Lenovo ThinkAgile CP Series Cloud Platform

Lenovo ThinkAgile CP Series is an all-in-one, composable cloud with an integrated application marketplace and end-to-end automation, delivering a turn-key cloud experience in your own data center. ThinkAgile CP Series uses modular compute, storage, and networking components paired with the cloud virtualization software to create pools of IT resources, independently scaling and allocating capacity, and automatically configuring resources to fulfill application requirements.

Due to its software-defined modular architecture, the ThinkAgile CP Series platform can be scaled easily by adding more compute and storage resources independently of each other as your needs grow. Suggested workloads for the ThinkAgile CP Series include web services, virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), enterprise applications, OLTP and OLAP databases, data analytics, application development, cost-optimized virtualization, containers, and other back-office applications.

The following figure shows the ThinkAgile CP Series hardware components.

Figure 1. Lenovo ThinkAgile CP Series hardware components

Lenovo professional deployment services are included in ThinkAgile CP Series to get customers up and running quickly. Also included is the ThinkAgile Advantage lifecycle management with a single point of support for the entire ThinkAgile CP platform with the nodes, networking, and software components, for quicker problem determination and minimized downtime.

Lenovo offers additional professional services that can be purchased for the ThinkAgile CP Series deployments, including hardware installation, software deployment, workload migration, cloud assessment and design, and ongoing managed services to help achieve optimal operations and performance.

ThinkAgile CP is designed to minimize downtime with all of the components engineered to work together, and with tested, standardized and automated code updates.

Lenovo ThinkAgile CP Series offers the following key features:

• Modular and scalable ThinkAgile CP Series configurations of an on-premises cloud platform featuring the second generation of the Intel Xeon Processor Scalable Family that are designed to optimize your workload’s performance and provide the IT agility for your business demands.
• Factory-preloaded ready-to-go cloud platform that is delivered with all the infrastructure you need for your workloads: Modular and scalable physical and virtual compute, network, and storage resources, and the cloud software.
• Lenovo deployment services that are included with the platform help get customers up and running quickly.
• The cloud software provides a scalable software-defined infrastructure (SDI) that simplifies cloud deployments with integrated compute, storage, networking, security, and management services that manage application infrastructure and automate and orchestrate workload provisioning.
• Extensive security features, such as data at rest encryption, virtualized network and VM-level firewalls, and two-factor authentication help customers meet the most stringent security requirements.
• Centralized cloud-based management automates discovery, deployment, and configuration of cloud resources, and provides automated, non-disruptive software updates.
• Lenovo ThinkAgile Advantage provides a single point of contact for all support issues and integrates support chat and virtual technical assistance into your management interface.

The following table lists the system specifications of the ThinkAgile CP Series.

* The maximum quantity of the Storage Blocks depends on the interconnect port availability based on the quantity of the Compute Blocks.

Factory-integrated models of the ThinkAgile CP Series are configured by using the Data Center Solution Configurator (DCSC):
http://dcsc.lenovo.com

The configuration process for the ThinkAgile CP Series includes the following selectable components:

• Model:
  • ThinkAgile CP4000 (7Y34CTO3WW)
  • ThinkAgile CP6000 (7Y34CTO4WW)
• Compute Block:
  • Processor model
  • Memory capacity
  • Node quantity
    • CP4000: 2 - 4 (1 block)
    • CP6000: 2 - 40 (1 - 10 blocks)
• Storage Block:
  • Storage Block model (SB-S10 or SB-D20) is derived based on the CP Series model selected
  • Storage capacity
  • Storage Block quantity
    • CP4000: 1
    • CP6000: 1 - 5 (the maximum quantity depends on the Interconnect port availability)
• Interconnect:
  • Interconnect quantity
    • CP4000: 1 - 2
    • CP6000: 2
• Management switch:
  • Customer-provided 1 GbE switch; or
  • RackSwitch G7052; or
  • ThinkSystem NE0152T RackSwitch
• Cloud software licenses:
  • Guardian Edition
  • Per node and per core for Compute Blocks
  • Per node and per capacity for Storage Blocks
• Warranty and support:
  • Three, four, or five years of service coverage
  • 9x5 Next Business Day response with parts delivered (default selection) or onsite response
  • 24x7 4-hour or 2-hour onsite response or 24x7 24-hour or 6-hour committed service repair (available only in select areas)
  • Premier support (optional)
  • YourDrive YourData (optional)
• Services:
  • Lenovo ThinkAgile Advantage services (included): Deployment services and single point of support
  • Basic installation services (optional)
  • Health check (onsite firmware updates from Lenovo) (optional)
  • Managed services (remote monitoring and management by Lenovo managed services team) (optional)

