Dell PowerEdge XR2
The Dell PowerEdge XR2 is a rugged 1U, dual-socket short-depth server for edge, military and field use, with a chassis depth of 547 mm. It takes up to two Intel Xeon Scalable processors, 16 DDR4 slots and eight 2.5-inch drive bays, and it can hold one low-profile 75 W GPU. Dell lists continuous operation from 5 C to 45 C and excursions to 55 C, with shock, vibration and altitude ratings taken from Mil-Std 810G. A common access card reader on the front panel supports drive encryption. Buyers are usually defence, telecom and mobile-site operators.
Also written as: PowerEdge XR2, Dell EMC PowerEdge XR2, XR2 Rugged Server, Dell XR2
Specifications
| Brand | Dell |
|---|---|
| Family | PowerEdge XR |
| Form factor | 1U rack (short-depth, rugged) |
| Released | Oct 2017 |
| Cpu sockets | 2 |
| Cpu platform | Up to two Intel Xeon Processor Scalable Family processors |
| Memory slots | 16 |
| Memory type | DDR4 RDIMM / LRDIMM, 2666 / 2400 / 2133 / 1866 MT/s |
| Memory max (GB) | 2,048 |
| Drive bays | Up to 8x 2.5-inch hot-swap SAS or SATA SSD (with drive adapter); up to 4x 2.5-inch hot-swap NVMe |
| Pcie slots | Riser based: LOM riser (x8), right riser slot (x16, low profile or full height half length), left riser slot (x16, low profile half length), plus an internal riser |
| Gpu support | One low-profile 75 W single-wide GPU, riser 2 only, with performance fans |
| Network onboard | 2x 1GbE NIC ports on the rear panel; iDRAC Direct micro-USB port |
| Power supply | Two redundant PSUs: 550 W AC (Platinum) or 600 W DC (-48 V) |
Compatible parts
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
400-BDSE Dell 7.68TB SAS Read Intensive 12Gb/s 512e 2.5in 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
HBAs
405-AAKM Dell HBA330 Mini Monolithic 12Gb/s SAS Host Bus Adapter
540-BCMT Dell QLogic 2772 Dual Port 32Gb Fibre Channel PCIe Adapter
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
Drive caddies
DXD9H Dell 2.5-inch Gen14/Gen15/Gen16 Hot-Plug Drive Caddy Tray (SFF)
RAID controllers
PERC-H730P Dell PERC H730P 12Gb/s SAS 2GB NV Cache Mini Mono / PCIe RAID Controller
PERC-H740P Dell PERC H740P 12Gb/s SAS 8GB NV Cache PCIe / Mini Mono RAID Controller
Works together
How the Dell PowerEdge XR2 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
- 540-BCMT Dell QLogic 2772 Dual Port 32Gb Fibre Channel PCIe Adapter
Switches
Dell Connectrix DS-6620B 1U rack
Dell PowerSwitch S4148U-ON 1U switch
Dell Connectrix DS-6610B 1U rack
Dell Connectrix DS-6630B 2U switch
Storage
Dell Unity 350F 2U rack
Dell Unity 450F 2U rack
Dell Unity 550F 2U rack
Dell Unity 650F 2U rack
Dell VMAX 950F system bay multi-cabinet
Dell PowerMax 2000 system bay / standard 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-BBRL Dell Intel X710 Quad Port 10GbE SFP+ Full-Height PCIe Adapter
Switches
Dell PowerSwitch S4128F-ON 1U rack
Dell PowerSwitch S4148F-ON 1U rack
Dell PowerSwitch N3024EF-ON 1U switch
Dell PowerSwitch S4112F-ON 1U rack
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 PowerEdge MX5016s blade
Dell PowerVault ME4012 2U rack
Dell PowerVault ME4024 2U rack
Dell PowerVault ME4084 5U rack
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-BBRL Dell Intel X710 Quad Port 10GbE SFP+ Full-Height PCIe Adapter
Switches
- Dell PowerSwitch S4128F-ON 1U rack
- Dell PowerSwitch S4148F-ON 1U rack
- Dell PowerSwitch N3024EF-ON 1U switch
- Dell PowerSwitch S4112F-ON 1U rack
Storage
Fujitsu ETERNUS DX100 S4 2U rack
NetApp AFF A200 2U rack
Lenovo ThinkSystem DM5000F 2U rack
NetApp AFF A220 2U rack
NetApp AFF A700 8U modular rack
NetApp FAS Series FAS2650 2U rack
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 XR2.
- 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 XR2: what to check
Check which PSU type is fitted, because AC and -48 V DC versions are not interchangeable, and confirm the fan type if a GPU is present. Ask whether the front common access card reader and eSATA port are populated, and run diagnostics on all 16 DIMM slots. Check iDRAC licence level and that rails and the front bezel are included.
FAQ
How deep is the PowerEdge XR2?
Dell's technical specifications give a chassis depth of about 547 mm (21.35 inches) at the longest measure, with a width of 434 mm and a height of 42.8 mm. It is a 1U short-depth design.
What temperature range does the PowerEdge XR2 support?
Continuous operation is 5 C to 45 C, and Dell lists excursions to 55 C. An expanded range of -5 C to 55 C applies for up to 1 percent of annual operating hours, with redundant power supplies required.
Can the PowerEdge XR2 take a GPU?
Yes, one low-profile 75 W single-wide GPU is supported, in riser 2 only and with performance fans. Dell also notes GPU continuous operation is supported up to 30 C, or 45 C with the optional fan booster kit.
Buying or selling XR2?
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 XR2 Technical Specifications (Rev. A04, May 2020), checked 2026-10-27
- Dell EMC PowerEdge XR2 Installation and Service Manual, technical specifications, checked 2026-10-27