Lenovo 4XG7A07212 ST550 Xeon Silver 4116 12C/85W/2.1GHZ

Lenovo 4XG7A07212 Xeon Silver 4116 12-Core Processor for ThinkSystem ST550

Overview

The Lenovo 4XG7A07212 is an Intel Xeon Silver 4116 processor upgrade for the ThinkSystem ST550 server — a 12-core, 24-thread Skylake-SP chip running at 2.1 GHz base with a 3.0 GHz boost ceiling. At 85W TDP, it sits in the middle of the Xeon Scalable Silver tier: enough compute headroom for multi-stream video management workloads, light virtualization stacks, and concurrent analytics processing without pushing into the thermal and power demands of Gold-class CPUs. If you're provisioning a rack or tower server for a mid-scale surveillance or enterprise edge deployment and need a validated processor option for the ST550 platform, this is the Lenovo-sourced component to specify.

The 4XG7A07212 slots into the LGA 3647 (Socket P) interface used across the first-generation Intel Xeon Scalable platform. Fabricated on Intel's 14nm Skylake process node, the chip delivers a balance of per-core performance and thread count that fits multi-camera VMS servers, centralized access control hosts, and edge compute nodes handling real-time analytics feeds.

Key Features

• 12 Cores / 24 Threads: Twenty-four logical processors give a VMS host enough concurrency to handle simultaneous decode, analytics, and recording streams without one workload starving another. In practice, this is the thread count that separates adequate from comfortable on 16–32 camera deployments running motion detection or object classification at the edge.
• 2.1 GHz Base / 3.0 GHz Boost: The 2.1 GHz base keeps idle and lightly loaded power draw predictable; Turbo Boost steps up to 3.0 GHz under burst workloads — useful when a VMS triggers mass export or forensic search across a large archive without sustaining the full boost frequency indefinitely.
• 16.5 MB L3 Cache: A 16.5 MB shared L3 cache reduces memory-fetch latency on workloads with working sets that fit in cache — relevant for analytics inference engines and database-backed access control platforms that repeatedly reference the same data structures.
• 85W Thermal Design Power: At 85W TDP, this processor fits comfortably within the ST550's thermal envelope without requiring exotic cooling. That matters in dense deployments where rack thermal budgets are already partially consumed by PoE switches, NVR storage, and UPS infrastructure. Contrast with Gold-tier Xeon SKUs that can exceed 140W.
• DDR4-2400 Memory Support, up to 768 GB: The memory controller supports DDR4-2400 SDRAM up to 768 GB total — ample headroom for in-memory analytics caching, large VMS databases, or hypervisor workloads running multiple virtual appliances. The 2400 MHz speed tier is the standard validated configuration for this Skylake platform generation.
• LGA 3647 (Socket P) — First-Gen Xeon Scalable Platform: The LGA 3647 socket is the mechanical and electrical interface for the entire first-generation Xeon Scalable family on the ST550. This means the platform supports dual-socket configurations on compatible ST550 boards — a path to 24 cores and 48 threads without changing the server chassis if workloads grow.
• 64-Bit Operating Modes, 14nm Skylake Architecture: Full 64-bit support is a baseline requirement for any enterprise OS or hypervisor; the 14nm Skylake node delivers the per-watt efficiency that made this generation the workhorse of server deployments through the late 2010s and into the 2020s. No exotic driver or BIOS workarounds needed for standard Linux or Windows Server installs.

Integration & Compatibility

The 4XG7A07212 is engineered specifically for the Lenovo ThinkSystem ST550 server platform. It occupies one of the ST550's processor sockets using the LGA 3647 interface. Confirm ST550 board revision and BIOS version compatibility before installation — first-generation Xeon Scalable processors require a platform BIOS that supports Skylake-SP stepping. The processor is paired with DDR4-2400 RDIMM or LRDIMM modules; memory speed and capacity are constrained by both the CPU's memory controller and the ST550 motherboard's DIMM slot configuration.

