Changes in the January 17 update:

• New Intel S3250 Enterprise Entry SATA SSDs - Internal drive options section
• New PM863a Enterprise Entry SATA SSDs - Internal drive options section
• New 32GB TruDDR4 LRDIMM Memory option (limited processor support) - Memory options section
• New Emulex VFA5.2 ML2 2x10 GbE SFP+ Adapter with FCoE/iSCSI - Network adapters section
• Removed withdrawn compute books with E7 v2 processors
• Removed withdrawn network adapters:
  • Emulex VFA5 ML2 Dual Port 10GbE SFP+ Adapter, 00D1996
  • Emulex VFA5 2x10 GbE SFP+ PCIe Adapter, 00JY820
• Removed withdrawn network adapter FoD upgrades:
  • Emulex VFA5 ML2 FCoE/iSCSI License (FoD), 00D8544
  • Emulex VFA5 FCoE/iSCSI SW for PCIe Adapter (FoD), 00JY824
  • Qlogic 8200 VFA FCoE/iSCSI License (FoD), 00Y5624
  • Emulex VFA III/IIIr FCoE/iSCSI License (FoD), 95Y3760
• Removed withdrawn HDDs:
  • 500GB 7.2K 6Gbps NL SATA 2.5" G3HS HDD, 00AJ136
  • 300GB 15K 12Gbps SAS 2.5" G3HS 512e HDD, 00NA221
  • 600GB 15K 12Gbps SAS 2.5" G3HS 512e HDD, 00NA231
  • 900GB 10K 12Gbps SAS 2.5" G3HS 512e HDD, 00NA251
  • 1.2TB 10K 12Gbps SAS 2.5" G3HS 512e HDD, 00NA261
• Removed withdrawn GPU:
  • NVIDIA Quadro M6000, 00KH377
• Removed withdrawn embedded virtualization:
  • USB Memory Key for VMware ESXi 5.1 Update 2, 00ML233

Introduction

The Lenovo System x3850 X6 server, machine type 6241, is a four-socket 4U rack-mounted server that represents the sixth generation of the Enterprise X-Architecture. Now with Intel Xeon E7 v4 processors, the x3850 X6 delivers fast application performance, is based on an agile system design, and is a resilient platform that is needed for mission-critical databases, enterprise applications, and virtualized environments.

The x3850 X6 packs numerous fault-tolerant and high-availability features into a high-density, 4U rack-optimized lid-less package that helps reduce the space that is needed to support massive network computing operations and simplify servicing. The x3850 X6 supports up to four Intel Xeon E7 high-performance processors and up to 6 TB of memory.

Suggested use: mission-critical scalable databases, business analytics, virtualization, enterprise applications, and cloud applications.

The following figure shows the Lenovo System x3850 X6.

Figure 1. Lenovo System x3850 X6, machine type 6241

Did you know?

The x3850 X6 server employs a lid-less design where all serviceable components are front- and rear-accessible. In addition, each major subsystem is implemented as modular "book" design, such as the Compute Books and I/O Books. This configuration means that components are easy to upgrade and service, which translates to greater uptime of applications to your users. The x3850 X6 offers enterprise scalability and advanced RAS features to support the most demanding mission-critical applications that require 24x7 operations.

Locations of key components and connectors

The following figure shows the front of the x3850 X6 server.

Figure 2. Front view of the Lenovo System x3850 X6

The following figure shows the rear of the x3850 X6 server.

Figure 3. Rear view of the Lenovo System x3850 X6

Standard specifications

The following table lists the standard specifications.

The server is shipped with the following items:

• Rail kit
• Cable management brackets
• 2.8 m (9.18 ft) C13-C14 power cord (one for each power supply)
• Documentation CD and safety/warranty/installation information

Standard models

This section lists the Standard and TopSeller models of the x3850 X6 server.

The following table lists the models with E7 v4 processors.

SAP HANA Workload Optimized models

The Lenovo System x3850 X6 Workload Optimized Solutions for SAP HANA provide optimal solutions for SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse, data mart, and SAP Business Suite, Powered by SAP HANA applications. Preconfigured workload optimized server models for SAP HANA applications are configured with up to 1 TB of memory and are upgradeable to support larger single node and scale-out cluster implementations.

The following table lists the Workload Optimized Solution models for SAP HANA with E7 v4 processors

* See the list of specific components below

The following table lists the Workload Optimized Solution models for SAP HANA with E7 v3 processors

* See the list of specific components below

Each of these HANA models include the following components

• ServeRAID M5210 controller (46C9110) with 2GB cache upgrade with flash backup (47C8664), plus Performance Accelerator (47C8710) and SSD Caching Enabler (47C8712)
• Models HQx, HVx: ServeRAID M5120 RAID controller for external connectivity (81Y4478), with 1GB cache upgrade with flash backup (47C8660) plus Performance Accelerator (47C8710) and SSD Caching Enabler (47C8712).
• Model 8Fx: ServeRAID M5225-2GB RAID controller for external connectivity (00AE938) plus Performance Accelerator (47C8710) and SSD Caching Enabler (47C8712).
• Six 1.2TB 10K 6Gbps SAS 2.5" G3HS HDD (00AJ146)
• Models with E7 v4 processors: Two Intel S3710 400GB Enterprise Performance SATA G3HS 2.5" SSDs (00YC325)
• Models with E7 v3 processors: Two S3700 400GB SATA 2.5" MLC G3HS Enterprise SSDs (00AJ161)
• One Intel I350-T4 ML2 Quad Port GbE Adapter (00D1998)
• Models with E7 v4 processors: Two Mellanox ConnectX-3 10 GbE Adapters (00D9690) plus four SFP+ SR Transceivers (46C3447)
• Models with E7 v3 processors: Two Mellanox ConnectX-3 40GbE / FDR IB VPI Adapters (00D9550) plus four Mellanox QSA Adapters (QSFP to SFP+) (90Y3842) and four SFP+ SR Transceivers (46C3447)
• Models with 12 standard slots: Two X6 Half-length I/O Books (44X4049)
• Lenovo solution for SAP HANA media

