ThinkSystem NVIDIA L4 24GB PCIe Gen4 Passive GPU

The ThinkSystem NVIDIA L4 24GB PCIe Gen4 Passive GPU delivers universal acceleration and energy efficiency for video, AI, virtual workstations, and graphics applications in the enterprise, in the cloud, and at the edge. And with NVIDIA’s AI platform and full-stack approach, the NVIDIA L4 GPU is optimized for video and inference at scale for a broad range of AI applications to deliver the best in personalized experiences.

The following figure shows the ThinkSystem NVIDIA L4 24GB PCIe Gen4 Passive GPU.

Figure 1. ThinkSystem NVIDIA L4 24GB PCIe Gen4 Passive GPU

The NVIDIA L4 Tensor Core GPU powered by the NVIDIA Ada Lovelace architecture is a universal, energy-efficient accelerator designed to meet AI needs across video, visual computing, graphics, virtualization, and numerous applications, including cloud gaming, simulation, and data science. It’s a true universal GPU in a low-profile form factor that delivers a cost-effective, energy-efficient solution for high throughput and low latency in every server, from the edge to the data center to the cloud.

The following table shows the part numbers for the GPU.

The option part number includes the following:

• One NVIDIA L4 GPU with full-height (3U) adapter bracket attached
• Low-profile (2U) adapter bracket
• Documentation

The NVIDIA Ada Lovelace L4 Tensor Core GPU delivers universal acceleration and energy efficiency for video, AI, virtualized desktop, and graphics applications in the enterprise, in the cloud, and at the edge. With NVIDIA’s AI platform and full-stack approach, L4 is optimized for video and inference at scale for a broad range of AI applications, including recommendations, voice-based AI avatar assistants, generative AI, visual search, and contact center automation to deliver the best personalized experiences.

As the most efficient NVIDIA accelerator for mainstream, servers equipped with L4 enable up to 120X higher AI Video performance over CPU solutions, while providing 2.7X more generative AI performance, and over 4X more graphics performance versus the previous generation NVIDIA T4. NVIDIA L4’s versatility and energy-efficient, single-slot, low-profile form factor make it ideal for global deployments, including edge locations.

Real-time AI Video Pipeline Performance

Transform video applications with the power of NVIDIA L4. Whether streaming live to millions of viewers, enabling users to build creative stories, delivering immersive AR/VR experiences, servers equipped with L4’s hardware-accelerated video encoders and decoders allow hosting up to 1040 AV1 video-streams at 720p30 for mobile users concurrently (Measured performance: AV1 low-latency encode with p1 preset).

With the fourth-generation Tensor Core technology with added FP8 precision support and 1.5X larger GPU memory, NVIDIA L4 GPUs paired with the CV-CUDA library take video content understanding to a new level. L4 delivers 120X higher AI Video performance than CPU based solutions for the entire end-to-end pipeline, enabling enterprises to gain real-time insights to provide personalized content, improve search relevance, detect objectionable content, and implement smart space solutions.

Generative AI Performance

Generative AI application capabilities in image and text generation make customer lives more convenient and experiences more immersive across all industries. NVIDIA L4 supercharges computationally intensive generative AI inference by delivering up to 2.7X higher performance compared to the NVIDIA T4. And, with 50% more memory capacity, L4 enables larger image generation up to 1024x768, not possible on the T4 GPU.

High Energy Efficiency and Low TCO

As AI and video become more pervasive, the demand for efficient, cost effective computing is increasing more than ever. NVIDIA L4 GPUs deliver up to 120X better AI video performance, resulting in up to 99% better energy efficiency and lower total cost of ownership compared to traditional CPU-based infrastructure. This enables enterprises to reduce rack space and significantly lower the overall carbon footprint while making their data centers capable of scaling to many more users.

The energy saved by switching from CPUs to NVIDIA L4s in a 2MW data center can power over 2,000 homes for one year or the carbon offset from 172,000 trees grown over 10 years. (results from the EPA calculator using 935MW savings)

Optimized Graphics Performance

With third-generation RT cores and AI-powered DLSS 3, NVIDIA L4 delivers over 4X higher performance for AI-based avatars, NVIDIA Omniverse™ virtual worlds, cloud gaming, and virtual workstations enabling creators to build real-time cinematic- quality graphics and incredibly detailed scenes for an immersive visual experience not possible with CPUs.

Sustainable Workload Acceleration

The NVIDIA L4 is an integral part of the NVIDIA data center platform. Built for video, AI, virtual workstation (vWS), graphics, simulation, data science, and data analytics, the platform accelerates over 3,000 applications and is available everywhere at scale, from data center to edge to cloud, delivering both dramatic performance gains and energy-efficiency opportunities.

Optimized for mainstream deployments, L4 delivers a low-profile form factor operating in a 72W low-power envelope, making it an efficient, cost-effective solution for any server or cloud instance from NVIDIA’s partner ecosystem.

