Can this PowerEdge T440 server handle running a heavily modified version of the Rust game, given its specifications including an Intel Xeon Silver 4208 processor, 2x 8GB RDIMM memory,
a PERC H730P RAID Controller with 2GB NV Cache, and a single 495W hot-plug power supply along with other features such as iDRAC9 Enterprise and OpenManage Enterprise Advanced?

I would not recommend utilizing this Intel Xeon Silver 4208 processor for hosting a Rust game server. The majority of game server software, including the Rust dedicated server, does not take advantage of several CPU cores. Therefore, a high single thread performance rating is essential, which results in incredibly fast individual cores.

This particular CPU has a low clock speed, which leads to a poor single thread performance rating, similar to some higher-end tablet CPUs. For game servers, it is advisable to use an i7, i9, Ryzen, or, if selecting Intel Xeon/scalable, go with Xeon W chips.

According to https://www.cpubenchmark.net/singleThread.html, any CPU on that list with a rating of 2500 or above is suitable for most modern game server hosting, excluding Apple products and mobile/embedded CPUs.

To achieve significant improvement, it is recommended to obtain a CPU with greater single-core performance. Additionally, it is suggested to replace the existing HDD with a SATA/NVMe SSD.

If you are searching for a Rust server that offers a kind atmosphere, responsive server administration, clans, reliable companions, an RPG skill system, and an interactive map, then our project, A Kind Server, might pique your interest.
Our administration team is comprised of individuals over 25 years old with a good sense of humor and are regularly online to help guide you throughout the game, from providing advice on what to do and where to start, to helping you avoid finishing quickly.

If you want to join our project, launch a licensed copy of Rust via Steam, and in the main menu, press the F1 button and enter the console that opens. If that method does not help, navigate to the modified servers tab in the main menu of the game, and type DobriyServer_Oxide2 in the search bar. For those with limited experience, we are happy to help you grasp the game mechanics.

The Dell PowerEdge T440 server, with the specifications you've mentioned, could hypothetically be used to run a game server for Rust. However, you haven't shared anything about storage or a graphic processing unit (GPU), and these things will be significant, especially if you're looking at a heavily modified version of the game.

Here are the Rust server requirements, according to information available as of my knowledge cutoff in 2021:

CPU: High single-threaded performance. Typically, game servers, including Rust servers, are better served by processors with high single-thread performance; this is particularly crucial with single-threaded games. The Intel Xeon Silver 4208 has 8 cores and 16 threads but its base clock is only 2.1 GHz, which falls short in the context of high-speed, single-threaded performance. Overclocked mainstream desktop CPUs with fewer cores could potentially perform better in this case, but game server dynamics can be complex and depend on many factors.

RAM: 8-16 GB+ of RAM. Rust is known for being hard on RAM, so more RAM would improve performance. It's particularly important if you're running a heavily-modified version. The 16GB you have can run a Rust server, but depending on the number of users and modifications, it might turn out insufficient.

Disk: SSD is strongly recommended. The read/write speed of SSDs significantly outweigh traditional HDDs which reduces the server's latency, thereby yielding a smoother gaming experience. You haven't mentioned about the storage so it's hard to comment on this aspect.

Network: A strong network for server hosting. Rust can eat bandwidth, especially for larger servers. If you're considering hosting the server, be aware that your Internet connection should be strong, reliable, and feature good upload speeds.

GPU: Running a game server does not generally require a high-performance GPU. It's the client that needs GPU power.

However, this is a server-grade machine designed for tasks such as data processing, creating virtual machines, hosting websites, managing databases, and other similar tasks. It's not really designed to be a game server. You could run a game server on it, but it wouldn't necessarily be the best use of this hardware.

Also, a heavily modified version of Rust may have additional system requirements not covered here due to the changes and additions made in the modifications. It's always a good idea to check specific requirements for the modifications you're planning to run.

Additionally, running a game server can be a complex task, involving tasks from managing the server's setup and configuration, managing potential software incompatibilities, to administrating the in-game and server-side community. Make sure you're familiar with all these aspects before you proceed.