Note: The operating system software is not included with the SAP HANA models. Operating system selection must be a separate line item included in order: SLES for SAP with standard or priority support. The SAP HANA Software is included, but the license is sold separately by SAP or an SAP business partner. VMware Enterprise Plus license sold separately. IBM Spectrum Scale (GPFS) is available from Lenovo separately.

For more information about the standard features of the server, see the Standard specifications section.

Upgrading Compute Books

With the x3850 X6, machine type 6241, Lenovo supports upgrading the server processors by simply by replacing the Compute Books. The process to upgrade is made very simple because of the innovative book design of the x3850 X6.

Supported upgrades are:

• E7 v2 processors to E7 v3 processors with DDR3 DIMMs (optionally keep existing memory)
• E7 v2 processors to E7 v3 processors with DDR4 DIMMs (new DDR4 DIMMs required)
• E7 v2 processors to E7 v4 processors (new DDR4 DIMMs required)
• E7 v3 processors with DDR3 to E7 v4 processors (new DDR4 DIMMs required)
• E7 v3 processors with DDR4 to E7 v4 processors (optionally keep existing memory)

Notes:

• Upgrades to E7 v3 and v4 processors are only supported with machine type 6241. If you want to upgrade an X6 server with machine type 3837, contact your local representative.
• eXFlash DIMMs (now withdrawn) are not supported with TruDDR4 memory; Only DDR3 memory is supported
• Intel Xeon E7 v3 and v4 processors require minimum firmware levels. Consult the documentation that is included with the Compute Books.
• Compute books with E7 v4 processors do not support DDR3 memory
• If you upgrade from E7 v3 processors with DDR4 to E7 v4 processors, you can transfer the 2133 MHz DDR4 memory DIMMs to the new compute books. If you also want to add additional memory to the E7 v4 compute book, it is supported to use either 2133 MHz or 2400 MHz DDR4 memory DIMMs. It is supported to mix 2133 MHz and 2400 MHz DIMMs in the same compute book.

If you plan to use your existing DDR3 memory to upgrade to a Compute Books with v3 processors (Compute Books with v4 processors do not support DDR3 memory), the process to upgrade is as follows:

1. Purchase Compute Books to replace the existing Compute Books
2. Check and if necessary, upgrade all firmware to at least the minimum levels needed to support the new processors
3. Power off the server and remove the existing Compute Books
4. Transfer all DDR3 memory DIMMs to the new Compute Books
5. Reinstall the new Compute Books

If you plan to upgrade to TruDDR4 memory, then you should also order the appropriate memory DIMMs to match your workload requirements. TruDDR4 DIMMs used in E7 v3 compute books can be used in E7 v4 compute books.

Upgrading to an 8-socket system

The x3850 X6 server has a flexible modular design that allows you to increase the server’s compute power and I/O capabilities by adding additional Compute Books and I/O Books. The modular design also means that if your business needs additional processing or I/O capability within the same system image, then it is possible to migrate to an eight-socket x3950 X6.

Lenovo supports upgrading a 4-socket X6 server to an 8-socket X6 server. The two recommended methods are as follows:

• Start with a 4-socket x3950 X6 (8U chassis) and add additional processors when needed
• Start with a 4-socket x3850 X6 (4U chassis) and upgrade it when needed using an RPQ process

Option 1: Start with a 4-socket x3950 X6

With this option, you plan for the need for future 8-socket performance in advance and purchase an x3950 X6 with only four Compute Books installed. The initial order would contain:

• Four Compute Books with E7-8800 v3 or v4 series processors (not E7-4800 processors)
• Four Power Supplies (preferably 1400W)
• Two Primary IO Book standard
• Two Storage Book Standard

Once the need arises to upgrade the server to six or eight processors, simply purchase more Compute Books with the same processor model, plus additional power supplies (as determined by using the Power Configurator), I/O Books, adapters and drives as needed.

For information about the x3950 X6, see the Lenovo System x3950 X6 Product Guide:
http://lenovopress.com/tips1251

Note: It is supported to install E7-4800-based Compute Books in a x3950 X6 from either an System x3850 X6 (machine type 3837) or a Lenovo System x3850 X6 (machine type 6241)

As part of the RPQ, a service engineer comes onsite with the new mechanical chassis and performs the field upgrade by transferring all components to the new chassis. This method also requires the x3850 X6 compute books be the same E7-8800 series processors as ordered for the RPQ, however, in this scenario, the server maintain the original serial number.

Note: Use of E7-4800 processors: Intel Xeon E7-4800 v2/v3/v4 processors cannot be used in an x3950 X6. If your x3850 X6 has Compute Books with E7-4800 processors, then these must be replaced with Compute Books with E7-8800 processors if you plan to upgrade to an x3950 X6. The memory in the Compute Books can be reused in the x3950 X6, however (provided the selected processors support the memory type, DDR3 or DDR4).

