Dell PowerVault MD1420
The Dell PowerVault MD1420 is a 2U direct-attached storage (DAS) JBOD expansion array holding twenty-four 2.5-inch hot-swap drives, designed to deliver high IOPS and solid-state storage density directly to Dell PowerEdge servers. Interfacing with external PERC H830 or H840 controllers over 12Gb/s mini-SAS HD connections, the MD1420 is optimized for performance-intensive databases, tiered storage pools, and virtualized workloads. Its redundant power supplies and dual Enclosure Management Modules ensure high reliability. Widely sought after on the secondary market for all-flash and fast SAS expansions, buyers should check that all 24 drive trays are present.
Also written as: PowerVault MD1420, Dell MD1420, MD1420 Direct Attached Storage
Specifications
| Brand | Dell |
|---|---|
| Family | PowerVault |
| Form factor | 2U rack |
| Released | Sep 2014 |
| End of sale | Aug 2021 |
| End of support | Oct 2026 |
| Drive bays | 24x 2.5-inch hot-swap SAS/SSD drives |
| Raw capacity | Up to 184TB raw capacity per enclosure |
| Network onboard | Dual redundant Enclosure Management Modules (EMM) with 12Gb/s mini-SAS HD (SFF-8644) ports |
| Power supply | Dual redundant hot-plug 600W Platinum power supplies |
Generations
- Previous generation: Dell PowerVault MD1220
Compatible parts
Hard drives
400-AJPC Dell 600GB 10K RPM SAS 12Gb/s 512n 2.5in Hot-Plug Hard Drive
400-AJPD Dell 1.2TB 10K RPM SAS 12Gb/s 2.5-inch Hot-Plug Hard Drive
400-ATJN Dell 600GB 15K RPM SAS 12Gb/s 512n 2.5in Hot-Plug Hard Drive
400-ATKQ Dell 300GB 15K RPM SAS 12Gb/s 2.5in Hot-Plug Hard Drive
400-BLLJ Dell 2.4TB 10K RPM SAS 12Gb/s 512e 2.5-inch Hot-Plug Hard Drive
HBAs
405-AANT Dell 12Gbps SAS HBA Dual Port External PCIe Controller
405-AASU Dell HBA355e External SAS 12Gb/s Host Bus Adapter
RAID controllers
PERC-H840 Dell PERC H840 12Gb/s SAS External RAID Controller with 8GB NV Cache
Works together
How the Dell PowerVault MD1420 connects to servers, storage and the network: 1 way, with the parts and products on each path.
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.
Servers
Dell PowerEdge R430 1U rack
Dell PowerEdge R530 2U rack
Dell PowerEdge R630 1U rack
Dell PowerEdge R730 2U rack
Dell PowerEdge R730xd 2U rack
Dell PowerEdge R230 1U rack
Adapters for the server
- 405-AANT Dell 12Gbps SAS HBA Dual Port External PCIe Controller
- 405-AASU Dell HBA355e External SAS 12Gb/s Host Bus Adapter
05-50076-01 Broadcom HBA 9500-16e PCIe 4.0 Tri-Mode 16-Port External Host Bus Adapter
4Y37A09724 Lenovo ThinkSystem 440-16e SAS/SATA PCIe Gen4 12Gb HBA
Plan and size it
- Draw this setup in the topology planner mrplanb.com
- Add up rack power and space rack-density.com
- LTO tape prices and archive advisor tapebackup.org
- Enterprise backup Ledger: backup software scored mrplanb.com
- LTO tape for backup mrplanb.com
- Dell E-Lab Navigator (Dell interoperability) dell.com
Equivalent models from other brands
- HPE D3700 Jbod
- Lenovo Thinksystem D1224
Buying a used MD1420: what to check
Verify dual 12Gb/s EMM controllers are present, confirm mini-SAS HD SFF-8644 cables are supplied, and verify all 24 2.5-inch drive trays are included.
FAQ
What drives are supported in the PowerVault MD1420?
Up to twenty-four 2.5-inch 12Gb/s SAS hard drives (10K/15K RPM) or high-endurance SAS solid-state drives.
What controller is required in the host server for MD1420?
A Dell PERC H830, PERC H840, or 12Gb SAS external HBA.
Buying or selling MD1420?
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 PowerVault MD1420 Spec Sheet, checked 2026-10-27