Dell PowerVault MD3800i

Name: Dell PowerVault MD3800i
Brand: Dell

End of saleStorage2U rack

The Dell PowerVault MD3800i is an IP SAN storage array featuring dual 10GbE iSCSI controllers and 12 3.5-inch drive bays in a 2U rack form factor. Providing multi-gigabit Ethernet block storage over standard copper RJ45 or optical SFP+ cabling, the MD3800i enables mid-sized organizations to deploy high-throughput SAN storage without investing in dedicated Fibre Channel switches.

Also written as: PowerVault MD3800i, Dell MD3800i, MD3800i 10GbE iSCSI 2U Array

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Specifications

Brand	Dell
Family	PowerVault MD
Form factor	2U rack
Released	Sep 2014
End of sale	Jan 2020
End of support	Jan 2025
Controller type	Dual active-active 10GbE iSCSI RAID controllers, 4GB or 8GB cache per controller
Drive bays	12x 3.5-inch SAS/NL-SAS/SSD drive bays in 2U enclosure; expands up to 192 drives
Raw capacity	Up to 120TB raw storage in base enclosure
Host interface	2x 10GBASE-T or 10GbE SFP+ iSCSI host ports per controller (4 ports total)
Power supply	Dual redundant hot-plug 600W AC power supplies

Generations

Previous generation: Dell PowerVault MD3600i
Next generation: Dell PowerVault ME4012

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-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)

SSDs

400-AZPZ Dell 1.92TB SAS Read Intensive 12Gb/s 2.5-inch Hot-Plug SSD

Works together

How the Dell PowerVault MD3800i connects to servers, storage and the network: 2 ways, with the parts and products on each path.

Fibre Channel SAN iSCSI and NVMe/TCP over Ethernet

Fibre Channel SAN

Serverwith an FC HBAFC switchtwo fabrics, A and BStorage arrayFC host ports

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

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-9706 9U director chassis
Dell Connectrix MDS-9148S 1U switch
Dell Connectrix MDS-9710 14U director chassis
Dell Connectrix MP-7840B 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
407-BBOH Dell 8Gb Short Wave SFP+ Fibre Channel Optical Transceiver

Fibre Channel SAN: how it fits together

iSCSI and NVMe/TCP over Ethernet

Server10/25/100GbE NICEthernet switchstorage VLAN, two switchesStorage arrayiSCSI or NVMe/TCP ports

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

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

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

iSCSI and NVMe/TCP over Ethernet: how it fits together

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 PowerVault MD3800i.

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

HPE MSA 2040 · compare
Lenovo ThinkSystem DS4200 · compare

Buying a used PowerVault MD3800i: what to check

Confirm whether controllers have 10GBASE-T copper or 10GbE SFP+ optical ports, test RAID controller cache batteries, inspect drive carriers, and verify management software access.

FAQ

Does the MD3800i require dedicated Ethernet switches?

Dedicated switches or isolated VLANs with flow control and Jumbo Frames are strongly recommended for iSCSI traffic.

Can the MD3800i replicate volumes to another MD array?

Yes, optional remote replication software licenses enable asynchronous replication between MD3800i arrays over IP.

Buying or selling PowerVault MD3800i?

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.

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Sources

Dell PowerVault MD3800i Spec Sheet, checked 2026-10-27