DELL PowerEdge R730xd 2U rack server 2x Xeon E5-2660 v3 2.6GHz 10-core 128GB DDR4 24x 2.4TB SAS H730

Dense 2U storage server

The Dell PowerEdge R730xd fits twenty-four 2.5-inch drive bays into a 2U rack chassis, delivering high local capacity for data-intensive workloads such as databases, virtual desktop infrastructure and high-performance computing data nodes. Dual Xeon E5-2660 v3 processors provide twenty total cores at 2.6 GHz with 3.3 GHz turbo, while 128 GB of registered ECC DDR4 memory supports large working sets.

From fewer bays or slower drives

Replacing a server limited to eight or twelve bays or running 7.2 K RPM drives, this configuration adds 24 bays of 10 K RPM SAS storage behind a PERC H730 controller with 1 GB cache and battery-backed write protection. The jump is worth it when IOPS and throughput for mixed read-write workloads exceed what smaller arrays or slower spindles can sustain.

Build around dual CPUs and quad networking

The system requires LGA 2011-3 cooling and power infrastructure for two 750 W platinum supplies, and it occupies a standard 2U rack space with included rails. Twelve free DDR4 slots allow expansion to 1.5 TB, while the X520/I350 daughter card supplies two 1 GbE and two 10 Gb SFP+ ports, freeing PCIe slots for additional adapters. iDRAC 8 Enterprise enables remote management without a dedicated console.