For this method, submit an RPQ for assessment and pricing. The existing x3850 X6 configuration will be evaluated and recommendations will be made based on the workload requirements.

The major parts of the 4U to 8U upgrade are the 8U chassis, the Storage Book and the Primary I/O Book. All the components in the package will be installed in the top portion of the chassis. The 4U system's components will be transferred to the bottom section of the chassis.

Even though this upgrade requires a new 8U chassis replacing the existing 4U chassis, the majority of internal components can be moved from the x3850 X6 to the x3950 X6.

The x3850 X6 components that can be migrated to the x3950 X6 as part of the RPQ upgrade are:

• Compute Books, provided they use Intel Xeon E7-8800 processors
• All memory DIMMs
• Storage Book
• All internal drives
• Primary I/O Book (and associated fans)
• Half-length I/O Books
• Full-length I/O Books
• All adapters
• All power supplies

The RPQ upgrade includes these parts:

• New 8U chassis and 8-socket midplane
• A second Storage Book
• A second Primary I/O Book

The RPQ upgrade may also require new parts:

• Additional Compute Books (a minimum of four Compute Books required in the x3950 X6)
• Additional power supplies (a minimum of four are required in the x3950 X6)
• Additional I/O Books, network adapters, drives as needed

There are key considerations for this upgrade:

• Processor support: Intel Xeon E7-4800 v2/v3/v4 processors cannot be used in an x3950 X6. If your x3850 X6 has Compute Books with E7-4800 processors, then these must be replaced with Compute Books with E7-8800 processors if you plan to upgrade to an x3950 X6. The memory in the Compute Books can be reused in the x3950 X6, however.
• All processors must be identical: All processors used in the x3950 X6 must be the identical. For example, all E7-8850 v3 processors. A minimum of four processors are required.
• The upgrade does result in some parts no longer being used (“parts on the floor”):
• Existing 4U chassis and 4-socket midplane
• Compute Books that are based on E7-4800 processors
• Original x3850 X6 server may need to be ordered configure-to-order (CTO) or Special Bid: To minimize “parts on the floor” (parts that cannot be used in the upgraded system), the original x3850 X6 should be configured with Compute Books containing E7-8800 processors. Since many standard models of the x3850 X6 (see Table 2) contain E7-4800 processors, you may need to use configure-to-order or order the server using Special Bid to create a server configuration with E7-8800 processors.
• Serial number swap: The RPQ upgrade process also involves transferring the x3850 X6 serial number to the x3950 X6 chassis. This transfer makes the upgrade simpler from an asset or depreciation management point of view. This transfer also means that the old 4U chassis will be retired as it will no longer have a valid serial number.
• Power supplies: Ideally all power supplies are the 1400W variant. Regardless of the selection, the power supplies coexistence rules as described in the Power supplies section must be followed.
• Additional power: Depending on your workload and configuration you may need to provision for additional PDU outlets, cables and power capacity for your x3950 X6 server. Use the Lenovo Power Configurator to determine your total power draw to assist you in provisioning adequate power. You can download the Power Configurator from https://support.lenovo.com/documents/LNVO-PWRCONF
• Additional rack space: An additional 4U of rack space is required when upgrading the x3850 X6 to the x3950 X6, for a total of 8U of rack space.
• Down time: In order to upgrade the x3850 X6 server to an x3950 X6 server you will need to allow for down time. The server will need to be completely powered off and have some of its components removed for re-installation into the new x3950 X6 server.

Processor options

The x3850 X6 supports up to four Intel Xeon E7 processors, either E7 v4 or E7 v3. Processors are installed in Compute Books, one processor in each Compute Book. The following figure shows the components of the Compute Book:

• One processor
• A total of 24 DIMM slots, 12 on each side of the book
• Two hot-swap dual-motor fans that are mounted on the front of the book

The x3850 X6 supports two or four Compute Books. Three Compute Books are not supported. A configuration of one Compute Book is only supported in standard models 6241-A4x and 6241-D5x.

Each Compute Book is installed in the front of the server, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 4. Compute Book

Each option includes the processor installed in a Compute Book. Compute Books with one of the E7-4800 family of processors are supported only in a four-socket x3850 X6 server and cannot be used in an x3950 X6 server. All Compute Books installed in a server must be identical.

The table also shows the maximum memory bus speed each processor supports plus which server models have each processor standard. If there is no corresponding where-used model for a particular processor, this processor is only available through CTO.

‡ The first feature code is for the first Compute Book. The second feature code is for all additional Compute Books
† The processors support two memory modes, RAS mode (also known as lockstep mode) and Performance mode (also known as independent mode). In Performance mode, the SMI2 link operates at twice the memory bus speed shown.

Memory options

The x3850 X6 (6241) supports either DDR3 or TruDDR4 memory, depending on the Compute Books used in the server.

Lenovo TruDDR4 Memory uses the highest quality components that are sourced from Tier 1 DRAM suppliers and only memory that meets the strict requirements of Lenovo is selected. It is compatibility tested and tuned to maximize performance and reliability. TruDDR4 Memory has a unique signature that is programmed into the DIMM that enables System x® servers to verify whether the memory that is installed is qualified or supported by Lenovo. Because TruDDR4 Memory is authenticated, certain extended memory performance features can be enabled to extend performance over industry standards.

