IBM FlashSystem 9500
The IBM FlashSystem 9500 is a tier-1 enterprise modular all-flash storage system designed for high availability and petascale throughput. Built in a 4U chassis with dual active-active controllers, up to 3TB system cache, 48 direct NVMe FlashCore Module bays, PCIe 4.0 fabric, and 100GbE/32Gb FC interfaces, it powers large-scale enterprise consolidation and financial transaction processing.
Specifications
| Brand | IBM |
|---|---|
| Family | FlashSystem |
| Form factor | 4U rack |
| Released | Mar 2022 |
| Form factor | 4U rack |
| Controllers | Dual active-active |
| Cache memory | 3072GB |
| Max drives | 48 NVMe FCM/SSD (expands to 1536) |
| Host interfaces | 64Gb/32Gb FC, 100Gb/25Gb Ethernet, NVMe-oF |
| Max raw capacity | 7.9PB in 4U (up to 79PB expanded) |
Generations
- Previous generation: IBM FlashSystem 9200
Works together
How the IBM FlashSystem 9500 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
IBM Power System S1022 2U rack
IBM Power System S1024 4U rack
IBM Power System S922 2U rack
IBM Power System S924 4U rack
HPE ProLiant DL325 Gen11 1U rack
HPE ProLiant DL345 Gen11 2U rack
Adapters for the server
540-BCMS Dell QLogic 2770 Single Port 32Gb Fibre Channel PCIe Adapter
540-BCMT Dell QLogic 2772 Dual Port 32Gb Fibre Channel PCIe Adapter
540-BCMU Dell Emulex LPe35002 Dual Port 32Gb Fibre Channel PCIe Adapter
540-BDLM Dell Emulex LPe36002 Dual Port 64Gb Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapter
Switches
Cisco MDS 9124V 1U rack
Cisco MDS 9148V 1RU
Dell Connectrix DS-7730B 2U switch
Brocade G-Series G730 2U
Optics
57-1000333-01 Brocade 32G FC SFP+ SWL
DS-SFP-FC32G-LW Cisco 32Gbps Fibre Channel Longwave SFP28 Transceiver
DS-SFP-FC32G-SW Cisco 32Gbps Fibre Channel Shortwave SFP28 Transceiver
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
- IBM Power System S1022 2U rack
- IBM Power System S1024 4U rack
- IBM Power System S922 2U rack
- IBM Power System S924 4U rack
- HPE ProLiant DL325 Gen11 1U rack
- HPE ProLiant DL345 Gen11 2U rack
Adapters for the server
BCM957504A5041CC Broadcom NetXtreme-E BCM57504 Quad-Port 100GbE QSFP56 PCIe 4.0 Ethernet Network Adapter
540-BDBX Dell NVIDIA Mellanox ConnectX-6 Dx Dual Port 100GbE QSFP56 PCIe Adapter
540-BDCF Dell Intel E810-CQDA2 Dual Port 100GbE QSFP28 PCIe Gen4 Adapter
540-BDCP Dell Broadcom 57508 Dual Port 100GbE QSFP56 PCIe Gen4 Adapter
Switches
Dell PowerSwitch S5448F-ON 1U switch
HPE Aruba CX 9300 1U fixed 400G switch
NVIDIA Spectrum-4 SN5600 2U fixed switch
Cisco Nexus 93180YC-FX3 1U
Optics
QSFP-100G-CWDM4-AR Arista 100GBASE-CWDM4 QSFP28 Optical Transceiver Module
QSFP-100G-LR4-AR Arista 100GBASE-LR4 QSFP28 Optical Transceiver Module
QSFP-100G-SR4 Arista 100GBASE-SR4 QSFP28 Optical Transceiver
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
Check compatibility with IBM
Before you buy, confirm the exact configuration against the vendor's own lists: firmware levels, operating systems, adapters and optics that IBM has tested with the IBM FlashSystem 9500.
- Compatibility IBM System Storage Interoperation Center (SSIC)
- Specifications IBM Documentation
- Support IBM Support
Equivalent models from other brands
- Pure Storage Flasharray XL170
- NetApp AFF A900 · compare
- HPE Alletra 9000 · compare
FAQ
How many front NVMe drive bays are integrated in the 4U FlashSystem 9500?
The 4U enclosure houses 48 direct-connected NVMe FlashCore Module or standard NVMe SSD bays.
Does the 9500 support 64Gb Fibre Channel?
Yes, it supports next-generation 64Gbps Fibre Channel host interface adapters.
Buying or selling FlashSystem 9500?
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
- IBM FlashSystem 9500 Datasheet, checked 2026-10-28