Introduction

The Lenovo System x3500 M5 server provides outstanding performance for your business-critical applications. Its energy-efficient design supports more cores, memory, and data capacity in a scalable Tower or 5U Rack package that is easy to service and manage. With more computing power per watt and the latest Intel Xeon E5-2600 v3 processors, you can reduce costs while maintaining speed and availability.

Suggested use: business-critical workloads, cloud computing, virtualization, virtual desktop, big data, analytics, SAP applications, database management, point of sale

Figure 1 shows the System x3500 M5.


Figure 1. The Lenovo System x3500 M5

Did you know?

The x3500 M5 offers a flexible, scalable design and simple upgrade path to 32 HDDs, with up to seven PCIe 3.0 slots and up to 1.5 TB of memory. The onboard Ethernet solution provides four standard integrated Gigabit Ethernet ports without occupying PCIe slots. Comprehensive systems management tools with the next-generation Integrated Management Module II make it easy to deploy, integrate, service, and manage.

Key features

A high-performance dual-socket tower server, the Lenovo System x3500 M5 can deliver the scalability, reliable performance, and optimized efficiency for your business-critical applications. Start with the basics and upgrade as your business changes without jeopardizing existing investments. Virtualizing the PC infrastructure into one server can provide access to a powerful server with abundant storage space, while significantly reducing IT costs.

Scalability and performance

The x3500 M5 offers the following features to boost performance, improve scalability, and reduce costs:

• Improves productivity by offering superior system performance with up to two processors (each with up to 18 cores), up to 45 MB of L3 cache, and up to 9.6 GT/s QPI interconnect links.
• Supports up to two processors, 36 cores, and 72 threads maximize the concurrent execution of multi-threaded 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 use the hardware for virtualization workloads.
• Intel Advanced Vector Extensions 2.0 (AVX 2.0) enable acceleration of enterprise-class workloads, including databases, and enterprise resource planning.
• Up to 2133 MHz memory speeds with two DIMMs per channel that are running at 2133 MHz to help maximize system performance.
• Up to 1.5 TB of memory capacity with 64 GB load-reduced DIMMs, or LRDIMMs (support for 64 GB LRDIMMs is planned for a later date).
• The 12 Gbps SAS internal storage connectivity doubles the data transfer rate compared to 6 Gb SAS solutions to maximize performance of storage I/O-intensive applications.
• Up to 32 drive bays with internal backup and optical drive at the same time provide a flexible and scalable all-in-one platform to meet increasing demands.
• Flexible and scalable internal storage configurations provide for up to 72 TB of storage capacity.
• The use of solid-state drives (SSDs) instead of or along with traditional spinning hard disk drives (HDDs) can significantly improve I/O performance. An SSD can support up to 100 times more I/O operations per second (IOPS) than a typical HDD.
• The server has four integrated Gigabit Ethernet ports.
• The server offers up to seven PCI Express (PCIe) 3.0 I/O expansion slots.
• With Intel Integrated I/O Technology, the PCI Express 3.0 controller is integrated into the Intel Xeon processor E5 family. This integration helps to dramatically reduce I/O latency and increase overall system performance.
• Support for up to two NVIDIA Quadro graphics processing units (GPUs) to maximize computing power.

Availability and serviceability

The x3500 M5 provides the following features to simplify serviceability and increase system uptime:

• The server offers Chipkill, memory mirroring, and memory rank sparing for redundancy in the event of a non-correctable memory failure.
• Tool-less cover removal provides easy access to upgrades and serviceable parts, such as CPU, memory, and adapter cards.
• Offers hot-swap drives that support RAID redundancy for data protection and greater system uptime.
• Supports the ability to have redundant hot-swap power supplies and redundant hot-swap fans to provide availability for business-critical applications.
• The optional light path diagnostics panel and individual light path LEDs quickly lead the technician to failed (or failing) components. This feature simplifies servicing, speeds up problem resolution, and helps improve system availability.
• Predictive Failure Analysis (PFA) detects when system components (processors, VRMs, memory, disks, fans, and power supplies) operate outside of standard thresholds and generates proactive alerts in advance of possible failure, which increases uptime.
• SSDs offer significantly better reliability than traditional mechanical HDDs for greater uptime.
• Built-in Integrated Management Module II (IMM2.1) continuously monitors system parameters, triggers alerts, and performs recovery actions if there is a failure to minimize downtime.
• Built-in diagnostics by using Dynamic Systems Analysis (DSA) Preboot speeds up troubleshooting tasks to reduce service time.
• Three-year customer replaceable unit and onsite limited warranty; next business day 9x5. Optional service upgrades available.

Manageability and security

The following powerful systems management features simplify local and remote management of the x3500 M5:

• The server includes an IMM2.1 to monitor server availability and perform remote management.
• Integrated industry-standard Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) enables improved setup, configuration, and updates and simplifies error handling.
• Two integrated Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs) enable 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 foolproof security foundation for workloads by delivering firmware that is securely built, tested, digitally signed, and verified before running.
• The server offers enterprise-class data protection with optional self-encrypting drives and simple, centralized key management through IBM Security Key Lifecycle Management.
• Industry-standard AES NI support offers faster, stronger encryption.
• IBM Systems Director offers comprehensive systems management tools that help to increase uptime, reduce costs, and improve productivity through advanced server management capabilities.
• 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, which allows an application to run in its own isolated space that is protected from all other software running on a system.

