Lenovo ThinkSystem ST250 Server (E-2200)

The Lenovo ThinkSystem ST250 is a mainstream 1-socket tower server that also be rack mounted as a rack server. It is ideal for small-to-medium businesses, remote offices, branch offices, banking and public sector. The server supports one Intel Xeon E-2200 Series processor (formerly codenamed "Coffee Lake Refresh") with up to 6 cores and up to 128 GB of 2666 MHz TruDDR4 ECC memory.

Figure 1 shows the Lenovo ThinkSystem ST250.

Figure 1. Lenovo ThinkSystem ST250

The ThinkSystem ST250 is an enterprise-grade server with enterprise-level management features and support for hot-swap power supplies and drives. It offers full support of Lenovo XClarity Administrator for comprehensive systems management and includes the next generation UEFI-based Lenovo XClarity Provisioning Manager for system setup and diagnosis, and the Lenovo XClarity Controller management processor for ongoing systems management and alerting. These tools make the ST250 easy to deploy, integrate, service, and manage.

The ThinkSystem ST250 is a office-friendly tower server that has been optimized to provide enterprise-class features to small businesses, retail, educational institutions and branch offices.

Scalability and performance

The ST250 offers the following features to boost performance, improve scalability, and reduce costs:

• The Intel Xeon E-2200 Series processors improves productivity by offering affordable single-socket system performance with 6-core processors with up to 4.0 GHz core speeds.
• 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 thermal design power (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.
• Up to four 2666 MHz DDR4 ECC or non-ECC UDIMMs provide speed and capacity of up to 128 GB.
• The server offers PCI Express 3.0 I/O expansion capabilities that increase the theoretical maximum bandwidth by almost 100% (8 GTps per link using 128b/130b encoding) compared to the PCI Express 2.0 (5 GTps per link using 8b/10b encoding).
• With Intel Integrated I/O Technology, the PCI Express 3.0 controller is integrated into the Intel Xeon E-2200 Series processors. Such integration reduces I/O latency and increases overall system performance.
• The 12 Gbps SAS internal storage connectivity doubles the data transfer rate compared to 6 Gb SAS solutions to maximize performance of storage I/O-intensive applications.
• Flexible storage configurations support either 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch hot-swap drive bays or a combination of the two (hybrid configuration). Drive bays support SAS and SATA HDDs and SSDs.
  • Up to 16x 2.5-inch hot-swap drive bays
  • Up to 8x 3.5-inch hot-swap drive bays
  • Up to 4x 3.5-inch + 8x 2.5-inch drive bays
  • Up to 8x 3.5-inch simple-swap drive bays
• The use of solid-state drives (SSDs) instead of, or along with, traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) can significantly improve I/O performance. An SSD can support up to 100 times more I/O operations per second (IOPS) than a typical HDD.
• 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 20 drives on a single controller.
• Offers two 5.25-inch media bays with support for optical drives or backup drives.
• Supports a single M.2 drive as an additional storage/boot device.
• The server has two integrated Gigabit Ethernet ports.
• The server offers PCI Express 3.0 I/O expansion capabilities that improve the theoretical maximum bandwidth by almost 100% (8 GT/ps per link using 128b/130b encoding) compared to the previous generation of PCI Express 2.0 (5 GT/s per link using 8b/10b encoding).
• The server offers up to four PCIe 3.0 I/O expansion slots
• Support for a NVIDIA graphics processing unit (GPU) to enhanced graphics.

Manageability and security

The following powerful systems management features simplify local and remote management of the ST250:

• The server includes an XClarity Controller (XCC) to monitor server availability. Optional upgrade to XCC Advanced to provide remote control (keyboard video mouse) functions. Optional upgrade to XCC Enterprise enables the additional support for 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 functionality, such as digital signatures and remote attestation.
• 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 (Intel Xeon E processors only) 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.
• Helps prevent unauthorized software from running on the server by protecting against boot block-level malicious software with Intel Boot Guard technology.
• Protects application code and data from disclosure or modification with Intel Software Guard Extensions (SGX), enabling high-assurance security use cases, such as blockchain, identity and records privacy, secure browsing, and digital rights management (DRM).
• Physical security measures to prevent unauthorized access: Loop for a padlock to prevent the side panel from being opened and a slot at the rear of the server for a Kensington Cable Lock. Optional additional physical security features are a lockable front security door and a chassis intrusion switch (included in some models).

