Lenovo ThinkSystem SN550 V2 Server

The Lenovo ThinkSystem SN550 V2 is a high-performance blade server that offers enhanced security, efficiency, and reliability features to handle business-critical workloads. The server incorporates up to two third-generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors which feature up to 36 cores each, core speeds up to 3.6 GHz, and TDP values up to 205W.

Suggested uses: database, virtualization, enterprise applications, collaboration and email, streaming media, Web, HPC, and cloud applications.

Figure 1 shows the ThinkSystem SN550 V2 server.

Figure 1. Lenovo ThinkSystem SN550 V2 server

The SN550 V2 server uses the new third-generation Intel Xeon Scalable Silver, Gold and Platinum processors and memory can now operate at speeds up to 3200 MHz. The server also supports six EDSFF form-factor NVMe drives as an alternative to standard 2.5-inch SSDs and HDDs to maximize internal storage.

The ThinkSystem SN550 V2 is a high-availability blade server that is optimized to support the next-generation microprocessor technology. It is ideally suited for medium and large businesses. This section describes the key features of the server.

Scalability and performance

The SN550 V2 offers the following features to boost performance, improve scalability, and reduce costs:

• Up to 14 SN550 V2 servers can be installed in one Flex System Enterprise chassis.
• Supports one or two third-generation Intel Xeon Processor Scalable processors
  • Up to 36 cores and 72 threads
  • Core speeds of up to 3.6 GHz
  • TDP ratings of up to 205W
• Support for up to 16 TruDDR4 memory DIMMs operating at up to 3200 MHz means you have the fastest available memory subsystem.
• Each processor supports 8 DIMMS, each with its own memory channel.
• Using 128GB 3DS RDIMMs, the server supports up to 2TB of system memory.
• Supports the new Intel Optane Persistent Memory 200 Series for advanced in-memory database applications, dense-virtualization; up to eight PMem Modules can be installed in conjunction with regular system memory.
• Optional support for high-performance PCIe-attached NVMe SSDs can significantly improve I/O performance.
• Support for high-bandwidth PCIe 3.0 I/O adapters; up to two in each SN550 V2 server.
• Support for up to 50 Gb Ethernet and 16 Gb Fibre Channel

Availability and serviceability

The SN550 V2 provides the following features to simplify serviceability and increase system up-time:

• Designed to run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• The blade server design of the SN550 V2 and Enterprise Chassis makes it very easy to service the servers, since there are no cables to disconnect and reconnect.
• The server offers Single Device Data Correction (SDDC, also known as Chipkill), Adaptive Double-Device Data Correction (ADDDC, also known as Redundant Bit Steering or RBS) and memory mirroring for redundancy in the event of a non-correctable memory failure.
• Tool-less cover removal provides easy access to upgrades and serviceable parts, such as CPU, memory, and adapter cards.
• The Dual M.2 Boot Adapter supports RAID-1 which enables two installed M.2 drives to be configured as a redundant pair.
• Hot-swap drives support integrated RAID-1 redundancy for data protection and greater system up-time.
• Solid-state drives (SSDs), which offer significantly better reliability than mechanical HDDs for greater uptime.
• The power source independent light path diagnostics functionality provides individual LEDs that lead the technician to failed (or failing) components, which simplifies servicing, speeds up problem resolution, and helps improve system availability.
• The built-in XClarity Controller continuously monitors system parameters, triggers alerts, and performs recovery actions in case of failures to minimize downtime.
• Proactive Platform Alerts (including PFA and SMART alerts): Processors, voltage regulators, memory, internal storage (SAS/SATA HDDs and SSDs, NVMe SSDs, flash storage adapters), RAID controllers, and server ambient and sub-component temperatures. Alerts can be surfaced through the system 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.
• Built-in diagnostics in UEFI with Lenovo XClarity Provisioning Manager that supports the collection of service data to USB key drive or remote CIFS share folder for troubleshooting and reduced service time.
• Auto-restart in the event of a momentary loss of AC power (based on power policy setting in the XClarity Controller service processor).
• 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 customer replaceable unit and on-site limited warranty; next business day 9x5. Optional service upgrades are available.