Energy efficiency

The x3500 M5 offers the following energy-efficiency features to save energy, reduce operational costs, increase energy availability, and contribute to the 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.
• The Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v3 product families offer significantly better performance over the previous generation while fitting into the same thermal design power (TDP) limits.
• 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 demands of power and thermally constrained data centers and telecommunication environments.
• Low-voltage 1.2 V DDR4 memory DIMMs use up to 20% less energy compared to 1.35 V DDR3 DIMMs.
• SSDs use as much as 80% less power than traditional spinning 2.5-inch HDDs.
• The server uses hexagonal ventilation holes, which is a part of Calibrated Vectored Cooling™ technology. Hexagonal holes can be grouped more densely than round holes, which provides more efficient airflow through the system.
• IBM Systems Director Active Energy Manager™ provides advanced data center power notification and management to help achieve lower heat output and reduced cooling needs.

Locations of key components and connectors

The following figure shows the front of the server.


Figure 2. Front view of the System x3500 M5

The following figure shows the rear of the server.


Figure 3. Rear view of the System x3500 M5

The following figure shows the locations of key components inside the server.


Figure 4. Inside view of the System x3500 M5

Standard specifications

The following table lists the standard specifications.

Table 1. Standard specifications

The x3500 M5 servers are shipped with the following items:

• Statement of Limited Warranty
• Important Notices
• Registration flyer
• Documentation CD that contains the Installation and User's Guide
• One 2.8 m C13 line cord (country-specific)

Notes:

• Rack models include a rail kit but do not include a cable management arm. Order the CMA separately by using part number 00KC334.
• EMEA models do not contain line cord. It must be purchased separately.

Standard models

The following table lists the standard models.

Table 2. Standard models

* x in the Machine Type Model (MTM) represents a country-specific letter (for example, the EMEA MTM is 7983-A5G, and the US MTM is 7383-A5U). Ask a Lenovo representative for specific information.
† Processor detail: Processor quantity and model, cores, core speed, L3 cache, memory speed, TDP.

Refer to the Specifications section for information about standard features of the server.

TopSeller and Express models

The following table lists the express models.

Table 3. Express models

MTM** Form factor	Intel Xeon processors† (two maximum)	Memory	RAID	Drive bays (std / max)	Drives	Slots (std / max)	Optical	Power supply (2 max)
United States and Canada
5464-EAU Tower	1x E5-2609 v3 6C 1.9GHz 15MB 1600MHz 85W	1x 8 GB	M1215	6x 3.5-inch HS / 12	Open	4 / 7	Multi- burner	1x 550W
5464-EBU Tower	1x E5-2620 v3 6C 2.4GHz 15MB 1866MHz 85W	1x 16 GB	M5120	6x 3.5-inch HS / 12	Open	4 / 7	Multi- burner	1x 750W
5464-ECU Tower	1x E5-2640 v3 8C 2.6GHz 20MB 1866MHz 90W	1x 16 GB	M5120	8x 2.5-inch HS / 32	Open	4 / 7	Multi- burner	1x 750W
5464-EDU Tower	2x E5-2609 v3 6C 1.9GHz 15MB 1600MHz 85W	2x 16 GB	M5120 2GB Flash	6x 3.5-inch HS / 12	Open	4 / 7	Multi- burner	2x 550W
5464-EEU Tower	2x E5-2640 v3 8C 2.6GHz 20MB 1866MHz 90W	2x 16 GB	M5120 2GB Flash	8x 2.5-inch HS / 32	Open	4 / 7	Multi- burner	2x 750W
Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA)
5464-E1G Tower	1x E5-2603 v3 6C 1.6GHz 15MB 1600MHz 85W		M1215 + RAID 5/50	8x 2.5-inch HS / 32	Open	4 / 7	Multi- burner	1x 550W
5464-E2G Tower	1x E5-2609 v3 6C 1.9GHz 15MB 1600MHz 85W	1x 8 GB	M1215 + RAID 5/50	6x 3.5-inch HS / 12	Open	4 / 7	Multi- burner	1x 550W
5464-E3G Tower	1x E5-2620 v3 6C 2.4GHz 15MB 1866MHz 85W	1x 8 GB	M5120 1GB No backup	8x 2.5-inch HS / 32	Open	4 / 7	Multi- burner	2x 550W
5464-E4G Tower	1x E5-2620 v3 6C 2.4GHz 15MB 1866MHz 85W	1x 8 GB	M5120 1GB Flash	8x 2.5-inch HS / 32	3x 300GB 10K SAS	4 / 7	Multi- burner	2x 750W
5464-E5G Tower	1x E5-2640 v3 8C 2.6GHz 20MB 1866MHz 90W	1x 16 GB	M5120 2GB Flash	8x 2.5-inch HS / 32	Open	4 / 7	Multi- burner	2x 750W
Latin America & Brazil
5464-EFx Tower	1x E5-2609 v3 6C 1.9GHz 15MB 1600MHz 85W	1x 8 GB	M5120 1GB Flash+Cap	8x 2.5-inch HS / 32	Open	4 / 7	DVD	1x 550W
5464-EGx Tower	1x E5-2620 v3 6C 2.4GHz 15MB 1866MHz 85W	1x 16 GB	M5120 1GB Flash	8x 2.5-inch HS / 32	Open	4 / 7	DVD	1x 550W
5464-EHx Tower	1x E5-2650 v3 10C 2.3GHz 25MB 2133MHz 105W	1x 16 GB	M5120 1GB Flash	8x 2.5-inch HS / 32	Open	4 / 7	DVD	1x 750W
Japan
5464-E6J Tower	1x E5-2603 v3 6C 1.6GHz 15MB 1600MHz 85W	1x 8 GB	M5120 1GB Flash	8x 2.5-inch HS / 32	Open	4 / 7	DVD	1x 550W
5464-E7J Tower	1x E5-2609 v3 6C 1.9GHz 15MB 1600MHz 85W	1x 8 GB	M5120 1GB Flash	8x 2.5-inch HS / 32	Open	4 / 7	DVD	1x 550W

** MTM = Machine Type Model
† Processor detail: Processor quantity and model, number of cores, core speed, L3 cache, memory speed, TDP.