Energy efficiency

The ST250 offers the following energy-efficiency features to save energy, reduce operational costs, increase energy availability, and contribute to the green environment:

• Energy-efficient planar components help lower operational costs.
• High-efficiency power supplies with 80 PLUS Platinum and Titanium certifications. Energy Star 3.0 certified.
• Intel Intelligent Power Capability powers individual processor elements on and off as needed to reduce power draw.
• Low-voltage 1.2 V DDR4 memory DIMMs use up to 20% less energy compared to 1.35 V DDR3 DIMMs.
• SSDs use 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.
• 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 ST250, showing the major components and their connections.

Figure 5. ST250 system architectural block diagram

A closer look at the SATA ports for use with SATA drives, optical drives and an M.2 drive, see the Internal storage section.

The following table lists the standard specifications.

ThinkSystem ST250 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 ST250 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 ST250, 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 ST250 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 Latin American countries (except Brazil)
• Models for USA and Canada

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

ly are using the Platinum power supply. -->

The ST250 supports one processor from the Intel product family formerly known by the codename "Coffee Lake-S Refresh". This includes processors from the Intel Xeon E, Core i3 and Pentium families.

Topics in this section:

• UEFI operating modes

The server supports the processors that are listed in the following table.

All supported processors have the following characteristics:

• 14 nm semiconductor process technology
• 8 GT/s DMI3 bus speed
• Two DDR4 memory channels
• Support for ECC memory
• 16 PCIe 3.0 I/O lanes

† Intel SGX with Intel SPS (Intel SGX Enclave Page Cache size)

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 ST250 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.

The ST250 server supports Lenovo TruDDR4 UDIMM memory with ECC protection. TruDDR4 memory uses the highest-quality components sourced from Tier 1 DRAM suppliers and only memory that meets strict requirements is selected. It is compatibility-tested and tuned to maximize performance and reliability.

TruDDR4 memory has a unique signature programmed into the DIMM, which enables ThinkSystem servers to verify whether the memory installed is qualified and supported. From a service and support standpoint, TruDDR4 memory automatically assumes the system's warranty, and service and support provided worldwide.

The ST250 supports up to 4 DIMMs. The processors have 2 memory channels and support 2 DIMMs per channel.

All DIMMs operate at a speed of 2666 MHz. However, if the processor selected has a lower memory bus speed (eg 2400 MHz - see the Processor table), then all DIMMs will operate at that lower speed.

The following table lists the memory options that are available for the ST250 server.

The following rules and recommendations apply when selecting the memory configuration:

• The server only supports UDIMMs
• The use of the 32GB DIMM is only supported with Xeon processors. It is not supported with Core or Pentium processors.
• All DIMMs must be identical. Mixing DIMMs is not supported.
• For best performance when installing two DIMMs, install one in each memory channel

The ST250 supports 2.5-inch hot-swap, 3.5-inch hot-swap, and 3.5-inch simple-swap drives in a variety of drive bay configurations.

In this section:

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

Drive bays and backplanes

The server supports up to 16 drive bays:

• Up to 16x 2.5-inch hot-swap drives
• Up to 8x 3.5-inch drives hot-swap drives
• Up to 8x 3.5-inch simple-swap drives
• A combination of 8x 2.5" hot-swap and 4x 3.5" hot-swap drives.

Hot-swap configurations SAS and SATA drives depending on the controller used (the onboard SATA controller supports SATA drives only). Simple-swap drive configurations support SATA drives only. NVMe PCIe drives are not supported with any configuration.

The different drive bay configurations supported are shown in the following figure. The server also supports one M.2 drive, installed in a slot on the system board as shown in the internal view of the server.

Figure 6. Internal drive bay configurations

The following table lists the available hot-swap backplanes and simple-swap backplates. The feature codes are used for configure-to-order and the option part numbers are for field installations & upgrades. See the Field upgrades section for details.

