DELL PowerEdge R540 2U 8-bay 2× Xeon 5118 2.3GHz 12-core 256GB DDR4 8×4TB SAS HBA330 iDRAC9 2×750W PSU

Purpose-built 2U server for virtualization

The Dell PowerEdge R540 is a 2U rack server equipped with dual Intel Xeon Gold 5118 processors, each running at 2.3 GHz with 12 cores and a 3.2 GHz turbo frequency. It ships with 256 GB of DDR4 registered ECC memory across eight 32 GB modules and supports a maximum of 384 GB. Eight 3.5-inch 4 TB SAS drives spinning at 7.2K RPM are managed by a Dell PERC HBA330 12 Gb/s controller. Redundant 750 W platinum power supplies, iDRAC9 Enterprise remote management, integrated dual-port Gigabit Ethernet, rails, and a front bezel complete the package.

Fits virtualization hosts needing dense 3.5-inch

This configuration suits organizations consolidating virtual machines, hosting databases, or serving files where large-capacity 3.5-inch SAS drives and dual-socket compute are priorities. The 2U form factor leaves room for expansion within standard racks. Buyers who require all-flash speed, GPU compute density, or a smaller 1U footprint should evaluate alternative platforms.

Storage controller determines drive compatibility

The PERC HBA330 operates in HBA mode, presenting SAS and SATA drives directly to the operating system without hardware RAID abstraction. Verify that your hypervisor or OS includes drivers for this controller and that your workload can manage software RAID or pass-through configurations.