Table 4. TopSeller Models

Processor options

The x3500 M5 supports the processor options that are listed in the following table. The server supports up to two processors. This table shows which server models feature each processor as standard. If there is no corresponding where-used model for a particular processor, this processor is available through CTO only.

Table 5. Processor options

* The first feature code is for the first processor; the second feature code is for the second processor.

Memory options

The System x3500 M5 supports TruDDR4 memory. TruDDR Memory uses the highest quality components that are sourced from Tier 1 DRAM suppliers and only memory that meets our strict requirements is selected. It is compatibility tested and tuned on every System x server to maximize performance and reliability. TruDDR4 Memory has a unique signature programmed into the DIMM that enables System x servers to verify whether the installed memory is qualified or supported. Because TruDDR4 Memory is authenticated, certain extended memory performance features can be enabled to extend performance over industry standards. From a service and support standpoint, System x memory automatically assumes the system's warranty, and service and support provided worldwide.

The following table lists the available memory options for the x3500 M5 server.

Table 6. Memory options

Part number	Feature code	Description	Maximum supported	Standard models where used
RDIMMs - 2133 MHz
46W0784	A5B6	4GB TruDDR4 Memory (1Rx8, 1.2V) PC4-17000 CL15 2133MHz LP RDIMM	24 (12 per CPU)	-
46W0788	A5B5	8GB TruDDR4 Memory (1Rx4, 1.2V) PC4-17000 CL15 2133MHz LP RDIMM	24 (12 per CPU)	A2x, B2x
46W0792	A5B8	8GB TruDDR4 Memory (2Rx8, 1.2V) PC4-17000 CL15 2133MHz LP RDIMM	24 (12 per CPU)
46W0796	A5B7	16GB TruDDR4 Memory (2Rx4, 1.2V) PC4-17000 CL15 2133MHz LP RDIMM	24 (12 per CPU)	All other models
LRDIMMs - 2133 MHz
46W0800	A5B9	32GB TruDDR4 Memory (4Rx4, 1.2V) PC417000 CL15 2133MHz LP LRDIMM	24 (12 per CPU)	-
95Y4812*	A5UK	64GB TruDDR4 Memory (4Rx4,1.2V) PC4-17000 CL15 2133MHz LP LRDIMM	24 (12 per CPU)	-

* Support for 64 GB LRDIMMs is planned for a later date.

The server supports up to 12 DIMMs when one processor is installed and up to 24 DIMMs when two processors are installed. Each processor has four memory channels; there are three DIMMs per channel.

The following rules apply when the memory configuration is selected:

• The server supports RDIMMs and LRDIMMs.
• Mixing types of memory (RDIMMs and LRDIMMs) is not supported.
• The maximum quantity of DIMMs that can be installed in the server depends on the number of processors.
• All DIMMs in the server operate at the same speed, which is determined as the lowest value of the following factors:
  • Memory speed that is supported by the specific processor.
  • Lowest of maximum operating speeds for selected memory configuration that depends on quantity of DIMMs per channel, as shown under "Maximum operating speed" section in the following table.

The following memory protection technologies are supported:

• ECC
• Chipkill (for x4-based memory DIMMs)
• Memory mirroring
• Memory rank sparing

Chipkill works only in independent channel mode (the default is operational mode) and supports only x4-based memory DIMMs.

If memory mirroring is used, DIMMs must be installed in pairs (a minimum of one pair per each processor). Both DIMMs in a pair must be identical in type and size.

If memory rank sparing is used, a minimum of one quad-rank LRDIMM or two single-rank or dual-rank RDIMMs must be installed per populated channel (the DIMMs do not need to be identical). In rank sparing mode, one rank of a DIMM in each populated channel is reserved as spare memory. The size of a rank varies, depending on the DIMMs installed.

Chipkill, memory mirroring, and memory rank sparing modes are mutually exclusive. Only one operational memory mode can be enabled on a server, and it is a system-wide setting.

The following table shows the characteristics of the supported DIMMs. Tables cells that are highlighted with a gray background indicate when the number of DIMMs per channel still allows the DIMMs to operate at a rated speed.

Table 7. Maximum memory speeds

* Support for 64 GB LRDIMMs is planned for a later date.
** The maximum quantity that is supported is shown for two processors installed.

Internal storage

The internal drive bays of the x3500 M5 are shown in the following figure.


Figure 5. Internal drive bays

The System x3500 M5 server supports the following internal storage configurations:

• Configurations with 2.5-inch hot-swap drives:
  • 8x 2.5-inch hot-swap drives (1 RAID adapter)
  • 16x 2.5-inch hot-swap drives (1 RAID adapter)
  • 16x 2.5-inch hot-swap drives (2 RAID adapters)
  • 24x 2.5-inch hot-swap drives (1 RAID adapter)
  • 24x 2.5-inch hot-swap drives (2 RAID adapters)
  • 32x 2.5-inch hot-swap drives (1 RAID adapter)
  • 32x 2.5-inch hot-swap drives (2 RAID adapters)
• Configurations with 3.5-inch hot-swap drives:
  • 6x 3.5-inch hot-swap hard disk drives (1 RAID adapter)
  • 12x 3.5-inch hot-swap hard disk drives (2 RAID adapters)
• Configurations with 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch hot-swap drives: 6x 3.5-inch hot-swap hard disk drives + 16x 2.5-inch hot-swap drives (2 RAID adapters)
• Configurations with 3.5-inch simple-swap drives:
  • 6x 3.5-inch simple-swap hard disk drives (6 Gb SATA onboard connectors)
  • 6x 3.5-inch simple-swap hard disk drives (1 adapter)
  •  
  Note: A configuration of 12 simple-swap drives is not supported.

