DELL VRTX 5U rack server 2× M630 2× E5-2690v3 2.6GHz 12C 256GB 12× 20TB 7.2K SAS

Converged 5U chassis with dual M630 blades

This 5U Dell VRTX system combines two PowerEdge M630 compute blades inside a single enclosure. Each blade carries an Intel E5-2690v3 processor running at 2.6GHz with 12 cores and 30M cache. Shared resources include 256GB of DDR4 memory across both blades and twelve 20TB 7.2K SAS drives managed by an S130 controller. Integrated iDRAC8 Express provides remote access while four 1600W redundant power supplies keep the platform running.

Replaces separate rack servers

Consolidating compute, storage and networking in one 5U box removes the need for multiple 1U or 2U servers plus a dedicated disk shelf. The jump makes sense when workloads fit within two blades and twelve 3.5-inch bays, and when 1Gb switching through the VRTX module meets traffic demands. Buyers who need more than two blades, faster than 1Gb fabric or additional PCIe expansion beyond eight slots should look elsewhere.

Limited by 1Gb internal switching and S130 RAID

The onboard VRTX 1GB switch module caps east-west traffic between blades and uplink bandwidth to the LAN. The S130 controller supports basic RAID levels but lacks hardware acceleration for parity calculations, so rebuild times grow with 20TB drives. Eight PCIe slots (three full-height, five low-profile) provide I/O flexibility, yet total throughput cannot exceed the 1Gb fabric ceiling.