Dell PowerVault MD3600F
The Dell PowerVault MD3600F is an 8Gb Fibre Channel SAN array delivering dual-controller redundancy and 12 3.5-inch drive bays in a compact 2U chassis. Widely deployed for departmental virtualization clusters and Microsoft Exchange or SQL servers, the MD3600F provided reliable optical SAN storage with snapshot and virtual disk copy capabilities.
Also written as: PowerVault MD3600F, Dell MD3600F, MD3600F 8Gb FC 2U Array
Specifications
| Brand | Dell |
|---|---|
| Family | PowerVault MD |
| Form factor | 2U rack |
| Released | Sep 2011 |
| End of sale | Jan 2016 |
| End of support | Jan 2021 |
| Controller type | Dual active-active 8Gb Fibre Channel RAID controllers, 2GB or 4GB cache per controller |
| Drive bays | 12x 3.5-inch SAS/NL-SAS drive bays in 2U enclosure; expands up to 192 drives |
| Raw capacity | Up to 48TB raw storage in base enclosure (with 4TB drives) |
| Host interface | 4x 8Gb SFP Fibre Channel host ports per controller (8 ports total) |
| Power supply | Dual redundant hot-plug 600W AC power supplies |
Generations
- Next generation: Dell PowerVault MD3800F
Compatible parts
Network adapters
540-BBGY Dell Broadcom 57414 Dual Port 10/25GbE SFP28 PCIe Low Profile Network Adapter
OCP adapters
540-BBHB Dell Broadcom 57414 Dual Port 10/25GbE SFP28 OCP 3.0 Mezzanine Network Adapter
Transceivers
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
X7K8W Dell 3.5-inch Gen14/Gen15/Gen16 Hot-Plug Drive Caddy Tray (LFF)
Works together
How the Dell PowerVault MD3600F connects to servers, storage and the network: 1 way, 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 R320 1U rack
Dell PowerEdge R420 1U rack
Dell PowerEdge R520 2U rack
Dell PowerEdge R620 1U rack
Dell PowerEdge R720 2U rack
Dell PowerEdge R720xd 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 MDS-9710 14U director chassis
Dell Connectrix MDS-9718 26U director chassis
Dell Connectrix DS-6620B 1U rack
Dell PowerSwitch S4148U-ON 1U switch
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
- What an hour of downtime costs outagecost.org
- 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 PowerVault MD3600F.
- 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 PowerVault MD3600F: what to check
Inspect controller cache backup battery status, test 8Gb FC optical transceivers, confirm MDSM configuration passwords can be reset, and check 3.5-inch drive carriers.
FAQ
Can the MD3600F connect directly to servers without an FC switch?
Yes, direct point-to-point Fibre Channel connections from host HBAs to MD3600F controller ports are supported.
What expansion enclosures can be attached to the MD3600F?
It supports chaining up to MD1200 (3.5-inch) or MD1220 (2.5-inch) expansion enclosures via 6Gb mini-SAS ports.
Buying or selling PowerVault MD3600F?
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 MD3600F Spec Sheet, checked 2026-10-27