The following drive type mixing rules apply:

• Hot-swap SATA HDDs and hot-swap SAS HDDs can be intermixed on the same backplane , but cannot be intermixed in the same RAID array.
• Hot-swap SATA HDDs and hot-swap SAS HDDs can be intermixed with SSDs on the same backplane, but SAS nor SATA HDDs can be configured with SSDs within the same RAID array.

Backplanes

The following table lists the available backplanes for the x3500 M5. Standard models ship with one 8x 2.5-inch hot-swap backplane or one 6x 3.5-inch hot-swap backplane, as listed.

Table 8. Internal storage backplane (configure to order)

The following table list the available hot-swap drive bay upgrades.

Table 9. Drive bay upgrade options

Drive bay configurations

The following figure shows how models with eight 2.5-inch drive bays can be upgraded to a total of 32 drive bays. In such configurations, all drives are connected to one RAID controller. Supported adapters are the ServeRAID M5210, ServeRAID M1215, and N2215 host bus adapter.


Figure 6. Configurations of 2.5-inch drives with one RAID adapter

The following figure shows how models with eight 2.5-inch drive bays can be upgraded to a total of 32 drive bays that use two RAID controller for added performance. Supported adapters are the ServeRAID M5210, ServeRAID M1215, and N2215 host bus adapter.


Figure 7. Configurations of 2.5-inch drives with two RAID adapters

The following figure shows how models with six 3.5-inch hot-swap drive bays can be upgraded to 12 drive bays. Such a configuration requires two RAID controllers. Supported adapters are the ServeRAID M5210, ServeRAID M1215, and N2215 host bus adapter.


Figure 8. Configurations of 3.5-inch drives

For configure-to-order configurations, the server also supports simple-swap 3.5-inch drives. The simple-swap drives can be connected to the 6 Gb SATA ports on the system board of the server or to a RAID controller. Only six 3.5-inch drives are supported; a configuration of 12 simple-swap drives is not supported.


Figure 9. Simple-swap 3.5-inch drives

The server also supports combinations of 2.5-inch drive bays (up to 16) and 3.5-inch drive bays (6 bays). The upgrade path from models with 2.5-inch drives is shown in the following figure. The 3.5-inch drives must be connected to a separate RAID adapter.


Figure 10. Combinations of 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch drive bays from a 2.5-inch base

The following figure shows the upgrade path from models with 3.5-inch drives.


Figure 11. Combinations of 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch drive bays from a 3.5-inch base

Controllers for internal storage

The following table lists the RAID controllers and additional options that are used for internal disk storage of the x3500 M5 server.

Table 10. RAID controllers and HBAs for internal storage

* Requires cache memory upgrade (47C8656, 47C8660, 47C8664 or 47C8668).
† Features on Demand (FoD) upgrades for ServeRAID adapters are applied system-wide; that is, one FoD upgrade is required to activate the feature on all RAID controllers of the same type installed in the server.

The ServeRAID M1215 SAS/SATA Controller has the following specifications:

• Eight internal 12 Gbps SAS/SATA ports
• Up to 12 Gbps throughput per port
• Two internal mini-SAS HD connectors (SFF-8643)
• Supports connections to SAS/SATA HDDs and SSDs
• LSI SAS3008 12 Gbps RAID on Chip (ROC) controller
• Support for RAID levels 0, 1, and 10 standard; support for RAID 5, 50 with optional FoD upgrade
• Zero Controller Cache, no battery/flash backup
• Optional support for self-encrypting drives (SEDs) with MegaRAID SafeStore (with RAID 5 upgrade)
• Fixed stripe size of 64 KB

The ServeRAID M5210 SAS/SATA Controller has the following specifications:

• Eight internal 12 Gbps SAS/SATA ports
• Up to 12 Gbps throughput per port
• Two x4 HD mini-SAS internal connectors (SFF-8643)
• Supports connections to SAS/SATA HDDs and SSDs and SAS Expanders
• Supports RAID 0, 1, and 10
• Supports RAID 5 and 50 with optional M5200 Series RAID 5 upgrades
• Supports RAID 6 and 60 with the optional M5200 Series RAID 6 upgrade
• Optional support for self-encrypting drives (SEDs) with MegaRAID SafeStore (with RAID 5 upgrade)
• Supports 1 GB non-backed cache or 1 GB, 2 GB or 4 GB flash-backed cache
• PCIe 3.0 x8 host interface
• Based on the LSI SAS3108 12 Gbps ROC controller

The N2215 SAS/SATA HBA has the following specifications:

• Eight internal 12 Gbps SAS/SATA ports
• Up to 12 Gbps throughput per port
• Two x4 HD mini-SAS internal connectors (SFF-8643)
• Supports connections to SAS/SATA HDDs and SSDs
• Optimized for SSD performance
• No RAID support
• PCIe 3.0 x8 host interface
• Based on the LSI SAS3008 12 Gbps controller

For more information, see the list of Lenovo Press Product Guides in the RAID adapters category at this website:
http://lenovopress.com/systemx/raid

Internal drive options

The following table lists hard drive options for internal disk storage of the x3500 M5 server.

Table 11. Drive options for internal disk storage

Internal backup units

The server supports the internal backup unit options that are listed in the following table.

