PowerEdge M520 Technical Guide A feature-rich, two-socket, half-height blade server, the PowerEdge M520 delivers an extraordinary balance of value and performance for mainstream business applications.
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Table of contents 1 System Overview .................................................................................................................................................................5 Introduction .........................................................................................................................................................................5 New technologies ................................................................................................................
Tables Table 1. Table 2. Table 3. Table 4. Table 5. Table 6. Table 7. Table 8. Table 9. Table 10. Table 11. Table 12. Table 13. Table 14. Table 15. Table 16. Table 17. Table 18. Table 19. Table 20. Table 21. Table 22. Table 23. Table 24. Table 25. New technologies ................................................................................................................................................ 6 Comparison of PowerEdge M520, M620 and R420 .......................................................
1 System Overview Introduction Enjoy excellent performance and exceptional value with the Dell™ PowerEdge™ M520 system’s well-balanced processing capabilities and memory capacity in a compact half-height blade form factor. With up to 16 processor cores and up to 12 DIMMs of RAM, the scalability and performance of the M520 makes it a natural fit for general business applications such as email and databases, as well as mid-tier virtual environments.
New technologies A number of new technologies are featured on the PowerEdge M520 system, as shown in Table 1. Table 1. New technology New technologies Detailed description Intel Xeon processor E5-2400 product family This new family of Intel processors works with the Intel C602 chipset and has ® embedded PCI Express (PCIe) lanes for improved I/O performance. See the Processors section for details. Intel C602 series chipset The Intel Platform Controller Hub (PCH) chip is implemented on the M520.
2 System features The new half-height M520 has more memory, processor cores, and networking options than ever before. Features include the new family of Intel® Xeon® ES-2400 processors, DDR3 memory, PCI Express 3.0, dual internal SD module, and the Dell next-generation iDRAC solution known as iDRAC7 Enterprise with Lifecycle Controller.
Feature PowerEdge M520 PowerEdge M620 PowerEdge R420 Optional SD port Yes (redundant hypervisor + vFlash media) Yes (redundant hypervisor + vFlash media) Yes (redundant hypervisor + vFlash media) Dell OpenManage Systems Management OpenManage Essentials OMSA Agent OpenManage Power Center (requires iDRAC7 Enterprise with Lifecycle Controller) Chassis Management Controller 4.
Feature Technical specification For information about Dell external storage options, visit Dell.
Feature Technical specification Operating systems Microsoft Windows Server 2012 ® ® Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, x64 (includes Hyper-V ) ® ® Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server ® ® Red Hat Enterprise Linux Virtualization options: ® ® Citrix XenServer VMware vSphere ESXi ® Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization For more information on the specific versions and additions, visit Dell.com/OSsupport.
3 Module views and features The Dell PowerEdge M520 implements a new module design that supports up to 12 DIMMS and two processors. The M520 is a half-height blade server that requires a PowerEdge M1000e chassis to operate. The M520 occupies one slot vertically in the M1000e for a maximum of 16 blade servers in one M1000e chassis. The M520 can be mixed with other existing Dell blades of half-height and full-height form factors.
Figure 2. M1000e chassis enclosure with M520 blades The M520 module shown in Figure 3 supports up to 12 DIMMS, two processors, and many other features described in this guide. Figure 3. M520 internal module view For additional system views, see the Dell PowerEdge M520 Systems Owner’s Manual on Dell.com/Support/Manuals.
Module features Table 4 lists the modules features for the M520 system. For additional information on these features, see the Dell PowerEdge M520 Systems Owner’s Manual on Dell.com/Support/Manuals. Table 4. Module features Feature Description USB connectors Two front-accessible USB connectors Status indicator Indicator for M520 power status Hard drives Two front-accessible, hot-plug, 2.
Figure 4.
4 Processors The Dell PowerEdge M520 system features the Intel Xeon processor E5-2400 product family, which offers an ideal combination of performance, power efficiency and cost.
Supported processors The M520 supports up to two processors with up to eight cores per processor. Table 5 lists the Intel Xeon processors supported by the PowerEdge M520. For the latest information on supported processors, visit Dell.com/PowerEdge. Table 5. Supported processors Model Speed Cache QPI Cores Turbo TDP E5-2470 2.3GHz 20M 8.0GT/s 8 Yes 95W E5-2450L 1.8GHz 20M 8.0GT/s 8 Yes 70W E5-2450 2.1GHz 15M 7.2GT/s 8 Yes 95W E5-2440 2.4GHz 15M 7.
5 Memory More memory options are available than ever before with the Dell PowerEdge M520 — greater capacities, higher frequencies and more flexibility. The M520 supports up to 384GB of memory (using 12 DIMMs) and speeds up to 1600MT/s, providing high performance in a variety of applications. High memory density means there is no compromise when it comes to virtualization. Increase your uptime and reduce data loss, due to the Dell focus on reliability, availability and serviceability (RAS) features.
