ThinkSystem NVIDIA A16 64GB Gen4 PCIe Passive GPU

Take remote work to the next level with NVIDIA A16. Combined with NVIDIA Virtual PC (vPC)  or NVIDIA RTX Virtual Workstation (vWS) software, the A16 enables virtual desktops and workstations with the power and performance to tackle any project from anywhere. Purpose-built for high-density, graphics-rich virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and leveraging the NVIDIA Ampere architecture, A16 provides double the user density versus the previous generation, while ensuring the best possible user experience.

Figure 1. ThinkSystem NVIDIA A16 64GB Gen4 PCIe Passive GPU

When combined with NVIDIA RTX Virtual Workstation (vWS) software, the A16 enables affordable entry-level virtual workstations ideal for running workloads such as computer-aided design (CAD). The A16 features a unique quad-GPU board design enabling the provisioning of mixed user profile sizes, so IT can support light virtual PC workloads as well as users with larger memory and graphics requirements. Mixing user types on a board is also supported, enabling the provisioning of virtual PCs, virtual workstations, and even virtualized compute on a single board.

The following table shows the part numbers for the NVIDIA A16 GPU.

The PCIe option part numbers includes the following:

• One NVIDIA A16 GPU with full-height (3U) adapter bracket attached
• Documentation

GPUs without a CEC chip: The NVIDIA A16 GPU is offered without a CEC chip (look for "w/o CEC" in the name). The CEC is a secondary Hardware Root of Trust (RoT) module that provides an additional layer of security, which can be used by customers who have high regulatory requirements or high security standards. NVIDIA uses a multi-layered security model and hence the protection offered by the primary Root of Trust embedded in the GPU is expected to be sufficient for most customers. The CEC defeatured products still offer Secure Boot, Secure Firmware Update, Firmware Rollback Protection, and In-Band Firmware Update Disable. Specifically, without the CEC chip, the GPU does not support Key Revocation or Firmware Attestation. CEC and non-CEC GPUs of the same type of GPU can be mixed in field upgrades.

The ThinkSystem NVIDIA A16 64GB Gen4 PCIe Passive GPU offers the following features:

• Designed For Accelerated VDI: Optimized for user density, and combined with NVIDIA vPC software, enables graphics-rich virtual PCs to be accessible from anywhere.
• Affordable Virtual Workstations: Large frame buffer per user for entry-level virtual workstations, with NVIDIA RTX vWS software, running workloads such as computer-aided design (CAD).
• Flexibly Support Diverse User Types: Unique quad-GPU board design enables the provisioning of mixed user profile sizes and user types, such as virtual PCs and virtual workstations, on a single board.
• Superior User Experience: Provides increased frame rate and lower end-user latency, versus CPU-only VDI, resulting in more responsive applications and a user experience that is indistinguishable from a native PC or workstation.
• Double The User Density: Purpose-built for graphics-rich VDI, with support for up to 64 concurrent users per board, in a dual-slot form factor.
• High-Resolution Display: Supports multiple, high resolution monitors to enable maximum productivity and photorealistic quality in a VDI environment.
• More Than 2X The Encoder Throughput: More than double the encoder throughput versus previous generation M10, providing high-performance transcoding and the multiuser performance required for multi-stream video and multimedia.
• Highest Quality Video: Support for the latest codecs, including H.265 encode/decode, VP9, and AV1 decode for the highest-quality video experiences.
• NVIDIA Ampere Architecture: NVIDIA Ampere architecture based CUDA cores, second generation RT-Cores, and third- generation Tensor-Cores provide the flexibility to host virtual workstations powered by NVIDIA RTX vWS software, or to leverage unused VDI resources to run compute workloads with NVIDIA AI Enterprise software.

The following table lists the specifications of the NVIDIA A16 PCIe GPU.

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 GRID 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 Omniverse Software (OVE)

Lenovo offers the following NVIDIA Omniverse Software software. 3D workflows are now an essential component of every industry. Efficient design collaboration between teams is crucial. NVIDIA Omniverse™ Enterprise is an end-to-end collaboration and simulation platform that fundamentally transforms complex design workflows, creating a more harmonious environment for creative teams.

• NVIDIA Omniverse Enterprise Nucleus

  Collaboration service which enables a variety of Omniverse Enterprise-enabled client applications (Apps, Connectors, and others) to share and modify authoritative representations of virtual worlds in USD. Omniverse Nucleus is built for collaboration across multiple users. Omniverse Nucleus is the database and collaboration engine of Omniverse.

  Includes:

  • Collaboration and scalable core microservices deployed on servers and/or workstations.
  • Nucleus Workstation
  • Enterprise Nucleus Server
  • NVIDIA Enterprise Support

  Note: The Omniverse Enterprise Nucleus Subscription is priced and licensed per named user.

• NVIDIA Omniverse Enterprise Creator

  App for accelerated advanced scene composition and world building. Creator enables scene composition, simulation, and rendering on workstations and virtual workstations.

  Includes:

  • Omniverse Create
  • Omniverse Kit
  • Omniverse Extensions
  • Batch microservices (on up to 64 GPUs)
  • NVIDIA Enterprise Support

  Note: Collaboration via Nucleus requires a Nucleus subscription.

• NVIDIA Omniverse Enterprise Reviewer

  Simple app designed to visualize projects in stunning, physically accurate photorealism and enable minor editing and comment permissions. Reviewer enables review and approval for workstations and virtual workstations.

  Includes:

  • Omniverse View
  • NVIDIA Enterprise Support

  Note: Editing and commenting via Nucleus requires a Nucleus subscription.

The following license types are offered:

• Concurrent User (CCU) License

  A method of allocating licenses based on the number of users that are concurrently using the software. As an example, one CCU license allows only one concurrent user to use the software. 

• Floating User License

  For licensing, same as Concurrent User License.

• Named User License

  A method of licensing based on the number of named authorized users who may not re-assign or share the license with any other person.

• Subscription

  A software license that is active for a fixed period as defined by the terms of the subscription. An annual subscription includes SUMS for the duration of the license term.

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 A16 option part number does not ship with auxiliary power cables. Cables are server-specific due to length requirements. For CTO orders, auxiliary power cables are derived by the configurator. For field upgrades, cables will need to be ordered separately as listed in the table below.

The NVIDIA A16 GPU has the following regulatory approvals:

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

The NVIDIA A16 GPU has the following operating characteristics:

• Ambient temperature
  • Operational: 0°C to 50°C (-5°C to 55°C for short term*)
  • Storage: -40°C to 75°C
• Relative humidity:
  • Operational: 5-85% (5-93% short term*)
  • Storage: 5-95%

* 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.

For more information, refer to these documents:

• ThinkSystem and ThinkAgile GPU Summary:
  https://lenovopress.lenovo.com/lp0768-thinksystem-thinkagile-gpu-summary
• ServerProven compatibility:
  https://serverproven.lenovo.com/
• NVIDIA A16 product page:
  https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/data-center/products/a16-gpu/
• NVIDIA Ampere Architecture page
  https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/data-center/ampere-architecture/