Lenovo DDR3 memory is compatibility tested and tuned for optimal System x performance and throughput. Lenovo memory specifications are integrated into the light path diagnostics for immediate system performance feedback and optimum system uptime.

From a service and support standpoint, Lenovo TruDDR4 and DDR3 memory automatically assumes the system warranty, and Lenovo provides service and support worldwide.

The x3850 X6 supports TruDDR4 memory operating at speeds up to 1866 MHz and DDR3 memory at speeds up to 1600 MHz. Note that even though supported TruDDR4 DIMMs are rated at 2400 MHz or 2133 MHz, when used in the x3850 X6, they operate at speeds up to 1866 MHz.

The x3850 X6 supports up to 96 DIMMs when all processors are installed, 24 DIMMs per processor. Each processor has four memory channels that are implemented using Scalable Memory Interface generation 2 (SMI2) chips, and the server implements three DIMMs per channel. The processor and the corresponding memory DIMM slots are on the Compute Book.

The following table lists the memory options that are available for x3850 X6.

* Withdrawn from marketing
** 00D5024 is supported only in Compute Books with E7 v2 processors
† 00KH391 is supported only in Compute Books with E7-8880 v3 or E7-8890 v3 processors; no other memory DIMM is supported if 00KH391 is installed

The following rules apply when selecting the memory configuration:

• The server supports RDIMMs and LRDIMMs.
• DDR4 Compute Books support mixing 2133 MHz and 2400 MHz DDR4 memory.
• Mixing different types of memory (RDIMMs and LRDIMMs) is not supported.
• Mixing different generations of memory (DDR3 and TruDDR4) is not supported
• The maximum number of ranks per one memory channel is six with RDIMMs or 24 with LRDIMMs.
• In RAS (lockstep) mode, DIMMs must be installed in a pair.
• The maximum quantity of DIMMs that can be installed in the server depends on the number of processors, DIMM type, rank, and operating voltage, as shown in the "Maximum qty supported" row in the following table.
• All DIMMs in the server operate at the same speed, which is determined as the lowest value of one of the following options:
  • Memory speed that is supported by the specific processor.
  • Lowest of maximum operating speeds for selected memory configuration that depends on rated speed, operating voltage, and quantity of DIMMs per channel, as shown under "Maximum operating speed" section in the following table.

The following tables show the characteristics of the supported DIMMs. Table cells that are highlighted with a gray background indicate that the server supports higher memory frequencies or larger memory capacity (or both) than the Intel processor specification defines.

Memory speed: In performance mode, memory channels operate independently, and the SMI2 link operates at twice the DDR3 speed. In RAS mode, two channels operate synchronously, and the SMI2 link operates at the DDR3 speed.

* Maximum quantity supported is shown for all processors that are installed
† This speed is above the Intel standard and is achieved only when Lenovo TruDDR4 memory is used

* Maximum quantity supported is shown for all processors that are installed
† This speed is achieved only when Lenovo TruDDR4 memory is used

* Maximum quantity supported is shown for all processors that are installed

The following memory protection technologies are supported:

• ECC
• Chipkill (for x4-based memory DIMMs)
• Redundant bit steering (Double Device Data Correction)
• Memory mirroring
• Memory rank sparing

Chipkill and Redundant Bit Steering are supported in RAS mode. Chipkill is supported in Performance mode.

If memory mirroring is used, DIMMs must be installed in pairs for Performance mode (minimum of one pair per each processor) and quads for RAS mode. DIMMs in the pair/quad must be identical in type and size.

If memory rank sparing is used, then a minimum of two single-rank or dual-rank DIMMs must be installed per populated channel (the DIMMs do not need being 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 that are installed.

Internal storage

The x3850 X6 server supports 1.8-inch solid-state drives and 2.5-inch SSDs and HDDs. Drives are installed in the Storage Book. The x3850 X6 has one Storage Book. The Storage Book supports the following configurations:

• 4x 2.5-inch hot-swap drive bays
• 8x 2.5-inch hot-swap drive bays
• 4x 2.5-inch hot-swap drive bays + 8x 1.8-inch hot-swap SSD bays
• 8x 1.8-inch hot-swap SSD bays
• 16x 1.8-inch hot-swap SSD bays
• 4x 2.5-inch PCIe NVMe SSDs
• 2x 2.5-inch PCIe NVMe SSDs + 8x 1.8-inch HDD hot-swap drives
• 2x 2.5-inch PCIe NVMe SSDs + 4x 2.5-inch HDD hot-swap drives

The following figure shows these configurations.

Figure 5. Internal drive configurations

Backplanes

All standard models ship with four 2.5-inch SAS/SATA hot-swap hard disk drive bays, except model 6241-A4x. The following table shows the internal storage expansion options that are available.

Table 11. Internal storage expansion options

The backplanes are connected to one or two RAID controllers or HBAs depending on the number and type of backplane that is installed. The adapters are installed in PCIe slots in the Storage Book, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 6. Storage Book

The following table shows the backplanes that are required per Storage Book and the number of controllers that are required. Note that the table shows the exact number of controllers supported for each drive/backplane configuration, no more, no fewer.

Table 12. Drive combinations per Storage Book

* The number of controllers required is dependent on the number of drives installed: 1 or 2 drives requires one controller, and 3 or 4 drives requires two controllers.