Table 12. Internal tape drives

Part number	Feature code	Description	Maximum supported
Drives
-	A2U7	RDX 3 Internal USB Drive	1
00D2786	A2VE	RDX Internal USB 3.0 Dock with 320 GB Cartridge (includes USB cable)	1
00D2787	A2VF	RDX Internal USB 3.0 Dock with 500 GB Cartridge (includes USB cable)	1
00D2788	A2VG	RDX Internal USB 3.0 Dock with 1 TB Cartridge (includes USB cable)	1
49Y9898	5345	Half High LTO Gen 5 Internal SAS Tape Drive*	2
00D8924	A3S3	Half High LTO Ultrium Gen 6 Internal SAS Tape Drive*	2
Media
46W6589	A3S6	LTO Ultrium Gen 6 Single Media (2.6 TB native capacity)
46C5367	5708	RDX 320GB Cartridge
46C5368	5709	RDX 500GB Cartridge
81Y3647	A1VL	RDX 1TB Cartridge

* Supported with the N2215 SAS/SATA HBA; also requires 12Gb SAS Cable for LTO Tape drive, SBB 00MV226, feature code ASTU

USB devices are attached to the internal USB connector. For option part number orders, the USB cable is included with the RDX drive. For CTO, use feature code 9266.

For more information, see the list of Product Guide, RDX USB 3.0 Disk Backup Solution, which is available at this website:
http://lenovopress.com/tips0894

Optical drives

The server supports the optical drive options that are listed in the following table.

Table 13. Optical drives

* This option is available via CTO only or is already installed in standard models.

The two half-high drives in the table can be installed in any open 5.25-inch drive bay.

The Half-High SATA DVD-ROM drive supports the following media and speeds for reading:

• CD-ROM 48X
• CD-DA (DAE) 40X
• CD-R 48X
• CD-RW 40X
• DVD-ROM (single layer) 16X
• DVD-ROM (dual layer) 12X
• DVD-R (4.7 GB) 16X
• DVD-R DL 12X
• DVD+R 16X
• DVD+R DL 12X
• DVD-RW (4.7 GB) 12X
• DVD+RW 12X
• DVD-RAM (4.7/9.4 GB) 6X

The Half-High SATA multiburner drive supports the same media and speeds for reading as HH DVD-ROM. In addition, this drive supports the following media and speeds for writing:

• CD-R 24X
• CD-RW 4X
• High Speed CD-RW 10X
• Ultra Speed CD-RW 16X
• DVD-R 8X
• DVD-R DL 8X
• DVD+R 8X
• DVD+R DL 8X
• DVD-RW 6X
• DVD+RW 8X
• DVD-RAM 3X

I/O expansion options

The server supports up to seven PCIe 3.0 slots: Four slots (1 - 4) when one CPU is installed or seven slots when two CPUs are installed. The following slot form factors are available:

• Slot 1: PCIe 3.0 x8 (x8 wired); full-height, half-length
• Slot 2: PCIe 3.0 x16 (x8 wired); full-height, full-length
• Slot 3: PCIe 3.0 x16 (x16 wired); full-height, full-length
• Slot 4: PCIe 3.0 x8 (x8 wired); full-height, full-length
• Slot 5: PCIe 3.0 x8 (x8 wired); full-height, half-length (requires second processor)
• Slot 6: PCIe 3.0 x16 (x16 wired); full-height, full-length (requires second processor)
• Slot 7: PCIe 3.0 x16 (x16 wired) full-height, full-length (requires second processor)

Slots 3 and 6 support double-wide GPUs

The COM Port Bracket, part number 00KC332, is used for making an external serial port available at the rear of the server. This option includes the bracket and the cable. The COM Port option is mounted in one of the PCIe slots and that PCIe slot cannot be used. The following table lists the PCIe slot options.

Table 14. System x3500 M5 COM Port Kit ordering information

Network adapters

The x3550 M5 supports four integrated Gigabit Ethernet ports with the following features:

• A Broadcom BCM5719 chip
• Four Gigabit Ethernet ports
• NIC Teaming (load balancing and failover)
• Ethernet features:
  • Compliant with 1 Gb Ethernet IEEE 802.3, 802.3u, and 802.3ab PHY specifications
  • Integrated PHY for 10/100/1000 Mbps for multispeed, full, and half-duplex auto-negotiation
  • Automatic MDI crossover
  • IEEE 802.3x-compliant flow control support
  • IEEE 1588 protocol and 802.1AS time synchronization implementation
  • IEEE802.3az - Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE)
• I/O Virtualization features:
  • I/O Virtualization support for VMware NetQueue and Microsoft virtual machine queue (VMQ)
  • Function Level Reset (FLR)
  • IEEE 802.1q Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tagging support
• Stateless offload and performance features:
  • TCP, IP, and User Datagram Protocol (UDP) checksum offload
  • TCP segmentation offload (TCO)
  • Large Send Offload (LSO)
  • Receive Side Scaling (RSS) and Transmit Side Scaling (TSS)
  • Message Signal Interrupt (MSI) and Message Signal Interrupt Extension (MSI-X) support
  • Support for jumbo frames up to 9600 bytes

The following table lists other supported network adapters.

Table 15. Network adapters

* Require SFP+ optical transceivers or DAC cables that must be purchased separately.

For more information, see the list of Lenovo Press Product Guides in the Networking adapters category at:
http://lenovopress.com/systemx/networkadapters

Storage host bus adapters

The following table lists storage HBAs that are supported by the x3500 M5 server.

Table 16. Storage adapters

For more information, see the list of Lenovo Press Product Guides in the Host bus adapters category at this website:
http://lenovopress.com/systemx/hba

PCIe SSD adapters

The server currently does not support High IOPS SSD adapters.

GPU adapters

The x3500 M5 server supports graphics processing units (GPUs) that are listed in the following table. Up to two GPUs are supported, depending on the number of processors that are installed in a server.