Configuration notes regarding drive bays with the use of the onboard SATA controller:

• If the onboard SATA controller is used, then up to 8 drives can be connected (hot-swap or simple-swap) provided no optical drive or M.2 drive is installed.
• If the onboard SATA controller is used and an optical drive or an M.2 drive is installed, then at most 6 drives can be installed. The last two drives (drive bays 6 and 7, where the first drive bay is bay 0) will not connected and should remain empty (and in the case of simple-swap drives, the SATA connections to the bays 6 & 7 should be disconnected)
• If the onboard SATA controller is used in RAID mode and an M.2 drive is installed, the M.2 cannot be used as a boot device to boot Windows.
• If the onboard SATA controller is used in RAID mode and eight drives are installed, the last two drives (drive bays 6 and 7, where the first drive bay is bay 0) cannot be used as a boot device to boot Windows.

Field upgrades

The following table shows the upgrades you can perform to the ST250 after initial purchase. Upgrades you can perform are as follows:

• Replacing the onboard software RAID controller with a hardware RAID adapter or SAS HBA
• Replacing an existing adapter without cache with a RAID adapter with flash-backed cache
• Adding the second (upper) drive cage of 4x 3.5-inch or 8x 2.5-inch drive bays

* If you have an optical drive or M.2 drive installed, you are limited to 6 drives

The following table lists the contents of the cable and backplane kits needed for the upgrades.

The ST250 uses two onboard 6Gb SATA ports to connect the four or eight drives. Hot-swap and simple-swap SATA drives are supported. These onboard SATA ports support RSTe mode for RAID functionality or AHCI mode for JBOD support.

In addition to the onboard SATA controller, the ST250 with hot-swap drives supports the use of an internal RAID adapter or HBA. The following table lists the supported adapters.

* The RAID 730-8i adapter is not available in USA and Canada

For a comparison of the functions of the supported storage adapters, see the ThinkSystem RAID Adapter and HBA Reference:
https://lenovopress.com/lp1288-thinksystem-raid-adapter-and-hba-reference#st250-support=ST250

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

The ST250 supports the internal backup unit options that are listed in the following table.

Configuration notes:

• The RDX drive is attached via the internal USB 3.0 port on the system board. The USB cable ships with the drive.
• The use of an LTO tape drive requires a SAS HBA, either the 430-8i or 430-16i SAS/SATA 12Gb HBA. Details about the adapters in the SAS adapters for external storage section. The SAS cable ships with the tape drive.
• Configurations with an M.2 drive + optical drive + backup drive (either RDX or tape) is only supported as a field upgrade. Such configurations are not supported configure-to-order (CTO). For field upgrades, the drives are installed as follows:
  • Optical drive goes in Bay 1 (upper bay) connected to SATA port 6
  • Tape/RDX drive goes in Bay 0 (lower bay) connected to a SAS HBA or internal USB port

For field upgrades to add an internal tape drive, you will need to also order the cable kit listed in the following table. This kit is not needed for factory (CTO) orders.

For more information about RDX drive and LTO tape drives, see the Backup Units page on the Lenovo Press site: https://lenovopress.com/servers/options/backup

The ST250 supports the internal optical drive options listed in the following table. The internal optical are installed in the 5.25-inch media drive bays.

For field upgrades to add one of the internal optical drives, you will need to also order the cable kit listed in the following table. For two internal optical drives, order two cable kits. This kit is not needed for factory (CTO) orders.

The Half High SATA DVD-ROM drive supports the following media and speeds for reading:

• CD-ROM 48X
• CD-DA (DAE) 48X
• CD-R 48X
• CD-RW 40X
• DVD-ROM (single layer) 16X
• DVD-ROM (dual layer) 12X
• DVD-R (4.7 GB) 16X
• DVD-R DL 8X
• DVD+R 16X
• DVD+R DL 8X
• DVD-RW (4.7 GB) 8X
• DVD+RW 8X

The Half High SATA DVD-RW drive supports the same media and speeds for reading as HH DVD-ROM. In addition, this drive supports the following media and speeds for writing:

• CD-R 24X
• CD-RW 4X
• High Speed CD-RW 10X
• Ultra Speed CD-RW 16X
• DVD-R 8X
• DVD-R DL 8X
• DVD+R 8X
• DVD+R DL 8X
• DVD-RW 6X
• DVD+RW 8X

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.