The ThinkAgile CP Series platform is designed for installation in a rack cabinet; the rack cabinet can be purchased from Lenovo (see Rack cabinets) or provided by the customer. Lenovo deployments services are included; they provide remote preparation and planning, configuring platform components, validating installation, transferring knowledge, and developing post-installation documentation.

Lenovo basic installation services are optional; they provide mounting the components in a rack cabinet, connecting components to network and electrical power, checking and updating firmware, verifying operations, and disposal of the packaging materials within the customer site.

The existing ThinkAgile CP deployments can be expanded up to the maximum number of modules supported by ordering the Compute Block, Compute Node, and Storage Block expansion models.

The ThinkAgile CP Series uses CP-I-10 Interconnect to provide network connectivity and to control on-premises hardware and software. Interconnect decouples control, data and management traffic into different planes.

The CP-I-10 provides 10 GbE SFP+ connections for the Compute Blocks and Storage Blocks, and 10 GbE SFP+ or 40 GbE QSFP+ customer network uplinks. One of the CP-I-10 also provides one 10 GbE SFP+ connection to the management switch. One or two Interconnects can be selected for the CP4000 model, and the CP6000 model requires two Interconnects. A pair of Interconnects provides high availability and redundancy for the on-premises network infrastructure. If the pair of Interconnects is used, they are connected to each other by using two 40 GbE links.

The following figure illustrates the network connectivity topology.

Figure 12. ThinkAgile CP network connectivity topology

Note: When only one Interconnect is deployed with the CP4000 model, all ports on the Compute Block and Storage Block are connected to the same Interconnect network device.

Configuration notes:

• One or two Interconnects are allowed for the CP4000 model; single-Interconnect configurations can be upgraded to dual-Interconnect configurations after the initial deployment by using the Interconnect Expansion (CP-I-10E).
• Two Interconnects are required for the CP6000 model.
• Either 10 GbE or 40 GbE uplinks can be configured on the Interconnects, but not both types:
  • 2x 10 GbE SFP+ DAC cables per Interconnect; or
  • 2x 10 GbE SFP+ active optical cables per Interconnect; or
  • 2x 40 GbE QSFP+ DAC cables per Interconnect; or
  • 2x 40 GbE QSFP+ DAC breakout cables per Interconnect; 
  • 2x 40 GbE QSFP+ active optical cables per Interconnect; or
  • 2x 40 GbE QSFP+ active optical breakout cables per Interconnect; or
  • 2x 40 GbE QSFP+ SR4 transceivers with MPO-MPO cables per Interconnect
• Interconnect port count limits the maximum quantity of Compute Blocks and Storage Blocks, as follows:
  • Each Compute Node requires one 10 GbE SFP+ port (4x 10 GbE SFP+ ports per Compute Block) on each of the Interconnects.
  • Each Storage Block requires four 10 GbE RJ-45 ports on each of the Interconnects.
  • A maximum of 44x 10 GbE SFP+ ports can be used on each of the Interconnects for the combined compute and storage connectivity:
    • Up to 40 Compute Nodes (10x Compute Blocks) and 1x Storage Block
    • Up to 36 Compute Nodes (9x Compute Blocks) and 2x Storage Blocks
    • Up to 32 Compute Nodes (8x Compute Blocks) and 3x Storage Blocks
    • Up to 28 Compute Nodes (7x Compute Blocks ) and 4x Storage Blocks
    • Up to 24 Compute Nodes (6x Compute Blocks ) and 5x Storage Blocks

The following tables list transceivers and cables that are available for selection for the Interconnect SFP+ and QSFP+ ports.