Table 7 lists the DIMMs that are supported on the M520. For the latest information on supported memory, visit Dell.com/PowerEdge. Table 7. DIMMs supported Only Capacity (GB) Speed (MT/s) Type Ranks per DIMM Data width SDDC support Voltage 2 1600 RDIMM 1 x8 Advanced ECC 1.35 2 1333 RDIMM 1 x8 Advanced ECC 1.35 2 1600 UDIMM 1 x8 Advanced ECC 1.35 4 1333 RDIMM 2 x8 Advanced ECC 1.35 4 1600 RDIMM 2 x8 Advanced ECC 1.35 4 1333 RDIMM 1 x4 All modes 1.
Memory speed The M520 server supports memory speeds of 1600MT/s, 1333MT/s, 1066MT/s and 800MT/s, depending on the DIMM types installed and the configuration. All memory on all processors and channels run at the same speed and voltage. By default, the system runs at the highest speed for the channel with the lowest DIMM voltage and speed.
Table 9. Memory RAS features Feature Description Dense configuration optimized profile Increased memory reliability can be a result from this selectable platform profile that adjusts parameters to reduce faults regarding refresh rates, speed, temperature and voltage. Memory demand and patrol scrubbing Demand scrubbing is the ability to write corrected data back to the memory once a correctable error is detected on a read transaction.
6 Storage The Dell PowerEdge M520 system provides comprehensive and wider offerings of internal storage options, including several drive types and storage controllers to choose from. The M520 supports up to 1.2TB of internal storage. To reduce complexity and provide manageable solutions to meet customer needs, the M520 supports three versions of the PowerEdge RAID Controllers (PERCs). Internal storage The M520 is available in two different hard-drive backplane options that support up to two 2.
Supported RAID controllers The newest line of PowerEdge RAID Controllers (PERCs) offers high I/O performance for a variety of uses, including database applications and streaming digital media environments. The internal RAID controllers have a dedicated connection to the system board. PERC H710P The PERC H710P is an eight-port, internal, 6Gb/s PCIe RAID controller (mini form factor) with 1GB DDR3 non-volatile (NV) cache.
Mini form factor Embedded on system board N/A N/A N/A PCIe 2.0 Local support for self-encrypting disk (SED) 2 UEFI browser Hll 1 Supports SATA hard drives through the SAS backplane 2 Supports only PCIe 2.0 with compatible PCIe 3.
7 Networking and mezzanine cards The Dell PowerEdge M520 system supports two embedded Broadcom 5720 Dual Port 1Gb LOMs for a total of four 1Gb ports. The M520 also offers balanced, scalable I/O capabilities, including integrated PCIe 3.0 capable mezzanine card slots. Installation of mezzanine cards requires an M1000e I/O module (IOM) of the same fabric technology to be installed in the corresponding fabric slot of the mezzanine to support data flow through that fabric or slot.
Type InfiniBand Adapter Mellanox QDR CX-3 40Gb Mellanox FDR10 CX-3 40Gb For the latest information on supported mezzanine cards for the M520, visit Dell.com/PowerEdge.
8 Power, thermal, and acoustics Lower overall system-level power draw is a result of Dell’s breakthrough system design. The PowerEdge M520 blade server and M1000e chassis enclosure maximize performance per watt through a combination of power and cooling, energy efficient technologies and tools. Additionally, the M520 has an extensive collection of sensors that automatically track thermal activity, which helps regulate temperature thereby reducing server noise and power consumption.
Feature Description complete power management solution comprised of Intel Node Manager accessed through Dell iDRAC7 Enterprise and OpenManage Power Center that allows policy-based management of power and thermals at the individual server, rack and data center level. Hot spare reduces power consumption of redundant power supplies. Thermal control of fan speed optimizes the thermal settings for your environment to reduce fan consumption and lower system power consumption.
Environmental specifications: The optimized thermal management makes the PowerEdge M520 reliable under a wide range of operating environments as shown in Table 23. When operating above 30°C ambient, performance impacts may be seen. For more information see the Dell PowerEdge M520 Systems Owner's Manual on Dell.com/Support/Manuals. Acoustical performance The acoustical performance of the PowerEdge M520 is reflected in Table 15.
9 Operating systems and virtualization The Dell PowerEdge M520 system supports a wide range of industry-standard operating systems and virtualization software. Supported operating systems Table 16 lists the operating systems supported on the M520. For the latest information on supported operating systems, see Dell.com/OSsupport. Table 16.
Supported virtualization One of the key features for virtualization on the M520 is the support for a fail-safe hypervisor. By running the hypervisor on an optional SD card and installing a backup copy on the other mirrored SD card, you can protect against hardware failure and maximize virtualization uptime. Table 18 highlights the virtualization support for the M520. Table 18. Virtualization support Install version Factory options Internal dual SD module install support vSphere v5.
10 Dell OpenManage systems management Whether your IT environment consists of a few servers or a few thousand servers, Dell OpenManage systems management solutions provide comprehensive management for evolving IT environments. OpenManage is based on open standards and provides agent-based and agent-free server lifecycle management functionality for Dell PowerEdge servers. OpenManage solutions help you automate and streamline essential hardware management tasks.