Slot 3 in the ST250 is an open-end design, which means that it can accept adapters with a longer edge connector than the physical length of the slot connector. For example, if a x8 adapter is installed in the x4 slot 3 of the server, half of the edge connector will not be connected to the slot. The adapter will still function, however performance will be impacted.

The ST250 has two onboard Gigabit Ethernet ports, connected to a Broadcom BCM5720 embedded controller.

The following table lists other supported network adapters. The maximum supported column indicates which slots each adapter is supported in. For slot locations see the I/O expansion options section.

* Requires transceivers or DAC cables that must be ordered separately.

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

The following table lists the SAS HBAs and RAID adapters suitable for connectivity to external storage.

* Limited by the number of supercap mounts in the server

The following table summarizes the features of supported adapters.

* SED (self-encrypting drive) support of the SAS HBA is by using software on the server (SED commands are passed through the HBA to the drives).

The following table lists the Fibre Channel HBAs supported by the 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 server currently does not support Flash Storage adapters.

The ST250 does not support any GPUs that are currently available.

The ST250 has the following fans. All fans are fixed (non-hot-swap).

• One or two system fans at the front of the server, mounted on the drive cages. If the server has one drive cage, only one front fan is included
• One system fan at the rear of the server
• Fan mounted on the heatsink of the processor
• One fan in each power supply

See the Inside view in the Components and connectors section for locations.

The server supports either a single fixed power supply or one or two hot-swap power supplies. When two hot-swap power supplies are installed, they form a redundant pair. The following table lists the supported power supplies.

* Configure-to-order only

The power supplies are auto-sensing and support both 110V AC (100-127V 50/60 Hz) and 220V AC (200-240V 50/60 Hz) power. In China only, the 550W power supply also support 240V DC. Both 250W and 550W power supplies are 80 PLUS Platinum certified. The 550W hot-swap power supply is Energy Star 3.0 compliant.

Power supply options do not include a line cord.

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

The following table lists the maximum configuration for the 250W power supply.

For further power configuration of the server, use the Lenovo Capacity Planner, available at:
https://datacentersupport.lenovo.com/us/en/products/solutions-and-software/software/lenovo-capacity-planner/solutions/ht504651

The server supports booting from an operating system or hypervisor installed on an M.2 solid-state drive. See the M.2 drives section for details and the list of available options.

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 ST250 contains an integrated service processor, XClarity Controller (XCC), which provides advanced service-processor 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.

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 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

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.

There are two XClarity Controller upgrades available for the server, Advanced and Enterprise.

Lenovo XClarity Controller Advanced adds the following remote control functions:

• 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

Lenovo XClarity Controller Enterprise enables the following additional features:

• Boot Capture
• Remote mounting of CD-ROM (ISO) and diskette (IMG) files as virtual drives
• 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 ST250. The software can be downloaded and used at no charge to discover and monitor the ST250 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 ST250 offers the following security features:

• Electronic security measures:
  • Administrator and power-on passwords
  • Trusted Platform Module (TPM) supporting both TPM 1.2 and TPM 2.0
  • For China customers, the Nationz TPM plug-in module
  • Self-encrypting drives with support for IBM Security Key Lifecycle Manager
• Mechanical security measures
  • Loop for a padlock to prevent the side panel from being opened
  • Slot at the rear of the server for a Kensington Cable Lock
  • Optional lockable front door
  • Optional chassis intrusion switch

The server is NIST SP 800-147B compliant.

The Nationz TPM module is installed in a dedicated socket on the system board. See the Components and connectors section for locations of physical components.

The following table lists the security options for the server.

* Available via configure-to-order or in preconfigured models only

For self-encrypting drives (SEDs) with support for enterprise key managers, see the SED encryption key management section.

The following table lists the supported full-sized USB keyboards and mice available for Lenovo ThinkSystem servers.

The keyboards have the following features:

• Full-sized 104-key keyboard with 3 special Windows keys
• 3 LEDs for caps lock, scroll lock and num lock
• Wired USB connection with 1.8m cable
• Adjustable feet at the rear of the keyboard

The ST250 can be installed in the rack with the Rack Mount Kit, which converts the server to a rack-mountable server.

