NetApp AFF A250
The NetApp AFF A250 is an entry enterprise all-NVMe storage array packing 24 hot-swap NVMe drive bays into a 2U dual-controller enclosure. Designed to make NVMe performance affordable for midsized enterprises, it delivers end-to-end NVMe/FC and NVMe/TCP host support alongside unified block and file protocols in ONTAP.
Specifications
| Brand | NetApp |
|---|---|
| Family | AFF A-Series |
| Form factor | 2U rack |
| Released | Oct 2020 |
| End of sale | May 2024 |
| End of support | May 2029 |
| Controller configuration | Dual controllers in 2U enclosure |
| Processor | Intel Xeon processors per controller |
| Memory | 128GB system memory per HA pair with NVRAM |
| Drive bays | Up to 24x internal 2.5-inch NVMe SSDs in 2U chassis, expandable with 1x NS224 shelf |
| Supported drives | NVMe TLC SSDs (960GB, 1.9TB, 3.8TB, 7.6TB, 15.3TB) |
| Maximum raw capacity | Up to 57PB in a 24-node cluster |
| Host connectivity | Onboard 25GbE/10GbE and PCIe expansion for 32Gb FC, 25GbE, 10GbE |
| Storage protocols | NVMe/FC, NVMe/TCP, FC, iSCSI, NFS, SMB |
| Clustering | Up to 24 nodes (12 HA pairs) |
| Management | NetApp ONTAP 9 |
Generations
- Previous generation: NetApp AFF A220
- Next generation: NetApp AFF A50
Compatible parts
Cables
X66211-2 NetApp X66211-2 100 GbE cable, 2 m
X66211-5 NetApp X66211-5 100 GbE cable, 5 m
X66240A-05 NetApp X66240A-05 25 GbE cable, 0.5 m
X66240A-2 NetApp X66240A-2 25 GbE cable, 2 m
X66240A-5 NetApp X66240A-5 25 GbE cable, 5 m
X66250-15 NetApp X66250-15 Fibre Channel optical cable, 15 m
X66250-2 NetApp X66250-2 Fibre Channel optical cable, 2 m
X66250-30 NetApp X66250-30 Fibre Channel optical cable, 30 m
X66250-5 NetApp X66250-5 Fibre Channel optical cable, 5 m
Works together
How the NetApp AFF A250 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 R6525 1U rack
Dell PowerEdge R7525 2U rack
HPE Edgeline EL8000t Converged Edge System 1U/2U short-depth rack
HPE ProLiant XL225n Gen10 Plus Server 1U half-width tray
Supermicro A+ GPU Server AS -4124GS-TNR 4U rack
Supermicro CloudDC Server Platform 1U/2U 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
Brocade G-Series G720 1U
Dell Connectrix ED-DCX7-8B 14U director chassis
Brocade G-Series G730 2U
Dell Connectrix DS-7720B 1U rack
Optics
57-1000262-01 Brocade 16G FC SFP+ ELWL 25 km
57-1000333-01 Brocade 32G FC SFP+ SWL
57-1000487-01 Brocade 16G FC SFP+ SWL
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 R6525 1U rack
- Dell PowerEdge R7525 2U rack
- HPE Edgeline EL8000t Converged Edge System 1U/2U short-depth rack
- HPE ProLiant XL225n Gen10 Plus Server 1U half-width tray
- Supermicro A+ GPU Server AS -4124GS-TNR 4U rack
- Supermicro CloudDC Server Platform 1U/2U rack
Adapters for the server
BCM957414A4142CC Broadcom NetXtreme-E BCM57414 Dual-Port 25GbE SFP28 PCIe 3.0 Ethernet Network Adapter
BCM957416A4160C Broadcom NetXtreme-E BCM57416 Dual-Port 10GBASE-T PCIe 3.0 Ethernet Network Adapter
BCM957504A5041CC Broadcom NetXtreme-E BCM57504 Quad-Port 100GbE QSFP56 PCIe 4.0 Ethernet Network Adapter
540-BBGN Dell Broadcom 57412 Dual Port 10GbE SFP+ PCIe Adapter
Switches
Arista 7280R 7280CR3-32D4 2U fixed switch
Cisco Nexus 93108TC-FX3P 1U fixed switch
Cisco Nexus 9364C-GX 2U fixed switch
Dell Connectrix ED-DCX7-4B 9U director chassis
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 NetApp
Before you buy, confirm the exact configuration against the vendor's own lists: firmware levels, operating systems, adapters and optics that NetApp has tested with the NetApp AFF A250.
- Compatibility NetApp Interoperability Matrix Tool (IMT) (free vendor sign-in)
- Specifications NetApp Hardware Universe (platform specs and supported parts)
- Support NetApp Support
Equivalent models from other brands
FAQ
Can the AFF A250 expand beyond its internal 24 drives?
Yes, the AFF A250 supports connecting one external NS224 24-bay NVMe shelf for a total of 48 NVMe drives per HA pair.
What was the Lenovo OEM equivalent of the NetApp AFF A250?
Lenovo OEMed the AFF A250 hardware and ONTAP software as the ThinkSystem DM5100F.
Buying or selling AFF A250?
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
- NetApp AFF A250 Documentation, checked 2026-10-28
- NetApp Hardware Universe - AFF A250 Specifications, checked 2026-10-28
- Install an AFF A250 system using detailed step-by-step instructions, checked 2026-10-28