Controllers for internal storage

The following table lists the RAID controllers, HBAs, and additional hardware and feature upgrades that are used for internal disk storage. The adapters are installed in slots in the Storage Book.

* These M5210 features upgrades require a cache memory upgrade (47C8656, 47C8660, or 47C8664).

The following table compares the features of the supported controllers.

For more information, see the list of Lenovo Press Product Guides in the RAID adapters category:
https://lenovopress.com/servers/options/raid

The NVMe PCIe SSD Extender Adapter is a PCIe adapter that simply routes the PCIe 3.0 x8 signal from the slot in the Storage Book, splits the signal to two x4 links, and routes those via cables to the drive backplane. The extender adapter is shown in the following figure.

One adapter is required for every two drives installed in the Storage Book. Since there are only two PCIe slots in the Compute Book, only two adapters can be installed and therefore only four NVMe drives can be installed in a Storage Book.

Figure 7. NVMe PCIe SSD Extender Adapter

Internal drive options

The following tables list the drive options for internal storage.

• Table 12: 2.5-inch 12Gb HDDs
• Table 13: 2.5-inch 6Gb HDDs 
• Table 14: 2.5-inch 12Gb SAS/SATA SSDs
• Table 15: 2.5-inch 6Gb SAS/SATA SSDs
• Table 16: 2.5-inch NVMe SSDs
• Table 17: 1.8-inch SSDs

Internal backup units

The server does not support internal tape drive options.

Optical drives

The server does not support an internal optical drive option, however, you can connect an external USB optical drive. See http://support.lenovo.com/en/documents/pd011281 for information about available external optical drives from Lenovo.

I/O expansion options

The server supports up to 11 PCIe slots plus dedicated Mezzanine LOM slot (12 total) as follows:

• In the Storage Book (standard in all models): Two PCIe 3.0 x8 slots for supported internal RAID controllers and SAS HBAs
• In the Primary I/O Book (standard in all models):
  • Two PCIe 3.0 x16 slots (x16-wired), half length, full height, up to 75 W of power
  • One PCIe 3.0 x16 (x8-wired), half length, full height, up to 75 W of power
  • One mezzanine LOM 2 (ML2) slot for network adapters with the new ML2 form factor (PCIe 3.0 x8)
• Two optional I/O Books, each with three slots, all full height. Optional I/O Books are enabled for hot-swap.

The following figure shows the Primary I/O Book with the air baffle raised to show the internals.

Figure 8. Primary I/O Book

Optional I/O Books can be either of:

• Half-length I/O Book:
  • Two PCIe 3.0 x8 slots (x8 wired)
  • One PCIe 3.0 x16 slot (x16 wired)
• Full-length I/O Book:
  • Two PCIe 3.0 x16 (x16 wired)
  • One PCIe 2.0 x8 slot (x4 wired)

The adapters listed in the following table support hot-swap.

* Hot-swap is only supported when the adapter is in pNIC mode. Hot-swap is not supported in either vNIC mode (Virtual Fabric mode or Switch Independent mode).

Optional I/O books

The usage of these Optional I/O Books requires all four processors to be installed.

The following table shows the ordering information for the optional I/O Books.

Table 22. I/O Book options

* The Full-length I/O Book can be ordered only as an option. It is not available through CTO because the Full-length I/O Book cannot be shipped installed in the server

The following figure shows the two optional I/O Books, the Half-length I/O Book and the Full-length I/O Book.

Figure 9. Half-length I/O Book and the Full-length I/O Book

The following figure shows the inside of the Half-length I/O Book.

Figure 10. Half-length I/O Book

Each slot in the Half-length I/O Book and the Full-length I/O Book supplies up to 75 W of power.

The Full-length I/O Book also includes two auxiliary power connectors. With the use of these connectors and the supplied power cords, the I/O book supports one double-wide adapter up to 300 W. The auxiliary power connectors are as follows:

• One 2x4 power connector, which supplies up to 150 W of additional power to the adapter
• One 2x3 power connector, which supplies up to 75 W of additional power to the adapter

The combined power consumption of all the adapters that are installed in the Full-length I/O Book cannot exceed 300 W.

Note: The 2x3 connector is intended to be used only when one adapter is installed in the first x16 slot (the up-most slot in the following figure), either requiring 225 W or 300 W of power. The location of the 2x3 connector prevents an adapter from being installed in the other x16 slot.

Figure 11. Full-length I/O Book

The Half-length I/O Book installs flush with the Primary I/O Book at the rear of the server. The Full-length I/O Book, when installed, adds a 99 mm (3.9 in.) mechanical extension to the base length dimension of the chassis.

The following figure shows a Full-length I/O Book and a Half-length I/O Book installed in the server.

Figure 12. I/O Books that are installed in the x3850 X6

Network adapters

The server supports ML2 adapters that are installed in the custom ML2 slot. This slot supports adapters with either two 10 Gb ports or four Gigabit ports and supports direct connectivity to the IMM2 service processor for out-of-band systems management.

As listed in the Standard models section, Model B3x includes the Broadcom NetXtreme II ML2 Dual Port 10GbE SFP+ adapter as standard. All other standard models include an Intel I350-T4 ML2 Quad Port GbE Adapter (I350-AM4 based).

