Dell PowerVault MD3860F
The Dell PowerVault MD3860F combines high-density 4U drawer architecture with dual 16Gb Fibre Channel controllers to deliver high-capacity SAN storage for enterprise virtualization, medical imaging, and backup targets. Holding up to 60 drives in two pull-out drawers, the MD3860F balances high bandwidth, dense rack economics, and proven multi-path SAN resilience.
Also written as: PowerVault MD3860F, Dell MD3860F, MD3860F Dense 4U 16Gb FC
Specifications
| Brand | Dell |
|---|---|
| Family | PowerVault MD |
| Form factor | 4U rack |
| Released | Sep 2014 |
| End of sale | Jan 2020 |
| End of support | Jan 2025 |
| Controller type | Dual active-active 16Gb Fibre Channel RAID controllers, 4GB or 8GB cache per controller |
| Drive bays | 60x 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch SAS/NL-SAS/SSD drives across two sliding drawers in 4U |
| Raw capacity | Up to 600TB raw storage in base enclosure; expands up to 180 drives |
| Host interface | 4x 16Gb SFP+ Fibre Channel host ports per controller (8 ports total) |
| Power supply | Dual redundant hot-plug 1755W power supply modules |
Generations
- Previous generation: Dell PowerVault MD3660F
- Next generation: Dell PowerVault ME484
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)
SSDs
400-AZPZ Dell 1.92TB SAS Read Intensive 12Gb/s 2.5-inch Hot-Plug SSD
Works together
How the Dell PowerVault MD3860F 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 R220 1U rack
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
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-9148S 1U switch
Dell Connectrix MDS-9710 14U director chassis
Dell Connectrix MP-7840B 2U switch
Dell Connectrix MDS-9396S 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
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 MD3860F.
- 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 MD3860F: what to check
Inspect drawer glide mechanisms and cable management arms, verify 16Gb FC optical transceiver operational status, check controller battery packs, and confirm dual 1755W power supplies.
FAQ
What is the maximum drive expansion on the MD3860F?
The MD3860F can expand to 180 total drives by attaching two MD3060e high-density expansion enclosures.
Can the MD3860F run mixed drive types?
Yes, 3.5-inch NL-SAS, 10K SAS, and solid-state drives can be combined across different RAID disk groups.
Buying or selling PowerVault MD3860F?
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 MD3860F Spec Sheet, checked 2026-10-27