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Dell PowerEdge R940

End of saleServers3U rack
Dell PowerEdge R9403U rack24 × SFF 2.5" bays4 sockets

The Dell PowerEdge R940 is an enterprise 3U rack server powered by 4 Intel Xeon Scalable 1st Gen and 2nd Gen (up to 4 processors, 28 cores each, 205W TDP) and 48 memory slots supporting up to 6144GB DDR4-2666 / DDR4-2933 RDIMM / LRDIMM. Configured with Up to 24x 2.5-inch SAS/SATA/NVMe drives (up to 12 NVMe) and Up to 13 PCIe Gen3 slots, the R940 delivers balanced compute and I/O density for enterprise database, hypervisor, and application workloads.

Also written as: PowerEdge R940, Dell R940, R940 3U Server

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Specifications

BrandDell
FamilyPowerEdge R
Form factor3U rack
ReleasedJul 2017
End of saleMay 2023
End of supportJun 2028
Cpu sockets4
Cpu platformIntel Xeon Scalable 1st Gen and 2nd Gen (up to 4 processors, 28 cores each, 205W TDP)
Memory slots48
Memory typeDDR4-2666 / DDR4-2933 RDIMM / LRDIMM
Memory max (GB)6,144
Drive baysUp to 24x 2.5-inch SAS/SATA/NVMe drives (up to 12 NVMe)
Pcie slotsUp to 13 PCIe Gen3 slots
Gpu supportNone supported (use R940xa for GPU)
Network onboardNetwork Daughter Card (NDC) slot; 1x 1GbE iDRAC9 port
Power supplyQuad redundant hot-plug 1100W, 1600W, 2000W or 2400W

Generations

About the R940

The Dell PowerEdge R940 is an enterprise 3U rack server engineered for computing and virtualization workloads. Powered by 4 Intel Xeon Scalable 1st Gen and 2nd Gen (up to 4 processors, 28 cores each, 205W TDP) across 48 memory slots supporting up to 6144GB DDR4-2666 / DDR4-2933 RDIMM / LRDIMM, the R940 balances throughput and memory capacity. In Dell's server catalog, the R940 succeeded the POWEREDGE-R930 and was followed by the POWEREDGE-R960, positioned alongside rival systems including PROLIANT-DL580-GEN10, THINKSYSTEM-SR860.

Options and compatibility

Processor support on the R940 utilizes 4 LGA3647 (Socket P0) sockets with thermal heatsinks matching CPU power envelopes. System memory slots on the R940 require DDR4-2666 / DDR4-2933 RDIMM / LRDIMM modules, and mixing RDIMM with LRDIMM memory is not supported. The R940 chassis utilizes DXD9H (2.5-inch SFF) drive trays across its 2.5-inch drive backplane bays. Networking on the R940 uses Network Daughter Card (NDC), and expansion cards install into Up to 13 PCIe Gen3 slots risers.

How to identify it

Physical identification of the R940 is verified by the 14th-generation silver-gray brushed aluminum honeycomb bezel with the R940 badge on the front chassis ear. The pull-out information tag on the R940 control panel displays the 7-character Dell Service Tag and default login credentials. In iDRAC9, the server identifies as R940 with active firmware, slot mapping, and power telemetry.

Buying used

When evaluating a pre-owned R940, inspect the LGA3647 (Socket P0) CPU socket pins for damage and ensure retention clips are intact. Run Dell ePSA diagnostics across all 48 memory slots of the R940 to verify zero uncorrectable ECC faults under load. Verify that redundant power supplies in the R940 match in wattage and that iDRAC9 Enterprise remote console is enabled. Ensure required R940 drive caddies and bracket accessories are present.

Compatible parts

Memory

RAID controllers

Boot devices

Works together

How the Dell PowerEdge R940 connects to servers, storage and the network: 4 ways, with the parts and products on each path.

Fibre Channel SANiSCSI and NVMe/TCP over EthernetDirect-attached SASFile storage (NFS and SMB)

Fibre Channel SAN

Match the speed: 16Gb and 32Gb FC HBAs, switches and array ports work together, and each generation also runs one or two speeds below its own (a 32Gb port runs at 16Gb and 8Gb).

Adapters for the server (check the fit list)

Switches

Storage

Optics

Fibre Channel SAN: how it fits together

iSCSI and NVMe/TCP over Ethernet

Keep the speed the same at all three points: a 25GbE server, a 25GbE switch port and a 25GbE array port. Mixed speeds work but the slowest link sets the pace.

Adapters for the server (check the fit list)

iSCSI and NVMe/TCP over Ethernet: how it fits together

Direct-attached SAS

12Gb SAS uses Mini-SAS HD (SFF-8644) connectors; older 6Gb gear uses Mini-SAS (SFF-8088). Adapter cables exist, but the link runs at the slower speed.

Adapters for the server (check the fit list)

Storage

Direct-attached SAS: how it fits together

File storage (NFS and SMB)

Front-end ports face the clients; back-end ports (on scale-out systems) connect the nodes to each other and need their own switch pair.

Adapters for the server (check the fit list)

Storage

File storage (NFS and SMB): how it fits together

Plan and size it

Equivalent models from other brands

FAQ

What is the form factor of the R940?

The R940 uses a unique 3U rack chassis, providing 13 PCIe Gen3 slots while saving 1U of space compared to 4U systems.

How many PCIe slots does the R940 provide?

It features up to 13 PCIe Gen3 expansion slots for extensive networking and storage adapter expansion.

Buying or selling R940?

New, refurbished or used. Tell us the quantity and condition and we connect you with a vetted reseller in your region, usually within one working day.

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Sources