Lenovo ThinkStation P910 Workstation

Description

The Lenovo ThinkStation P910 Workstation can support one or two Intel Xeon E5-2600 v4 processors, which provide a 20% increase in cores and cache compared to the previous generation. With dual processors the system can be loaded with up to 1TB of memory. This system can host up to 56TB of storage, depending on configuration, and up to three full-width NVIDIA graphics cards for demanding visualization applications.

Performance

This workstation supports up to two Intel Xeon E5-2600 v4 processors with up to 22 cores and 44 threads per socket. Dual-processor configurations enable “mega-tasking” for faster application performance. E5-2600 v4 processors provide over 20% more cache and cores than its predecessor and support DDR4 memory modules which are 12% faster than previous generation memory. A wide array of configuration options, from core count to processor power levels, allow administrators to choose a processor tailored towards specific workloads for optimum application performance.

Memory

In a dual-processor configuration, a maximum of 16 DDR4 modules support up to 1TB using 64GB load reduced DIMM modules. Both registered (RDIMM) and load-reduced (LRDIMM) memory modules can be installed on this system, but mixing different types of memory modules is not supported. RDIMMs are typically faster with lower latency, but LRDIMMs will provide a higher capacity of memory.

Storage

With support for up to 14 storage devices adding up to 56TB total storage, this platform features the largest storage capacity of any workstation on the market. Administrators can choose to configure the four internal storage bays with either one LFF drive, two SFF drives, or a mixture of LFF and SFF drives. The addition of a Front Access Storage Controller and Flex Bay Storage Controller will control the other six storage devices located in the Flex bays and Flex connector slots. Support for M.2 form factor NVMe drives maximizes storage performance and can be RAIDed to boost read/write performance for I/O intensive applications.

Expansion

The front of the workstation has a microphone and headphone jack, optional nine-in-one media card reader, and four USB 3.0 ports. One of the front-mounted ports stays on even when the system is powered down and another can be used for diagnostics to record an error log on a smart device or USB stick. Another eight USB ports can be found at the back of the system which are split evenly between 2.0 and 3.0 technologies. A second nine-in-one card reader can also be found at the back, or administrators can choose to configure this system with an optional 29-in-1 card reader instead. There are a total of eight PCIe expansion ports:

• (4) PCIe x16
• (2) PCIe x4
• (2) PCIe x1

The P910 can support for up to three graphics double-wide cards, including NVIDIA's Quadro M6000 which support up to four displays each. It also supports optional Firewire and Thunderbolt connections.

Management

Without an operating system installed, Intel's Active Management Technology 9 provides remote management capabilities even when the system is powered off. Virtually all of the components have tool-less access, including the motherboard and power supply, which are indicated by red touch points to make for easy serviceability and upgrades.

Summary

The Lenovo ThinkStation P910 Workstation is a high performance, dual-processor system and Lenovo's top-of-the-line workstations. It features the largest storage capacity and I/O potential in the industry, and twice the amount of memory compared to mainstream dual processor workstations. A modular design supports a multitude of configuration options enabling users to personalize the workstation and provide optimum performance for just about any workload. Tool-less access to virtually every component makes for easy upgrades and Intel's E5-2600 v4 processors provide up to 22 cores to handle the most computationally demanding workloads with ease.