Dell PowerMax 8000
The Dell PowerMax 8000 is an enterprise multi-brick director array engineered for high-volume transactional workloads, mainframe computing, and consolidated multi-petabyte virtual environments. Scaling up to 8 Bricks and 16 directors interconnected by an InfiniBand matrix backplane, the 8000 offers massive global cache mirroring, SRDF multi-site replication, and proven 99.9999% field reliability.
Also written as: PowerMax 8000, Dell EMC PowerMax 8000, Enterprise Scale-Out NVMe Array
Specifications
| Brand | Dell |
|---|---|
| Family | PowerMax |
| Form factor | system bay multi-cabinet |
| Released | May 2018 |
| End of sale | Jan 2023 |
| End of support | Jan 2028 |
| Cpu platform | Up to 8 PowerMax Bricks (16 directors), Intel Xeon Broadwell multi-core processors |
| Memory max (GB) | 16,384 |
| Drive bays | Up to 384x 2.5-inch NVMe SSDs and SCM drives across Brick enclosures |
| Raw capacity | Up to 4.5 PB effective storage capacity |
| Network onboard | Front-end I/O supporting 32Gb/16Gb FC, 10GbE iSCSI, NVMe-oF, and IBM z/OS FICON |
| Power supply | Integrated dual-bay AC power distribution assemblies with redundant battery enclosures |
Generations
- Previous generation: Dell VMAX 950F
- Next generation: Dell PowerMax 8500
Compatible parts
HBAs
540-BCMT Dell QLogic 2772 Dual Port 32Gb Fibre Channel PCIe Adapter
540-BCMU Dell Emulex LPe35002 Dual Port 32Gb Fibre Channel PCIe Adapter
Transceivers
407-BCBI Dell 32Gb Short Wave SFP28 Fibre Channel Optical Transceiver
407-BCBF Dell 25GbE SFP28 SR Optical Transceiver (850nm, 100m MMF)
Rail kits
770-BCKW Dell ReadyRails II Sliding Rails for 2U PowerEdge Servers (B6)
Drive caddies
DXD9H Dell 2.5-inch Gen14/Gen15/Gen16 Hot-Plug Drive Caddy Tray (SFF)
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
Works together
How the Dell PowerMax 8000 connects to servers, storage and the network: 2 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).
Servers
Dell PowerEdge R240 1U rack
Dell PowerEdge R340 1U rack
Dell PowerEdge R6415 1U rack
Dell PowerEdge R740xd2 2U rack
Dell PowerEdge R7415 2U rack
Dell PowerEdge R7425 2U rack
Adapters for the server
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-6610B 1U rack
Dell Connectrix DS-6630B 2U switch
Dell Connectrix MDS-9132T 1U switch
Dell Connectrix MDS-9396T 2U switch
Optics
407-BBOG Dell 16Gb Short Wave SFP+ Fibre Channel Optical Transceiver- 407-BCBI Dell 32Gb Short Wave SFP28 Fibre Channel Optical Transceiver
57-1000262-01 Brocade 16G FC SFP+ ELWL 25 km
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.
Servers
- Dell PowerEdge R240 1U rack
- Dell PowerEdge R340 1U rack
- Dell PowerEdge R740xd2 2U rack
Dell PowerEdge R840 2U rack
Dell PowerEdge R940xa 4U rack
Dell PowerEdge R6515 1U rack
Adapters for the server
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 N3024EF-ON 1U switch
Dell PowerSwitch N3024ET-ON 1U switch
Dell PowerSwitch N3048EP-ON 1U switch
Dell PowerSwitch N3048ET-ON 1U switch
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 PowerMax 8000.
- 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 PowerMax 8000: what to check
Inspect InfiniBand inter-brick matrix switches, confirm condition of standby power batteries, verify director cache boards, and ensure cabinet transport brackets are included.
FAQ
Can the PowerMax 8000 run mainframe and open systems simultaneously?
Yes, it supports concurrent FICON and Fibre Channel/iSCSI protocol presentation with complete workload isolation.
What is the role of Storage Class Memory (SCM) in the PowerMax 8000?
SCM drives serve as ultra-fast persistent storage, automatically tiered using machine learning algorithms in PowerMaxOS.
Buying or selling PowerMax 8000?
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 PowerMax 8000 Spec Sheet, checked 2026-10-27