DELL PowerEdge R730xd 12LFF 2× Xeon E5-2690 v4 2.6GHz 512GB DDR4

Dense 12-bay storage server

The Dell PowerEdge R730xd packs twelve 3.5-inch drive bays into a 2U rack chassis, dual Xeon E5-2690 v4 processors at 2.6 GHz and 512 GB of DDR4 ECC registered memory. The PERC H730 SAS controller manages RAID across SATA drives, while integrated graphics and an iDRAC8 Enterprise licence handle remote administration. Dual 1100 W supplies and a quad-port Intel network card with two 10 GbE and two 1 GbE links complete the platform.

Replaces smaller 2U arrays

Moving from an 8-bay or 6-bay server adds four to six extra spindles without increasing rack height, and the jump to 14 cores per CPU raises thread count for virtualization or database workloads. The upgrade is worth it when storage density and parallel compute must grow together in the same 2U slot, and when the existing PERC H730 firmware stack can be retained.

Verify rack depth and power

Confirm the 36-inch depth fits your cabinet with cable clearance, and that the facility can deliver two 1100 W feeds on separate circuits. Check that the PERC H730 RAID level you plan matches the drive count and that the iDRAC8 Enterprise licence is activated for the intended management network. No drives ship installed, so source compatible 3.5-inch SATA media before deployment.