Manageability and security

The following powerful systems management features simplify the local and remote management of the SN550 V2:

• Support for Lenovo XClarity Administrator, providing auto-discovery, inventory tracking, monitoring, policy-based firmware updates, address pool management, configuration patterns and operating system installation.
• The server includes an XClarity Controller (XCC) management processor to monitor server availability and perform remote management. XCC Enterprise is supported as standard, which enables remote KVM, mounting of remote media files (ISO and IMG image files), boot capture, and power capping.
• 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
• Integrated Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 support enables advanced cryptographic functionality, 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 SSD.
• 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.
• Industry-standard Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) NI support for faster, stronger encryption.
• Intel Execute Disable Bit functionality can help prevent certain classes of malicious buffer overflow attacks when combined with a supporting operating system.
• Intel Trusted Execution Technology provides enhanced security through hardware-based resistance to malicious software attacks, which allows an application to run in its own isolated space that is protected from all other software that is running on a system.

The following figure shows the front of the server.

Figure 2. Front view of the ThinkSystem SN550 V2 server

The following figure shows the architectural block diagram of the SN550 V2, showing the major components and their connections.

Figure 5. SN550 V2 system architectural block diagram

The following table lists the standard specifications.

ThinkSystem SN550 V2 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 base CTO models are available for the SN550 V2 as listed in the following table, CTO1WW and CTOLWW:

• The CTO1WW base CTO model is for general business and is selectable by choosing General Purpose mode in DCSC.
• The CTOLWW base model is intended for High Performance Computing (HPC) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) configurations and solutions, including configurations for Lenovo Scalable Infrastructure (LeSI), and is enabled using either the HPC & AI LeSI Solutions mode or HPC & AI Hardware mode in DCSC. CTOLWW configurations can also be built using System x and Cluster Solutions Configurator (x-config).

Preconfigured server models may also be available for the SN550 V2, 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 SN550 V2 server.

The following table lists the base feature code for CTO configurations of the SN550 V2.

Up to 14 SN550 V2 server are supported in the Lenovo Flex System Enterprise Chassis, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 6. ThinkSystem SN550 V2 servers installed in the Flex System Enterprise Chassis

The SN550 V2 server is supported in the Flex System chassis as listed in the following table.

Up to 14 SN550 V2 servers can be installed in the chassis; however, the actual number that can be installed in a chassis depends on the following factors:

• TDP power rating for the processors that are installed in the SN550 V2
• Number of power supplies that are installed in the chassis
• Capacity of the installed power supplies (2100 W or 2500 W)
• The voltage of in the input power
• Chassis power redundancy policy that is used (N+1 or N+N)
• Whether node throttling is permitted

The following table provides general guidelines about what number of SN550 V2 servers can be installed. For a more specific determination on how many servers can be installed for a detailed hardware configuration, use Lenovo Capacity Planner, which is found at the following web page:
https://datacentersupport.lenovo.com/us/en/products/solutions-and-software/software/lenovo-capacity-planner/solutions/ht504651

The following color coding was used In the table:

• Green = No restriction on the number of SN550 V2 servers that can be installed
• Yellow = Some bays must be left empty in the chassis

* Processors only supported by special bid order process

The SN550 V2 supports processors in the third-generation Intel Xeon Scalable Processor family. The server supports one or two processors.

Topics in this section:

• Processor options
• Processor features
• One-processor configurations
• Thermal restrictions by processor
• Processor restriction by power supply
• UEFI operating modes

Additional processors, including those up to 250W TDP, may be supported via the Special Bid process. Contact your Lenovo representative for more information.

• 64x PCIe 4.0 I/O lanes available for PCIe and NVMe devices
• 1.25 MB L2 cache per core
• 1.5 MB or more L3 cache per core
• Intel Deep Learning Boost, which provides built-in Artificial Intelligence (AI) acceleration with the Vector Neural Network Instruction set (VNNI). DL Boost and VNNI are designed to deliver significant, more efficient Deep Learning (Inference) acceleration for high-performance AI workloads.
• Intel Hyper-Threading Technology, which boosts performance for multithreaded applications by enabling simultaneous multithreading within each processor core, up to two threads per core.
• Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, which allows processor cores to run at maximum speeds during peak workloads by temporarily going beyond processor TDP.
• Intel Virtualization Technology (includes VT-x and VT-d), which integrates hardware-level virtualization hooks that allow operating system vendors to better use the hardware for virtualization workloads.
• Intel Speed Select Technology, supported on some processor models, enables increased core Turbo Boost frequency on specific individual cores to maximize application performance.
• Intel Advanced Vector Extensions 512 (AVX-512), to enable acceleration of enterprise-class workloads, including databases and enterprise resource planning (ERP).
• Up to two Intel AVX-512 Fused-Multiply Add (FMA) units
• Intel SGX (Software Guard Extensions) and Intel TME (Total Memory Encryption) security features
• Two or three Intel Ultra Path Interconnect (UPI) links at up to 11.2 GT/s, to maximize inter-processor communication

The following table compares the features of the supported third-generation Intel Xeon processors.

