
Flexible by design
Adapt to a variety of application demands with a 2-socket, 2U rack server that offers an ideal balance of resources and affordability.

PowerEdge R540 Server Resources
PowerEdge R540 Spec Sheet (In English)PowerEdge R540 Technical Guide (In English)
PowerEdge Rack Servers Quick Comparison Guide (In English)
PowerEdge R540 Generation Comparison Matrix (In English)
PowerEdge Server Solutions Brochure (In English)
Hands On Labs

Achieve performance at scale with the PowerEdge portfolio
Our modern compute platforms are built to scale easily and take advantage of technologies that lift application performance. The PowerEdge R540 rack server combines affordably and versatility, so you can adapt to a variety of applications and meet future demands.- Scale compute resources with 2nd Generation Intel® Xeon® Scalable processors and tailor performance based on your unique workload requirements.
- Optimize application performance with one-button tuning.
- Enable storage flexibility with up to 14 x 3.5" drives.
- Free up storage with boot-optimized M.2 SSDs.

Power your applications with a versatile 2-socket rack server
Satisfy a variety of applications with the flexible PowerEdge R540. Its balanced combination of resources, expandability and affordability adapt to the changing demands of a modern data center. Optimize your application performance with one-button tuning. Scale for future requirements with up to 14 x 3.5" drives. Embedded diagnostics and SupportAssist help to maximize uptime without added effort, in a worry-free environment.Ideal for:
- Virtualization
- Messaging
- Video streaming
The New Generation of PowerEdge Servers

Gain productivity with intelligent, embedded management
Dell OpenManage intelligent automation enables you to spend less time on routine maintenance so you can focus on business-critical priorities.- Help maximize uptime and reduce the IT effort to resolve issues by up to 72%* with ProSupport Plus and SupportAssist.
- Leverage existing management consoles with easy integrations for VMware® vSphere®, Microsoft® System Center and Nagios®.
- Improve productivity with agent-free Dell iDRAC9 for automated management.
- Simplify deployment with OpenManage next-generation console and server profiles to configure and prep servers rapidly and scalably.

Fortify your data center with comprehensive protection
A comprehensive, cyber-resilient architecture with security embedded into every server helps to protect your data.- Protect server configuration and firmware from malicious changes with new Configuration Lock-down.
- Use system erase of local storage to help ensure data privacy when you repurpose or retire servers.
- Automate updates that check file dependencies and proper update sequence, before deploying them independently from the OS/hypervisor.
- Take control of your firmware consoles with embedded authentication that is designed to allow only properly signed updates to run.
Processor
- Up to two 2nd Generation Intel® Xeon® Scalable processors with up to 20 cores per processor
Operating System
- Canonical® Ubuntu® Server LTS
Citrix® Hypervisor ®
Microsoft® Windows Server® with Hyper-V
Red Hat® Enterprise Linux
SUSE® Linux Enterprise Server
VMware® ESXi®
Memory*
- DIMM Speed
Up to 2666MT/s
Memory Type
RDIMM
LRDIMM
Memory Module Slots
16 DDR4 DIMM slots
Supports registered ECC DDR4 DIMMs only
Maximum RAM
RDIMM 512GB
LRDIMM 1TB*
Storage
- Front Bays
Up to 12 x 3.5” SAS/SATA HDD max 168TB
DVD-ROM, DVD+RW (optional)
Rear Bays
Up to 2 x 3.5” SAS/SATA HDD max 28TB
Storage Controllers
- Internal Controllers
PERC H330, H730P, H740P, HBA330
External Controllers
H840, 12 Gbps SAS HBA
Software RAID
S140
Internal Boot
Boot Optimized Storage Subsystem (BOSS):
HWRAID 2 x M.2 SSDs 240GB, 480 GB
Internal Dual SD Module*
Management
- Embedded / At-the-Server
iDRAC9
iDRAC RESTful API with Redfish
iDRAC Direct
Quick Sync 2 BLE/wireless module
Consoles
OpenManage Enterprise
OpenManage Power Center
Mobility
OpenManage Mobile
Tools
Dell Repository Manager
Dell System Update
Dell Server Update Utility
Dell Update Catalogs
iDRAC Service Module
OpenManage Server Administrator
OpenManage Storage Services
OpenManage Integrations
BMC Truesight
Microsoft® System Center
RedHat® Ansible® Modules
VMware® vCenter
OpenManage Connections
IBM Tivoli® Netcool/OMNIbus
IBM Tivoli® Network Manager IP Edition
Micro Focus® Operations Manager I
Nagios® Core
Nagios® XI
Power Supplies
Ports
- Network Options
2 x 1GbE LOM +
(optional) LOM Riser 2 x 1GbE, or
2 x 10GE SFP+, or
2 x 10GE BaseT
Front Ports
1 x Dedicated iDRAC direct USB
1 x USB 2.0
1 x Video
Rear Ports
1 x Dedicated iDRAC network port
1 x Serial
2 x USB 3.0
1 x Video
Slots
- PCle
Non-rear storage config
1 x full height/full length
1 x half height/half length (2U Right riser) slots
3 x half height/half length slots
Rear storage config
1 x half height/half length (1U left riser)
1 x half height/half length or 1full height/half length (1U right riser)
Bezel
- Optional LCD bezel or security bezel
Form Factor
- 2U Rack Server
Dimensions & Weight
Rack Support
- ReadyRails™ sliding rails with optional cable management arm for 4-post racks (optional adapter brackets required for threaded hole racks).
Recommended Support
- Choose Dell ProSupport Plus for critical systems or Dell ProSupport for premium hardware and software support for your PowerEdge solution. Consulting and deployment offerings are also available. Contact your Dell representative today for more information. Availability and terms of Dell Services vary by region.