DELL PowerEdge R740xd2 2U rack server 2x Xeon Platinum 8160 2.1GHz 24C 256GB DDR4 26x 8TB SATA HBA330 2x 1100W

Storage-dense 2U server

The Dell PowerEdge R740xd2 packs twenty-six 3.5-inch 8 TB SATA drives into a two-unit rack chassis, delivering over two hundred terabytes of raw capacity. Dual Xeon Platinum 8160 processors provide forty-eight cores at 2.1 GHz with 3.7 GHz turbo for compute-heavy workloads. Two hundred fifty-six gigabytes of DDR4-2666 ECC memory across eight modules supports large in-memory datasets. This configuration targets software-defined storage, backup repositories and media archives that prioritise capacity per rack unit.

SATA throughput ceiling

Each drive connects through the PERC HBA330 controller at 6 Gbit/s SATA, so sustained sequential bandwidth tops out near the interface limit rather than the media speed. The 7.2 K RPM spindles deliver consistent throughput for sequential workloads but cannot match random IOPS of flash tiers. Twelve-gigabit SAS lanes from the controller are shared across the backplane, so heavy concurrent access across all twenty-six bays will saturate the aggregate path. Workloads needing lower latency or higher random performance would require a different media choice.

Redundant power and remote control

Two hot-swap 1100 W platinum supplies provide N+1 redundancy without shutting down for maintenance. The HBA330 occupies a dedicated mini-slot, leaving PCIe risers free for additional networking or acceleration cards. Integrated iDRAC 9 Enterprise enables out-of-band management, firmware updates and virtual console access over a dedicated port. Front bezel and ready rails are not included, so rack mounting hardware must be sourced separately.