For network video recorder and VMS server builds, pair this processor with ECC-registered DDR4 memory and a dedicated storage controller to isolate I/O from compute. Software VMS platforms (Milestone, Genetec, Avigilon Control Center) are validated against Xeon Scalable platforms generally; confirm the specific VMS vendor's hardware compatibility list for the ST550 chassis. For guidance on sizing server hardware to camera counts and retention requirements, see the server and storage planning guide.

The processor ships at a stated weight of 3.07 lb and fits within the ST550 chassis without modification — dimensions of 9.00 × 10.50 × 7.50 in reflect the packaged component footprint. Country of origin is Mexico.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the 4XG7A07212 compatible with the Lenovo ThinkSystem ST550?

A: Yes. The Lenovo 4XG7A07212 is a ThinkSystem ST550-specific processor option, using the LGA 3647 (Socket P) interface required by that platform. Verify your ST550's BIOS revision supports first-generation Xeon Scalable (Skylake-SP) processors before installing.

Q: What is the TDP of the Xeon Silver 4116 in this configuration?

A: The Xeon Silver 4116 in the 4XG7A07212 has a Thermal Design Power of 85W — within the standard thermal envelope of the ST550 without requiring additional cooling modifications.

Q: How many cores and threads does the 4XG7A07212 provide?

A: The processor delivers 12 physical cores and 24 threads via Intel Hyper-Threading, running at a 2.1 GHz base clock with a 3.0 GHz Turbo Boost ceiling.

Q: What type of memory does the Xeon Silver 4116 support?

A: The processor supports DDR4-SDRAM at 2400 MHz, with a maximum addressable memory capacity of 768 GB across all supported DIMM configurations on the ST550 platform.

Q: Can the ST550 be configured with two of these processors?

A: The ST550 supports dual-socket LGA 3647 configurations on compatible board variants. Two 4XG7A07212 processors would provide 24 cores and 48 threads total. Verify the specific ST550 board SKU supports dual-socket operation before ordering a second unit.

Q: What operating systems are supported?

A: The Xeon Silver 4116 runs in full 64-bit mode, compatible with standard enterprise operating systems including Windows Server and Linux distributions. Specific OS support is determined by Lenovo's ThinkSystem ST550 compatibility matrix and the OS vendor's hardware certification list.

Karl Wilson

When I spec a VMS server for a mid-scale physical security deployment, the processor headroom question comes up every time. The 4XG7A07212 — Lenovo's factory option for the ThinkSystem ST550 — puts the Xeon Silver 4116 at 12 cores and 24 threads, which is enough to handle concurrent decode, recording, and server-side analytics without the system pegging at 100% CPU the moment a forensic search kicks off during live recording.

Technical Highlights:

• 85W TDP: Fits the ST550's standard thermal design without aftermarket cooling. In a rack environment where you're already managing heat from PoE switches and spinning storage arrays, a processor that stays within the chassis's rated thermal envelope is genuinely useful — not a minor detail.
• 3.0 GHz Turbo Boost: The burst headroom matters for VMS platforms that spike CPU during motion-triggered export or license plate search. A 2.1 GHz base that steps to 3.0 GHz under load handles those transients without causing frame drops on live streams.
• 768 GB max memory support at DDR4-2400: Most mid-scale deployments won't populate anywhere near 768 GB, but the ceiling matters if you're running the VMS server as a hypervisor host with co-located access control or analytics VMs. You won't hit a memory wall expanding the virtual environment later.

Deployment Considerations:

• Confirm the ST550 board revision and BIOS version before ordering — first-generation Xeon Scalable support requires a specific BIOS minimum, and Lenovo has shipped multiple ST550 board variants. A mismatched BIOS revision means the system won't POST with this CPU installed.
• This is a Skylake-SP first-generation part. If your ST550 is already populated with a second-generation (Cascade Lake) processor in socket 1, you cannot mix generations in a dual-socket config — both sockets must run the same processor generation on this platform.

The 4XG7A07212 fits cleanest in a dedicated on-premises VMS server for 20–64 camera deployments where the host also runs lightweight virtualization for access control or analytics appliances — enough cores to keep workloads separated without stepping up to the power draw and cost of a Gold-tier Xeon.