* The transceivers are for the SFP+ Interconnect ports.

The ThinkAgile CP Series uses CP-CB-10 / CP-CB-10E Compute Blocks that provide processing resources to the cloud. Each Compute Block supports up to four CP-CN-10 / CP-CN-10E Compute Nodes.

The following table lists the Compute Blocks and Compute Nodes for ThinkAgile CP Series.

Configuration notes:

• A maximum of one Compute Block CB-10 is supported for the CP4000 model.
• A maximum of ten Compute Blocks CB-10 is supported for the CP6000 model.
• Each Compute Block CB-10 supports up to four Compute Nodes CN-10.
• The Compute Block Expansion CB-10 and Compute Node Expansion CN-10 are used to add compute capacity to the existing ThinkAgile CP Series deployments up to the maximum number of modules supported (See Interconnect for details).

Processors

The Compute Node requires two processors of the second generation of the Intel Xeon Processor Scalable Family. The following table lists feature codes of the supported processors.

Memory

The Compute Node supports up to 16 DIMMs. The following rules apply when selecting the memory configuration:

• The Compute Node supports 2666 MHz and 2933 MHz RDIMMs or 3DS RDIMMs.
• All DIMMs in the Compute Node must be of the same type, speed, rank, and capacity (the same feature code).
• All DIMMs in the Compute Node operate at the same speed, which is determined as the lowest value of:
  • DIMM rated speed (2666 MHz or 2933 MHz).
  • Memory speed supported by the specific processor (2400 MHz, 2666 MHz, or 2933 MHz).
  • Memory speed for the selected quantity of DIMMs:
    • 4, 8, or 12 DIMMs with one DIMM per channel (1 DPC): 2933 MHz.
    • 16 DIMMs with two DIMMs per channel (2 DPC): 2666 MHz.
  Note: Maximum memory speed can be achieved when Max performance mode is enabled in UEFI.
• 16 DIMMs are supported only with the following processors (the processors not listed below support only up to 12 DIMMs):
  • Intel Xeon Silver: 4208, 4209T, 4210, 4214, 4214Y, 4215, and 4216.
  • Intel Xeon Gold: 5215, 5215M, 5215L, 5218, 5218B, 5218T, 5220, 5220S, 6222V, 6226, 6230, 6238, 6238M, 6238L, and 6262V.
  • Intel Xeon Platinum: 8253.

The following memory protection technologies are supported:

• ECC
• SDDC (for x4-based memory DIMMs)
• ADDDC (for x4-based memory DIMMs; Gold and Platinum processors only)
• Patrol scrubbing
• Demand scrubbing

The Storage Block offers the following features:

• Two controller canisters that operate in an active/passive mode with automatic failover
• 4x 10 Gb connectivity to each of two controllers
• 8, 16, or 24 NVMe SSD drives (3 drive groups of 8 drives each)
• RAID-5 with a hot spare drive within a drive group; RAID-0 across drive groups
• Multipathing
• Thin provisioning
• Deduplication
• Compression
• Data-at-rest encryption
• Snapshots
• Integrated backup
• Asynchronous replication

For the existing deployments, additional drive packs for the Storage Blocks that have not been fully populated with the factory-installed drive packs can be ordered via the CTO base 7Z19CTOBWW, ThinkAgile NVMe Drive Packs Upgrade. For more information on storage capacity-based licensing, refer to Software.

The management network switch is a 1 GbE RJ-45 switch that connects SMM management ports on the Compute Blocks and management ports on the Storage Blocks. The management switch also provides one management uplink to the first Interconnect. The management switch can be purchased from Lenovo or provided by the customer.

The following table lists the management switches that are available from Lenovo.

The following tables list cables that are available for selection for the management switch.

