Dell PowerEdge XR12
The Dell PowerEdge XR12 is a ruggedized 2U short-depth server for edge sites such as telecom cabinets, marine and mobile deployments, announced by Dell in March 2021. It has one 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable socket with up to 36 cores, eight DDR4-3200 slots and six 2.5-inch drive bays. Dell lists a chassis depth of 400 mm and operating ranges for ASHRAE A2, A3 and A4 plus a rugged range of -5 C to 55 C. Two GPUs are supported, up to 300 W each with the right riser. Buyers are telecom, defence and industrial operators.
Also written as: PowerEdge XR12, Dell EMC PowerEdge XR12, XR12 Rugged Server, Dell XR12
Specifications
| Brand | Dell |
|---|---|
| Family | PowerEdge XR |
| Form factor | 2U rack (short-depth, rugged) |
| Released | Mar 2021 |
| Cpu sockets | 1 |
| Cpu platform | One 3rd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable processor, up to 36 cores |
| Memory slots | 8 |
| Memory type | DDR4-3200 RDIMM / LRDIMM; Intel Optane PMem 200 Series supported |
| Memory max (GB) | 2,048 |
| Drive bays | 6x 2.5-inch hot-swap SAS, SATA or NVMe SSD (rear-accessed or front-accessed configuration) |
| Pcie slots | Up to 5 PCIe Gen 4 expansion cards depending on riser (x16 and x8+x8 options) |
| Gpu support | Up to 2x 75 W or 150 W single-width GPUs, or 2x 300 W double-width full-height full-length GPUs, depending on riser |
| Network onboard | 4x embedded LOM ports (4x 25GbE SFP+, also 10GbE) plus a dedicated 1GbE iDRAC port |
| Power supply | Up to two AC or DC PSUs from 700 W to 1400 W (Platinum or Titanium), -48 V DC options |
Compatible parts
Bezels
325-BCHG Dell PowerEdge 2U Standard LCD Front Bezel with Key Lock
Memory
370-AAFW Dell 32GB 2Rx4 DDR4-2933 RDIMM ECC Registered Memory
370-AAFX Dell 64GB DDR4-2933 Quad Rank LRDIMM 288-pin Memory Module
370-ADNF Dell 16GB DDR4-2666 Dual Rank Registered ECC RDIMM
370-ADNG Dell 32GB DDR4-2666 Dual Rank Registered ECC RDIMM
SSDs
400-AZPZ Dell 1.92TB SAS Read Intensive 12Gb/s 2.5-inch Hot-Plug SSD
400-BDSD Dell 3.84TB SAS Read Intensive 12Gb/s 2.5-inch Hot-Plug SSD
Boot devices
400-BDBR Dell BOSS-S1 M.2 240GB SATA 6Gb/s Enterprise Solid State Drive
BOSS-S1 Dell Boot Optimized Storage Solution (BOSS-S1) PCIe Card with Dual M.2 SSDs
Power supplies
450-AIYP Dell 1100W Titanium Hot-Plug Redundant Power Supply (Common Slot)
450-AJPZ Dell 750W Platinum Hot-Plug Redundant Power Supply (Common Slot)
TPM modules
461-AAIG Dell Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) Security Module for 14G/15G
Network adapters
540-BBGY Dell Broadcom 57414 Dual Port 10/25GbE SFP28 PCIe Low Profile Network Adapter
540-BBRL Dell Intel X710 Quad Port 10GbE SFP+ Full-Height PCIe Adapter
Rail kits
770-BBBQ Dell ReadyRails II Sliding Rails for 1U PowerEdge Servers (A7/A8)
Drive caddies
DXD9H Dell 2.5-inch Gen14/Gen15/Gen16 Hot-Plug Drive Caddy Tray (SFF)
RAID controllers
PERC-H740P Dell PERC H740P 12Gb/s SAS 8GB NV Cache PCIe / Mini Mono RAID Controller
Works together
How the Dell PowerEdge XR12 connects to servers, storage and the network: 4 ways, with the parts and products on each path.
