Lenovo introduces its ThinkSystem SE350 HPC solution at SC19
Lenovo's approach to HPC solutions is different from the widely used one and is grounded on unification and scalability. Unification means reducing the number of chassis and nodes in order to increase compatibility, as well as exclusively using standard 19” racks. Unlike, for example, Cray’s or Atos’s solutions that use proprietary nodes and racks, Lenovo servers allow to update the fleet of machines without having to change the existing data center infrastructure.
Besides, Lenovo offers different versions of the same machines based on the cooling system they are using - either Direct Water Cooling (DWC) or the common air cooling. In addition, a few years ago, Lenovo found a way to simplify the installation process by providing customers with tested and ready-to-use solutions that can be assembled on-site as a Lego set with minimal effort from the data center staff.
Unification naturally leads to easier scalability - the company does not make fundamental differences between the systems of a few petaflops and hundreds of petaflops. Whether a customer needs just a half-rack or two dozen racks, that’s not going to be a problem.
At SC19 that took place November 18-21 in Denver, along with its high-density HPC solutions, modular and hybrid machines Lenovo introduced a new compact-sized and efficient server ThinkSystem SE350 for Edge, or peripheral, computing.
Designed to tackle the issue of limitations of server locations, edge-servers are put literally at the edge of the network, near the data source, and are therefore able to process data on the spot, such as from the sensors of the Internet of Things, smart devices, industrial equipment, and intelligent video surveillance systems.
There is a range of specific requirements for edge-servers that should be met simultaneously: high efficiency, compact size, autonomy, low power consumption, increased reliability, and ability to perform in adverse conditions. Rick Koopman, EMEA Technical Leader High-Performance Computing at Lenovo, says that with the expansion of 5G such systems will become extremely popular, so in the near future we will see more and more of them.
Lenovo’s new ThinkSystem SE350 is an Intel Xeon D-2100 processor-based server, with a 1U height, half-width and short depth case that can be placed anywhere.
The system provides several connectivity options with wired and secure wireless Wi-Fi and LTE connection ability, with 5G support getting ready in the near future.
The server is built to perform in temperatures from 0 to 55 °C as well as in high dust and vibration environments. In addition, Lenovo provides various software and hardware solutions for data and equipment protection.
Overall, designed with a focus on smart connectivity, business security, and manageability for the harsh environment, the ThinkSystem SE350 truly represents a new era solution that can fulfill a wide variety of Edge and IoT workloads.
