 has integrated Intel Ethernet Connection X722 technology which can provide up to four 1/10GbE network ports via an optional LOM card. The X722 has the following features:

• Integrated into the Intel PCH chipset
• Supports 1GbE or 10GbE connections, depending on the selected LOM Phy adapter
• Offers VXLAN/NVGRE hardware offloads
• Supports VMDq and SR-IOV for advanced virtualization
• Supports iWarp RDMA

To provide connectivity to the X722, the SR850 supports six different LOM (LAN on Motherboard) cards which provide the Ethernet PHY function. Only 1 LOM card can be installed. See Figure 3 for the location of the LOM slot.

The LOM card supports NC-SI to allow the network connection to be shared between the operating system and the XClarity Controller (XCC) management module. The LOM also supports Wake-on-LAN (WOL).

For more information about the X722 controller, see the Lenovo Press product guide:
http://lenovopress.com/LP0654-intel-x722-integrated-controller

The following table lists the supported LOM cards.

The SR850 also supports an ML2 card provided a suitable ML2 riser card is installed (see the I/O expansion options section for details). The ML2 card supports NC-SI and WOL. The following table lists the supported ML2 adapters.

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

* ThinkSystem servers do not support Features on Demand, so the Emulex VFA5.2 2x10 GbE SFP+ PCIe Adapter, 00AG570, cannot be upgraded to FCoE support. If you need FCoE or iSCSI support use 00AG580 instead.
† Support for the X710 and XXV710 adapters is limited to 5 adapters. See Support Tip HT508158 for details.

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

The following table lists the Fibre Channel HBAs supported by SR850 server.

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 SR850 server for use with external storage.

For a comparison of the functions of the supported external storage adapters, see the ThinkSystem RAID Adapter and HBA Reference:
https://lenovopress.com/lp1288#sr850-support=SR850&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 server supports the PCIe Flash Storage adapters listed in the following table.

For details about these adapters, see the Lenovo Press product guides in the Flash Adapters category:
https://lenovopress.com/servers/options/ssdadapter

The SR850 does not support any graphics processing units (GPUs).

The server has six 60 mm hot-swap fans and all six fans are standard in all models. The server offers N+1 redundancy, meaning that one fan can fail and the server still operates normally.

Either 16K RPM fans or 19K RPM fans are used in the server, depending on the components used in the server.

The 16K fan is the default selection, however the 19K fan is automatically selected when any DCPMMs or processors with high thermal characteristics is selected:

• Any quantity and capacity of DCPMMs
• Intel Xeon Gold 6240Y 18/14/8C 150W Processor
• Intel Xeon Gold 6244 8C 165W 3.6GHz Processor
• Intel Xeon Gold 6246 12C 165W 3.3GHz Processor
• Intel Xeon Gold 6252N 24C 150W 2.3GHz Processor
• Intel Xeon Gold 6254 18C 200W 3.1GHz Processor
• Intel Xeon Platinum 8268 24C 205W 2.9GHz Processor
• Intel Xeon Platinum 8270 26C 205W 2.7GHz Processor
• Intel Xeon Platinum 8280 28C 205W 2.7GHz Processor
• Intel Xeon Platinum 8280L 28C 205W 2.7GHz Processor
• Intel Xeon Platinum 8280M 28C 205W 2.7GHz Processor

The only thermal restriction with the use of 19K fans is if any DCPMMs are installed. In such configurations, the maximum ambient temperature can be 30 °C. If the ambient temperate exceeds 30 °C, or in the event of a fan failure, the server will continue to function as long as all component temperature requirements are met, however, there may be performance reductions.

For existing customers with the original 16K fans wish to operate the server without restrictions other than the above DCPMM ambient temperature requirement, the 19K RPM fans can be installed as field upgrades using part number 4F17A60142. The part number contains 1 fan. A total of 6 fans will need to be ordered.

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

Installing a second power supply requires either the Processor and Memory Expansion Tray (7B27A03953) or the power interposer (feature AUPZ).

The power interposer enables redundant power support when the Processor and Memory Expansion Tray is not installed. If you do not have the Processor and Memory Expansion Tray installed and want to install two power supplies, then the power interposer card must be installed.

* Configure-to-order only
** Only needed if two power supplies are installed but the Processor and Memory Expansion Tray is not installed
† Support for 240 DC is planned

750W and 1100W power supplies are auto-sensing and support both 110V AC (100-127V 50/60 Hz) and 220V AC (200-240V 50/60 Hz) power. The 1600 W power supply only supports 220V AC power.

For China customers, all three power supplies are 240V DC ready; support is planned for a future date.

Note: At 110 V, the 1100W power supply generates 1050W of power.

Power supply options do not include a line cord.

For server configurations, the inclusion of a power cord is model dependent. Configure-to-order models can be configured without a power cord if desired.

The server supports booting from an operating system or hypervisor installed on an M.2 solid-state drive. See the Internal drives section for details and the list of available options. Preloaded M.2 drives can be configured as described in the Operating system support section.

You can download supported VMware vSphere hypervisor images from the following web page and load it on the M.2 drive using the instructions provided:
https://vmware.lenovo.com/content/custom_iso/

The server contains an integrated service processor, XClarity Controller (XCC), which provides advanced control, monitoring, and alerting functions. The XCC is based on the Pilot4 XE401 baseboard management controller (BMC) using a dual-core ARM Cortex A9 service processor.

