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) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Upgrade Controllers
Upgrading your RAID controller enables faster disk I/O, larger cache, and support for newer drive technologies. Essential when adding NVMe or SAS-4 drives.
0998162-03 Dell Compellent SC4020 10GBE-ISCSI-2 Type a Controller
0998162-20 Dell Compellent SC4020 10G-ISCSI-2 Type a Controller E15M001
0V7TD Dell MD3260 4 Port 6GBPS 2GB SAS Controller
100-520-665 Dell EMC Control Station Server (maynard) - VNX/Celerra Management
100-563-109 Dell EMC VNX5500 Storage Processor Unit Enclosure with 2X 110-113-112B SP
10N16 Dell Compellent SC4020 10G-ISCSI-2 Type a Controller Module (2X 10G Iscsi, 2X 6GB SAS)
Upgrade Hard Drive
This category provides verified compatible upgrade paths. ICD engineers validate every part for compatibility with your specific server model and workload requirements.
005047873 EMC 73GB 10K 2Gb FC LFF HDD
005047874 EMC 36GB 10K 2Gb FC LFF HDD
005047879 EMC 36GB 15K 2Gb FC LFF HDD
005048031 EMC 146GB 10K 2Gb FC LFF HDD
005048128 EMC 146GB 10K 2Gb FC LFF HDD
005048129 EMC 73GB 10K 2Gb FC LFF HDD
Upgrade Enclosure
This category provides verified compatible upgrade paths. ICD engineers validate every part for compatibility with your specific server model and workload requirements.
071-000-600-04 Dell EMC Data Domain DS60 1600W PSU Power Supply
078 EMC 111 Battery Sps for VNX8000 VMAX
078-000-004-00 Dell EMC Isilon NL410/S210/X200/X400 LI-ION Battery
078-000-015-00 Dell EMC Isilon X210/S210/X410 LI-ION Battery
078-000-175-00 Dell EMC Isilon A200/H500 LI-ION 9.9VDC Battery
090 EMC 218 VMAX 1U Server
Upgrade SSD
This category provides verified compatible upgrade paths. ICD engineers validate every part for compatibility with your specific server model and workload requirements.
005048998 EMC 200GB FC 3.5 LFF SSD
005049076 EMC 200GB FC 3.5 LFF SSD
005049128 EMC 200GB FC 3.5 LFF SSD
005049184 EMC 100GB SAS 3.5 LFF SSD
005049185 EMC 200GB SAS 3.5 LFF SSD
005049229 EMC 100GB SAS 3.5 LFF SSD
Upgrade Networking
Stepping up from 1GbE to 10GbE or 25GbE eliminates network bottlenecks for VM migration, iSCSI storage traffic, and backup windows. Most modern workloads benefit from at least 10GbE.
019-078-032 Dell EMC 1/2/4 Gb SFP Fibre Channel Transceiver Module
019-078-041 Dell EMC SFP+ 10GBASE-SR Transceiver Module - 850NM Mmf 300M LC
019-078-042 Dell EMC 8GB SFP+ Fibre Channel Transceiver Module
019-078-045 Dell EMC 16GB SFP+ SR 850NM SHORT-WAVELENGTH Fibre Channel Transceiver Module
105-001-101-03 Dell EMC Powerstore 4-PORT 10/25GBE SFP28 Mezzanine I/O Module
303-081-103 EMC 2-PORT 10GBE Iscsi Optical I/O Module
Upgrade Power & Cooling
This category provides verified compatible upgrade paths. ICD engineers validate every part for compatibility with your specific server model and workload requirements.
045-000-175 Dell EMC AX100/AX150 Series Fan Module
0991034-03 Dell Equallogic PS6610 HOT-SWAP Fan Module
0991034-04 Dell Equallogic PS6610 HOT-SWAP Fan Module (revision 04)
100-563-653-01 EMC VMAX 120-BAY Dae Cooling Fan Assembly
100-563-685 EMC VNX5200/VNX5400/VNX5600/VNX5800 SP Dual Fan Housing Assembly
100-563-685-00 Dell EMC VNX2 Dual Fan Assembly - HOT-SWAPPABLE Dpe Cooling Fan Module
Upgrade Accessories
Rails, bezels, cable management arms, and drive caddies keep your server organized and serviceable. Replacing worn accessories extends the physical life of your equipment.
View all 1 accessories options →Upgrade Power Supplies
Higher-wattage PSUs provide headroom for future upgrades — more RAM DIMMs, GPUs, or additional drives. Redundant hot-swap PSUs also protect against single-point power failures.
071 EMC 518 400W Power Supply VNX
071-000-036 EMC VNX Dae 400W AC Power Supply
071-000-036-04 Dell EMC VNX 1100W AC Power Supply Unit (PSU)
071-000-199 EMC VNX/VMAX 1100W Power Supply Module
071-000-518 EMC VNX Spe 875W AC Power Supply
071-000-521 EMC VNX 1080W AC Power Supply
Upgrade Battery
This category provides verified compatible upgrade paths. ICD engineers validate every part for compatibility with your specific server model and workload requirements.
078-000-062 Dell EMC CX3/Ax Sps Replacement Battery
078-000-084 Dell EMC VNX1 Sps 1200W Standby Power Supply (battery) - VNX GEN1
078-000-092-07 Dell EMC VNX2 Battery Backup Unit (bbu) - 8 Cell 4S2P LI-ION 11.8V 8AH
078-000-094 Dell EMC Unity 300/400/500/600 Bbu Battery Backup
078-000-123-05 Dell EMC VNX2 Battery Backup Unit (bbu) - Latest Revision Replacement
078-000-128 Dell EMC Unity Bbu Battery Backup Unit - 26.4WH 12V LI-ION
Upgrade Cable
This category provides verified compatible upgrade paths. ICD engineers validate every part for compatibility with your specific server model and workload requirements.
038-003-084 Dell EMC Null Modem Micro DB9 to DB9/F Serial Cable 25 Feet
038-003-085 Dell EMC Micro DB9 to RJ12 Sps Serial Sense Cable
038-004-040 Dell EMC 3-METER MINI-HD to MINI-SAS Cable - Backend Dae Connection
038-004-177 Dell EMC SFP+ to SFP+ 3M Twinax Cable - Direct Attach Copper
99KGC Dell EMC Controller Cable for Poweredge C6220
WFW47 Dell 12GB MINI-SAS Hd to MINI-SAS Hd Cable 0.5M (SFF-8644 to SFF-8644) for MD1400 Series
Upgrade Caddy / Tray
This category provides verified compatible upgrade paths. ICD engineers validate every part for compatibility with your specific server model and workload requirements.
7D4F6 Dell Compellent 2.5IN SFF SAS/SATA Hard Drive Tray Caddy
96FHG Dell Compellent Drive Bay Filler Blank Insert
KG1CH Dell 3.5IN LFF SAS/SATA Hard Drive Tray Caddy Gen13+
Y79JP Dell Equallogic 3.5IN SAS Hard Drive Tray Caddy Sled
More Dell PowerVault MD3400 Resources
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