NetApp AFF C250
The NetApp AFF C250 is an entry capacity-flash system packing 24 high-density NVMe QLC SSDs into a compact 2U dual-controller enclosure. Designed to replace spinning disks for general enterprise workloads, it provides multi-petabyte capacity, built-in cloud tiering, and unified SAN and NAS protocol support under NetApp ONTAP.
Specifications
| Brand | NetApp |
|---|---|
| Family | AFF C-Series |
| Form factor | 2U rack |
| Released | Feb 2023 |
| 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 QLC SSDs, expandable with 1x NS224 shelf |
| Supported drives | NVMe QLC SSDs (15.3TB, 30.7TB) |
| Maximum raw capacity | Up to 35PB 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
- Next generation: NetApp AFF C30
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 C250 connects to servers, storage and the network: 1 way, with the parts and products on each path.
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
Cisco UCS C220 M7 1U rack
Cisco UCS C240 M7 2U rack
Cisco UCS X210c M7 modular
Cisco UCS X410c M7 modular
Dell PowerEdge R HS5610 1U rack
Dell PowerEdge R HS5620 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 7060X6-32D 1U fixed switch
Dell PowerSwitch Z9664F-ON 2U switch
HPE Aruba CX 8100 1U fixed switch
Cisco Nexus 9332D-GX2B 1U fixed switch
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
- NFS explained mrplanb.com
- Block vs object storage mrplanb.com
- Object storage Ledger 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 C250.
- 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
What is the Lenovo equivalent of the NetApp AFF C250?
Lenovo OEMed the AFF C250 hardware and ONTAP software as the ThinkSystem DG5000.
How many total NVMe drives can an AFF C250 HA pair support?
An AFF C250 supports up to 48 NVMe SSDs (24 internal drives plus one external 24-bay NS224 shelf).
Buying or selling AFF C250?
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 C250 Documentation, checked 2026-10-28
- NetApp Hardware Universe - AFF C250 Specifications, checked 2026-10-28
- Install an AFF C250 storage system using detailed steps, checked 2026-10-28