Dell PowerEdge XR4520c
The PowerEdge XR4520c is a 2U compute sled for the XR4000 chassis that adds dedicated PCIe expansion slots to Intel Xeon D compute. By accommodating full-height accelerator cards or auxiliary network interface cards, it provides edge AI inferencing and video processing capabilities in rugged field units.
Also written as: PowerEdge XR4520c, Dell XR4520c, XR4520c Compute Sled
Specifications
| Brand | Dell |
|---|---|
| Family | PowerEdge XR |
| Form factor | blade |
| Released | Dec 2022 |
| Cpu sockets | 1 |
| Cpu platform | Intel Xeon D-2700 series processors |
| Memory slots | 4 |
| Memory type | DDR4 ECC RDIMM up to 2933 MT/s |
| Drive bays | Up to 4x M.2 NVMe SSDs |
| Pcie slots | Up to 2x PCIe Gen4 slots (supports full-height GPU or accelerator) |
| Chassis compatibility | PowerEdge XR4000 enclosure |
Works together
How the Dell PowerEdge XR4520c 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-7730B 2U switch
Dell Connectrix DS-7720B 1U rack
Dell Connectrix MP-7850B 1U switch
Dell Connectrix ED-DCX7-8B 14U director chassis
Storage
Dell PowerMax 2500 4U multi-node rack
Dell PowerMax 8500 system bay multi-enclosure
Dell PowerStore 1200T 2U rack
Dell PowerStore 3200T 2U rack
Dell PowerStore 5200T 2U rack
Dell PowerStore 9200T 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 (check the fit list)
540-BBGN Dell Broadcom 57412 Dual Port 10GbE SFP+ PCIe Adapter
540-BBGO Dell Broadcom 57416 Dual Port 10GBASE-T RJ45 PCIe Adapter
540-BBGP Dell Broadcom 57416 Dual Port 10GBASE-T RJ45 OCP 3.0 Adapter
540-BBGY Dell Broadcom 57414 Dual Port 10/25GbE SFP28 PCIe Low Profile Network Adapter
Switches
Dell PowerSwitch S5448F-ON 1U switch
Dell PowerSwitch N3248TE-ON 1U switch
Dell PowerSwitch Z9432F-ON 1U switch
Dell PowerSwitch Z9664F-ON 2U switch
Storage
- Dell PowerMax 2500 4U multi-node rack
- Dell PowerMax 8500 system bay multi-enclosure
- Dell PowerStore 1200T 2U rack
- Dell PowerStore 3200T 2U rack
- Dell PowerStore 5200T 2U rack
- Dell PowerStore 9200T 2U rack
Optics
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 PowerStore NVMe Expansion Enclosure (ENS24) 2U rack
Dell PowerStore 7000T 2U rack
Dell PowerEdge MX5016s blade
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)
- 540-BBGN Dell Broadcom 57412 Dual Port 10GbE SFP+ PCIe Adapter
- 540-BBGO Dell Broadcom 57416 Dual Port 10GBASE-T RJ45 PCIe Adapter
- 540-BBGP Dell Broadcom 57416 Dual Port 10GBASE-T RJ45 OCP 3.0 Adapter
- 540-BBGY Dell Broadcom 57414 Dual Port 10/25GbE SFP28 PCIe Low Profile Network Adapter
Switches
- Dell PowerSwitch S5448F-ON 1U switch
- Dell PowerSwitch N3248TE-ON 1U switch
- Dell PowerSwitch Z9432F-ON 1U switch
- Dell PowerSwitch Z9664F-ON 2U switch
Storage
- Dell PowerStore 1200T 2U rack
- Dell PowerStore 3200T 2U rack
- Dell PowerStore 5200T 2U rack
- Dell PowerStore 9200T 2U rack
Dell PowerScale A300 4U
Dell PowerScale A3000 4U 4-node chassis
Optics
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 XR4520c.
- 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
FAQ
What additional hardware capabilities does the 2U XR4520c provide over the 1U XR4510c?
The XR4520c doubles the sled height to 2U, providing standard PCIe Gen4 expansion slots to house full-height GPU accelerators or high-speed network interfaces.
How many XR4520c sleds fit in a standard XR4000 enclosure?
Up to two 2U XR4520c sleds can be installed in a single XR4000 enclosure, delivering GPU acceleration for local computer vision and analytics.
Buying or selling XR4520c?
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 PowerEdge XR4520c Product Details, checked 2026-10-27
- Dell PowerEdge XR4520c Technical Documentation, checked 2026-10-27