Dell PowerVault MD3860i
The Dell PowerVault MD3860i is a high-density 4U Ethernet SAN storage system featuring dual 10GbE iSCSI controllers and 60 drive bays in two pull-out drawers. Architected for video surveillance recording archives, disk-based backup targets, and bulk unstructured file repositories, the MD3860i offers petabyte-scale consolidation over standard Ethernet network fabrics.
Also written as: PowerVault MD3860i, Dell MD3860i, MD3860i Dense 4U 10GbE iSCSI
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 10GbE iSCSI 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 | 2x 10GBASE-T or 10GbE SFP+ iSCSI host ports per controller (4 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
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 MD3860i connects to servers, storage and the network: 1 way, with the parts and products on each path.
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 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-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 N2024 1U switch
Dell PowerSwitch N2024P 1U switch
Dell PowerSwitch N2048 1U switch
Dell PowerSwitch N2048P 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
- iSCSI explained mrplanb.com
- Virtualization storage Ledger: scored storage platforms mrplanb.com
- Network monitoring tools compared 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 MD3860i.
- 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 MD3860i: what to check
Test drawer sliding rail locks and internal cable tracks, verify 10GbE port link aggregation and failover, inspect RAID battery units, and confirm dual 1755W power supplies.
FAQ
How many total drives can the MD3860i manage?
Up to 180 drives by adding two MD3060e high-density expansion shelves via 12Gb mini-SAS HD cables.
Does the MD3860i support Dynamic Disk Pools (DDP)?
Yes, DDP distributes data and spare capacity across all drives to significantly shorten rebuild times after disk failures.
Buying or selling PowerVault MD3860i?
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 MD3860i Spec Sheet, checked 2026-10-27