Home > Storage > PowerStore > Storage Admin > Dell PowerStore: Introduction to the Platform > Introduction
The purpose-built PowerStore system is offered in multiple physical hardware models in both PowerStore T and PowerStore X appliances. The PowerStore T model series starts with the PowerStore 500 and scales up to the PowerStore 9200T. The PowerStore X model series starts with the PowerStore 1000X and scales up to the PowerStore 9000X. A letter T or X might be listed at the end of the model number, indicating whether the specific appliance is a PowerStore T or PowerStore X model, respectively. For each model numeral, such as 1000 (for PowerStore 1000T or 1000X models), the hardware specifications are identical. The two different PowerStore options are often grouped when hardware is referenced, and the T or X is omitted from the model number.
The PowerStore 500 model was introduced in the PowerStoreOS 2.0 release. This model is built on a dual-node, single-socket Intel® Xeon® platform and runs the PowerStoreOS 2.0 and higher software. The PowerStore 500 runs the same PowerStoreOS as all other PowerStore T models. PowerStoreOS 1.0 and all PowerStoreOS 1.0 service packs are not supported on the PowerStore 500 appliance.
In PowerStoreOS 3.0, four new PowerStore T models have been introduced ranging from PowerStore 1200T up to PowerStore 9200T. These model appliances feature the same dual-node architecture with upgraded dual-socket Intel® Xeon® processors and are supported on PowerStoreOS 3.0 and higher software. These models come with an upgraded Embedded Module that features back-end connectivity that supports the addition of NVMe expansion enclosures. The NVMe expansion enclosure provides full end-to-end NVMe support for data drives, allowing customers to expand their NVMe tier outside of the base enclosure.
The system limits vary depending on the PowerStore model. Learn more about the PowerStore 1000–9000 model limits in the Dell PowerStore Spec Sheet. For the PowerStore 500 and 1200–9200 models, see the Dell PowerStore 3.0 Spec Sheet. Table 2 and Table 3 show model comparisons.
| PowerStore 500T | PowerStore 1200T | PowerStore 3200T | PowerStore 5200T | PowerStore 9200T |
NVRAM drives | 0 | 2 | 4 | ||
Maximum storage drives (per appliance) | 97 | 93 | |||
Supported drive types | NVMe SCM2, NVMe SSD | ||||
4-port card | 25/10 GbE optical/SFP+ and Twinax3 | 25/10 GbE optical/SFP+ and Twinax or 10 GbE BASE-T | |||
2-port card | 10 GbE optical/SFP+ and Twinax | 100 GbE QSFP 4 | |||
Supported I/O modules | 32/16/8/4 Gb FC 100 GbE optical/QSFP and copper active/passive5 25/10 GbE optical/SFP+, and Twinax 10 GbE BASE-T | ||||
Supported expansion enclosures | Up to three 2.5-inch 24-drive NVMe SSD enclosures per appliance |
1 PowerStore 500 and 1200 through 9200 models are offered only as a PowerStore T.
2 NVMe SCM SSDs are supported only in base enclosure.
3 Ports 2 and 3 on the 4-port card on PowerStore 500 are reserved for NVMe expansion enclosure.
4 2-port card is reserved for back-end connectivity to NVMe expansion enclosure on PowerStore 1200 through 9200.
5 PowerStore 500 does not support the 100 GbE I/O module.
| PowerStore 1000 | PowerStore 3000 | PowerStore 5000 | PowerStore 7000 | PowerStore 9000 |
NVRAM drives | 2 | 4 | |||
Maximum storage drives (per appliance) | 96 | ||||
Supported drive types | NVMe SCM1, NVMe SSD, SAS SSD2 | ||||
4-port card | 25/10 GbE optical/SFP+ and Twinax | ||||
2-port card | 100 GbE QSFP3 | ||||
Supported I/O modules | 32/16/8/4 Gb FC 100 GbE optical/QSFP and copper active/passive (PowerStore T only) 25/10 GbE optical/SFP+ and Twinax (PowerStore T only) 10 GbE BASE-T (PowerStore T only) | ||||
Supported expansion enclosures | Up to three 2.5-inch 25-drive SAS SSDs4 per appliance Up to three 2.5-inch 24-drive NVMe SSDs4 per appliance |
1 NVMe SCM drives are supported only in base enclosure.
2 SAS SSD drives are supported only in SAS expansion enclosure.
3 2-port card is available only after conversion to the upgraded embedded module. For details, see Embedded module conversion.
4 SAS And NVMe expansion enclosures cannot be mixed within the same appliance.