Dell R540Dell PowerEdge R540 2U Server 2x Xeon Silver 4208 16-Core 64GB 4.8TB SAS H740P

Dell PowerEdge R540 2U Rack Server

A dual-socket 14th-generation Dell rack server built for virtualisation and storage-heavy workloads, with 16 cores across two Intel Xeon Silver 4208 processors, 64GB of DDR4 registered memory, 4.8TB of 10K SAS storage on a PERC H740P controller, and iDRAC9 Enterprise remote management. Covered by a 12-month Reboot IT warranty.

Key Benefits

• 16 cores, 32 threads — two Intel Xeon Silver 4208 processors give you genuine dual-socket capacity for virtual machines, containers or database workloads.
• 64GB DDR4 registered memory — eight 8GB RDIMMs at 2666MT/s in a performance-optimised layout, with free slots for expansion.
• 4.8TB of 10K SAS storage — four 1.2TB 12Gbps hot-plug enterprise drives on a PERC H740P hardware RAID controller.
• Eight free drive bays — the twelve-bay 3.5in chassis leaves substantial room to expand capacity without changing platform.
• 10GbE plus six gigabit ports — a Broadcom 57412 dual-port 10GbE SFP+ adapter alongside quad-port and on-board gigabit networking.
• iDRAC9 Enterprise — full out-of-band remote management including virtual console and virtual media, licensed at the Enterprise tier.

Performance In Use

The R540 sits in the sweet spot for small-to-medium virtualisation hosts. Sixteen physical cores and 64GB of registered memory comfortably run a dozen or more light-to-moderate virtual machines, and the platform is a known-good target for VMware, Hyper-V and Proxmox alike. Cascade Lake Xeon Silver is recent enough to remain fully supported by current hypervisors, which is the practical dividing line between a server you can deploy and one you can only cannibalise.

Storage is where this configuration earns its keep. Four 1.2TB 10K SAS drives on a PERC H740P give you fast, redundant capacity out of the box, and the twelve-bay 3.5in chassis means you can triple that without touching the controller or the chassis. The additional external SAS HBA opens the door to attaching a JBOD shelf if you outgrow the internal bays.

On the network side, the dual-port 10GbE SFP+ adapter matters more than the core count for many buyers — it makes this a credible iSCSI initiator or backup target rather than a machine bottlenecked at gigabit. Combined with dual redundant 750W power supplies and iDRAC9 Enterprise for lights-out management, it behaves like production infrastructure rather than a lab box.

Technical Specifications

Is It Right For You?

Condition Grades

Cosmetic grading refers to appearance only. Every unit is functionally tested to the same standard regardless of grade.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this include an operating system?

No. The server is supplied without an operating system or hypervisor licence. It has been tested to POST and pass hardware diagnostics, and is ready for you to install your own OS.

What condition are the drives in?

All four 1.2TB 10K SAS drives are tested and functional. Drives are supplied in their hot-plug carriers and are securely wiped before dispatch.

Is iDRAC accessible?

Yes. iDRAC9 Enterprise is present and reset to default credentials so you can configure it for your own network.

Are rails included?

Rails are not guaranteed with this unit. Please contact us before ordering if you require rails, and we will confirm availability.

Can I add more memory or drives?

Yes. Free DIMM slots remain and eight of the twelve drive bays are empty, so both memory and storage can be expanded.

Is this covered by warranty?

Yes — a full 12-month Reboot IT warranty is included, handled from our Melbourne workshop.

Do you ship Australia wide?

Yes. Shipping costs apply based on size and destination — rates are calculated at checkout. Items of this weight and size ship as freight.

Can you supply a tax invoice?

Yes. A GST tax invoice is issued with every order, suitable for business accounting and asset registers.

Warranty & Why Reboot IT

Every unit we sell is covered by a 12-month Reboot IT warranty. If something fails within the warranty period we will repair or replace it — you deal directly with our Melbourne workshop, not an overseas call centre.

Reboot IT has been refurbishing business IT equipment in Melbourne since 2001. Every item is inspected, tested and graded in-house by our own technicians before it is listed. We are an Australian business with Australian stock, Australian support and Australian warranty — no grey imports and no drop-shipping.

Shipping costs apply based on size and destination — rates are calculated at checkout. Enterprise hardware of this size ships as freight; contact us before ordering if you need a delivery estimate or have loading-dock requirements.