* L3 cache is 1.5 MB per core or larger. Processors with a larger L3 cache per core are marked with an *

Processor restriction by power supply

For existing Flex System customers where the SN550 V2 will be installed in an existing Flex System Enterprise Chassis, if you configure the SN550 V2 to have processors with a TDP of 135W or larger, then check which power supplies are installed in the chassis. If the chassis has Delta power supplies, then the processors will be capped at 125W due to an issue with the Delta power supplies. To prevent this from happening, replace the power supplies with Artesyn power supplies.

For new Flex System customers, if your order includes a new Enterprise Chassis, then the correct power supplies will already be configured so no further action is needed.

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 SN550 V2 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. It is expected that will be 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. It is the favored mode for Energy Star certification for example.

The SN550 V2 uses Lenovo TruDDR4 memory and supports 8 DIMMs per processor or 16 DIMMs with two processors installed. Each processor has eight memory channels with one DIMM per channel. With 128 GB 3DS RDIMMs installed, the SN550 V2 supports a total of 2 TB of system memory.

The SN550 V2 also supports Intel Optane Persistent Memory 200 Series, as described in the Persistent Memory section.

Memory operates at up to 3200 MHz, depending on the memory DIMMs and processor model selected. If the processor selected has a lower memory bus speed, then all DIMMs will operate at that lower speed.

The following table 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.

For best performance, consider the following:

• Populate memory DIMMs in quantities of 8 per processor, so that all memory channels are used.
• 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.

Note: Memory sparing is not supported

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. Memory rank sparing is not supported.

The SN550 V2 server supports Intel Optane Persistent Memory 200 Series, a new class of memory and storage technology explicitly architected for data center usage. Persistent memory is an innovative technology that delivers a unique combination of affordable large memory capacity and persistence (non-volatility). It offers significantly lower latency than fetching data from SSDs, even NVMe SSDs, and offers higher capacities than system memory.

Persistent memory technology can help boost the performance of data-intensive applications such as in-memory analytics, databases, content delivery networks, and high performance computing (HPC), as well as deliver consistent service levels at scale with higher virtual machine and container density. 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 supported persistent memory modules.

The following are the requirements when installing persistent memory (PMem) modules when installed in a two-socket server with third-generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors ("Ice Lake" processors):

• App Direct Mode and Memory Mode are supported. Mixed Mode is not supported.
• All PMem modules operate at 3200 MHz when the installed processor runs the memory bus at 3200 MHz.
• All installed PMem modules must be the same size. Mixing PMem modules of different capacities is not supported.
• Maximum 4 PMem modules per processor.
• Both interleaved and non-interleaved modes are supported.
• Memory mirroring is not supported with PMem modules installed

For details, including App Direct Mode and Memory Mode configuration requirements, see the Intel Optane Persistent Memory 200 Series product guide, https://lenovopress.com/LP1380

In this section:

• Drive bays
• M.2 drives
• EDSFF drives
• SED encryption key management

The 2.5-inch drive bay and EDSFF drive bay alternatives are shown in the following figure.

Figure 7.SN550 V2 front drive bays

See the System architecture section to see how these connections are made.

The following table lists the backplane ordering information. For details about EDSFF, see the EDSFF drives section.

Supported drives are listed in the Internal drive options section.

For further 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

EDSFF drives

The SN550 V2 supports EDSFF (Enterprise & Datacenter SSD Form Factor) drives with the E1.S (short) form factor. Up to six hot-swap EDSFF drives can be installed in the server.

EDSFF drives are a new type of NVMe solid-state drive and have the following characteristics:

• NVMe SSD with PCIe 4.0 x4 host interface
• Hot-swap drive tray
• Install vertically in the server
• E1.S form factor defined by SNIA specification SFF-TA-1006
• 112 mm (4.4 inches) long x 32 mm (1.2 inches) tall

A single EDSFF with a ThinkSystem hot-swap tray is shown in the following figure.

Figure 8. EDSFF E1.S form factor drive with hot-swap tray

The SN550 V2 supports 6x EDSFF drives, installed at the front of the server as shown in the following figure. EDSFF drives are installed behind a removable cover.