Enterprise Ready: AI Software Streamlines Development and Deployment

Enterprise adoption of AI is now mainstream, and organizations require end-to-end, AI-ready infrastructure that will future-proof them for this new era. NVIDIA AI Enterprise is an end-to-end, cloud-native suite of AI and data analytics software optimized to help every organization excel at AI and certified to deploy anywhere, from the enterprise data center to the cloud. It comes with included global enterprise support to ensure AI projects stay on track.

Optimized to streamline AI development and deployment, NVIDIA AI Enterprise includes proven, open-source containers and frameworks that are certified to run on common data center platforms and mainstream NVIDIA-Certified Systems™ with NVIDIA L4 GPUs. Since support is included, organizations get the transparency of open source and the assurance of global NVIDIA Enterprise Support with AI expertise for both their AI practitioners and IT administrators.

NVIDIA AI Enterprise software is a license addition for NVIDIA L4 Tensor Core GPUs, making AI accessible to nearly every organization with the highest performance in training, inference, and data science. NVIDIA AI Enterprise together with NVIDIA L4 simplifies the building of an AI-ready platform, accelerates AI development and deployment, and delivers performance, security, and scalability to gather insights faster and achieve business value sooner.

Learn about all the AI workloads you can run on L4 with free, hands-on NVIDIA AI Enterprise labs through NVIDIA LaunchPad.

The NVIDIA L4 GPU has the following specifications:

• Form factor
  • PCIe Low Profile adapter (69mm x 169mm)
  • NVIDIA Form Factor 5.5
• Host interface:
  • PCIe 4.0 x16
  • MSI-X interrupt messaging protocol (MSI not supported)
  • PCIe Lane Polarity Inversion and Lane Reversal
• Single Root I/O Virtualization (SR-IOV) support
  • 256 virtual functions (VFs)
  • ARI Forwarding
• Hardware Root of Trust
  • Secure boot
  • Secure firmware upgrade
  • Firmware rollback protection
  • Support for in-band firmware update disable (established after each GPU reset)
  • Secure application processor recovery

The following table lists the GPU processing specifications and performance of the NVIDIA L4.

The following tables list the ThinkSystem servers that are compatible.

The following table lists the supported operating systems.

This section lists the NVIDIA software that is available from Lenovo.

• NVIDIA vGPU Software (vApps, vPC, RTX vWS, and vCS)
• NVIDIA Omniverse Software (OVE)
• NVIDIA AI Enterprise Software
• NVIDIA HPC Compiler Software

• Virtual PC (vPC)

  This product is ideal for users who want a virtual desktop but need great user experience leveraging PC Windows® applications, browsers and high-definition video. NVIDIA Virtual PC delivers a native experience to users in a virtual environment, allowing them to run all their PC applications at full performance.

• NVIDIA RTX Virtual Workstation (RTX vWS)

  NVIDIA RTX vWS is the only virtual workstation that supports NVIDIA RTX technology, bringing advanced features like ray tracing, AI-denoising, and Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) to a virtual environment. Supporting the latest generation of NVIDIA GPUs unlocks the best performance possible, so designers and engineers can create their best work faster. IT can virtualize any application from the data center with an experience that is indistinguishable from a physical workstation — enabling workstation performance from any device.

• Virtual Compute Server (vCS)

  NVIDIA Virtual Compute Server (vCS) enables data centers running on Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Red Hat Virtualization, and other supported KVM-based hypervisors to accelerate server virtualization with the latest NVIDIA data center GPUs, so that the most compute-intensive workloads, such as artificial intelligence, deep learning, and data science, can be run in a virtual machine (VM) powered by NVIDIA vGPU technology.

The following license types are offered:

• Perpetual license

  A non-expiring, permanent software license that can be used on a perpetual basis without the need to renew. Each Lenovo part number includes a fixed number of years of Support, Upgrade and Maintenance (SUMS).

• Annual subscription

  A software license that is active for a fixed period as defined by the terms of the subscription license, typically yearly. The subscription includes Support, Upgrade and Maintenance (SUMS) for the duration of the license term.

• Concurrent User (CCU)

  A method of counting licenses based on active user VMs. If the VM is active and the NVIDIA vGPU software is running, then this counts as one CCU. A vGPU CCU is independent of the connection to the VM.

The following table lists the ordering part numbers and feature codes.

NVIDIA AI Enterprise Software

Lenovo offers the NVIDIA AI Enterprise (NVAIE) cloud-native enterprise software. NVIDIA AI Enterprise is an end-to-end, cloud-native suite of  AI and data analytics software, optimized, certified, and supported by NVIDIA to run on VMware vSphere and bare-metal  with NVIDIA-Certified  Systems™.  It includes key enabling technologies from NVIDIA for rapid deployment, management, and scaling of AI workloads in the modern hybrid cloud.

NVIDIA AI Enterprise is licensed on a per-GPU basis. NVIDIA AI Enterprise products can be purchased as either a perpetual license with support services, or as an annual or multi-year subscription.

The features of NVIDIA AI Enterprise Software are listed in the following table.

Note: Maximum 10 concurrent VMs per product license

The following table lists the ordering part numbers and feature codes.

