Delivering on the success of the Lenovo ThinkSystem SE350 edge server, Lenovo has announced the ThinkEdge SE450 server. The ThinkEdge SE450 advances edge capabilities with AI-ready technology in a compact 2U rack server with a 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Platinum processor with up to 36 cores. The new edge server provides faster insights and computing performance to more environments, accelerating real-time decision-making at the edge.
Delivering on the success of the Lenovo ThinkSystem SE350 edge server, Lenovo has announced the ThinkEdge SE450 server. The ThinkEdge SE450 advances edge capabilities with AI-ready technology in a compact 2U rack server with a 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Platinum processor with up to 36 cores. The new edge server provides faster insights and computing performance to more environments, accelerating real-time decision-making at the edge.
Update 5/13/22 – Our Lenovo ThinkEdge SE450 Review is Live
Lenovo ThinkEdge SE450 – Powerful Edge Computing
Edge computing is the primary focus for businesses looking to optimize remote work locations and process data as it is delivered. Gartner estimates that 75 percent of enterprise-generated data will be processed at the edge by 2025, and 80 percent of enterprise IoT projects will incorporate AI by 2022. Lenovo customers use edge-driven data sources for immediate decision-making in factory, retail, metro, and mobile locations.
Edge deployments bring their own unique challenges. Security is a significant issue for businesses as they navigate the edge-to-cloud space. ThinkEdge SE450 is designed with several security options such as a locking bezel to prevent unauthorized access and features to protect data.
Since many edge deployments are unmanned and hard to reach, the ThinkEdge SE450 is automatically installed and managed with Lenovo Open Cloud Automation (LOC-A) and easily configured with Lenovo XClarity Orchestrator software. Remote access to the server, via completely out-of-band wired or wireless access, avoids any unnecessary trip to the edge locations.
Lenovo’s ThinkEdge SE450 supports multiple AI workloads and meets the demands of a wide variety of critical workloads with a unique quiet, deploy anywhere form factor. With a shorter depth (300mm or 360mm depending on config), it can be easily installed in remote locations. Purpose-built, the ThinkEdge SE450 meets the requirements of vertically specific edge environments, with a ruggedized design to withstand wider operating temperatures, as well as high dust, shock, and vibration for harsh settings. In addition to the rugged design, the ThinkEdge SE450 is quieter for installations in offices and retail environments.
Lenovo ThinkEdge SE450 Key Features
The Lenovo ThinkEdge SE450 is a compact 2U rack server that supports one 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Platinum processor with up to 36 cores. The storage options are beefy as well with support for up to six 2.5-inch 7mm NVMe SSDs and up to two M.2 boot drives in RAID1. Additional storage can be added via edge card.
The system has ten DDR4 memory slots (8 for DRAM) for up to a maximum of 1TB of memory. There is also support for two Intel Optane Persistent Memory 200 Series modules in the two “extra” DIMM slots. Lenovo includes four expansion slots that support PCIe 4.0 and there is one OCP 3.0 slot.
The ThinkEdge SE450 can also support up to four single-width or two double-width GPUs. Dual redundant AC (up to 1100W) or -48V DC 1100W for flexible power options. Software RAID is standard with options for HW RAID. As with the SE350, this unit support Microsoft, RedHat, Ubuntu, and VMware. There is also an option for CentOS.
The SE450 has, running along the back, the OCP 3.0 Internal lock, RJ45 management port for Xclarity, a VGA port, Health LED, Power button, a network activity LED, a system locator, and locator LED, two USB 3.0 and one Service USB 2.0. Dual PSUs are located at the far right. The top half of the unit supports two WiFi 6 antennas, four PCIe 4.0 slots, and the Bezel detection switch.
The front of the unit has spots for two optional WiFi6 Antenna’s, a keylock, cable entry and a front panel LED.
The SE450 can be mounted in a 2-post or 4-post telco rack, adding even more flexibility to this powerhouse.
As the server may still undergo minor changes, internal photos were not made available at the time of publishing this article.
Notably, the ThinkEdge SE450 is much smaller than a typical server. While retaining a 2U height, the server is not a full rack length (half-width) or depth. The theories tend to be that there is less room for full-sized servers at the edge so companies keep looking for ways to save on space. The SE450 is small enough to be mounted in a variety of different places.
Final Thoughts
Lenovo addresses the demands of edge computing services with the ThinkEdge SE450 by delivering processing power without the big footprint of traditional data center servers. Not as deep as a typical 2U server, the SE450 can be mounted in several ways at the edge. Built to withstand edge environments, the SE450 is packed with processing power, the ability to configure up to 1TB memory and six 7mm drives. The SE450 supports up to four-single width GPUs or two double-width GPUs.
This is a versatile edge server with plenty of power options when needed. We have really enjoyed Lenovo’s other recent products designed for the edge. The SE350 which we mentioned, is one of our favorite servers of all time. The SE50 edge node and the upcoming SE70, add more meat to the Lenovo edge story. StorageReview is looking forward to getting one in a rack when Lenovo puts this into full production, if not sooner.
Update 5/13/22 – Our Lenovo ThinkEdge SE450 Review is Live
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