Figure 9. SN550 V2 EDSFF drive bays

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

The SN550 V2 offers a variety of controller options for internal drives:

• For 2.5-inch and EDSFF drives:
  • Onboard SATA ports with software RAID support (Intel VROC SATA RAID, formerly known as Intel RSTe)
  • Onboard NVMe ports with software RAID support (Intel VROC NVMe RAID)
  • RAID 530-4i adapter
  • RAID 930-4i adapter with 2GB onboard cache
• For M.2 drives internal to the server (see M.2 drives section)
  • SATA controller integrated on the M.2 SATA 2-Bay RAID Enablement Kit
  • NVMe controller integrated on the M.2 NVMe 2-Bay RAID Enablement Kit

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

* The RAID 930-4i adapter includes a mount for the included RAID flash power module (supercap)

The onboard SATA controller has the following features:

• Controller integrated into the Intel PCH
• 6 Gbps SATA host interface
• Supports up to 2 SATA drives in the SN550 V2
• Supports RAID-0 and  RAID-1 (Intel VROC SATA RAID, previously known as RSTe)
• Supports JBOD
• Supports HDDs and SSDs; can be mixed

The onboard NVMe support has the following features:

• Controller integrated into the Intel processor
• Supports up to 6 NVMe drives in the SN550 V2 (6x EDSFF or 2x 2.5-inch)
• Each drive has PCIe 4.0 x4 host interface
• Supports JBOD - Intel and non-Intel NVMe SSDs - no license required
• Supports RAID-0, 1, 5, 10 (Intel VROC NVMe RAID) - Intel NVMe SSDs only unless VROC Premium license is installed

VROC SATA RAID (RSTe) is available and supported with all SATA drives, both SATA SSDs and SATA HDDs. It offers a 6 Gb/s connection to each drive and on the SN550 V2 implements RAID levels 0, 1, 5, and 10. RAID 1 is limited to 2 drives per array, and RAID 10 is limited to 4 drives per array. Hot-spare functionality is also supported.

VROC NVMe RAID offers RAID support for any NVMe drives directly connected to the ports on the server's system board or via adapters such as NVMe retimers or NVMe switch adapters. On the SN550 V2, it implements RAID levels 0, 1, 5, and 10. RAID 1 is limited to 2 drives per array, and RAID 10 is limited to 4 drives per array. Hot-spare functionality is also supported.

By default, VROC NVMe RAID support on the SN550 V2 is limited to use with only Intel-branded NVMe drives (feature B9X7). If you wish to enable RAID support for non-Intel NVMe SSDs, select the VROC Premium license using the ordering information in the following table. VROC Premium is fulfilled as a Feature on Demand (FoD) license and is activated via the XCC management processor user interface.

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

The server does not support an internal tape drive. However, it can be attached to external tape drives by using Fibre Channel connectivity.

The server does not support an internal optical drive, however, you can connect an external USB optical drive. Alternatively, use the remote media feature of the XClarity Controller and the Chassis Management Module.

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 SN550 V2 has two I/O expansion connectors for attaching I/O adapter cards. The I/O expansion connectors use a high-density, 216-pin PCIe connection. Installing I/O adapter cards allows the server to connect with switch modules in the chassis. Each slot has a PCI Express 4.0 x16 host interface and both slots support the same form-factor adapters.

The following figure shows the location of the I/O expansion connectors.

Figure 10. Location of the I/O adapter slots in the SN550 V2

A compatible switch or pass-through module must be installed in the corresponding I/O bays in the chassis, as indicated in the following table. Installing two switches means that all ports of the adapter are enabled, which improves performance and network availability.

The following figure shows the location of the I/O module bays in the Flex System Enterprise Chassis.

Figure 11. Location of the I/O module bays in the Flex System Enterprise Chassis

The following figure shows how adapters are connected to I/O modules that are installed in the chassis.

Figure 12. Logical layout of the interconnects between I/O adapters and I/O modules

The SN550 V2 supports network adapters that are installed in I/O slots. The following table lists the supported network adapters. Adapters can be installed in either slot, however, compatible I/O modules must be installed in the corresponding bays of the chassis.

For more details about these adapters, see the Lenovo Press product guides in the Network adapters category: https://lenovopress.com/servers/blades/nic

For more information about adapter-to-switch compatibility, see the Flex System Interoperability Guide:
http://lenovopress.com/fsig

The following table lists Fibre Channel HBAs that are supported by the SN550 V2. HBAs are supported in either slot, however for CTO orders, the HBA is installed in slot 2.

