Introduction

Designed in a compact, versatile 1U two-socket rack server, the Lenovo System x3550 M5 (E5-2600 v4) server (Machine Type 8869) fuels almost any workload in the software-defined data center from infrastructure to high-performance computing (HPC) to cloud or big data with leadership security, efficiency, and reliability features. With support for Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v4 product family and faster, energy-efficient TruDDR4 memory, the System x3550 M5 delivers exceptional performance. Flexible and scalable internal storage configurations include up to 12x 2.5-inch or 4x 3.5-inch drives with a wide selection of drive sizes and types.

Suggested use: Database, virtualization and cloud computing, infrastructure security, systems management, enterprise applications, collaboration/email, streaming media, web, and HPC.

The following figure shows the System x3550 M5.

Figure 1. Lenovo System x3550 M5

Did you know?

The System x3550 M5 incorporates energy smart features for minimized costs and efficient performance. Dual fan zones support operation in up to 40°C environments. 80 PLUS Titanium power supply units (PSUs) can deliver 96% efficiency at 50% load.

The System x3550 M5 has outstanding memory performance that is achieved by supporting two-RDIMM-per-channel configurations at speeds up to 12% faster than the Intel specification, while still maintaining world-class reliability.

The System x3550 M5 integrates leadership security and reliability. System x Trusted Platform Assurance, an exclusive set of System x features and practices, establishes a solid security foundation for your workloads. Enterprise-class data protection is provided with optional self-encrypting drives, and advanced diagnostic tools facilitate reduced downtime and costs.

Key features

The System x3550 M5 is a cost- and density-balanced 1U, dual-socket business-critical server, offering improved performance and pay-as-you grow flexibility along with new features that improve server management capability. New, innovative, energy-smart design with powerful high-performance processors, a large capacity of high-performing DDR4 memory, and an improved feature set are ideal for business-critical applications and cloud deployments.

Combining balanced performance and flexibility, the System x3550 M5 is a great choice for small and medium businesses and up to the large enterprise. It can provide outstanding uptime to keep business-critical applications and cloud deployments running safely. Ease-of-use and comprehensive systems management tools make it easy to deploy. Outstanding reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) and high-efficiency design improve your business environment and help save operational costs.

Scalability and performance

The System x3550 M5 offers numerous features to boost performance, improve scalability, and reduce costs:

• Improves productivity by offering superior system performance with the Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v4 product family with up to 22-core processors, up to 55 MB of cache, up to 2400 MHz memory speeds, and up to 9.6 GT/s QPI interconnect links.
  • Support for up to two processors, 44 cores, and 88 threads allows to maximize the concurrent execution of multithreaded applications.
  • Intelligent and adaptive system performance with energy efficient Intel Turbo Boost Technology allows CPU cores to run at maximum speeds during peak workloads by temporarily going beyond processor thermal design power (TDP).
  • Intel Hyper-Threading Technology boosts performance for multithreaded applications by enabling simultaneous multithreading within each processor core, up to two threads per core.
  • Intel Virtualization Technology integrates hardware-level virtualization hooks that allow operating system vendors to better utilize the hardware for virtualization workloads.
  Note: Also available via CTO is the Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v3 product family with up to 14-core processors, up to 35 MB of cache, up to 2133 MHz memory speeds, and up to 9.6 GT/s QPI interconnect links.
• Up to 2400 MHz memory speeds with two DIMMs per channel running at 2400 MHz to help maximize system performance.
• Up to 1.5 TB of memory capacity with 64 GB Load Reduced DIMMs (LRDIMMs)
• 12 Gbps serial-attached SCSI (SAS) internal storage connectivity doubles the data transfer rate compared to 6 Gb SAS solutions to maximize performance of storage I/O-intensive applications.
• Flexible and scalable internal storage configurations provide up to 46 TB with 3.84 TB 2.5-inch solid-state drives (SSDs) or up to 40 TB of storage capacity with 10 TB 3.5-inch hard disk drives (HDDs) in a 1U rack form factor.
• The use of SSDs instead of or along with traditional spinning HDDs can significantly improve I/O performance. An SSD can support a significantly higher number of I/O operations per second (IOPS) than a typical HDD.
• The server has four integrated Gigabit Ethernet ports and optional 10 Gb Ethernet ports with mezzanine LOM (ML2) adapters.
• The server offers up to four PCI Express (PCIe) 3.0 I/O expansion slots in a dense 1U rack form factor.
• With Intel Integrated I/O Technology, the PCI Express 3.0 controller is integrated into the Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v4 product family. This helps to dramatically reduce I/O latency and increase overall system performance.

Manageability and security

Powerful systems management features simplify local and remote management of the System x3550 M5 and deliver enterprise-class data protection:

• The server includes an Integrated Management Module II (IMM2.1) to monitor server availability and perform remote management.
• An integrated industry-standard Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) enables improved setup, configuration, and updates, and simplifies error handling.
• Lenovo XClarity Administrator offers comprehensive hardware management tools that help to increase uptime, reduce costs and improve productivity through advanced server management capabilities.
• An integrated Trusted Platform Module (TPM) supports the enablement of advanced cryptographic functionality, such as digital signatures and remote attestation.
• System x Trusted Platform Assurance, an exclusive set of System x security features and practices, establishes a solid security foundation for workloads by delivering firmware that is securely built, tested, digitally signed, and verified prior to execution.
• The server offers enterprise-class data protection with optional self-encrypting drives.
• Industry-standard AES NI support offers 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, allowing an application to run in its own isolated space, protected from all other software running on a system.

Energy efficiency

The System x3550 M5 offers the following energy-efficiency features to save energy, reduce operational costs, increase energy availability, and contribute to a green environment:

• Energy-efficient planar components help lower operational costs.
• High-efficiency power supplies with 80 PLUS Platinum and Titanium certifications.
• Intel Intelligent Power Capability powers individual processor elements on and off as needed, to reduce power draw.
• Low-voltage Intel Xeon processors draw less energy to satisfy the demands of power and thermally constrained data centers and telecommunication environments.
• Low-voltage 1.2 V DDR4 memory DIMMs offer energy savings compared to 1.35 V and 1.5 V DDR3 DIMMs.
• The server uses hexagonal ventilation holes, a part of Calibrated Vectored Cooling™ technology. Hexagonal holes can be grouped more densely than round holes, providing more efficient airflow through the system.
• Lenovo XClarity Energy Manager provide advanced data center power notification, analysis, and policy-based management to help achieve lower heat output and reduced cooling needs.

Components and connectors

The following figure shows the front of the System x3550 M5 server with up to eight 2.5-inch drive bays and the Front IO cage Entry (default).

Figure 2. Front view of the System x3550 M5: 8x 2.5-inch drive bays; Front IO cage Entry (default)

The following figure shows the front of the System x3550 M5 server with up to eight 2.5-inch drive bays and the Front IO cage Standard (optional).

Figure 3. Front view of the System x3550 M5: 8x 2.5-inch drive bays; Front IO cage Standard (optional)