Find more information in the NVIDIA AI Enterprise Sizing Guide.

NVIDIA HPC Compiler Software

The NVIDIA L4 does not require an auxiliary power cable.

The NVIDIA L4 GPU has the following regulatory approvals:

• RCM
• BSMI
• CE
• FCC
• ICES
• KCC
• cUL, UL
• VCCI

The NVIDIA L4 GPU has the following operating characteristics:

• Ambient temperature
  • Operational: 0°C to 50°C (-5°C to 55°C for short term*)
  • Non-operational: -40°C to 75°C
• Humidity: 5-85% relative humidity

* A period not more than 96 hours consecutive, not to exceed 15 days per year.

One year limited warranty. When installed in a Lenovo server, the GPU assumes the server’s base warranty and any warranty upgrades.

The following sales training courses are offered for employees and partners (login required). Courses are listed in date order.

1. Generative AI Overview Foundational
   2024-02-16 | 17 minutes | Employees Only
   Details
   Generative AI Overview Foundational
   
   

   It seems the whole world is excited about Generative AI, and while some of it is just hype, it has become clear that Generative AI has the potential to revolutionize many aspects of our personal and professional lives. In this brief NVIDIA course, we'll explore one aspect of the Generative AI excitement, the value you get from Generative AI technology. We will discuss what Generative AI is, how it works, and how enterprises are planning to use this technology.
   
   By the end of this course, you will be able to discuss the Generative AI market trends and the challenges in this space with your customers. And you will be able to explain what Generative AI is and how the technology works to help enterprises unlock new opportunities for business.

   Published: 2024-02-16
   Length: 17 minutes
   Employee link: Grow@Lenovo
   Course code: DAINVD106
2. Industry Use Cases in Modern Computing Foundational
   2024-02-16 | 9 minutes | Employees Only
   Details
   Industry Use Cases in Modern Computing Foundational
   
   

   As GPU powered computing continues to improve exponentially, applications that were once science fiction are becoming best practice. This is an introductory NVIDIA course that explores some exciting industry focused use cases that are providing companies with faster time to insight, productivity at scale and a great ROI.
   
   By the end of this course, you will be able to explain how companies in a few key industry verticals are benefiting from a variety of accelerated compute use cases.

   Published: 2024-02-16
   Length: 9 minutes
   Employee link: Grow@Lenovo
   Course code: DAINVD105
3. Introduction to Artificial Intelligence Foundational
   2024-02-16 | 10 minutes | Employees Only
   Details
   Introduction to Artificial Intelligence Foundational
   
   

   This NVIDIA course aims to answer questions such as, what is AI and why are enterprises so interested in it? and how does AI happen, why are GPUs so important for it, and what does a good AI solution look like?
   
   By the end of this training, you should be able to describe AI and relate it to some common enterprise use cases. You'll know the difference between training and inference and be able to visualize a typical AI workflow. More importantly, you'll understand the difficulties of traditional CPU-based AI and appreciate why businesses would benefit greatly by adopting GPU-accelerated workflows. Finally, you'll also understand what features contribute to an awesome AI solution and why customers respect and enjoy NVIDIA's solutions.

   Published: 2024-02-16
   Length: 10 minutes
   Employee link: Grow@Lenovo
   Course code: DAINVD104
4. GPU Fundamentals Foundational
   2024-02-16 | 10 minutes | Employees Only
   Details
   GPU Fundamentals Foundational
   
   

   This NVIDIA course introduces you to two devices that a computer typically uses to process information, the CPU and the GPU. We'll discuss their differences and look at how the GPU overcomes the limitations of the CPU. Once you understand the power and advantages of GPU processing, we will talk about the value GPUs bring to modern-day enterprise computing.
   
   By the end of this course, you should know the difference between serial and parallel processing. You will be able to explain what a GPU is in very simple terms and explain the value that GPUs bring to enterprises. Additionally, you'll become familiar with the typical GPU-accelerated enterprise workloads and list one or two use cases under them. By the time you exit this course, you should be able to target various GPU-accelerated computing opportunities with the right NVIDIA GPU.

   Published: 2024-02-16
   Length: 10 minutes
   Employee link: Grow@Lenovo
   Course code: DAINVD103
5. Partner Technical Webinar – NVidia
   2023-12-11 | 60 minutes | Employees and Partners
   Details
   Partner Technical Webinar – NVidia
   
   

   In this 60-minute replay, Brad Davidson of Nvidia will help us recognize AI Trends, and Discuss Industry Verticals Marketing.

   Published: 2023-12-11
   Length: 60 minutes
   Employee link: Grow@Lenovo
   Partner link: Lenovo Partner Learning
   Course code: 120823

For more information, refer to these documents:

• ThinkSystem and ThinkAgile GPU Summary:
  https://lenovopress.lenovo.com/lp0768-thinksystem-thinkagile-gpu-summary
• ServerProven compatibility:
  http://www.lenovo.com/us/en/serverproven
• NVIDIA L4 product page:
  https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/data-center/l4/