The Broadcom NetXtreme II ML2 Dual Port 10GbE SFP+ Adapter has the following specifications:

• Dual-port 10 Gb Ethernet connectivity
• Broadcom BCM57810S ASIC
• SFP+ ports supporting fiber optic and direct-attach copper (DAC) cables

For more information about this adapter, see the Product Guide: http://lenovopress.com/tips1027

The Intel I350-T4 ML2 Quad Port GbE Adapter has the following specifications:

• Quad-port 1 Gb Ethernet connectivity
• Intel I350-AM4 ASIC
• RJ45 ports for copper cables

For more information about this adapter, see Product Guide: http://lenovopress.com/tips1155

The following table lists the supported ML2 adapters. ML2 adapters are installed only in the ML2 slot (slot 10 as show in the Slot locations section).

* Not supported in servers with E7 v2 compute books

The server also supports various other Ethernet, InfiniBand and Omni-Path network adapters, as listed in the following table. The maximum quantity listed is for configurations with all processors and I/O books installed.

The maximum supported column also indicates which slots each adapter is supported in. For slot locations see the Slot locations section.

* Not supported in servers with E7 v2 compute books

For more information, see the list of Lenovo Press Product Guides in the Ethernet Adapters category and the InfiniBand & Omni-Path Adapters category.

The following table lists the optical transceivers and DAC cables that can be used with the supported 40Gb Ethernet adapters listed.

* One transceiver or cable is supported per adapter port. All adapter ports must have the same type of transceiver or DAC cable selected.

Fibre Channel host bus adapters

The following table lists the Fibre Channel HBAs supported by the x3850 X6. The maximum quantity listed is for configurations with all processors and I/O books installed. The maximum supported column also indicates which slots each adapter is supported in. For slot locations see the Slot locations section.

* Not supported in servers with E7 v2 compute books

For more information, see the list of Lenovo Press Product Guides in the Host bus adapters category:
https://lenovopress.com/servers/options/hba

SAS adapters for external storage

The following table lists the SAS HBAs and RAID adapters that are supported by the x3850 X6. The maximum quantity listed is for configurations with all processors and I/O books installed. The maximum supported column also indicates which slots each adapter is supported in. For slot locations see the Slot locations section.

The following table compares the specifications of the external SAS HBAs and RAID adapters.

Cache upgrade required: The ServeRAID M5120 SAS/SATA Controller ships standard without a cache. One of the available cache upgrades (81Y4487, 81Y4559, or 47C8670) is required for the M5120 adapter operations, and it must be purchased together with the controller.

For more information about the adapters, see these Lenovo Press Product Guides:

• N2125: http://lenovopress.com/tips1062
• N2225 & N2226: http://lenovopress.com/tips1175
• ServeRAID M5120: http://lenovopress.com/tips0858
• ServeRAID M5225: http://lenovopress.com/tips1258

PCIe Flash Storage adapters

The server supports the PCIe Flash Storage Adapters that are listed in the following table. The maximum quantity listed is for configurations with all processors and I/O books installed. The maximum supported column also indicates which slots each adapter is supported in. For slot locations see the Slot locations section.

* These adapters cannot be ordered via CTO. It can only be ordered as an option. The server cannot be shipped with these adapter installed. See http://ibm.com/support/entry/portal/docdisplay?lndocid=SERV-IO3

For more information about these adapters, see the Lenovo Press Product Guides in the PCIe SSD Adapters category:
https://lenovopress.com/servers/options/ssdadapter

GPU adapters and co-processors

The server supports the co-processors and graphics processing units (GPUs) that are listed in the following table. Each is installed in a Full-length I/O Book. No other adapter can be installed in the Full-length I/O Book. The Full-length I/O Book includes the necessary auxiliary power cables. The maximum supported column indicates which slots each adapter is supported in. For slot locations see the Slot locations section.

Notes:

• These adapters are not available through CTO and cannot be shipped installed in the server because they are installed in the Full-length I/O Book, which extends beyond the rear of the chassis (see Figure 12). These adapters must be shipped separately from the server. Order the adapter and Full-length I/O Book as separate options.
• If an NVIDIA GPU is installed, the maximum system memory that can be installed is 1 TB.

* Not supported in servers with E7 v2 compute books
† Not available through CTO.

Power supplies

The x3850 X6 server supports up to four redundant power supplies. Standard models come with one, two, or four power supplies (model dependent). The following table lists the power supplies.

Table 32. Power supplies

An AC power supply ships standard with one 2.8 m C13 - C14 power cord.

Configuration rules are as follows:

• Power supplies must be in pairs (x3850 X6) or quads (x3950 X6), with the exception of model 3837-A4x, where one power supply is supported.
• The AC power supplies can be mixed. Valid combinations for the x3850 X6 for example, are:
  • Two 44X4132 and two 44X4152
  • Two 44X4132 and two 44X4150
• It is not recommended you mix the two 1400 W options (44X4152 for low altitude and 44X4150 for high altitude) as you will nullify the high-altitude capabilities of 44X4150.
• You cannot mix the AC power supplies with the DC power supply
• Use the Power Configurator to determine exactly what power your server needs:
  http://ibm.com/support/entry/portal/docdisplay?lndocid=LNVO-PWRCONF

Integrated virtualization

The server supports VMware ESXi that is installed on a USB memory key. The key is installed in a USB socket that is on the primary I/O book inside the server. The following table lists the virtualization options.

