Lenovo Storage N4610

With the introduction of the Lenovo® Storage N4610 offering, clients can now get an optimized unified storage solution that precisely matches their specific needs. Built on proven Lenovo ThinkServer® platform and preinstalled with Microsoft® Windows® Storage Server 2012 R2, the N4610 delivers enterprise-class storage management technology in an affordable and reliable all-in-one, 2U rack-mount solution. It is a great choice for your business, regardless of whether you are a first-time user of network-attached storage (NAS) or you are deploying advanced storage solutions.

The following figure shows the Lenovo Storage N4610.

Figure 1. Lenovo Storage N4610

The N4610, which is a unified storage platform that is based on ThinkServer and Windows Storage Server 2012 R2 innovations, offers the flexible choice of storage protocols (iSCSI, SMB, CIFS, and NFS) and can provide required performance levels for the most demanding server applications while significantly lowering deployment and support costs.

The N4610 features up to 96 TB of internal storage capacity (raw) in a dense 2U rack form-factor, a Lenovo AnyRAID™ advanced RAID controller, Lenovo AnyFabric™ 4x Gigabit Ethernet (1 GbE,) or 2x 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 GbE) network ports (model-dependent). More network connectivity options also are available (2-port and 4-port 1 GbE with RJ-45 connectors and 2-port 10 GbE with SFP+ or RJ-45 connectors) and I/O scalability with up to eight PCIe 3.0 slots.

The N4610 can be scaled up to 480 TB of storage with the optional Lenovo Storage E1000 Series Drive Enclosures (up to four units are supported).

Unlike Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Storage Server 2012 R2 does not require client access licenses and provides a virtually unlimited number of supported clients for storage sharing purposes.

Windows Storage Server 2012 R2 provides flexible support for Microsoft and ISV anti-virus and backup applications.

The N4610 offers storage-rich capabilities with internal storage and external scale-up storage expansion. It can perform file serving tasks hosting SMB and NFS file shares for Windows, Linux, and Mac based clients, SMB file shares for server applications (SQL over SMB and Hyper-V over SMB), and iSCSI storage targets for the server applications that require block I/O. Client and server applications can use cost-efficient Ethernet LAN infrastructure (Gigabit Ethernet, 10 GbE, or mixed).

Data Deduplication service can be enabled on the N4610 to allow the most efficient use of the storage space (especially for software distribution packages, image repositories, and archives because they often are characterized by high data redundancy and infrequent changes). Optionally, if the storage server is at the central office and is a part of the distributed environment, more services (such as DFS replication) can be enabled to synchronize the content between the central and remote locations for the purpose of centralized backup operations (from the remote to the central location) and software delivery (from the central to the remote location).

The following figure shows an N4610 unified storage server solution.

Figure 2. N4610 unified storage server solution

With enhanced storage manageability features, the N4610 reduces the time spent on IT administration, helping your business to perform the following tasks:

• Consolidate file-sharing resources on Windows Storage Server even in mixed, heterogeneous computing environments
• Speed access to data across your entire network infrastructure, while improving control of files and compliance via a single management interface
• Make the most of simplicity, ease of use, and low-cost scalability to use your organization’s current IT skills to efficiently support a growing user base

The N4610 that is running Windows Storage Server 2012 R2 includes the following features and benefits:

• An affordable and reliable unified network-attached and block-level storage solution with the following features:
  • Reliable storage servers that are built on the proven Lenovo ThinkServer hardware platform.
  • Drive trays that are common with ThinkServer servers.
  • A common set of ThinkServer memory, storage, and network connectivity options.
  • Advanced hardware-based RAID configurations for protecting critical data.
• A dedicated and optimized file and print server. Windows Storage Server 2012 R2 has all function unrelated to file serving removed (while keeping essential infrastructure services for easier deployments), which helps increase reliability and lower the overhead on the server's processor.
• Flexible installation and deployment:
  • Flexible configuration options enable customers to finely tune their storage server hardware to meet cost and performance needs.
  • The storage servers can be configured remotely via Windows Server Manager, which makes them ideal for branch office, department, and store deployments.
• Easy integration into your existing IT infrastructures:
  • Integrates easily into Active Directory environments.
  • You can use your existing backup tools and antivirus software on Windows Storage Server to protect your investments.
  • Files can be shared across heterogeneous file system environments and different operating system platforms through the integration of SMB and NFS protocols.
  • Compatible with existing Ethernet infrastructure.
• Easy to use and manage:
  • Factory-integrated, pre-configured, and delivered to the clients with Microsoft Windows Storage Server 2012 R2 preinstalled.
  • All storage tools are integrated into a single interface of Windows Server Manager.
  • Centralized administration and unified user experience in managing stand-alone storage servers.
• Lower total cost of ownership (TCO):
  • Lenovo storage servers are a cost-effective storage consolidation solution in a network environment and enable centralization of storage and storage management.
  • No extra licenses are required for users, which can help to significantly reduce Client Access License costs.
• Fast data recovery:
  • Built-in data “Snapshot” technology. Volume Shadow Copy Services (VSS) provides enhanced data protection through high-fidelity backups, rapid data restores, and data transport.
  • By using the VSS for Server Message Block (SMB) File Shares feature, deleted or corrupted files can be restored within minutes, instead of hours.

The N4610 uses Windows Storage Server 2012 R2 operating system is based on Windows Server 2012 R2 core technologies and is optimized for providing block- and file-level storage services to the users and server applications. The following components and capabilities are included in Windows Storage Server 2012 R2:

• Storage protocols:
  • iSCSI Software Target offers low-cost shared storage for applications that require block-level access to it.
  • SMB File Services provide network shares for the Windows-based user and server application environments:
    • Microsoft SQL Server supports placement of log and data files onto an SMB network share (SQL over SMB).
    • Microsoft Hyper-V supports placement of virtual machine files onto an SMB network share (Hyper-V over SMB).
  • Network File System (NFS) File Services provide network shares for the Linux- or Mac-based user or Linux-based server application environments. VMware vSphere virtual machine files can be placed onto an NFS network share.
• Availability and performance:
  • Microsoft iSCSI Software Target supports Multipath I/O (MPIO) which allows iSCSI clients to use multiple network paths to a storage server for high availability, fault tolerance, and load balancing purposes.
  • SMB Multichannel allows the use of multiple redundant network paths between application server SMB clients and SMB file shares that are hosted on Windows Storage Servers for better throughput while maintaining network availability.
  • Vendor-independent network teaming allows combining of multiple network interfaces into a single fault-tolerant or load-balancing group for better performance and availability.
  • NTFS in Windows Server 2012 R2 improves availability by performing online corruption scanning, the use of self-healing techniques, and reducing file system repair times.
• Data management:
  • Data Deduplication can help to significantly improve the efficiency of storage space usage.
  • Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) for SMB file shares allows backup operations by using the snapshots of remote file shares that are supporting SMB-based server applications (for example, SQL over SMB).
  • DFS Replication provides synchronization capabilities across limited bandwidth network connections in the distributed environments.
  • Microsoft BranchCache® optimizes the use of WAN links by caching the remote data locally based on predefined policies.

The following figure shows the front of the N4610 storage server.

Figure 3. Front view of the N4610

The following figure shows the rear of the N4610 storage server.

Figure 4. Rear view of the N4610

The following table lists the N4610 standard specifications.

• North America and Latin America:
  • Getting Started Guide
  • Rack Installation Instructions
  • Documentation CD
  • Slide Rail Kit
  • Two 1.8 m line cords
• China:
  • Lenovo Help Manual
  • Warranty Flyer
  • Infrastructure Management Flyer
  • Documentation CD
  • Static Rail Kit (TopSeller models only)
  • Two 1.8 m IEC 320-C13 to C14 rack power cords

The following table (Parts 1 and 2) lists the relationship models of the N4610.