Part number information is listed in the following table. The kit can only be ordered as an option part number, not in a CTO order.

The rack mount kit includes the following items:

• 1U tray to hold the server horizontally
• Left and right slide rails
• Cable management arm
• Brackets and other hardware
• Installation instructions

The server supports the following operating systems:

• Microsoft Windows Server 2016
• Microsoft Windows Server 2019
• Microsoft Windows Server 2022
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.7
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.8
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.9
• 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 SP5
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 Xen SP5
• 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 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 U3
• 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

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=st250-7y45-7y46-e-2200

Virtualization support: The onboard SATA ports of the server can be used with virtualization hypervisors, including VMware ESXi, Linux KVM, Xen, and Microsoft Hyper-V, however support is limited to AHCI (non-RAID) mode. RSTe mode is not supported with virtualization hypervisors.

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

The ST250 has the following overall physical dimensions, including tower feet, excluding components that extend outside the standard chassis, such as power supply handles:

• Width: 176 mm (6.9 inches) (4U)
• Height: 444 mm (17.5 inches)
• Depth: 578 mm (22.8 inches)

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

Figure 11. Server dimension

The server has the following weight:

• Weight, fully configured: 23.56 kg (51.94 lb)

Electrical requirements are as follows:

• Models with a 250 W AC fixed power supply:
  • 100-127 (nominal) V ac; 50 Hz or 60 Hz
  • 200 - 240 (nominal) V ac; 50 Hz or 60 Hz
• Models with 550 W AC hot-swap power supplies:
  • 100-127 (nominal) V ac; 50 Hz or 60 Hz; 6.2 A
  • 200 - 240 (nominal) V ac; 50 Hz or 60 Hz; 3.0 A
  • Input kilovolt-amperes (kVA) (approximately):
    • Minimum configuration: 0.16 kVA
    • Maximum configuration: 0.722 kVA
• Models with 550 W 240V DC power supplies (China customers running 240V DC input)
  • 200 - 240 (nominal) V dc; 2.5 A
  • Input kilovolt-amperes (kVA) (approximately):
    • Minimum configuration: 0.16 kVA
    • Maximum configuration: 0.70 kVA

The server can operate in ASHRAE A2 environments (10-35°C).

The server can be configured to operate in ASHRAE A3 environments (5-40°C), provided the following restrictions are met:

• Processor with a maximum TDP of 80W
• Maximum of 8x 2.5" drives
• PCIe adapters up to 10W power consumption

The server is supported operating in the following environments:

• ASHRAE A2:
  • Temperature: 10°C to 35°C
  • Humidity: 8% to 80%
  • Altitude 0-3000 m (10,000 ft), derated 1°C per 300 m above 950 m
• ASHRAE A3:
  • Temperature: 5°C to 40°C
  • Humidity: 8% to 85%
  • Altitude 0-3000 m (10,000 ft), derated 1°C per 175 m above 950 m

Non-operating environment support:

• Without packaging:
  • Temperature: -10 °C to 60 °C
  • Humidity: 8 to 90%
• Storage with packaging:
  • Temperature: -40 °C to 70 °C
  • Humidity: 8 to 90%

Thermal (heat) output:

• Minimum configuration: 238.6 BTU/hr, 69.8 W
• Maximum configuration: 1010.33 BTU/hr, 296.10 W

Acoustical noise emissions: See the following table.

Notes:

• These sound levels were measured in controlled acoustical environments according to procedures specified by ISO 7779 and are reported in accordance with ISO 9296.
• The declared acoustic noise levels are based on specified configurations, which may change slightly depending on configuration/conditions.

The ST250 has a 1-year or 3-year warranty, based on the machine type of the system:

• 7Y46 - 1 year warranty
• 7Y45 - 3 year warranty

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

Lenovo Data Center Services empower you at every stage of your IT lifecycle. From expert advisory and strategic planning to seamless deployment and ongoing support, we ensure your infrastructure is built for success. Our comprehensive services accelerate time to value, minimize downtime, and free your IT staff to focus on driving innovation and business growth.