Table 34. Fibre Channel adapters

Part number	Feature code	Description	Maximum supported	Number of ports
Fibre Channel
7ZT7A00521	AVCW	ThinkSystem Emulex LPm16002B-L Mezz 16Gb 2-Port Fibre Channel Adapter	1	2
7ZT7A00522	AVCX	ThinkSystem Emulex LPm16004B-L Mezz 16Gb 4-Port Fibre Channel Adapter	1	4
7ZT7A00520	AVCV	ThinkSystem QLogic QML2692 Mezz 16Gb 2-Port Fibre Channel Adapter	1	2

For details about these adapters, see the Lenovo Press product guides in the Storage adapters category: https://lenovopress.com/servers/blades/hba

For more information about adapter-to-switch compatibility, see the Flex System Interoperability Guide:
http://lenovopress.com/fsig

Power to the blade server is derived from the power supplies that are installed in the chassis. There are no server options regarding power supplies.

For a discussion about quantities of servers supported based on the number of power supplies installed, see the Chassis support section.

The server 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.

Local management

As shown in Figure 2, the SN550 V2 front panel includes a USB port, status indicators, a button to enable management via the USB port and a console breakout cable port. The breakout cable is supplied with the chassis and provides serial, video and two USB 2.0 ports for connecting a local console. The USB ports on the breakout cable support keyboard and mouse; storage devices are not supported.

The following figure shows the breakout cable.

Figure 13. Console Breakout Cable

The breakout cable is supplied with the chassis. Ordering information is as follows:

System status with XClarity Mobile

The Lenovo XClarity Mobile (LXCM) app now includes a tethering function where you can connect your Android or iOS device to the server via USB to see the status of the server.

The steps to connect the mobile device are as follows:

1. Enable USB Management on the server, by pressing and holding for 3 seconds the dedicated USB management button on the front of the server.
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

Light Path Diagnostics

The SN550 V2 includes light path diagnostics. If an environmental condition exceeds a threshold or if a system component fails, XCC lights LEDs inside the server to help you diagnose the problem and find the failing part.

For quick problem determination when you are physically at the server, the server offers the following three-step guided path:

• Illuminate the fault LED on the front panel.
• Identify the fault in the light path diagnostics panel, as shown in the following figure.
• If a DIMM is faulty, the LED next to it is illuminated.

The SN550 V2 light path diagnostics panel is inside the server near the front panel, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 14. Location of SN550 V2 light path diagnostics panel

To illuminate the light path diagnostics LEDs, power off the server, slide it out of the chassis, and press and hold the power button. The power button doubles as the light path diagnostics reminder button when the server is removed from the chassis.

The meanings of the LEDs in the light path diagnostics panel are listed in the following table.

The front of the server also houses an information pull-out tab. 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.

Remote management

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

LXEM is a licensed product. A single-node LXEM license is included with the XClarity Controller Enterprise version. Because the Enterprise version of XCC is standard in the SN550 V2, a license for XClarity Energy Manager is included.

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.

The server offers the following security features:

• Administrator and power-on password
• Trusted Platform Module supporting TPM 2.0 (TPM 1.2 not supported)
• Optional plugin Trusted Cryptographic Module (TCM) or Nationz TPM, available only in China
• Self-encrypting drives (SEDs) with support for enterprise key managers - see the SED encryption key management section

The server is NIST SP 800-147B compliant.

The TPM plugin module, available only for China customers, is installed in a dedicated socket on the system board, as shown in Figure 3. Ordering information is shown in the following table.

* Available configure-to-order or pre-configured models only; Not available as a field upgrade.

Platform Firmware Resiliency - Lenovo ThinkShield

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

The ThinkSystem SN550 V2 includes Platform Firmware Resiliency (PFR) hardware Root of Trust (RoT) which enables the system to be NIST SP800-193 compliant. This offering further enhances key platform subsystem protections against unauthorized firmware updates and corruption, to restore firmware to an integral state, and to closely monitor firmware for possible compromise from cyber attacks.

PFR operates upon the following server components:

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

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

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

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

The SN550 V2 includes support for Secure Boot, a UEFI firmware security feature developed by the UEFI Consortium that ensures only immutable and signed software are loaded during the boot time. The use of Secure Boot helps prevent malicious code from being loaded and helps prevent attacks, such as the installation of rootkits. Lenovo offers the capability to enable secure boot in the factory, to ensure end-to-end protection. Alternatively, Secure Boot can be left disabled in the factory, allowing the customer to enable it themselves at a later point, if desired.

The following table lists the feature code to enable secure boot in the factory, or to leave it disabled.