† Factory-configured in a RAID 5 array.
§ Factory-configured in a RAID 1 array for operating system preload.
†† Includes one PCIe 3.0 x8/x8/x8 Riser Card that is installed in the riser slot 1.
‡ Factory-configured in a RAID 6 array.
* Includes the intrusion switch.
# No factory-configured RAID array.
** Includes one SW optical transceiver with LC connector.

‡ Factory-configured in a RAID 6 array.
§ Factory-configured in a RAID 1 array for operating system preload.
* Not available in Venezuela.

The following table (Parts 1 and 2) lists the TopSeller™ models of the N4610.

† Factory-configured in a RAID 5 array.
§ Factory-configured in a RAID 1 array for operating system preload.
†† Includes one PCIe 3.0 x8/x8/x8 Riser Card that is installed in the riser slot 1.
‡ Factory-configured in a RAID 6 array.
* Includes the intrusion switch.
# No factory-configured RAID array.
** Includes one SW optical transceiver with LC connector.

§ Factory-configured in a RAID 1 array for operating system preload.
* Not available in Mexico.
# No factory-configured RAID array.

The N4610 supports up to two processors. Standard models ship with one Intel® Xeon® processor E5-2603 v3. The second processor can be ordered if required (see the following table). The second processor option includes two extra cooling fans.

The N4610 supports up to 192 GB of DDR4 memory. The storage 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 and there are three DIMMs per channel.

* The maximum quantity shown is with one processor / two processors.

The N4610 storage server supports up to 12x 3.5-inch SAS or SATA hot-swap drives (HDDs or SSDs) on the front and two 2.5-inch SATA hot-swap drives on the rear. For relationship and TopSeller models of the N4610, the rear drives are configured in a RAID 1 array, which contains Windows Storage Server 2012 R2 preload.

Both front and rear drives are connected to the Lenovo ThinkServer RAID 720ix AnyRAID Adapter with Expander that comes standard with the N4610. The RAID 720ix controller has the following specifications:

• Eight internal 12 Gbps SAS/SATA ports (support for 12, 6, or 3 Gbps SAS speeds and 6 or 3 Gbps SATA speeds)
• Up to 12 Gbps throughput per port
• Supports connections to 12x 3.5-inch SAS and SATA HDDs and SSDs on the front and 2x 2.5-inch SATA HDDs or SSDs on the rear with the integrated SAS Expander
• Supports RAID 0, 1, 10, 5, 50, 6, and 60
• Supports optional 1 GB non-backed read-only cache upgrade or 1 GB, 2 GB, or 4 GB flash-backed cache upgrades (1 GB non-backed read-only cache comes standard with the relationship and TopSeller models that are listed in this product guide)
• Supports FastPath and CacheCade Pro 2.0 when a flash backup upgrade is installed
• PCIe 3.0 x8 host interface
• Based on the LSI SAS3108 12 Gbps ROC controller

The following table lists available internal drive options for the N4610.

The N4610 storage server does not support an internal optical drive; an external USB optical drive can be included in the order, if required (see the following table).

The N4610 supports an AnyFabric slot and up to eight PCIe slots: three PCIe slots on the system planar and up to five PCIe slots with riser cards that are installed into two riser sockets on the system planar (one riser socket supports installation of one riser card). The following slot form factors are available:

• Slot 1: PCIe 3.0 x8; full-height, half-length
• Slot 2: PCIe 3.0 x8; full-height, half-length
• Slot 3: PCIe 3.0 x8; full-height, half-length
• Slot 4: PCIe 3.0 x8; low profile (vertical slot on system planar)
• Slot 5: PCIe 3.0 x8; full-height, half-length
• Slot 6: PCIe 3.0 x8; full-height, half-length
• Slot 7: PCIe 3.0 x8; low profile (vertical slot on system planar)
• Slot 8: PCIe 3.0 x8; low profile (vertical slot on system planar)

Note: Slots 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 require the second processor to be installed. If only one processor is installed and there are no riser cards installed, only the AnyFabric slot can be used.