OpenManage systems management The Dell OpenManage systems management portfolio includes powerful hardware and software management tools and consoles. OpenManage simplifies the lifecycle of deploying, updating, monitoring, and maintaining your Dell PowerEdge servers. iDRAC7 with Lifecycle Controller The Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller 7 (iDRAC7) with Lifecycle Controller is the heart of the second generation of Dell PowerEdge server embedded management functionality.
Feature Electronic licensing Function Benefit Upgrades to iDRAC7 Express for Blades or iDRAC7 Enterprise by software licensing key and license portal (may require installation of hardware option for 200500 series servers) If iDRAC7 Express for Blades or iDRAC7 Enterprise is ordered during initial point of sale, license key is installed. If Basic Management is ordered during initial point of sale, customer must request a license key through the Dell Licensing Portal.
iDRAC7 Enterprise iDRAC7 Express for Blades Remote configuration ∞ ∞ Remote update ∞ ∞ Email alerts ∞ ∞ SNMP alerts ∞ ∞ Comprehensive monitoring ∞ ∞ Virtual console (4 user) ∞ ∞ Virtual media ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ Power control ∞ ∞ Power monitoring ∞ ∞ Virtual console chat ∞ Support for customer-supplied SD cards for vFlash media Virtual flash partitions ∞ Virtual folders ∞ Remote file share ∞ Crash video playback ∞ Boot record/playback ∞ Part replacement ∞ Backup and restore
Agent-based systems management Most systems management solutions require pieces of software, called agents, to be installed on each node in order to be managed within the IT environment. Additionally, the same agent is often used as a local interface into the hardware health and may be accessed remotely as a management interface, typically referred to as a one-to-one interface. For customers that continue to use agentbased solutions, Dell provides OpenManage Server Administrator.
Dell OpenManage Server Update Utility — The Dell Server Update Utility (SUU) is a DVD-based application for identifying and applying BIOS and firmware updates to your Dell PowerEdge servers. Dell OpenManage Systems Build and Update Utility — The Dell System Build and Update Utility (SBUU) provides one-to-one and one-to-many deployment and single-server update capabilities in the pre-operating system environment.
Dell OpenManage Connection for Computer Associates Network and Systems Management — This connection allows you to monitor PowerEdge servers and PowerVault storage arrays from within the Computer Associates Network and Systems Management (CA NSM) console.
Table 21 lists the products that are available for one-to-one and one-to-many operations, and when they are used in the server’s lifecycle: Table 21.
Appendix A. Additional specifications Module dimensions and weight Figure 7 details the dimensions of the M520 module. Figure 7. Module dimensions Xa Xb Y Zb (handle closed) Zb (handle open) 197.92 mm 192.3 mm 50.35 mm 544.32 mm 564.9 mm The weight of a maximum-configured M520 blade server is 5.5 kg (12.1 lb). Video specifications The Dell PowerEdge M520 iDRAC7 incorporates an integrated video subsystem. The graphics controller is the 2D Matrox® G200.
Environmental specifications For additional information about environmental measurements for specific system configurations, see Dell.com/environmental_datasheets. Table 23 details the environmental specifications for the PowerEdge M520. Table 23. Environmental specifications Fresh Air: temperature, humidity, altitude de-rating Continuous operation 10°C to 35°C (50°F to 95°F) at 10% to 80% relative humidity with 26°C (78.8°F) maximum dew point (maximum wet bulb temperature).
Maximum vibration Operating 0.26 Grms at 5Hz to 350Hz for 15 minutes Storage 1.54 Grms at 10Hz to 250Hz for 15 minutes Maximum shock Operating One shock pulse in the positive z axis (one pulse on each side of the system) of 31G for up to 2.6ms Storage Six consecutively executed shock pulses in the positive and negative x, y, and z axes (one pulse on each side of the system) of 71G for up to 2ms Altitude Operating –15.2m to 3048m (–50 ft to 10,000 ft) Storage –15.
Appendix B. Standards compliance The Dell PowerEdge M520 system conforms to the industry standards in Table 24. Table 24. Industry standard documents Standard URL for information and specifications ACPI Advance Configuration and Power Interface Specification, v2.0c acpi.info Ethernet IEEE 802.3-2005 standards.ieee.org/getieee802/802.3.html HDG Hardware Design Guide Version 3.0 for Microsoft Windows Server microsoft.com/whdc/system/platform/pcdesign/desguide/serv erdg.
Standard URL for information and specifications Windows Logo Windows Logo Program System and Device Requirements, v3.10 microsoft.com/whdc/winlogo/hwrequirements.
Appendix C. Additional resources Table 25 provides a list of documents and websites that provide more information on the Dell PowerEdge M520 system. Table 25. Additional resources Resource Description of contents Location Dell PowerEdge M520 Systems Owner’s Manual This manual, available in PDF format, provides the following information: Dell.
Resource Description of contents Location Energy Smart Solution Advisor (ESSA) The Dell online advisor console enables easier and more meaningful estimates to help you determine the most efficient configuration possible. Use ESSA to calculate the power consumption of your hardware, power infrastructure, and storage. Dell.com/ESSA Power and cooling technologies Provides details for improving energy efficiency in the data center. Dell.
Appendix D. System board block diagram Figure 8.