Security standards

The SN550 V2 supports the following security standards and capabilities:

• Industry Standard Security Capabilities
  • Intel CPU Enablement
    • AES-NI (Advanced Encryption Standard New Instructions)
    • CBnT (Converged Boot Guard and Trusted Execution Technology)
    • CET (Control flow Enforcement Technology)
    • Hardware-based side channel attack resilience enhancements
    • MKTME/TME (Multi-Key Total Memory Encryption)
    • SGX (Software Guard eXtensions)
    • SGX-TEM (Trusted Environment Mode)
    • TDX (Trust Domain Extensions)
    • TXT (Trusted eXecution Technology)
    • VT (Virtualization Technology)
    • XD (eXecute Disable)
  • Microsoft Windows Security Enablement
    • Credential Guard
    • Device Guard
    • Host Guardian Service
  • TCG (Trusted Computing Group) TPM (Trusted Platform Module) 2.0
  • UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) Forum Secure Boot
• Hardware Root of Trust and Security
  • Independent security subsystem providing platform-wide NIST SP800-193 compliant Platform Firmware Resilience (PFR)
  • Management domain RoT supplemented by the Secure Boot features of XCC
• Platform Security

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

  • Boot and run-time firmware integrity monitoring with rollback to known-good firmware (e.g., “self-healing”)
  • Non-volatile storage bus security monitoring and filtering
  • Resilient firmware implementation, such as to detect and defeat unauthorized flash writes or SMM (System Management Mode) memory incursions
  • Patented IPMI KCS channel privileged access authorization (USPTO Patent# 11,256,810)
  • Host and management domain authorization, including integration with CyberArk for enterprise password management
  • KMIP (Key Management Interoperability Protocol) compliant, including support for IBM SKLM and Thales KeySecure
  • Reduced “out of box” attack surface
  • Configurable network services
  • FIPS 140-3 (in process) validated cryptography for XCC
  • CNSA Suite 1.0 Quantum-resistant cryptography for XCC
  • Lenovo System Guard
• Standards Compliance and/or Support
  • NIST SP800-131A rev 2 “Transitioning the Use of Cryptographic Algorithms and Key Lengths”
  • NIST SP800-147B “BIOS Protection Guidelines for Servers”
  • NIST SP800-193 “Platform Firmware Resiliency Guidelines”
  • ISO/IEC 11889 “Trusted Platform Module Library”
  • Common Criteria TCG Protection Profile for “PC Client Specific TPM 2.0”
  • European Union Commission Regulation 2019/424 (“ErP Lot 9”) “Ecodesign Requirements for Servers and Data Storage Products” Secure Data Deletion
  • Optional FIPS 140-2 validated Self-Encrypting Disks (SEDs) with external KMIP-based key management
• Product and Supply Chain Security
  • Suppliers validated through Lenovo’s Trusted Supplier Program
  • Developed in accordance with Lenovo’s Secure Development Lifecycle (LSDL)
  • Continuous firmware security validation through automated testing, including static code analysis, dynamic network and web vulnerability testing, software composition analysis, and subsystem-specific testing, such as UEFI security configuration validation
  • Ongoing security reviews by US-based security experts, with attestation letters available from our third-party security partners
  • Digitally signed firmware, stored and built on US-based infrastructure and signed on US-based Hardware Security Modules (HSMs)
  • Manufacturing transparency via Intel Transparent Supply Chain (for details, see https://lenovopress.com/lp1434-introduction-to-intel-transparent-supply-chain-on-lenovo-thinksystem-servers)
  • TAA (Trade Agreements Act) compliant manufacturing, by default in Mexico for North American markets with additional US and EU manufacturing options
  • US 2019 NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) Section 889 compliant

The server supports the following operating systems:

• Microsoft Windows Server 2016
• Microsoft Windows Server 2019
• Microsoft Windows Server 2022
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.9
• 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 9.0
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.1
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 Xen SP5
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP4
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 Xen SP2
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 Xen SP3
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 Xen SP4
• Ubuntu 18.04 LTS 64-bit
• Ubuntu 22.04 LTS 64-bit
• VMware ESXi 6.7 U3
• VMware ESXi 7.0 U2
• VMware ESXi 7.0 U3
• VMware ESXi 8.0

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

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

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

The server features the following dimensions and weight (approximate):

• Width: 218 mm (8.5 in)
• Height: 56 mm (2.2 in)
• Depth: 507 mm (20.0 in)
• Maximum weight: 6.6 kg (14 lb).

The SN550 V2 complies with ASHRAE Class A3 specifications. System performance may be impacted when operating temperature is above 35 °C or fan failed condition.