The following table lists the power cable options that can be selected for the ThinkAgile CP Series components. Two power cables are required per each Compute Block, Storage Block, Interconnect, and NE0152T management switch. One power cable is required for the G7052 management switch.

The ThinkAgile CP Series components ship with the factory-installed Guardian edition of the cloud software and a Cloud Controller license. The Guardian edition is based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 7, and it provides stringent security with encryption that is certified for FIPS 140-2, STIG, Common Criteria, and USGv6.

The cloud software offers the following features:

• Cloud controller web-based interface
  • Provides a multi-site management portal for the cloud infrastructure
  • Manages compute, storage, and networking resources in the virtual data centers
  • Automates discovery, deployment, configuration, and composition of cloud resources
  • Provides real-time and historical analytics and monitoring
• Security
  • Manages access to cloud resources with role-based access control
  • Provides two-factor user authentication to prevent unauthorized access
  • Encrypts communications between the cloud controller and the infrastructure
  • Protects cloud resources with Virtual Data Center (VDC) partitioning
  • Supports multi-tenancy with physical and logical resource isolation
  • Secures stored information with data-at-rest encryption
  • Provides network security with micro-segmentation and distributed firewalls
• Compute
  • Provides physical hardware abstraction layer for the processor and memory resources
  • Uses categories and tags to group and allocate compute resources to the applications
  • Manages lifecycle of application instances in a cloud environment
  • Dynamically distributes application instances across the compute nodes
  • Logically isolates compute resources with migration zones and virtual data centers
  • Supports live migration of application instances with zero downtime
  • Manages application instance templates and snapshots
• Storage
  • Provides distributed, all flash scale-out storage for cloud services resources
  • Scales easily by simply adding more storage blocks
  • Manages storage pools and allocates storage resources to the application instances
  • Protects from drive failures with RAID data redundancy and hot-spare drives
  • Provides enterprise-class storage management capabilities:
    • Thin provisioning
    • Cloning
    • Snapshots
    • Integrated backup, recovery, and archiving
    • Asynchronous replication
• Networking
  • Provides network overlay virtualization and network function virtualization
  • Offers traditional bridged VLAN tagging-based networks for use by application instances
  • Enables seamless instance migration across the compute nodes with VNETs 
  • Manages virtualized network functions: routers, firewalls, load balancing, NAT, and DHCP

The cloud software is licensed on the per-compute node basis and per-core basis for the Compute Blocks, and per-storage node basis and storage capacity basis per 8-drive pack for the Storage Blocks. The software licenses are available for 3, 4, and 5 years.

The following table lists the cloud software licenses.

Configuration note: The software licenses are derived by the configuration tool based on the following selections:

• Warranty period.
• Quantity of the compute nodes.
• Quantity of the processor cores in the Compute Nodes.
• Quantity of the storage nodes.
• Quantity and capacity of the drive packs in the Storage Blocks.

The ThinkAgile CP Series models can be configured with a three-, four, or five-year customer-replaceable unit (CRU) and onsite limited (for field-replaceable units [FRUs] only) hardware warranty with 24x7 ThinkAgile Advantage Single Point of Support (Lenovo server hardware and the cloud software) and various levels of coverage with a well-defined scope of services, including service hours, response time, term of service, and service agreement terms and conditions. The Lenovo local support centers perform problem determination and resolution.

The base warranty provides 9x5 Next Business Day response with parts delivered. Lenovo’s additional support services provide a sophisticated, unified support structure for a customer's data center, with an experience consistently ranked number one in customer satisfaction worldwide.