Table 17. GPU adapters

The following other rules apply:

• If two GPUs are installed, they must be identical
• The first GPU is installed in slot 3; the second GPU is installed in slot 6 and requires the second processor to be installed.
• The number of GPUs that can be installed depends on the type of power supply that is installed and the type and number of other components that are installed. For more information,see the Power Supply section.
• If a NVIDIA card is installed, the maximum memory that can be installed is 1 TB.

Power supplies and redundant cooling

The server supports up to two redundant power supplies. Standard models come with one or two power supplies (depending on the model).

The server also comes standard with two (for models with one processor installed) or four (for models with two processors installed) hot-swap cooling fans. For models with only one processor, an optional Redundant Cooling Kit provides N+1 cooling redundancy. The following table lists the power supplies and redundant cooling upgrade options.

Table 18. Power supplies

* CTO only
The following table shows the combinations supported.

Table 19. Supported configurations

* GPUs use two PCIe slots; therefore, if a GPU is installed, the number of non-GPU adapters that are installed is reduced by two.

AC power supply options ships without a line cord, it must be purchased separately. Country-specific line cords and rack cables can be ordered if needed, as listed in the following table.

Table 20. Power cables

Integrated virtualization

The server supports the VMware vSphere (ESXi) hypervisor on one or two SD cards with the optional SD Media Adapter for System x. This adapter is in a dedicated connector on the system board, as shown in the following figure.


Figure 12. SD Media Adapter with one SD Card installed

When only one SD card is installed in the adapter, you can create up to 16 volumes, each of which is presented to UEFI as a bootable device. When two SD Media cards are inserted, volumes can be mirrored (RAID 1) across both cards, up to a total of eight mirrored volumes. The use of mirrored volumes improves system availability because the server remains operational, even if one SD card fails. The RAID functionality is handled internally by the SD Media Adapter.

The following table shows the available options. The table also indicates whether the option includes the SD Media RAID Adapter and how many SD cards are included.

Table 21. Virtualization options

* Option 00ML706 includes two 32GB SD cards; however, for CTO orders, feature code A5TJ does not include SD media and the 32GB cards and VMware vSphere preload must be selected separately.
** CTO only.

Systems management

The server contains IMM2.1, which provides advanced service-processor control, monitoring, and an alerting function. If an environmental condition exceeds a threshold or if a system component fails, the IMM2.1 lights LEDs to help you diagnose the problem, records the error in the event log, and alerts you to the problem. Optionally, the IMM2.1 also provides a virtual presence capability for remote server management capabilities.

The IMM provides remote server management through the following industry-standard interfaces:

• Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) Version 2.0
• Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) Version 3
• Common Information Model (CIM)
• Web browser

The optional Integrated Management Module Advanced Upgrade is required for enabling remote presence and blue-screen capture features. The remote presence feature provides the following functions:

• Remotely viewing video with graphics resolutions up to 1600x1200 at 75 Hz with up to 23 bits per pixel colors, regardless of the system state
• Remotely accessing the server by using the keyboard and mouse from a remote client
• Mapping the CD or DVD drive, diskette drive, and USB flash drive on a remote client, and mapping ISO and diskette image files as virtual drives that are available for use by the server
• Uploading a diskette image to the IMM memory and mapping it to the server as a virtual drive

The blue-screen capture feature captures the video display contents before the IMM restarts the server when the IMM detects an operating-system hang condition. A system administrator can use the blue-screen capture to assist in determining the cause of the hang condition. The following table lists the remote management option.

Table 22. Remote management option

All standard models include basic light path diagnostics, which include system LEDs on the front of the server (see the following figure) and LEDs near the monitored components (for example, the DIMM error LED on the system board). The server also offers an optional upgrade to supply another array of light path diagnostic LEDs on the front of the chassis.

The following table lists the ordering information for the light path diagnostics panel upgrade kit.

Table 23. Remote management option

The following figure shows the meaning of each LED.


Figure 13. System LEDs and the optional light path diagnostics panel

Note: The light path diagnostics panel upgrade kit supplies the array of LEDs that is mounted in a bracket that is installed inside the server, as shown in the following figure. The light path diagnostics indicators are still visible on the front of the server, even if the upgrade kit is not installed.


Figure 14. System x3500 M5 Lightpath Upgrade Kit

IBM Security Key Lifecycle Manager for System x SEDs - FoD (SKLM - FoD) is an optional feature, which is available in System x environments that centralizes, simplifies, and automates the data encryption key management process to help minimize risk and reduce operational costs. SKLM - FoD offers a simple and robust solution for key storage, key serving, and key lifecycle management for self-encrypting drives (SEDs) in local and distributed System x environments. The FoD upgrade can be configured with the ServeRAID M5210 and M1215 RAID controllers paired with SEDs. The following table lists SKLM-FoD part numbers.