Temperature and humidity:

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

The SN550 V2 has the following ambient temperature restrictions:

• The use of EDSFF drives requires the ambient temperature be no more than 25 °C
• The use of processors with TDP of 200W or higher requires the ambient temperature be no more than 30 °C
• The use of the Intel Xeon Gold 6342 24C 230W 2.8GHz processor requires the ambient temperature be no more than 25 °C

Shock and vibration:

The server, installed in the Enterprise Chassis, has the following vibration and shock limits:

• Vibration:
  • Operating: 0.21 G rms at 5 Hz to 500 Hz for 15 minutes across 3 axes
  • Non-operating: 1.04 G rms at 2 Hz to 200 Hz for 15 minutes across 6 surfaces
• Shock:
  • Operating: 15 G for 3 milliseconds in each direction (±X,±Y,±Z axes, total 6 shocks)
  • Non-operating, based on weight of the system (server with/without chassis):
    • Less than 4 kg: 50 G for 180 inches/sec velocity change across 6 surfaces (total 6 shocks)
    • 4 kg to 12 kg: 50 G for 167 inches/sec velocity change across 6 surfaces (total 6 shocks)
    • 12 kg to 23 kg: 50 G for 152 inches/sec velocity change across 6 surfaces (total 6 shocks)
    • 23 kg to 32 kg: 35 G for 152 inches/sec velocity change across 6 surfaces (total 6 shocks)
    • 32 kg to 69 kg: 35 G for 136 inches/sec velocity change across 6 surfaces (total 6 shocks)
    • 69 kg and above: 25 G for 118 inches/sec velocity change across 6 surfaces (total 6 shocks)

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

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

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

The ThinkSystem SN550 V2 (machine type 7Z69) has a 3-year warranty.

The standard warranty terms are customer-replaceable unit (CRU) and onsite (for field-replaceable units FRUs only) with standard call center support during normal business hours and 9x5 Next Business Day Parts Delivered.

Lenovo’s additional support services provide a sophisticated, unified support structure for your data center, with an experience consistently ranked number one in customer satisfaction worldwide. Available offerings include:

• Premier Support

  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:

  • Direct technician-to-technician access through a dedicated phone line
  • 24x7x365 remote support
  • Single point of contact service
  • End to end case management
  • Third-party collaborative software support
  • Online case tools and live chat support
  • On-demand remote system analysis
• Warranty Upgrade (Preconfigured Support)

  Services are available to meet the on-site response time targets that match the criticality of your systems.

  • 3, 4, or 5 years of service coverage
  • 1-year or 2-year post-warranty extensions
  • Foundation Service: 9x5 service coverage with next business day onsite response. YourDrive YourData is an optional extra (see below).
  • Essential Service: 24x7 service coverage with 4-hour onsite response or 24-hour committed repair (available only in select markets). Bundled with YourDrive YourData.
  • Advanced Service: 24x7 service coverage with 2-hour onsite response or 6-hour committed repair (available only in select markets). Bundled with YourDrive YourData.
• Managed Services

  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.

• Technical Account Management (TAM)

  A Lenovo Technical Account Manager helps you optimize the operation of your data center based on a deep understanding of your business. You gain direct access to your Lenovo TAM, who serves as your single point of contact to expedite service requests, provide status updates, and furnish reports to track incidents over time. In addition, your TAM will help proactively make service recommendations and manage your service relationship with Lenovo to make certain your needs are met.

• Enterprise Server Software Support

  Enterprise Software Support is an additional support service providing 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 comparability and interoperability issues, isolate causes of problems, report defects to software vendors, and more.

• YourDrive YourData

  Lenovo’s YourDrive YourData is a multi-drive retention offering that ensures your data is always under your control, regardless of the number of drives that are installed in your Lenovo server. In the unlikely event of a drive failure, you retain possession of your drive while Lenovo replaces the failed drive part. Your data stays safely on your premises, in your hands. The YourDrive YourData service can be purchased in convenient bundles and is optional with Foundation Service. It is bundled with Essential Service and Advanced Service.

• Health Check

  Having a trusted partner who can perform regular and detailed health checks is central to maintaining efficiency and ensuring that your 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.

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 Services is a dedicated partner to your success. Our goal is to reduce your capital outlays, mitigate your IT risks, and accelerate your time to productivity.

Here’s a more in-depth look at what we can do for you:

• Asset Recovery Services

  Asset Recovery Services (ARS) helps customers recover the maximum value from their end-of-life equipment in a cost-effective and secure way. On top of simplifying the transition from old to new equipment, ARS mitigates environmental and data security risks associated with data center equipment disposal. Lenovo ARS is a cash-back solution for equipment based on its remaining market value, yielding maximum value from aging assets and lowering total cost of ownership for your customers. For more information, see the ARS page, https://lenovopress.com/lp1266-reduce-e-waste-and-grow-your-bottom-line-with-lenovo-ars.