* Not supported in servers with E7 v2 compute books  

Systems management

The server contains Integrated Management Module II (IMM2), 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 lights LEDs to help you diagnose the problem, records the error in the event log, and alerts you to the problem. The IMM2 also provides a virtual presence capability for remote server management capabilities.

The IMM2 provides remote server management through 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 remote presence provides the following functions:

• Remotely viewing video with graphics resolutions up to 1600 x 1200 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 feature to assist in determining the cause of the hang condition.

Rack installation

All models of the x3850 X6 include a rail kit and cable management bracket kit for installation in a 19-inch rack cabinet. The contents of the kits are shown in the following figure.

Figure 14. x3850 X6 rail kit and cable management bracket kit

Supported operating systems

The server supports the following operating systems:

• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2012
• Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2016 (Intel Xeon E7 v3 and E7 v4 processors only)
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Server x64 Edition
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
• SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 11 for AMD64/EM64T
• SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 11 with Xen for AMD64/EM64T
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 with XEN
• VMware vSphere 5.1 (ESXi) (Intel Xeon E7 v2 processors only)
• VMware vSphere 5.5 (ESXi) (Intel Xeon E7 v2 and E7 v3 processors only)
• VMware vSphere 6.0 (ESXi)

For the latest information about the specific versions and service levels that are supported and any other prerequisites, see the Operating System Interoperability Guide, http://lenovopress.com/osig

Physical and environmental specifications

Dimensions and weight:

• Height: 173 mm (6.8 in.)
• Width: 482 mm (19.0 in.)
• Depth: 804 mm (31.6 in)
• Depth with cable management brackets installed: 836 mm (32.9”)
• Depth with Full-length I/O Book installed: 921 mm (36.2 in)
• Weight:
  • Minimum configuration: 35.9 kg (79.2 lb)
  • Typical configuration: 46.4 kg (102.3 lb)
  • Maximum configuration: 54.7 kg (120 lb)

Supported environment:

• The server is designed to the ASHRAE Class A3 guidelines
• Air temperature:
  • Server on: 5 °C to 40 °C (41 °F to 104 °F); altitude: 0 - 3,050 m (10,000 ft).
  • Server off: 5 °C to 45 °C (41 °F to 113 °F); altitude: 0 - 3,050 m (10,000 ft).
  • Shipment: -40 °C to 60 °C (-40 °F to 140 °F)

• Humidity:
  • Server on: 8% - 85%, maximum dew point 24 °C
  • Server off: 8% - 85%, maximum dew point 27 °C

• Electrical:
  • Models with 1400 W AC power supplies:
    • 100 -127 (nominal) V AC; 50 Hz or 60 Hz; 10 A (900 W DC output)
    • 200 - 240 (nominal) V AC; 50 Hz or 60 Hz; 8 A (1400 W DC output)
    • Input kilovolt-amperes (kVA) (approximately):
      • Minimum configuration: 0.16 kVA
      • Maximum configuration: 3.2 kVA
  • Models with 900 W AC power supplies:
    • 100 - 127 (nominal) V AC; 50 Hz or 60 Hz; 10.7 A
    • 200 - 240 (nominal) V AC; 50 Hz or 60 Hz; 5.3 A
    • Input kilovolt-amperes (kVA) (approximately):
      • Minimum configuration: 0.16 kVA
      • Maximum configuration: 2.0 kVA
  • Models with 750 W DC power supplies:
    • -40 to -75 (nominal) V DC
    • Input kilovolt-amperes (kVA) (approximately):
      • Minimum configuration: 0.16 kVA
      • Maximum configuration: 1.7 kVA

• BTU output:
  • Minimum configuration: 546 Btu/hr (160 watts)
  • Maximum configuration: 10,912 Btu/hr (3,200 watts)

• Noise level:
  • 6.6 bels (operating)
  • 6.4 bels (idle)

Warranty options

The system 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.

The following table explains warranty service definitions in more detail.

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 Disk Drive Retention

  Lenovo’s Hard Disk Drive Retention (HDDR) 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 regulations:

• FCC - Verified to comply with Part 15 of the FCC Rules, Class A
• Canada ICES-003, issue 4, Class A
• UL/IEC 60950-1
• CSA C22.2 No. 60950-1
• NOM-019
• Argentina IEC60950-1
• Japan VCCI, Class A
• Australia/New Zealand AS/NZS CISPR 22, Class A
• IEC 60950-1(CB Certificate and CB Test Report)
• China CCC (GB4943), GB9254 Class A, GB17625.1
• Taiwan BSMI CNS13438, Class A; CNS14336-1
• Korea KN22, Class A; KN24
• Russia/GOST ME01, IEC-60950-1, GOST R 51318.22, GOST R 51318.24, GOST R 51317.3.2, and GOST R 51317.3.3
• IEC 60950-1 (CB Certificate and CB Test Report)
• CE Mark (EN55022 Class A, EN60950-1, EN55024, EN61000-3-2, and EN61000-3-3)
• CISPR 22, Class A
• TUV-GS (EN60950-1 /IEC60950-1, EK1-ITB2000)

External drive enclosures

The server supports attachment to external drive enclosures using a RAID controller with external ports or a SAS host bus adapter. Adapters supported by the server are listed in the SAS adapters for external storage section.

