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Silver 2U rack enclosure with twelve 3.5-inch drive bays, dual controllers and redundant power supplies, rails included

DELL

DELL ME5012 12-bay 3.5" barebone server, dual-control, 580W redundant, rails, iSCSI

SKU CH-9QN1-SFJ6P MPN ME5012

A 12-bay 3.5-inch storage enclosure with dual controllers, 580W redundant power and iSCSI connectivity

  • ProcessorNone (Storage device, no CPU included)
  • Processor socketNone (Storage device, no CPU socket)
  • 12 x 3.5-inch bays provide high-density storage capacity
  • Dual-controller architecture ensures continuous operation if one fails
  • 580W redundant power supplies protect against single-point failures
  • Included rack rails simplify mounting in standard enclosures
  • iSCSI host connectivity enables block-level access over IP networks

12-bay 3.5-inch storage enclosure

The Dell ME5012 is a barebone storage enclosure that holds up to twelve 3.5-inch drives in a 2U rack footprint. It is aimed at IT teams needing high-capacity block storage without integrated compute, so they can attach the shelf to existing servers via iSCSI.

iSCSI host interface considerations

The enclosure communicates over standard iSCSI, so throughput depends on the network fabric and switch configuration you provide. Latency and IOPS will vary with drive selection and RAID layout, and the dual-controller design does not eliminate the bandwidth ceiling of the physical Ethernet links in use.

Dual-controller build with redundant power and rails

Two active controllers and a 580W redundant power supply keep the shelf running through a single component failure. Included rack rails simplify mounting in standard cabinets, while the barebone chassis leaves drive choice and RAID level entirely to the administrator.

How it compares

Measured against everything we stock in Barebone Servers & DIY Kits, at today’s prices. Recalculated every night.

Price $8,420.99
Pricier than about 85% of the 532 comparable items (median $2,503.49).

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Specifications

Product
Brand nameDell
Product linePowerEdge ME5012
Model nameME5012
Processor
ProcessorNone (Storage device, no CPU included)
Processor socketNone (Storage device, no CPU socket)

Questions about this item

Should I choose the 12-bay 3.5-inch version or a smaller enclosure for my storage needs?

The ME5012 provides exactly 12 drive bays for 3.5-inch disks, so select it when you need that capacity in a single 2U chassis.

What does the dual-controller design actually deliver in daily operation?

Two independent controllers share the 12 bays and each connects to the 580W redundant supplies, so a single controller or power module can fail without downtime.

How does the iSCSI host interface limit real-world throughput?

The enclosure presents storage over standard iSCSI, so maximum throughput depends on your network switches and host initiators rather than the chassis itself.

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