Dell PowerVault MD3400 Upgrade Guide
Maximize the performance and lifespan of your Dell PowerVault MD3400 (MD-12G). Every upgrade option below is verified compatible.
Verified Specifications
| Memory Configuration | 4 GB or 8 GB cache per RAID controller (mirrored cache between controllers, battery-backed cache offload to non-volatile memory) |
| Drive Configurations | Up to 12x 3.5-inch SAS, nearline SAS or SAS SSD hot-swappable drives (2U); expansion via MD1200/MD1220 enclosures — up to 120 drives, 192 with Premium Feature Kit activation |
| Power Supply Options | 2x 600 W power supply/cooling fan modules; 100–220 V AC (8.6–4.3 A); 6.6 V DC 1100 mAh lithium-ion battery backup unit for cache |
| RAID Controllers | Two hot-swappable RAID controller modules (dual or single controller); RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 6 and 10 (max 120 drives for RAID 0/1/10 — 180 with PFK; 30 drives for RAID 5/6) |
| Networking Options | 12 Gbps SAS host connectivity: 4x SAS host (IN) ports per RAID controller module; supports up to 8 non-redundant or 4 redundant servers; 1x 100/1000 Mbps Ethernet management port per controller; mini-USB serial debug port |
| Specification Source | Dell official documentation (verified 2026-07-02) |
About the Dell PowerVault MD3400
The Dell Dell PowerVault MD3400 (MD-12G) is part of Dell's enterprise storage lineup. ICD maintains a comprehensive parts inventory and engineering expertise to support fleet operators through its full service lifecycle, from initial deployment to end-of-support upgrade or migration planning.
Technical specifications
| Generation | MD-12G |
|---|---|
| Device type | Storage |
| End of Sale | 2019-01-11 |
| End of Support | 2019-03-31 |
Recommended upgrade strategy
Storage systems like the Dell PowerVault MD3400 accept drive bay expansion, controller upgrades, cache module additions, and protocol cards (Fibre Channel, iSCSI, NVMe over Fabrics). Dell Dell PowerVault MD3400 supports tier-1 enterprise drives — ICD verifies firmware compatibility and pre-images replacement units before shipment.
ICD Dell expertise
Dell server upgrades require attention to PowerEdge generation (12G through 17G use different RAID controllers, memory speeds, and PSU connectors). ICD Dell specialists verify every part against the iDRAC compatibility report before quoting, eliminating field surprises.
Upgrade categories ICD can quote for the Dell PowerVault MD3400
Even when our database does not yet list specific compatible parts for the Dell PowerVault MD3400, ICD engineering team sources verified-compatible components across these categories. Submit a quote request with your current configuration:
- Memory — DDR3, DDR4, DDR5 RDIMM, LRDIMM, ECC SO-DIMM modules at maximum supported capacity
- Storage — Enterprise SSDs (SAS, SATA, NVMe), HDDs (NL-SAS, SAS 10K/15K RPM), and tape generations
- RAID and HBA controllers — Hardware RAID, JBOD passthrough, fabric attach, with cache battery
- Network adapters — 1GbE, 10GbE, 25GbE, 40GbE, 100GbE NICs plus SFP+ and QSFP transceiver modules
- Power supplies — Redundant hot-swap PSUs in matching wattage and connector specification
- CPUs — Intel Xeon Scalable and AMD EPYC where socket-compatible with this platform
- GPUs — NVIDIA Tesla, A-series, and RTX A-series for compute and visualization workloads
- Accessories — Bezels, mounting rails, drive caddies, cooling fans, and chassis hardware
Get a tailored upgrade quote for your Dell PowerVault MD3400
Tell us your current configuration, target workload, and timeline. ICD engineers respond within 4 business hours with a verified-compatible upgrade plan.
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