Dell Unity 500F
The Dell EMC Unity 500F is a high-performance 2U all-flash storage array configured with dual 10-core Intel Xeon processors and 128GB of memory cache. Supporting up to 500 SAS SSDs and 2.1PB of raw all-solid-state capacity, the 500F provides robust IOPS and sustained throughput for core ERP applications, virtualization, and mixed protocol enterprise SAN deployments.
Also written as: Unity 500F, Dell EMC Unity 500F, Unity All Flash 500F
Specifications
| Brand | Dell |
|---|---|
| Family | Unity |
| Form factor | 2U rack |
| Released | May 2016 |
| End of sale | Jan 2020 |
| End of support | Jan 2025 |
| Cpu platform | Dual active-active Storage Processors, 2x Intel Xeon E5-2660 v3 (10 cores, 2.6 GHz per SP) |
| Memory max (GB) | 128 |
| Drive bays | Up to 25x 2.5-inch SAS SSDs in base DPE; expands up to 500 flash drives across DAEs |
| Raw capacity | Up to 2.1 PB raw all-flash capacity |
| Network onboard | 4-port 10GBASE-T embedded; 2x I/O module slots per SP supporting 16Gb FC or 10GbE optical |
| Power supply | Dual redundant hot-plug power supplies with integrated battery backup modules |
Generations
- Next generation: Dell Unity 550F
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-BCBI Dell 32Gb Short Wave SFP28 Fibre Channel Optical Transceiver
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
DXD9H Dell 2.5-inch Gen14/Gen15/Gen16 Hot-Plug Drive Caddy Tray (SFF)
SSDs
400-AZPZ Dell 1.92TB SAS Read Intensive 12Gb/s 2.5-inch Hot-Plug SSD
400-BDSD Dell 3.84TB SAS Read Intensive 12Gb/s 2.5-inch Hot-Plug SSD
Works together
How the Dell Unity 500F connects to servers, storage and the network: 3 ways, 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 R830 2U rack
Dell PowerEdge C4130 1U rack
Dell PowerEdge C4140 1U rack
Dell PowerEdge R230 1U rack
Dell PowerEdge R330 1U rack
Dell PowerEdge R440 1U 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-9718 26U director chassis
Dell Connectrix DS-6620B 1U rack
Dell Connectrix MP-7840B 2U switch
Dell PowerSwitch S4148U-ON 1U 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
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 R830 2U rack
- Dell PowerEdge C4130 1U rack
- Dell PowerEdge C4140 1U rack
- Dell PowerEdge R230 1U rack
- Dell PowerEdge R330 1U rack
- Dell PowerEdge R440 1U 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 S4048T-ON 1U switch
Dell PowerSwitch N1524 1U switch
Dell PowerSwitch N1524P 1U switch
Dell PowerSwitch N1548 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
File storage (NFS and SMB)
Front-end ports face the clients; back-end ports (on scale-out systems) connect the nodes to each other and need their own switch pair.
Servers
- Dell PowerEdge R830 2U rack
- Dell PowerEdge C4130 1U rack
- Dell PowerEdge C4140 1U rack
- Dell PowerEdge R230 1U rack
- Dell PowerEdge R330 1U rack
- Dell PowerEdge R440 1U 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 S4048T-ON 1U switch
- Dell PowerSwitch N1524 1U switch
- Dell PowerSwitch N1524P 1U switch
- Dell PowerSwitch N1548 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
- 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 Unity 500F.
- 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 Unity 500F: what to check
Confirm SAS SSD endurance status across expansion trays, test SP battery backup pack retention, verify 16Gb FC transceivers, and ensure DAE expansion SAS cables are present.
FAQ
What data reduction technologies are available on the 500F?
Unity OE provides inline deduplication, inline compression, and zero-detection to maximize flash utilization.
What host connection protocols are supported on the 500F?
It supports 16Gb/8Gb Fibre Channel, 10GbE/1GbE iSCSI, NFS, SMB, and native VMware VAAI/VASA primitives.
Buying or selling Unity 500F?
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 EMC Unity 500F Spec Sheet, checked 2026-10-27