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)
540-BBUU Dell Emulex LPe31002 Dual Port 16Gb Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapter
540-BBUV Dell QLogic 2692 Dual Port 16Gb Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapter
540-BCMS Dell QLogic 2770 Single Port 32Gb Fibre Channel PCIe Adapter
540-BCMT Dell QLogic 2772 Dual Port 32Gb Fibre Channel PCIe Adapter
Switches
Dell Connectrix DS-7720B 1U rack
Dell Connectrix MP-7850B 1U switch
Dell Connectrix DS-7730B 2U switch
Dell Connectrix ED-DCX7-8B 14U director chassis
Storage
Dell PowerStore 500T 2U rack
Dell PowerMax 2500 4U multi-node rack
Dell PowerMax 8500 system bay multi-enclosure
Dell PowerStore 1000T 2U rack
Dell PowerStore 1000X 2U rack
Dell PowerStore 1200T 2U rack
Optics
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
- 540-BBGY Dell Broadcom 57414 Dual Port 10/25GbE SFP28 PCIe Low Profile Network Adapter
- 540-BBRL Dell Intel X710 Quad Port 10GbE SFP+ Full-Height PCIe Adapter
Switches
Dell PowerSwitch N3248TE-ON 1U switch
Dell Connectrix ED-DCX7-4B 9U director chassis
Dell PowerSwitch N3248PXE-ON 1U switch
Dell PowerSwitch N3224F-ON 1U switch
Storage
- Dell PowerStore 500T 2U rack
- Dell PowerMax 2500 4U multi-node rack
- Dell PowerMax 8500 system bay multi-enclosure
- Dell PowerStore 1000T 2U rack
- Dell PowerStore 1000X 2U rack
- Dell PowerStore 1200T 2U rack
Optics
407-BBOU Dell 10GbE SFP+ SR Optical Transceiver (850nm, 300m MMF)
407-BCBF Dell 25GbE SFP28 SR Optical Transceiver (850nm, 100m MMF)
SFP-10G-LR-AR Arista 10GBASE-LR SFP+ Optical Transceiver Module
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)
405-AANT Dell 12Gbps SAS HBA Dual Port External PCIe Controller
405-AASU Dell HBA355e External SAS 12Gb/s Host Bus Adapter
HBA465E Dell HBA465e External Host Bus Adapter
Storage
Dell PowerVault ME5012 2U rack
Dell PowerVault ME5024 2U rack
Dell PowerVault ME5084 5U rack
Dell PowerEdge MX5016s blade
Dell PowerStore NVMe Expansion Enclosure (ENS24) 2U rack
Dell PowerStore 7000T 2U rack
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
- 540-BBGY Dell Broadcom 57414 Dual Port 10/25GbE SFP28 PCIe Low Profile Network Adapter
- 540-BBRL Dell Intel X710 Quad Port 10GbE SFP+ Full-Height PCIe Adapter
Switches
- Dell PowerSwitch N3248TE-ON 1U switch
- Dell Connectrix ED-DCX7-4B 9U director chassis
- Dell PowerSwitch N3248PXE-ON 1U switch
- Dell PowerSwitch N3224F-ON 1U switch
Storage
Dell PowerScale A300 4U
Dell PowerScale A3000 4U 4-node chassis
Dell PowerScale F900 2U rack
Dell PowerScale H700 4U
Dell PowerScale H7000 4U 4-node chassis- Dell PowerStore 500T 2U rack
Optics
- 407-BBOU Dell 10GbE SFP+ SR Optical Transceiver (850nm, 300m MMF)
- 407-BCBF Dell 25GbE SFP28 SR Optical Transceiver (850nm, 100m MMF)
- SFP-10G-LR-AR Arista 10GBASE-LR SFP+ Optical Transceiver Module
Plan and size it
- Draw this setup in the topology planner mrplanb.com
- Add up rack power and space rack-density.com
- Virtualization storage Ledger: scored storage platforms mrplanb.com
- SAN transport and NVMe over FC for backup mrplanb.com
- Dell E-Lab Navigator (Dell interoperability) dell.com
Check compatibility with Dell
Before you buy, confirm the exact configuration against the vendor's own lists: firmware levels, operating systems, adapters and optics that Dell has tested with the Dell PowerEdge XR12.
- Compatibility Dell E-Lab Navigator (storage and SAN interoperability) (free vendor sign-in)
- Support Dell Support: drivers, manuals and service tag lookup
Equivalent models from other brands
Buying a used XR12: what to check
Check whether the unit is the rear-accessed or front-accessed version, since riser and drive choices differ. Confirm the PSU type (AC or -48 V DC), that all six fans are present, and which GPU risers are fitted. Ask for the iDRAC licence level and verify both mounting rail sets are included.
FAQ
How deep is the PowerEdge XR12?
Dell lists a chassis depth of about 400 mm (15.74 inches) measured ear to rear wall, with a height of 86.8 mm. It is built for shallow edge cabinets.
How many processors does the XR12 take?
One. Dell lists a single 3rd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable processor with up to 36 cores and eight DDR4-3200 DIMM slots.
What temperatures can the XR12 handle?
Dell lists ASHRAE A2, A3 and A4 operation, and a rugged range of -5 C to 55 C at altitudes up to 900 m, with derating above that.
Buying or selling XR12?
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.
Sources
- Dell EMC PowerEdge XR12 Technical Specifications (Rev. A04), checked 2026-10-27
- Dell Technologies press release, 17 March 2021 (PowerEdge XR11 and XR12), checked 2026-10-27