Dell PowerVault ME5012

Name: Dell PowerVault ME5012
Brand: Dell

CurrentStorage2U rack

The Dell PowerVault ME5012 is an entry-level 2U hybrid SAN/DAS storage array designed for small-to-medium enterprises, video surveillance archives, and high-capacity backup repositories. Driven by dual active-active controllers with 16 Intel Xeon processing cores and 32GB of cache memory, the ME5012 accommodates twelve 3.5-inch hot-swap hard drives in its base chassis and scales up to 264 drives across expansion shelves. Supporting 32Gb Fibre Channel, 25GbE iSCSI, or 12Gb SAS host connectivity, it provides high throughput and automated SSD tiering. Secondary market buyers should verify controller configuration and confirm SFP+ optics are provided.

Also written as: PowerVault ME5012, Dell ME5012, ME5012 SAN/DAS

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Specifications

Brand	Dell
Family	PowerVault
Form factor	2U rack
Released	Feb 2022
Cpu platform	Dual active-active controllers, Intel Xeon 8-core processor per controller (16 cores total)
Memory max (GB)	32
Drive bays	12x 3.5-inch SAS/NL-SAS/SSD drives in base array; expands up to 264 drives via ME412/ME424/ME484 DAEs
Raw capacity	Up to 240TB raw in base enclosure (up to 2.4 PB with expansion shelves)
Network onboard	4 host ports per controller (8 ports total) supporting 32Gb/16Gb FC, 25GbE/10GbE iSCSI, or 12Gb SAS
Power supply	Dual redundant hot-plug 580W power supplies

Generations

Previous generation: Dell PowerVault ME4012

Compatible parts

Hard drives

400-AUQY Dell 10TB 7.2K RPM SAS 12Gb/s 512e 3.5in Hot-Plug Hard Drive
400-AUQZ Dell 12TB 7.2K RPM SAS 12Gb/s 512e 3.5in Hot-Plug Hard Drive
400-BCQX Dell 20TB 7.2K RPM SAS 12Gb/s 512e 3.5in Hot-Plug Hard Drive
400-BCQZ Dell 22TB 7.2K RPM SAS 12Gb/s 512e 3.5in Hot-Plug Hard Drive
400-BCRB Dell 24TB 7.2K RPM SAS 12Gb/s 512e 3.5in Hot-Plug Hard Drive
400-BDSA Dell 6TB 7.2K RPM 512e SAS 12Gb/s 3.5in Hot-Plug Hard Drive
400-BDSC Dell 12TB 7.2K RPM 512e SATA 6Gb/s 3.5in Hot-Plug Hard Drive

Works together

How the Dell PowerVault ME5012 connects to servers, storage and the network: 3 ways, with the parts and products on each path.

Fibre Channel SAN iSCSI and NVMe/TCP over Ethernet Direct-attached SAS

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

Lenovo ThinkSystem DB630S 2U rack
Lenovo ThinkSystem DB610S 1U rack

Optics

407-BBOG Dell 16Gb Short Wave SFP+ Fibre Channel Optical Transceiver
407-BCBI Dell 32Gb Short Wave SFP28 Fibre Channel Optical Transceiver
4M27A09984 Lenovo ThinkSystem 32Gb FC SFP+ 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)
46C3447 Lenovo ThinkSystem 10Gb SFP+ SR Optical Transceiver

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

Direct-attached SAS

Serverexternal SAS HBASAS cableMini-SAS HD, no switchArray or JBODSAS host ports or EMM

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

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

Direct-attached SAS: 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

Equivalent models from other brands

Buying a used ME5012: what to check

Verify whether controllers are configured for Fibre Channel, iSCSI, or 12Gb SAS host connectivity. Confirm supercapacitor cache protection modules are operational, and verify all 12 drive caddies are present.

FAQ

What host protocols does the PowerVault ME5012 support?

Auto-sensing 32Gb/16Gb Fibre Channel, 25GbE/10GbE iSCSI, or direct-attached 12Gb SAS.

What is the maximum drive count of the ME5012?

Up to 264 drives when attached to PowerVault ME484 high-density expansion enclosures.

Buying or selling ME5012?

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 ME5012 Spec Sheet, checked 2026-10-27