As an alternative to the front operator panel, (certain models or configure-to-order; not available as a field upgrade), the server supports a pull-out LCD display panel. The LCD display panel allows quick access to system status, firmware, network, and health information. The following figure shows the front operator panel with LCD display.

Figure 15. Front operator panel with LCD display

The LCD display and the function buttons give you access to the following information:

• Error messages
• System VPD: machine type & mode, serial number, UUID string
• System firmware levels: UEFI and XCC firmware
• XCC network information: hostname, MAC address, IP address, DNS addresses
• Environmental data: Ambient temperature, CPU temperature, AC input voltage, estimated power consumption
• System reset action

The front operator panel with LCD display can be ordered as listed in the following table.

* Only available configure-to-order or with predefined models

The server offers light path diagnostics. If an environmental condition exceeds a threshold or if a system component fails, the XCC lights LEDs inside the server to help you diagnose the problem and find the failing part. The SR850 has fault LEDs next to the following components:

• Each processor
• Each memory DIMM
• Each drive bay
• Each system fan
• Each power supply

The front of the server also houses an information pull-out tab (also known as the network access tag). See Figure 2 for the location. A label on the tab shows the network information (MAC address and other data) to remotely access XClarity Controller.

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

Remote management

The server offers a dedicated RJ45 port at the rear of the server for remote management via the XClarity Controller 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 SMNP 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 the device being used - laptop, tablet, phone) with NLS support

IPMI via the Ethernet port (IPMI over LAN) is supported, however it is disabled by default. For CTO orders you can specify whether you want to the feature enabled or disabled in the factory, using the feature codes listed in the following table.

A virtual presence (remote control) capability also comes standard in the server for remote server management. Virtual media (remote drive images) support is optional via a software license upgrade.

The remote control functions include the following:

• 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
• Capturing blue-screen errors
• International keyboard mapping support
• LDAP-based authentication
• With the XCC Enterprise license upgrade, mapping ISO and diskette IMG image files as virtual drives that are available for use by the server

The Enterprise license upgrade, shown in the following table, enables the following features:

• Boot Capture
• Remote mounting of ISO and IMG files
• Virtual console collaboration - Ability for up to 6 remote users to be log into the remote session simultaneously
• Power capping
• License for XClarity Energy Manager

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 SR850. The software can be downloaded and used at no charge to discover and monitor the SR850 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 Enterprise upgrade as described in the Remote Management section. If your server does not have the XCC Enterprise upgrade, Energy Manager licenses can be ordered as shown in the following table.

The server offers the following security features:

• Administrator and power-on password
• Trusted Platform Module (TPM) supporting both TPM 1.2 and TPM 2.0
• Optional Trusted Cryptographic Module (TCM) or Nationz TPM 2.0, available only in China
• Lockable top cover to help prevent access to internal components
• Optional lockable front security bezel
• Self-encrypting drives with support for IBM Security Key Lifecycle Manager

The server is NIST SP 800-147B compliant.

The TCM and Nationz TPM modules, available only for China customers, are installed in a dedicated socket on the system board, as shown in Figure 4.

The optional lockable front bezel is shown in the following figure and includes a key that enables you to secure the bezel over the drives and system controls thereby reducing the chance of unauthorized or accidental access to the server.

Figure 16. Lockable front security bezel

The dimensions of the security bezel are:

• Width: 437 mm (17.2 in.)
• Height: 87 mm (3.4 in.)
• Width: 23 mm (0.9 in.)

The following table lists the security options for the server.

* Not available as a field upgrade. The component is CTO on pre-configured models only.

For SED drives and IBM Security Key Lifecycle Manager support see the SED encryption key management with ISKLM section.

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

The Front VGA Connector Upgrade Kit allows you to upgrade your server by adding a VGA video port to the front of the server (if the server does not already come with a front VGA port). When the front VGA is in use, the rear VGA port is automatically disabled.

* This kit is for field upgrades only; for CTO use the rail kit with CMA, feature AXCH

The following table summarizes the rail kit features and specifications.

* For 0U PDU support, the rack must be at least 1100 mm (43.31 in.) deep without a CMA, or at least 1200 mm (47.24 in.) deep if a CMA is used.
** For 0U PDU support with the friction rail kit, the rack must be at least 1000 mm (39.37 in.) deep.
*** Measured when mounted on the rack, from the front surface of the front mounting flange to the rear most point of the rail.

The server supports the following operating systems:

• Microsoft Windows Server 2016
• Microsoft Windows Server 2019
• Microsoft Windows Server 2022
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.6
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.7
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.8
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.9
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.0
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.1
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.3
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.5
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.7
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.9
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.0
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.1
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.3
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP4
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 Xen SP4
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 Xen SP5
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP4
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP5
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 Xen
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 Xen SP1
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 Xen SP2
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 Xen SP3
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 Xen SP4
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 Xen SP5
• Ubuntu 22.04 LTS 64-bit
• VMware ESXi 6.5 U2
• VMware ESXi 6.5 U3
• VMware ESXi 6.7 U1
• VMware ESXi 6.7 U2
• VMware ESXi 6.7 U3
• VMware ESXi 7.0
• VMware ESXi 7.0 U1
• VMware ESXi 7.0 U2
• VMware ESXi 7.0 U3
• VMware ESXi 8.0
• VMware ESXi 8.0 U1
• VMware ESXi 8.0 U2
• VMware ESXi 8.0 U3

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.com/osig#servers=sr850-7x18-7x19-sp-gen-2

For configure-to-order configurations, the SR850 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/

The SR850 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: 765 mm (30.1 inches)

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