ThinkSystem SR650 V3

The Lenovo ThinkSystem SR650 V3 is an ideal 2-socket 2U rack server for small businesses up to large enterprises that need industry-leading reliability, management, and security, as well as maximizing performance and flexibility for future growth. The SR650 V3 is based on the new 5th generation Intel Xeon Scalable processor family (formerly codenamed "Emerald Rapids").

The SR650 V3 is designed to handle a wide range of workloads, such as databases, virtualization and cloud computing, virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), infrastructure security, systems management, enterprise applications, collaboration/email, streaming media, web, and HPC.

The SR650 V3 server has been designed to take advantage of the features of the 5th generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors, such as the full performance of 350W 64-core processors, support for 5600 MHz memory and PCIe Gen 5.0 support. The SR650 V3 is a very configuration-rich offering, supporting more than 30 different drive bay configurations in the front, middle and rear of the server and 5 different slot configurations at the rear of the server. This level of flexibility ensures that you can configure the server to meet the needs of your workload.

Key features

Combining performance and flexibility, the SR650 V3 server is a great choice for enterprises of all sizes. The server offers a broad selection of drive and slot configurations and offers numerous high performance features. Outstanding reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) and high-efficiency design can improve your business environment and can help save operational costs.

Scalability and performance

The SR650 V3 offers numerous features to boost performance, improve scalability and reduce costs: 

• Supports one or two fifth-generation Intel Xeon Processor Scalable processors
• Up to 64 cores and 128 threads
• Core speeds of up to 3.9 GHz
• TDP ratings of up to 350 W
• Supports one or two fourth-generation Intel Xeon Processor Scalable processors
• Up to 60 cores and 120 threads
• Core speeds of up to 3.7 GHz
• TDP ratings of up to 350 W
• Support for DDR5 memory DIMMs to maximize the performance of the memory subsystem:
• Up to 32 DDR5 memory DIMMs, 16 DIMMs per processor
• 8 memory channels per processor (2 DIMMs per channel)
• Supports 1 DIMM per channel operating at 5600 MHz (5th Gen processors) or 4800 MHz (4th Gen processors)
• Supports 2 DIMMs per channel operating at 4800 MHz (5th Gen processors) or 4400 MHz (4th Gen processors)
• Using 256GB 3DS RDIMMs, the server supports up to 8TB of system memory
• Supports up to eight single-width GPUs or three double-wide GPUs, for substantial processing power in a 2U system.
• The server is Compute Express Linsk (CXL) v1.1 Ready. With CXL 1.1 for next-generation workloads, you can reduce compute latency in the data center and lower TCO. CXL is a protocol that runs across the standard PCIe physical layer and can support both standard PCIe devices as well as CXL devices on the same link.
• Supports up to 40x 2.5-inch hot-swap drive bays, by using combinations of front-accessible (up to 24 bays), mid bays (8 bays) and rear-accessible (8 bays).
• Supports 20x 3.5-inch drive bays for lower-cost high-capacity HDD storage. 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch drive bays can be mixed if desired.
• Supports 36x 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.
• Supports 14x SATA drives using the onboard SATA controller (no additional adapter needed), enabling lower cost, high capacity storage solution for cold or archival storage workloads.
• Supports high-speed RAID controllers from Broadcom providing 12 Gb SAS connectivity to the drive backplanes. A variety of PCIe 3.0 and PCIe 4.0 RAID adapters are available.
• Supports up to two externally accessible 7mm hot-swap drives for operating system boot functions. Optional RAID with the use of Intel VROC.
• Supports M.2 drives for convenient operating system boot functions or data storage. Available M.2 adapters support either one M.2 drive or two M.2 drives. Optional RAID with the use of Intel VROC.
• Up to 12x PCIe slots (10x rear, 2x front), plus a slot dedicated to an OCP 3.0 adapter. 2.5-inch drive configurations also support an additional internal bay for a cabled RAID adapter or HBA.
• The server has a dedicated industry-standard OCP 3.0 small form factor (SFF) slot, with a PCIe 5.0 x16 interface, supporting a variety of Ethernet network adapters. A simple-swap mechanism with a thumbscrew and pull-tab enables tool-less installation and removal of the adapter. The adapter supports shared BMC network sideband connectivity to enable out-of-band systems management.
• The server offers PCI Express 5.0 I/O expansion capabilities that doubles the theoretical maximum bandwidth of PCIe 4.0 (32GT/s in each direction for PCIe Gen 5, compared to 16 GT/s with PCIe Gen 4 and 8 GT/s with PCIe Gen 3). A PCIe 5.0 x16 slot provides 128 GB/s bandwidth, enough to support a dual-port 200GbE network connection.

Availability and serviceability

The SR650 V3 provides many features to simplify serviceability and increase system uptime:

• Designed to run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• 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. Note: ADDDC in not supported with 9x4 RDIMMs.
• The server offers hot-swap drives, supporting RAID redundancy for data protection and greater system uptime.
• Available M.2 adapters support RAID-1 (using Intel VROC) which can enable two SATA or two NVMe 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 hot-swap redundant fans to provide availability for business-critical applications.
• Optional front-accessible slots and drives so that most major components and cables (except power) are located at the front of the server
• The light path diagnostics feature uses LEDs to lead the technician to failed (or failing) components, which simplifies servicing, speeds up problem resolution, and helps improve system availability.
• 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 (SAS/SATA HDDs and SSDs, NVMe SSDs, M.2 storage, flash storage adapters), 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 SR650 V3:

• The server includes XClarity Controller 2 (XCC2) to monitor server availability. Optional upgrade to XCC Platinum to provide remote control (keyboard video mouse) functions, support for the mounting of remote media files (ISO and IMG image files), boot capture, power capping and new XCC2 Platinum features. New XCC2 Platinum features include System Guard, new security modes including a CNSA-compliant mode, a FIPS 140-3-compliant mode and enhanced NIST 800-193 support, and a new Neighbor Group feature.
• Dedicated Ethernet port at the rear of the server for remote management (BMC management).
• Lenovo XClarity Administrator offers comprehensive hardware management tools that help to increase uptime, reduce costs and improve productivity through advanced server management capabilities.
• 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 7mm and 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.

Energy efficiency

The SR650 V3 offers the following energy-efficiency features to save energy, reduce operational costs, and increase energy availability:

• The server supports an advanced direct-water cooling (DWC) capability with the Lenovo Neptune Processor DWC Module, where heat from the processors is removed from the rack and the data center using an open loop and coolant distribution units, resulting in lower energy costs
• 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.
• The server uses hexagonal ventilation holes, which can be grouped more densely than round holes, providing more efficient airflow through the system and thus keeping your system cooler.
• 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.