In this section:

• Lenovo Advisory Services
• Lenovo Plan & Design Services
• Lenovo Deployment, Migration, and Configuration Services
• Lenovo Support Services
• Lenovo Managed Services
• Lenovo Sustainability Services

Lenovo Deployment, Migration, and Configuration Services

Optimize your IT operations by shifting labor-intensive functions to Lenovo's skilled technicians for seamless on-site or remote deployment, configuration, and migration. Enjoy peace of mind, faster time to value, and comprehensive knowledge sharing with your IT staff, backed by our best-practice methodology.

• Deployment Services for Storage and ThinkAgile

  A comprehensive range of remote and onsite options tailored specifically for your business needs to ensure your storage and ThinkAgile hardware are fully operational from the start.

• Hardware Installation Services

  A full-range, comprehensive setup for your hardware, including unpacking, inspecting, and positioning components to ensure your equipment is operational and error-free for the most seamless and efficient installation experience, so you can quickly benefit from your investments.

• DM/DG File Migration Services

  Take the burden of file migration from your IT’s shoulders. Our experts will align your requirements and business objectives to the migration plans while coordinating with your team to plan and safely execute the data migration to your storage platforms.

• DM/DG/DE Health Check Services

  Our experts perform proactive checks of your Firmware and system health to ensure your machines are operating at peak and optimal efficiency to maximize up-time, avoid system failures, ensure the security of IT solutions and simplify maintenance.

• Factory Integrated Services

  A suite of value-added offerings provided during the manufacturing phase of a server or storage system that reduces time to value. These services aim at improving your hardware deployment experience and enhance the quality of a standard configuration before it arrives at your facility.

Lenovo Support Services

In addition to response time options for hardware parts, repairs, and labor, Lenovo offers a wide array of additional support services to ensure your business is positioned for success and longevity. Our goal is to reduce your capital outlays, mitigate your IT risks, and accelerate your time to productivity.

• Premier Support for Data Centers

  Your direct line to the solution that promises the best, most comprehensive level of support to help you fully unlock the potential of your data center.

• Premier Enhanced Storage Support (PESS)

  Gain all the benefits of Premier Support for Data Centers, adding dedicated storage specialists and resources to elevate your storage support experience to the next level.

• Committed Service Repair (CSR)

  Our commitment to ensuring the fastest, most seamless resolution times for mission-critical systems that require immediate attention to ensure minimal downtime and risk for your business. This service is only available for machines under the Premier 4-Hour Response SLA.

• Multivendor Support Services (MVS)

  Your single point of accountability for resolution support across vast range of leading Server, Storage, and Networking OEMs, allowing you to manage all your supported infrastructure devices seamlessly from a single source.

• Keep Your Drive (KYD)

  Protect sensitive data and maintain compliance with corporate retention and disposal policies to ensure your data is always under your control, regardless of the number of drives that are installed in your Lenovo server.

• Technical Account Manager (TAM)

  Your single point of contact to expedite service requests, provide status updates, and furnish reports to track incidents over time, ensuring smooth operations and optimized performance as your business grows.

• Enterprise Software Support (ESS)

  Gain comprehensive, single-source, and global support for a wide range of server operating systems and Microsoft server applications.

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

Lenovo Managed Services

Achieve peak efficiency, high security, and minimal disruption with Lenovo's always-on Managed Services. Our real-time monitoring, 24x7 incident response, and problem resolution ensure your infrastructure operates seamlessly. With quarterly health checks for ongoing optimization and innovation, Lenovo's remote active monitoring boosts end-user experience and productivity by keeping your data center's hardware performing at its best.

Lenovo Managed Services provides continuous 24x7 remote monitoring (plus 24x7 call center availability) and proactive management of your 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 & OS device driver levels, and software as needed. We’ll also maintain records of latest patches, critical updates, and firmware levels, to ensure you systems are providing business value through optimized performance.

Lenovo Sustainability Services

• Asset Recovery Services

  Lenovo Asset Recovery Services (ARS) provides a secure, seamless solution for managing end-of-life IT assets, ensuring data is safely sanitized while contributing to a more circular IT lifecycle. By maximizing the reuse or responsible recycling of devices, ARS helps businesses meet sustainability goals while recovering potential value from their retired equipment. For more information, see the Asset Recovery Services offering page.