The locations of the expansion slots are shown in the following figure.

Figure 6. Slot locations

Riser 1 supplies slots 1, 2, and 3, and Riser 2 supplies slots 5 and 6. Some relationship and TopSeller models include one PCIe 3.0 x8/x8/x8 riser card that is installed in the riser slot 1 (for more information, see Table 2 and Table 3).

The slots that are available for use depend on the number of riser cards that are installed and whether the second processor is installed, as shown in the following table.

The following table lists the available PCIe riser card option.

The N4610 supports an AnyFabric slot for integrated NIC solution. This slot supports AnyFabric adapters with two 10 Gb ports or four Gigabit Ethernet ports and supports direct connectivity to the TSM service processor for out-of-band systems management. Relationship and TopSeller models come standard with one AnyFabric adapter (model dependent). For custom or Special Bid models, one AnyFabric adapter must be selected. The following table lists the supported network adapters.

* The maximum quantity shown is with one processor / two processors.
** Requires a supported SFP+ Direct Attach Copper (DAC) cable or Lenovo ThinkServer 10Gb Optical Module by Intel (part number 4XC0F28735). Up to two cables or modules supported per adapter.
*** Includes two 10Gb SR SFP+ transceivers.

The following table lists SAS RAID controllers and HBAs for external SAS attachments that are supported by the N4610 storage server.

* The maximum quantity shown is with one processor / two processors.
** Not supported in slots 3, 4, and 7.

The following table summarizes features of supported external SAS controllers and HBAs.

* In addition to eight external ports, the ThinkServer 8885e adapter has eight internal ports that are not used with the N4610.

The N4610 storage server supports up to two redundant power supplies. Relationship and TopSeller models come with two 550 W or 750 W Platinum AC power supplies (model dependent). The following table lists the power supplies.

The following power supply rules apply:

• A minimum of one power supply and a maximum of two power supplies are needed per system.
• If two power supplies are installed, the power supplies must be identical.

Important: It is highly recommended to validate system configuration for specific power requirements by using the latest version of the ThinkServer Power Planner, which is available at this website:
http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/downloads/ds101155

Completing this validation ensures that the correct power supply is chosen for optimal performance.

The storage server contains ThinkServer System Manager (TSM), 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 TSM lights LEDs to help you diagnose the problem, records the error in the event log, and alerts you to the problem. Optionally, the TSM also provides a virtual presence capability for remote storage server management capabilities.

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

• Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) Version 2.0
• Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) Version 3
• Data Center Management Interface (DCMI) Version 1.0
• Web browser

The optional TSM Premium is required for enabling remote presence and energy monitoring and management. The TSM Premium feature provides the following functions:

• Remotely viewing video with graphics resolutions up to 1920x1200 at 60 Hz with up to 24 bits per pixel colors
• Remotely accessing the system 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 system
• Enabling support for Lenovo ThinkServer Energy Manager for power monitoring and management

The following table lists the Premium management option.

Relationship and TopSeller models of the N4610 listed in this product guide ship without cable management arms. Also, China relationship models ship without a rack-mount kit. The following table lists rack-mount options that are available for the N4610.

* Optional for the 2U 4-Post Slide Rail Kit (4XF0G45872).
** Optional for the 4-Post Static Rail Kit (4XF0G45873).

The N4610 storage server has the following dimensions and weight (approximate):

• Height: 87 mm (3.4 in.)
• Width: 482 mm (19.0 in.)
• Depth: 783 mm (30.8 in.)
• Weight:
  • Minimum configuration: 16 kg (35.3 lb)
  • Maximum configuration: 32 kg (70.1 lb)

The N4610 storage server is supported in the following environment:

• Air temperature:
  • Operating: 5 °C - 45 °C (41 °F - 113 °F); for altitudes above 900 m (2,953 ft), decrease the maximum ambient temperature as follows:
  • By 1 °C for every 300-m (984-ft) increase in altitude for up to 35 °C (95 °F) temperature range
  • By 1 °C for every 175-m (574-ft) increase in altitude for 35 °C to 40 °C (95 °F to 104 °F) temperature range
  • By 1 °C for every 125-m (410-ft) increase in altitude for 50 °C to 45 °C (104 °F to 1113 °F) temperature range
• Maximum altitude: 3,048 m (10,000 ft)
• Storage: -40 °C - +60 °C (-40 °F - 140 °F)
• Humidity:
  • Operating: 8% - 90% (non-condensing)
  • Storage: 8% - 90% (non-condensing)
• Electrical:
  • 100 - 127 (nominal) V AC; 50 Hz - 60 Hz
  • 200 - 240 (nominal) V AC; 50 Hz - 60 Hz
• Noise level:
  • 6.1 bels (operating)
  • 5.7 bels (idle)

The N4610 has a three-year onsite warranty with 9x5/next business day (NBD) terms. Lenovo offers the service upgrades through 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 region-specific; that is, each region might have its own service types, service levels, response times, and terms and conditions. Not all covered types of warranty service upgrades might be available in a particular region. For more information about Lenovo warranty service upgrade offerings that are available in your region, see following the Lenovo Quick Pick website:
http://www.lenovoquickpick.com/

The following types of Lenovo warranty service upgrades are available:

• Warranty and maintenance service upgrades:
  • Three, four, or five years of 9x5 or 24x7 service coverage
  • Onsite repair from next business day to 8 or 4 hours
  • One or two years of warranty extension
• Priority technical support

  Lenovo’s Priority Support Offering enhances our award-winning call center support to provide top priority queue assignment to specialized Lenovo technicians. Priority support accelerates call center troubleshooting to get your problems resolved quickly, and includes other value added support for Lenovo provided software tools. Priority support can be purchased stand-alone to match the base warranty of your system or in convenient bundles with our same-day response services.

• Keep Your Drive Multi-Drive

  Lenovo’s ThinkServer Keep Your Drive Multi-Drive 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 ThinkServer system. 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. Keep Your Drive Multi-Drive can be purchased stand-alone to match the base warranty of your system or in convenient bundles with our same-day response services.

The N4610 storage server conforms to the following regulations:

• Energy Star V2.0
• FCC class A: USA FCC 47 CFR Part 15-Subpart B; ANSI C63.4
• ICES class A: Canada ICES-003 Issue 5
• CB
• UL/cTUVus
• Germany GS
• Russia EAC
• Argentina AR-S
• Mexico NOM
• EU CE: EN55022; EN55024; EN61000-3-2;EN61000-3-3;
• International: CISPR22; CISPR 24
• Brazil (voluntary)
• China CCC: GB 9254
• CECP
• CELP

The N4610 supports attachment to up to four Lenovo Storage E1012 or E1024 Drive Enclosures that are listed in the following table.

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

The following table lists the top-of-rack Ethernet switches that are offered by Lenovo that can be used in N4610 storage solutions.

For more information, see the list of Product Guides in the Top-of-rack switches category:
http://lenovopress.com/servers/options/switches

The following table lists the rack cabinets that are offered by Lenovo that can be used in N4610 solutions.

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

The following table lists the power distribution units (PDUs) that are offered by Lenovo that can be used in N4610 solutions.

For more information, see the list of Product Guides in the Power Distribution Units category:
http://lenovopress.com/servers/options/pdu

The following table lists the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) units that are offered by Lenovo that can be used in N4610 solutions.

For more information, see the list of Product Guides in the Uninterruptible Power Supply Units category:
http://lenovopress.com/servers/options/ups

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

For more information, see the following resources:

• Lenovo Storage N4610 product page:
  http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/systems/storage/nas/lenovostorage/n4610/
• Lenovo Quick Pick:
  http://www.lenovoquickpick.com
• Lenovo Storage N4610 support:
  http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/products/servers/lenovo-storage/lenovo-storage-n4610