• Assessment Services

  An Assessment helps solve your IT challenges through an onsite, multi-day session with a Lenovo technology expert. We perform a tools-based assessment which provides a comprehensive and thorough review of a company's environment and technology systems. In addition to the technology based functional requirements, the consultant also discusses and records the non-functional business requirements, challenges, and constraints. Assessments help organizations like yours, no matter how large or small, get a better return on your IT investment and overcome challenges in the ever-changing technology landscape.

• Design Services

  Professional Services consultants perform infrastructure design and implementation planning to support your strategy. The high-level architectures provided by the assessment service are turned into low level designs and wiring diagrams, which are reviewed and approved prior to implementation. The implementation plan will demonstrate an outcome-based proposal to provide business capabilities through infrastructure with a risk-mitigated project plan.

• Basic Hardware Installation

  Lenovo experts can seamlessly manage the physical installation of your server, storage, or networking hardware. Working at a time convenient for you (business hours or off shift), the technician will unpack and inspect the systems on your site, install options, mount in a rack cabinet, connect to power and network, check and update firmware to the latest levels, verify operation, and dispose of the packaging, allowing your team to focus on other priorities.

• Deployment Services

  When investing in new IT infrastructures, you need to ensure your business will see quick time to value with little to no disruption. Lenovo deployments are designed by development and engineering teams who know our Products & Solutions better than anyone else, and our technicians own the process from delivery to completion. Lenovo will conduct remote preparation and planning, configure & integrate systems, validate systems, verify and update appliance firmware, train on administrative tasks, and provide post-deployment documentation. Customer’s IT teams leverage our skills to enable IT staff to transform with higher level roles and tasks.

• Integration, Migration, and Expansion Services

  Move existing physical & virtual workloads easily, or determine technical requirements to support increased workloads while maximizing performance. Includes tuning, validation, and documenting ongoing run processes. Leverage migration assessment planning documents to perform necessary migrations.

The SN550 V2 conforms to the following standards:

• ANSI/UL 62368-1
• IEC 62368-1 (CB Certificate and CB Test Report)
• FCC - Verified to comply with Part 15 of the FCC Rules, Class A
• Canada ICES-003, issue 7, Class A
• CSA C22.2 No. 62368-1
• CISPR 32, Class A, CISPR 35
• Japan VCCI, Class A
• Taiwan BSMI CNS13438, Class A; Section 5 of CNS15663
• CE, UKCA Mark (EN55032 Class A, EN62368-1, EN55024, EN55035, EN61000-3-2, EN61000-3-3, (EU) 2019/424, and EN50581-1 (RoHS))
• Korea KN32, Class A, KN35
• Russia, Belorussia and Kazakhstan, TP EAC 037/2016 (for RoHS)
• Russia, Belorussia and Kazakhstan, EAC: TP TC 004/2011 (for Safety); TP TC 020/2011 (for EMC)
• Australia/New Zealand AS/NZS CISPR 32, Class A; AS/NZS 62368.1
• UL Green Guard, UL2819
• Energy Star 3.0
• EPEAT (NSF/ ANSI 426) Bronze
• China CELP certificate, HJ 2507-2011
• Japanese Energy-Saving Act
• India BIS 13252 (Part 1)

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:

https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/landingpage/lenovo-financial-services/

For more information, see the following resources:

• ThinkSystem SN550 V2 server product page
  https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/data-center/servers/flex-blade-servers/compute-nodes/ThinkSystem-SN550/p/77XX7FSFS55
• Interactive 3D Tour of the ThinkSystem SN550 V2:
  https://lenovopress.com/lp1429
• ThinkSystem SN550 V2 drivers and support
  http://datacentersupport.lenovo.com/products/servers/thinksystem/sn550v2/7z69/downloads
• Lenovo ThinkSystem SN550 V2 product publications:
  https://thinksystem.lenovofiles.com/help/topic/7X16/introduction.html?cp=1_0
  • Quick Start
  • Rack Installation Guide
  • Setup Guide
  • Hardware Maintenance Manual
  • Messages and Codes Reference
  • Memory Population Reference
• Flex System Information Center
  http://flexsystem.lenovofiles.com/help/index.jsp
• Operating System Interoperability Guide
  https://lenovopress.com/osig
• Flex System Interoperability Guide
  https://lenovopress.com/fsig
• ServerProven hardware compatibility:
  http://www.lenovo.com/us/en/serverproven
• Lenovo Support Portal
  https://datacentersupport.lenovo.com/us/en/
• Lenovo Data Center Solution Configurator
  https://dcsc.lenovo.com