• CO2 Offset Services

  Lenovo’s CO2 Offset Services offer a simple and transparent way for businesses to take tangible action on their IT footprint. By integrating CO2 offsets directly into device purchases, customers can easily support verified climate projects and track their contributions, making meaningful progress toward their sustainability goals without added complexity.

• Lenovo Certified Refurbished

  Lenovo Certified Refurbished offers a cost-effective way to support IT circularity without compromising on quality and performance. Each device undergoes rigorous testing and certification, ensuring reliable performance and extending its lifecycle. With Lenovo’s trusted certification, you gain peace of mind while making a more sustainable IT choice.

Lenovo TruScale XaaS is your set of flexible IT services that makes everything easier. Streamline IT procurement, simplify infrastructure and device management, and pay only for what you use – so your business is free to grow and go anywhere.

Lenovo TruScale is  the unified solution that gives you simplified access to:

• The industry’s broadest portfolio – from pocket to cloud – all delivered as a service
• A single-contract framework for full visibility and accountability
• The global scale to rapidly and securely build teams from anywhere
• Flexible fixed and metered pay-as-you-go models with minimal upfront cost
• The growth-driving combination of hardware, software, infrastructure, and solutions – all from one single provider with one point of accountability.

For information about Lenovo TruScale offerings that are available in your region, contact your local Lenovo sales representative or business partner.

The ST250 server conforms to the following standards:

• Energy Star 3.0
• USA FCC Title 47 CFR Part 15 Subpart B
• Canada ICES-003, issue 6, Class A
• UL62368-1
• CSA C22.2, No. 62368-1-14
• NOM-019
• Argentina IEC60950-1
• Australia/New Zealand AS/NZS CISPR 32, Class A
• Japan VCCI 32-1
• IEC 60950-1 (CB Certificate and CB Test Report), IEC 62368-1 (CB Certificate and CB Test Report)
• China CCC (GB4943.1), GB9254 Class A, GB17625.1, CECP, CELP
• Taiwan BSMI CNS13438, Class A; CNS14336-1
• Korea KN32, Class A; KN35
• Russia, Belorussia and Kazakhstan, TR CU 020/2011 and TR CU 004/2011
• CE Mark (EN55032 Class A, EN60950-1, EN55024, EN61000-3-2, and EN61000-3-3, EN 62368-1)
• CISPR 32, Class A
• TUV-GS ( EN62368-1, EK1-ITB2000)
• India BIS certification

The server supports attachment to external drive enclosures using a RAID controller with external ports or a SAS host bus adapter. Adapters supported by the server are listed in the SAS adapters for external storage section.

Note: Information provided in this section is for ordering reference purposes only. For the operating system and adapter support details, refer to the interoperability matrix for a particular storage enclosure that can be found on the Lenovo Data Center Support web site:
http://datacentersupport.lenovo.com

Lenovo offers the ThinkSystem DE Series and ThinkSystem DM Series external storage systems for high-performance storage. See the DE Series and DM Series product guides for specific controller models, expansion enclosures and configuration options:

• ThinkSystem DE Series Storage
  https://lenovopress.com/storage/thinksystem/de-series#rt=product-guide
• ThinkSystem DM Series Storage
  https://lenovopress.com/storage/thinksystem/dm-series#rt=product-guide
• ThinkSystem DG Series Storage
  https://lenovopress.com/storage/thinksystem/dg-series#rt=product-guide

The following table lists the available external SAS tape backup options.

Tip: Verify the end-to-end support of an IBM tape backup solution through the IBM System Storage Interoperation Center (SSIC): http://www.ibm.com/systems/support/storage/ssic

For more information, see the list of Product Guides in the Backup units category:
https://lenovopress.com/servers/options/backup

Lenovo offers the ThinkSystem DB Series of Fibre Channel SAN switches for high-performance storage expansion. See the DB Series product guides for models and configuration options:

• ThinkSystem DB Series SAN Switches:
  https://lenovopress.com/storage/switches/rack#rt=product-guide

The following table lists the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) units that are offered by Lenovo.

For more information, see the list of Product Guides in the UPS category:
https://lenovopress.com/servers/options/ups

The following table lists the power distribution units (PDUs) that are offered by Lenovo.