The following Lenovo support services are available for selection:

• Premier Support provides a Lenovo-owned customer experience and delivers direct access to technicians skilled in hardware, software, and advanced troubleshooting, in addition to the following capabilities:  
  • Direct technician-to-technician access through a dedicated phone line.
  • 24x7x365 remote support.
  • Single point of contact service.
  • End to end case management.
  • 3rd Party collaborative software support. 
  • Online case tools and live chat support.
  • On-demand remote system analysis.
• Warranty service level upgrades (Preconfigured Support) are available to meet the on-site response time targets that match the criticality of customer's systems:
  • 3, 4, or 5 years of service coverage.
  • Foundation Service: 9x5 service coverage with next business day onsite response, with optional YourDrive YourData.
  • Essential Service: 24x7 service coverage with 4-hour onsite response or 24-hour committed repair (available only in select regions), bundled with YourDrive YourData.
  • Advanced Service: 24x7 service coverage with 2-hour onsite response or 6-hour committed repair (available only in select regions), bundled with YourDrive YourData.
• Managed Services

  Lenovo Managed Services provide continuous 24x7 remote monitoring (plus 24x7 call center availability) and proactive management of a customer's data center using state of the art tools, systems, and practices by a team of highly skilled and experienced Lenovo services professionals.

  Quarterly reviews check error logs, verify firmware and operating system device driver levels, and software as needed. Lenovo will also maintain records of latest patches, critical updates, and firmware levels, to ensure customer's systems are providing business value through optimized performance.

• Technical Account Management (TAM)

  A Lenovo Technical Account Manager helps customers optimize operations of their data centers based on a deep understanding of customer's business. Customers gain direct access to a Lenovo TAM, who serves as their single point of contact to expedite service requests, provide status updates, and furnish reports to track incidents over time. Also, a TAM helps proactively make service recommendations and manage service relationship with Lenovo to make certain that customer's needs are met.

• Enterprise Software Support

  Lenovo Enterprise Software Support is an additional support service that provides customers with software support on Microsoft, Red Hat, SUSE, and VMWare applications and systems. Around the clock availability for critical problems plus unlimited calls and incidents helps customers address challenges fast, without incremental costs. Support staff can answer troubleshooting and diagnostic questions, address product compatibility and interoperability issues, isolate causes of problems, report defects to software vendors, and more.

• YourDrive YourData

  Lenovo’s YourDrive YourData service is a multi-drive retention offering that ensures that customer's data is always under their control, regardless of the number of drives that are installed in their Lenovo server. In the unlikely event of a drive failure, customers retain possession of their drive while Lenovo replaces the failed drive part. Customer's data stays safely on customer premises, in their hands. The YourDrive YourData service can be purchased in convenient bundles with Foundation, Essential, or Advanced services.

• Health Check

  Having a trusted partner who can perform regular and detailed health checks is central to maintaining efficiency and ensuring that customer systems and business are always running at their best. Health Check supports Lenovo-branded server, storage, and networking devices, as well as select Lenovo-supported products from other vendors that are sold by Lenovo or a Lenovo-Authorized Reseller.

Some regions might have different warranty terms and conditions than the standard warranty. This is due to local business practices or laws in the specific region. Local service teams can assist in explaining region-specific terms when needed. Examples of region-specific warranty terms are second or longer business day parts delivery or parts-only base warranty.

If warranty terms and conditions include onsite labor for repair or replacement of parts, Lenovo will dispatch a service technician to the customer site to perform the replacement. Onsite labor under base warranty is limited to labor for replacement of parts that have been determined to be field-replaceable units (FRUs). Parts that are determined to be customer-replaceable units (CRUs) do not include onsite labor under base warranty.

If warranty terms include parts-only base warranty, Lenovo is responsible for delivering only replacement parts that are under base warranty (including FRUs) that will be sent to a requested location for self-service. Parts-only service does not include a service technician being dispatched onsite. Parts must be changed at customer’s own cost and labor and defective parts must be returned following the instructions supplied with the spare parts.

Lenovo support services are region-specific. Not all support services are available in every region. For information about Lenovo support services that are available in a specific region, refer to the following resources:

• Service part numbers in Data Center Solution Configurator (DCSC):
  http://dcsc.lenovo.com/#/services
• Lenovo Services Availability Locator
  https://lenovolocator.com/

For service definitions, region-specific details, and service limitations, refer to the following documents:

• Lenovo Statement of Limited Warranty for Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG) Servers and System Storage
  http://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/ht503310
• Lenovo Data Center Services Agreement
  http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/ht116628

The following Lenovo deployment services are included with the ThinkAgile CP Series to get customers up and running quickly:

• Conducting remote preparation and planning
• Configuring Interconnects
• Configuring management settings
• Configuring the cloud software stack
• Configuring compute blocks
• Configuring storage blocks
• Validating installation
• Transferring knowledge
• Developing post-installation documentation

The following optional Lenovo basic installation services are recommended for the ThinkAgile CP Series:

• Unpacking and inspecting the systems
• Mounting the systems in a rack cabinet
• Connecting the systems to electrical power and network
• Checking and updating firmware to the latest levels
• Verifying operations
• Disposal of the packaging materials (within the customer site)

For more information, refer to the Data Center Deployment Services web page:
https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/data-center/services/

The following table lists the approximate dimensions and weight for the ThinkAgile CP Series components.

The ThinkAgile CP Series components are supported in the following environment:

• Air temperature: 5 °C - 35 °C (41 °F - 95 °F)

• Humidity: 10% to 80% (non-condensing)
• Power load (rated maximum):
  • CP4000 (fully configured platform): 5510 W
  • CP6000 (fully configured platform): 29000 W
• Heat output (rated maximum):
  • CP4000 (fully configured platform): 21871 BTU/hour
  • CP6000 (fully configured platform): 102016 BTU/hour

The following table lists maximum power load and heat output for the ThinkAgile CP Series components.

The ThinkAgile CP Series components conform to the following regulations:

• United States FCC Part 15, Class A
• Europe CE Mark (EN55022 Class A, EN60950-1, EN55024, EN61000-3-2, EN61000-3-3)
• Reduction of Hazardous Substances (ROHS)

The following table lists the rack cabinets that are offered by Lenovo that can be used with the ThinkAgile CP Series.

For more information, see the list of Product Guides in the Rack Cabinets category:
http://lenovopress.com/servers/options/racks#rt=product-guide

The following table lists the power distribution units (PDUs) that are offered by Lenovo that can be used with the ThinkAgile CP Series.

For more information, see the list of Product Guides in the Power Distribution Units category:
http://lenovopress.com/servers/options/pdu#rt=product-guide

The following table lists the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) units that are offered by Lenovo that can be used with the ThinkAgile CP Series.

For more information, see the list of Product Guides in the Uninterruptible Power Supply Units category:
http://lenovopress.com/servers/options/ups#rt=product-guide

Lenovo Financial Services reinforces Lenovo’s commitment to deliver pioneering products and services that are recognized for their quality, excellence, and trustworthiness. Lenovo Financial Services offers financing solutions and services that complement your technology solution anywhere in the world.

We are dedicated to delivering a positive finance experience for customers like you who want to maximize your purchase power by obtaining the technology you need today, protect against technology obsolescence, and preserve your capital for other uses.

We work with businesses, non-profit organizations, governments and educational institutions to finance their entire technology solution. We focus on making it easy to do business with us. Our highly experienced team of finance professionals operates in a work culture that emphasizes the importance of providing outstanding customer service. Our systems, processes and flexible policies support our goal of providing customers with a positive experience.

We finance your entire solution. Unlike others, we allow you to bundle everything you need from hardware and software to service contracts, installation costs, training fees, and sales tax. If you decide weeks or months later to add to your solution, we can consolidate everything into a single invoice.

Our Premier Client services provide large accounts with special handling services to ensure these complex transactions are serviced properly. As a premier client, you have a dedicated finance specialist who manages your account through its life, from first invoice through asset return or purchase. This specialist develops an in-depth understanding of your invoice and payment requirements. For you, this dedication provides a high-quality, easy, and positive financing experience.

For your region-specific offers please ask your Lenovo sales representative or your technology provider about the use of Lenovo Financial Services. For more information, see the following Lenovo website:
http://www.lenovofs.com

For more information, see these resources:

• Lenovo ThinkAgile
  http://www.lenovo.com/thinkagile
• Lenovo Data Center Solution Configurator (DCSC):
  http://dcsc.lenovo.com
• Lenovo Data Center Support
  http://datacentersupport.lenovo.com