Dell VMAX 250F
The Dell EMC VMAX 250F is an entry-level all-flash enterprise storage array delivering VMAX-tier reliability, HYPERMAX OS data services, and sub-millisecond SAS SSD performance within a compact rack footprint. Scaling from one to two V-Bricks with up to 4TB of mirrored global cache, the 250F provided mid-sized enterprises with mission-critical SRDF disaster recovery and inline compression.
Also written as: VMAX 250F, Dell EMC VMAX 250F, VMAX All Flash 250F
Specifications
| Brand | Dell |
|---|---|
| Family | VMAX |
| Form factor | system bay / standard rack |
| Released | Sep 2016 |
| End of sale | Sep 2019 |
| End of support | Sep 2024 |
| Cpu platform | 1 or 2 V-Bricks (2 to 4 directors), Intel Xeon E5-2650 v3 (10 cores per director) |
| Memory max (GB) | 4,096 |
| Drive bays | Up to 100x 2.5-inch SAS SSDs across high-density DAE enclosures |
| Raw capacity | Up to 1.15 PB effective all-flash capacity |
| Network onboard | Front-end optical ports supporting 16Gb/8Gb Fibre Channel and 10GbE iSCSI |
| Power supply | Redundant hot-plug 2000W AC power supplies with external standby power supplies (SPS) |
Generations
- Previous generation: Dell VMAX 100K
- Next generation: Dell PowerMax 2000
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 VMAX 250F connects to servers, storage and the network: 2 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
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
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 VMAX 250F.
- 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 VMAX 250F: what to check
Check external Standby Power Supply (SPS) battery dates, verify director CPU and memory configurations, ensure DAE drive trays are fully populated with supported EMC SAS SSDs, and confirm license keys.
FAQ
What is a V-Brick on the VMAX 250F?
A V-Brick is a standardized building block containing two director boards, mirrored cache, and base flash storage capacity.
Does the VMAX 250F support inline hardware compression?
Yes, the 250F includes dedicated hardware offload modules for inline data compression without controller CPU degradation.
Buying or selling VMAX 250F?
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 VMAX 250F Spec Sheet, checked 2026-10-27