For details about supported drives and cables for the Lenovo Storage E1012 and E1024, see the Lenovo Press Product Guide:
http://lenovopress.com/lp0043

For details about supported drives and cables for the Lenovo Storage D1212 and D1224, see the Lenovo Press Product Guide:
http://lenovopress.com/lp0512

The following table lists the relationship models of the 12 Gbps SAS external high density drive enclosures that are offered by Lenovo.

The following table lists the TopSeller models of the 12 Gbps SAS external high density drive enclosures that are offered by Lenovo.

For details about supported drives, adapters, and cables for the Lenovo Storage D3284, see the Lenovo Press Product Guide:
http://lenovopress.com/lp0513

External storage systems

The following table lists the NAS and SAN external storage systems that are offered by Lenovo.

* Machine Type; see the respective Product Guide in the NAS Storage category for models: http://lenovopress.com/storage/nas
** Available only in China.
† Available worldwide except Latin America.
‡ Available only in Latin America.

External backup units

The following table lists the external backup options that are offered by Lenovo.

For more information, see the list of Product Guides in the Backup units category:
https://lenovopress.com/servers/options/backup

Top-of-rack Ethernet switches

The following table lists the Ethernet LAN switches that are offered by Lenovo.

For more information, see the list of Product Guides in the following switch categories:

• 1 Gb Ethernet switches: http://lenovopress.com/networking/tor/1gb?rt=product-guide
• 10 Gb Ethernet switches: http://lenovopress.com/networking/tor/10gb?rt=product-guide
• 40 Gb Ethernet switches: http://lenovopress.com/networking/tor/40gb?rt=product-guide

Fibre Channel SAN switches

The following table lists the Fibre Channel SAN switches that are offered by Lenovo and can be used with this system.

* Withdrawn from marketing

For more information, see the list of Product Guides in the Rack SAN Switches category:
http://lenovopress.com/storage/switches/rack

Uninterruptible power supply units

The following table lists the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) units that are offered by Lenovo.

For more information, see the list of Product Guides in the UPS category:
https://lenovopress.com/servers/options/ups

Power distribution units

The following table lists the power distribution units (PDUs) that are offered by Lenovo.

For more information, see the Lenovo Press documents in the PDU category:
https://lenovopress.com/servers/options/pdu

Rack cabinets

The racks supported by the server are listed in the following table.

Table 46. Rack cabinets

* No support for Full-length I/O Books

For more information, see the list of Product Guides in the Rack Cabinets category:
http://lenovopress.com/servers/options/racks

KVM console options

The following table lists the supported KVM console, keyboards and KVM switches.

For more information, see the list of Product Guides in the KVM Switches and Consoles category:
http://lenovopress.com/servers/options/kvm

Lenovo Financial Services

Lenovo Financial Services reinforces Lenovo’s commitment to deliver pioneering products and services that are recognized for their quality, excellence, and trustworthiness. Lenovo Financial Services offers financing solutions and services that complement your technology solution anywhere in the world.

We are dedicated to delivering a positive finance experience for customers like you who want to maximize your purchase power by obtaining the technology you need today, protect against technology obsolescence, and preserve your capital for other uses.

We work with businesses, non-profit organizations, governments and educational institutions to finance their entire technology solution. We focus on making it easy to do business with us. Our highly experienced team of finance professionals operates in a work culture that emphasizes the importance of providing outstanding customer service. Our systems, processes and flexible policies support our goal of providing customers with a positive experience.

We finance your entire solution. Unlike others, we allow you to bundle everything you need from hardware and software to service contracts, installation costs, training fees, and sales tax. If you decide weeks or months later to add to your solution, we can consolidate everything into a single invoice.

Our Premier Client services provide large accounts with special handling services to ensure these complex transactions are serviced properly. As a premier client, you have a dedicated finance specialist who manages your account through its life, from first invoice through asset return or purchase. This specialist develops an in-depth understanding of your invoice and payment requirements. For you, this dedication provides a high-quality, easy, and positive financing experience.

For your region specific offers please ask your Lenovo sales representative or your technology provider about the use of Lenovo Financial Services. For more information, see the following Lenovo website:

http://www.lenovofs.com

Related publications and links

For more information, see these useful resources:

• Lenovo System x3850 X6 product page
  http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/systems/servers/mission-critical/x3850-x6/
• Lenovo System x3850 X6 Installation and Service Guide
  http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/systemx/documentation/topic/
  com.lenovo.sysx.6241.doc/printable_doc.html
• Lenovo System x3850 X6 Rack Installation Instructions
  http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/systemx/documentation/topic/
  com.lenovo.sysx.6241.doc/printable_doc.html
• Lenovo System x3950 X6 Product Guide
  http://lenovopress.com/tips1251
• ServerProven hardware compatibility page for the x3850 X6 and x3950 X6
  http://www.lenovo.com/us/en/serverproven/xseries/6241.shtml
• xREF: System x Reference
  http://lenovopress.com/xref
• System x Support Portal
  http://ibm.com/support/entry/portal/
  http://ibm.com/support/entry/portal/overview/hardware/systems/system_x/system_x3850_X6
  http://ibm.com/support/entry/portal/overview/hardware/systems/system_x/system_x3950_X6
• IBM System Storage Interoperation Center
  http://www.ibm.com/systems/support/storage/ssic
• Golden Egg Visual Diagram
  http://www.goldeneggs.fi/documents/GE-LENOVO-X3850X6-A.pdf

Related product families

Product families related to this document are the following:

• Mission-Critical Rack Servers
• 4-Socket Rack Servers