Dell EqualLogic PS-M4110 Blade Array

Overview :

The Dell EqualLogic PS-M4110 Blade Array is an advanced, high-performance storage solution designed specifically for data centers seeking compact and scalable SAN (Storage Area Network) capabilities. This storage blade is uniquely engineered to integrate seamlessly into the Dell PowerEdge M1000e blade chassis, offering unified management of compute, storage, and networking resources in one cohesive infrastructure.

Featuring a 2U, double-wide blade form factor, the PS-M4110 is available in multiple models—ranging from high-capacity to hybrid and high-speed options. It supports up to 14 hot-swappable 2.5″ SAS, Nearline SAS, or SSD drives, providing flexibility to balance speed, capacity, and performance needs. This modular design allows you to tailor your storage system to match diverse workloads, whether it’s for virtualization, database applications, business continuity, or high-availability environments.

What sets the PS-M4110 apart is its enterprise-class EqualLogic firmware that enables automatic load balancing, storage tiering, and thin provisioning. With a built-in 10GbE iSCSI interface, it delivers fast, low-latency access to storage resources—without the need for external cabling or switches within the chassis. It also includes a dedicated management port (100Mb), simplifying administration via Dell’s powerful Group Manager interface.

One of the most innovative features of this blade array is its storage consolidation capability. It enables IT administrators to host servers and SAN storage in the same blade chassis, reducing physical footprint, power consumption, and cabling complexity. Two PS-M4110 units can reside in a single M1000e enclosure, allowing organizations to achieve up to 28TB of raw storage per chassis, scalable across multiple groups.

Model Variants:

• PS-M4110E – Cost-effective, high-capacity Nearline SAS (7.2K RPM) drives.

• PS-M4110X – Balanced 10K SAS drives for general performance needs.

• PS-M4110XV – High-performance 15K SAS drives for latency-sensitive applications.

• PS-M4110XS – Hybrid mix of SSD + SAS for performance and tiered storage.

In addition to high availability features like RAID support (RAID 5, 6, 10, 50), redundant controllers, and battery-backed cache, the system supports snapshot replication, thin clones, auto-tiering, and load balancing between members in a group—without disrupting operations.

The PS-M4110 also benefits from Dell’s EqualLogic SAN Headquarters (SAN HQ) software for comprehensive monitoring, alerts, and analytics across distributed storage environments.

Whether you’re consolidating infrastructure, powering virtual desktops, or running high IOPS applications, the Dell EqualLogic PS-M4110 offers a powerful and flexible storage solution that’s easy to deploy, scale, and manage.

Key Features :

• Fully integrated blade SAN storage for Dell PowerEdge M1000e

• Supports up to 14x 2.5″ hot-swappable drives (SAS / NL-SAS / SSD)

• 10GbE iSCSI dual-port controllers for fast data access

• Multiple configurations: high-capacity, high-performance, and hybrid models

• Advanced EqualLogic firmware with auto-tiering and thin provisioning

• Redundant, hot-swappable controllers for high availability

• Compact design reduces power and cabling requirements

• Seamless integration with EqualLogic SAN Headquarters for centralized monitoring

• Ideal for virtualization, database workloads, and remote office deployments

Use Cases for Dell EqualLogic PS-M4110 Blade Array

1. Virtualized Environments Storage:

   • Designed to efficiently support VMware, Hyper-V, and other virtualization platforms.

   • Provides scalable and flexible storage capacity to handle large virtual machine workloads with low latency and high responsiveness.

2. Backup and Disaster Recovery Solutions:

   • Ideal for storing large backup datasets with distributed storage features that enhance data protection.

   • Enables quick data recovery and integrates well with popular backup software like Veeam and Commvault.

3. File Sharing and Collaboration:

   • Suitable for enterprises requiring shared storage for large files such as in design, engineering, and media industries.

   • Supports fast and concurrent multi-user access to files, improving productivity and collaboration.

4. High-Performance Database Environments:

   • Perfect for SQL Server, Oracle, and other database systems needing high throughput and low latency.

   • Distributes data across multiple units to reduce access times and optimize performance.

5. Performance-Sensitive Application Storage:

   • Supports critical business applications including ERP, CRM, and financial analytics systems that demand fast and reliable storage.

6. Hybrid Workload Environments:

   • Suitable for data centers combining traditional on-premise storage with cloud storage solutions.

   • Easily integrates with cloud platforms to provide flexibility, scalability, and seamless data management.

For more details, you can find the datasheet on our website at the following link:

EqualLogic PS-M4110 Blade Arrays Datasheet