ThinkEdge SE450

Key features

The ThinkEdge SE450 is a purpose-built server that is significantly shorter than a traditional server, making it ideal for deployment in tight spaces. It can be mounted on a wall, placed vertically in a floor stand, or mounted in a rack.

The ThinkEdge SE450 puts increased processing power, storage and network closer to where data is generated, allowing actions resulting from the analysis of that data to take place more quickly.

Since these edge servers are typically deployed outside of secure data centers, they include technology that encrypts the data stored on the device if it is tampered with, only enabling authorized users to access it.

Scalability and performance

The SE450 offers numerous features to boost performance, improve scalability and reduce costs: 

• Support a single processor from the powerful Intel Xeon Scalable "Ice Lake" processor family.
• Up to 36 cores
• Core speeds of up to 3.0 GHz
• TDP ratings of up to 205W
• Support for up to 8 TruDDR4 memory DIMMs an up to 1 TB of memory using 128 GB DIMMs
• DIMMs operate at up to 3200 MHz means you have the fastest available memory subsystem
• Supports the new Intel Optane Persistent Memory 200 Series for advanced in-memory database applications, dense-virtualization; up to 4 PMem Modules can be installed in conjunction with regular system memory.
• Supports up to four single-width GPUs or two double-wide GPUs, for substantial processing power in an edge system.
• Supports up to four Intel ACC100 Accelerator adapters to maximize the performance Network Function Virtualization (NFV) applications.
• Offers a choice of internal drive SSD bays supporting SATA or NVMe drives, or hot-swap front-accessible drive bays supporting SAS, SATA or NVMe drives.
• Supports M.2 drives for convenient operating system boot functions. Available M.2 adapters support either one M.2 drive or two M.2 drives, with optional RAID-1 with the use of VROC for performance and reliability.
• Supports 4x NVMe drives without oversubscription of PCIe lanes (1:1 connectivity). The use of NVMe drives maximizes drive I/O performance, in terms of throughput and latency.
• The server offers up to four PCIe 4.0 slots plus a slot dedicated to the OCP adapter.
• Support for up to four network adapters, up to 100 Gb Ethernet or HDR100 InfiniBand, for high-speed networking to back-end servers.

Availability and serviceability

The SE450 provides many features to simplify serviceability and increase system uptime:

• 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.
• The server offers hot-swap drives, supporting software RAID redundancy for data protection and greater system uptime.
• The M.2 adapter supports RAID-1 via Intel VROC which can enable two M.2 drives to be configured as a redundant pair.
• The server has up to two hot-swap redundant power supplies and up to six simple-swap N+1 redundant fans to provide availability for business-critical applications.
• Solid-state drives (SSDs) offer more reliability and performance than traditional mechanical HDDs for greater uptime.
• Proactive Platform Alerts (including PFA and SMART alerts): Processors, voltage regulators, memory, internal storage (HDDs and SSDs, M.2 storage), fans, power supplies, RAID controllers, server ambient and subcomponent temperatures. Alerts can be surfaced through the 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.
• The built-in XClarity Controller continuously monitors system parameters, triggers alerts, and performs recovery actions in case of failures to minimize downtime.
• Built-in diagnostics in UEFI, using Lenovo XClarity Provisioning Manager, speed up troubleshooting tasks to reduce service time.
• Lenovo XClarity Provisioning Manager supports diagnostics and can save service data to a USB key drive or remote CIFS share folder for troubleshooting and reduce 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)
• Offers a diagnostics port on the front of the server to allow you to attach an external diagnostics handset for enhanced systems management capabilities.
• Support for the XClarity Administrator Mobile app running on a supported smartphone or tablet and connected to the server through the service-enabled USB port, enables additional local systems management functions.
• Three-year or one-year customer-replaceable unit and onsite limited warranty (varies by geography), 9 x 5 next business day. Optional service upgrades are available.

Manageability and security

Systems management features simplify local and remote management of the SE450:

• 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.
• IT Administrators can securely claim and activate the SE450 remotely through the ThinkShield Key Vault Portal, available on the web. They can also manage and unlock their global IoT edge fleet for initial operation and in case of tamper. The ThinkShield Edge Mobile Management app enables Edge Users to securely claim and activate the ThinkEdge SE450 in an easy to use Web UI.
• 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.
• An integrated industry-standard Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) enables improved setup, configuration, and updates, and simplifies error handling.
• Support for industry standard management protocols, IPMI 2.0, SNMP 3.0, Redfish REST API, serial console via IPMI
• An integrated hardware Trusted Platform Module (TPM) supporting TPM 2.0 enables advanced cryptographic functionality, such as digital signatures and remote attestation.
• Administrator and power-on passwords help protect from unauthorized access to the server.
• Supports Secure Boot to ensure only a digitally signed operating system can be used. Supported with HDDs and SSDs, as well as M.2 drives.
• 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 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.
• Additional physical security features are an available chassis intrusion switch and available lockable front bezel and top cover.

Energy efficiency

The SE450 offers the following energy-efficiency features to save energy, reduce operational costs, and increase energy availability:

• Energy-efficient system board components help lower operational costs.
• High-efficiency power supplies with 80 PLUS Platinum and Titanium certifications
• Solid-state drives (SSDs) consume as much as 80% less power than traditional spinning 2.5-inch HDDs.
• 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.