Table 24. Security Key Lifecycle Manager - FoD part numbers

Supported operating systems

The server supports the following operating systems:

• Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2012
• SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 11 for AMD64/EM64T
• SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 11 with Xen for AMD64/EM64T
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Server x64 Edition
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
• SUSE Enterprise Linux Server (SLES) 12
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 with XEN
• VMware vSphere 5.5 (ESXi)
• VMware vSphere 5.1 (ESXi)

Some operating systems might have support delayed until 60 or 90 days after general availability. For more information about the supported specific versions and service levels and any other prerequisites. see the following ServerProven® website :
http://www.ibm.com/systems/info/x86servers/serverproven/compat/us/nos/matrix.shtml

Physical and electrical specifications

The server features the following dimensions and weight (approximate):

• Tower:
  • Width: 218 mm (8.6 in)
  • Depth: 720 mm (28.3 in)
  • Height: 440 mm (17.25 in)
  • Weight fully configured: 45.5 kg (100.3 lb)
  • Weight minimum configuration: 30.8 kg (67.9 lb)
• With rack conversion kit:
  • Width: 423 mm (16.6 in)
  • Depth: 706 mm (27.8 in)
  • Height: 218 mm (8.6 in )
  • Weight fully configured: 44.2 kg (97.4 lb)
  • Weight minimum configuration: 29.5 kg (65 lb) minimum configuration

The server features the following supported environment:

• Design to ASHRAE Class A3, ambient of 36 °C to 40 °C (96.8 °F to 104 °F), with relaxed support:
  • Supports cloud-like workload with no performance degradation acceptable (Turbo-Off).
  • Under no circumstance can any combination of worst-case workload and configuration result in system shutdown or design exposure at 40 °C.
  • The worst-case workload (like Linpack, Turbo-On) might have performance degradation.

• Air temperature:
  • Server on: 5 - 40 °C (41 to 104 °F); altitude: 0 - 950 m (3,100 ft)
  • Server on: 5 - 28 °C (41 - 82 °F); altitude: 915 m (3,000 ft) - 3050 m (10,000 ft)
  • Server off (with standby power): 5 - 45 °C (41 - 113 °F)
  • Storage: 1 - 60 °C (34 - 140 °F)
  • Shipping: -40 - 60 °C (-40 - 140 °F)

• Humidity: 8 - 85%, Max. Dew Point 24 °C
• Electrical:
  • Models with 900 W AC power supplies:
    • 100 - 127 (nominal) V ac; 50 Hz or 60 Hz; 10.3 A
    • 200 - 240 (nominal) V ac; 50 Hz or 60 Hz; 5.0 A
    • Input kilovolt-amperes (kVA) (approximately):
      • Minimum configuration: 0.15 kVA
      • Maximum configuration: 1.194 kVA
  • Models with 750 W Platinum AC power supplies:
    • 100 - 127 (nominal) V ac; 50 Hz or 60 Hz; 8.6 A
    • 200 - 240 (nominal) V ac; 50 Hz or 60 Hz; 4.2 A
    • Input kilovolt-amperes (kVA) (approximately):
      • Minimum configuration: 0.15 kVA
      • Maximum configuration: 1.015 kVA
  • Models with 750 W Titanium AC power supplies:
    • 200 - 240 (nominal) V ac; 50 Hz or 60 Hz; 4.2 A
    • Input kilovolt-amperes (kVA) (approximately):
      • Minimum configuration: 0.15 kVA
      • Maximum configuration: 0.965 kVA
  • Models with 550 W AC power supplies:
    • 100 to 127 (nominal) V ac; 50 Hz or 60 Hz; 6.5 A
    • 200 to 240 (nominal) V ac; 50 Hz or 60 Hz; 3.3 A
    • Input kilovolt-amperes (kVA) (approximately):
      • Minimum configuration: 0.16 kVA
      • Maximum configuration: 0.732 kVA
• BTU output:
  • Base configuration: 2931 Btu/hr (859 watts)
  • Maximum configuration: 4043 Btu/hr (1185 watts)
• Acoustical noise emissions:
  • Sound power, idling: 6.0 bels
  • Sound power, operating: 6.0 bels

Warranty options

The Lenovo System x3500 M5 has a three-year warranty with 24x7 standard call center support and 9x5 Next Business Day onsite coverage. Also available are Lenovo Services warranty maintenance upgrades and post-warranty maintenance agreements, with a well-defined scope of services, including service hours, response time, term of service, and service agreement terms and conditions.

Lenovo warranty service upgrade offerings are country-specific. Not all warranty service upgrades are available in every country. For more information about Lenovo warranty service upgrade offerings that are available in your country, visit the Lenovo Services website:

https://www-304.ibm.com/sales/gss/download/spst/servicepac/extProductSelectorWWW.do

The following table explains warranty service definitions in more detail.

Table 25. Warranty service definitions

The following Lenovo warranty service upgrades are available:

• Warranty and maintenance service upgrades:
  • Three, four, or five years of 9x5 or 24x7 service coverage
  • Onsite response from next business day to 2 or 4 hours
  • Committed repair service
  • Warranty extension of up to 5 years
  • Post warranty extensions
• Committed Repair Service

  Committed Repair Services enhances the level of Warranty Service Upgrade or Post Warranty/Maintenance Service offering associated with the selected systems. Offerings vary and are available in select countries.

  • Priority handling to meet defined time frames to restore the failing machine to good working condition
  • Committed repair service levels are measured within the following coverage hours:
    • 24x7x6: Service performed 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, within 6 hours
    • 24x7x8: Service performed 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, within 8 hours
    • 24x7x24: Service performed 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, within 24 hours
• Hard Drive Retention

  Lenovo’s Hard Drive Retention service is a multi-drive hard drive retention offering that ensures your data is always under your control, regardless of the number of hard drives that are installed in your Lenovo server. In the unlikely event of a hard drive failure, you retain possession of your hard drive while Lenovo replaces the failed drive part. Your data stays safely on your premises, in your hands. The Hard Drive Retention service can be purchased in convenient bundles with our warranty upgrades and extensions.

• Microcode Support

  Keeping microcode current helps prevent hardware failures and security exposure. There are two levels of service: analysis of the installed base and analysis and update where required. Offerings vary by country and can be bundled with other warranty upgrades and extensions.

