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Silver 2U rack server front with eight 3.5-inch drive trays and bezel

DELL

Dell PowerEdge R540 2U rack server 2x Xeon Gold 5118 2.3GHz 12-core 256GB DDR4 HBA330 8x 3.5" trays 2x 750W

SKU CH-GCDQ-HMMRK

A 2U rack server with dual 12-core Xeon Gold 5118 processors, 256 GB DDR4 memory, HBA330 storage controller and eight 3.5-inch drive trays

  • ProcessorIntel Xeon
  • Installed RAM256 GB
  • Installed SSDNo
  • Processor core count12-Core Processor
  • Operating systemNo
  • Type of memoryDDR4
  • Dual Xeon Gold 5118 processors deliver 12 cores each at 2.3 GHz
  • 256 GB DDR4 2666 MHz ECC memory supports demanding workloads
  • PERC HBA330 controller enables 12 Gb/s SAS/SATA pass-through storage
  • Eight 3.5-inch drive bays provide high-capacity internal expansion
  • Redundant 750 W 80+ Platinum power supplies ensure continuous operation

Dell PowerEdge R540 2U rack server

This Dell PowerEdge R540 is a 2U rack server equipped with two Intel Xeon Gold 5118 processors running at 2.3 GHz with 12 cores each. It arrives with 256 GB of DDR4 registered ECC memory installed across eight 32 GB modules. The chassis provides eight 3.5-inch drive trays for SAS or SATA drives but no drives are included.

Installation notes for the R540

Rails and a front bezel are supplied so the unit can be mounted in a standard rack without extra hardware. Two hot-swap 750 W power supplies provide redundant power from the start. The PERC HBA330 controller operates in pass-through mode only, so any RAID functionality must be handled by the operating system or a separate RAID card.

Suitable workloads and limits

This server suits organisations that need dense compute and large memory capacity for virtualisation, databases or file serving in a 2U form factor. Buyers who require onboard RAID levels without adding a PERC RAID card should look elsewhere. The single integrated dual-port 1 GbE card may also limit deployments needing higher-speed or additional network connections out of the box.

How it compares

Measured against everything we stock in Rack & Tower Servers, at today’s prices. Recalculated every night.

Price $2,081.99
Typical for this category: the median of 17,641 items is $1,910.99.
Installed RAM 256 GB
Higher than about 60% of the 15,103 comparable items (median 128 GB).
Processor core count 12-Core Processor
Lower than about 60% of the 7,955 comparable items (median 16).

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Specifications

Product
Brand nameDELL
Product linePowerEdge
Model nameR540
Product typeRack
Processor
ProcessorIntel Xeon
Processor core count12-Core Processor
Processor socketLGA 3647
Processor speed2.3 GHz
Processor detailsGold 5118
Installed CPUs2
Max supported CPUs2
Memory
Installed RAM256 GB
Type of memoryDDR4
Maximum RAM capacity1 TB
Memory slot count16
Storage
Installed SSDNo
Installed storageNone
Disk controllerDell Perc HBA330 Controller
Drive interfaceSATA/SAS
Supported RAID levelsNone
Connectivity
Network controller1x Dell EMC Integrated Dual Port Network Daughter Card - 2x 1 Gigabit RJ45 Ports,
Ports & slots
Network ports2 x Ports
Management interfaceRJ 45
Power
Hot-swap redundant PSUYes
Size & build
Rack height2U
Software
Operating systemNo
More details
Management controllerDell EMC 14G PowerEdge iDRAC 9 Enterprise License

Questions about this item

How do I verify the dual Xeon Gold 5118 processors are running at 2.3GHz base and 3.2GHz turbo after setup?

Check the iDRAC9 Enterprise interface or BIOS System Information page; both will display the two CPUs with 12 cores each at the rated 2.30 GHz base and 3.2 GHz turbo frequencies.

The listing says 8 trays and no drives — do the trays include caddies and screws, and what else must I buy to populate the bays?

The eight 3.5" SAS/SATA trays ship with caddies and screws installed; you only need to purchase compatible 3.5" SAS or SATA hard drives or SSDs to fill the bays.

With 256GB already installed across 8 slots, which DDR4 modules should I add to reach the 1TB maximum?

Add 32GB DDR4 2666MHz Registered ECC DIMMs — the server has 16 slots total, so eight more 32GB modules will bring capacity to the 1TB limit.

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