• Remote Technical Support Services (RTS)

  RTS provides comprehensive technical call center support for covered servers, storage, operating systems, and applications. Providing a single source for support of hardware and software issues, RTS can reduce problem resolution time, decreasing the cost to address technical problems and increasing uptime. Offerings are available for Windows, Linux, IBM Systems Director, VMware, Microsoft business applications, and Lenovo System x storage devices, and IBM OEM storage devices.

Regulatory compliance

The server conforms to the following standards:

• FCC - Verified to comply with Part 15 of the FCC Rules, Class A
• Canada ICES-003, issue 5, Class A
• UL/IEC 60950-1
• CSA C22.2 No. 60950-1-07
• NOM-019
• Argentina IEC60950-1
• Japan VCCI, Class A
• IEC-60950-1 (CB Certificate and CB Test Report)
• Australia/New Zealand AS/NZS CISPR 22:2006, Class A; AS/NZS 60950.1
• Taiwan BSMI CNS13438, Class A ;CNS14336-1
• GB9254 Class A, GB17625.1
• China CCC GB4943.1
• Korea KN22, Class A; KN24

External disk storage expansion

The server supports attachment to external storage expansion enclosures, such as the EXP2500 series, by using the ServeRAID M5225 SAS/SATA Controller. The server can also be attached to supported external storage systems by using a supported HBA. For more information, see the following table.

Table 26. RAID controllers and options for external disk storage expansion

* One FoD upgrade for the M5225 activates the feature on all M5225 controllers that are installed in a server.

The ServeRAID M5225 SAS/SATA Controller has the following specifications:

• Eight external 12 Gbps SAS/SATA ports
• Supports 12, 6, and 3 Gb/s SAS and 6 and 3 Gb/s SATA data transfer rates
• Two external x4 mini-SAS HD connectors (SFF-8644)
• Supports 2 GB flash-backed cache (standard)
• Supports RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 10, and 50 (standard)
• Supports RAID 6 and 60 with the optional M5200 Series RAID 6 Upgrade
• Supports optional M5200 Series Performance Accelerator and SSD Caching upgrades
• PCIe x8 Gen 3 host interface
• Based on the LSI SAS3108 12 Gbps ROC controller
• Supports connectivity to the EXP2512 and EXP2524 storage expansion enclosures

For more information about the ServeRAID M5225, see the Lenovo Press Product Guide at http://lenovopress.com/tips1258

The ServeRAID M5225 SAS/SATA Controller supports connectivity to external expansion enclosures that are listed in the following table. Up to nine expansion enclosures can be daisy-chained per one M5225 external port. For better performance, distribute expansion enclosures evenly across both M5225 ports.

Table 27. External expansion enclosures

Lenovo ThinkServer SA120 support

For details about supported drives and cables for the Lenovo ThinkServer SA120, see the Lenovo Press Product Guide:
http://lenovopress.com/tips1234

EXP2512 and EXP2524 support

The external SAS cables that are listed in the following table support connectivity between external expansion enclosures and the ServeRAID M5225 SAS/SATA Controller.

Table 28. External SAS cables for external storage expansion enclosures

The following table lists drives that are supported by EXP2512 external expansion enclosures.

Table 29. Drive options for EXP2512 external expansion enclosures

The following table lists HDDs that are supported by EXP2524 external expansion enclosures.

Table 30. Drive options for EXP2524 external expansion enclosures

External disk storage systems

The following table lists the external storage systems that are supported by the server and can be ordered through the System x sales channel.

Table 31. External disk storage systems

For more information, see the list of Product Guides in the System Storage category at this website:
http://lenovopress.com/systemx/externalstorage

External backup units

The server supports the external backup attachment options that are listed in the following table.

Table 32. External backup options

* These external tape drives can be ordered through the System x sales channel. The server might support other tape drives that are not listed in this table. For more information, see the IBM System Storage Interoperation Center (SSIC) at this website:
http://www.ibm.com/systems/support/storage/ssic

For more information, see the list of Lenovo Press Product Guides in the Backup units category at this website:
http://lenovopress.com/systemx/tape

Top-of-rack Ethernet switches

The server supports the top-of-rack Ethernet switches that are listed in the following table.

Table 33. Top-of-rack switches

 
For more information, see the list of Lenovo Press Product Guides in the Top-of-rack switches category at this website:
http://lenovopress.com/systemx/tor

Uninterruptible power supply units

The server supports attachments to the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) units that are listed in the following table.

Table 34. Uninterruptible power supply units

For more information, see the list of Lenovo Press Product Guides in the Power infrastructure category at this website:
http://lenovopress.com/systemx/power

Power distribution units

The server supports attachments to the power distribution units (PDUs) are listed in the following table.

Table 35. Power distribution units

For more information, see the list of Lenovo Press Product Guides in the Power infrastructure category at this website:
http://lenovopress.com/systemx/power

Rack options

The x3500 M5 server can be installed in the rack with the Tower to Rack Conversion Kit (00AL538). The resulting server is a 5U rack-mountable server, as shown in the following figure.


Figure 15. The x3500 M5 with the 5U Tower to Rack Conversion Kit (included slide kit shown)

The Tower to Rack Conversion Kit (00AL538) includes a cable management arm; however, standard rack models (for example, 5464-C3x and G3x) do not include a cable management arm. Thefore, the arm must be ordered separately by using part number 00KC334.

The tower-to-rack conversion kit, supported cable management arm kit, rack console switches, monitor kits, and management gateways are listed in the following table.

Table 36. Rack options

For more information, see the list of Lenovo Press Product Guides in the Rack cabinets and options category at this website:
http://lenovopress.com/systemx/rack

Rack cabinets

Supported rack cabinets are listed in the following table.

Table 37. Rack cabinets

For more information, see the list of Lenovo Press Product Guides in the Rack cabinets and options category at this website:
http://lenovopress.com/systemx/rack