Dell PowerEdge R640: rear panel, ports and setup guide
The PowerEdge R640 is a 1U, two socket rack server for Intel Xeon Scalable processors, with 24 DIMM sockets and up to twelve 2.5 in. drives. Click any port on the rear panel below to see what it does, then read on for the specs, power supplies, setup keys and LED codes people look up most.
- 1U rack server
- 2 x Xeon Scalable
- 24 DIMM sockets
- 4 NIC ports
- iDRAC9
- Up to 48.3 lb
PowerEdge R640 specifications
| Model | Dell EMC PowerEdge R640 |
| Form factor | 1U rack server |
| Processors | Up to two 2nd generation Intel Xeon Scalable, up to 28 cores each |
| Memory | 24 DDR4 sockets (12 per processor), RDIMM, LRDIMM, NVDIMM-N or Intel Optane PMem, up to 2933 MT/s |
| Drives | Eight or ten 2.5 in., or four 3.5 in., hot-swap SAS, SATA, SSD or NVMe, plus an optional two 2.5 in. bays on the back |
| Optical | Optional SATA DVD-ROM or DVD+/-RW (4 x 3.5 in. and 8 x 2.5 in. systems) |
| Expansion | Up to three PCIe Gen 3 slots on risers 1A, 2A, 1B and 2B |
| Rear ports | 4 NIC ports, iDRAC9 dedicated port, serial (DB9), VGA, 2 x USB 3.0, system status indicator port, system ID button |
| Front ports | VGA, USB 2.0 and a micro USB iDRAC Direct port |
| Power supplies | Two redundant: AC 495 W, 750 W, 1100 W or 1600 W, or DC 1100 W |
| Dimensions | Height 42.8 mm (1.68 in.), width 434 mm (17.08 in.) without ears, depth up to 772.7 mm (30.42 in.) |
| Weight | Up to 21.9 kg (48.3 lb) with all drives |
| Video | Integrated Matrox G200eW3, 16 MB, up to 1920 x 1200 |
| Operating temperature | 50 to 95 F (10 to 35 C) below 3,117 ft |
Every port on the rear panel, explained
Click a card to light up those ports on the panel above.
4 network ports4 on the panel
Four ports on the network daughter card (NDC). It comes in six versions: four 1 GbE RJ45, four 10 GbE RJ45, two 10 GbE plus two 1 GbE RJ45, two 1 GbE RJ45 plus two 10 Gb SFP+, four 10 Gb SFP+, or two 25 Gb SFP28. The panel shows the four RJ45 version.
You can add up to three more network cards in the PCIe slots.
iDRAC9 management port1 on the panel
A dedicated port for iDRAC9 remote management: power control, the virtual console and firmware updates from your desk. Put it on a separate management network.
The iDRAC address is set to DHCP by default. If your server shipped with secure default access, the password is on the pull-out information tag; otherwise the default login is root / calvin. Change it after setup.
Serial port1 on the panel
A 9-pin DTE serial connector (16550 compatible) for a serial console or older devices.
VGA video1 on the panel
A 15-pin VGA output for a monitor or KVM. A second VGA port is on the front.
2 USB 3.0 ports2 on the panel
Two stacked USB 3.0 ports for a keyboard, a KVM dongle or a USB drive. There is one more USB 3.0 port inside the chassis.
Power supplies2 on the panel
Two hot-swap power supply bays with their own inlets. See power supplies for the options and matching rules.
System status indicator port1 on the panel
A small jack for the status indicator cable that runs along the cable management arm, so you can see the server's health with the arm in place. The blue system ID button sits beside it: press it to flash the server's ID so you can find it in the rack.
Also on the back
- PCIe slots: the three-slot chassis (shown) has three low-profile, half-length x16 slots. The two-slot chassis has one low-profile slot and one full-height, three-quarter length slot.
- Rear drive bays: 10-drive and 4 x 3.5 in. systems can take two more 2.5 in. drives in place of a riser.
On the front
- Left control panel with the system health and ID light, plus an optional iDRAC Quick Sync 2 wireless light
- Right control panel with the power button, a USB 2.0 port, VGA and a micro USB iDRAC Direct port for a laptop
- Optional bezel with an LCD panel that shows status, error messages and the iDRAC IP address
- Eight or ten 2.5 in. bays, or four 3.5 in. bays
PowerEdge R640 power supplies
| Supply | Input | Max heat output |
|---|---|---|
| 495 W AC Platinum | 100 to 240 V AC | 1908 BTU/hr |
| 750 W AC Platinum | 100 to 240 V AC | 2891 BTU/hr |
| 750 W AC Titanium | 200 to 240 V AC only | 2843 BTU/hr |
| 1100 W AC Platinum | 100 to 240 V AC | 4100 BTU/hr |
| 1100 W DC | -48 to -60 V DC | 4416 BTU/hr |
| 1600 W AC Platinum | 100 to 240 V AC | 6000 BTU/hr |
| 1600 W AC Titanium | 200 to 240 V AC only | 5970 BTU/hr |
Check your circuit. On 100 to 120 V, a 1100 W supply drops to 1050 W and a 1600 W supply drops to 800 W.
Both supplies must be the same type and wattage, and AC supplies need the Extended Power Performance (EPP) label. Don't mix AC with DC, and don't mix in supplies from older PowerEdge generations.
If a supply's handle flashes amber, replace only that one. Swapping the other supply to make a pair can shut the server down.
| AC supply handle | What it means |
|---|---|
| Green | Power connected and working |
| Flashing green | Firmware update in progress |
| Flashes green five times, then off | Mismatched with the other supply (hot-add) |
| Flashing amber | Problem with the supply |
| Off | No power connected |
First boot: setup keys and iDRAC
Connect a monitor and keyboard and watch for these keys during startup:
- F2
- System Setup
- F10
- Lifecycle Controller
- F11
- Boot Manager
- Patch the iDRAC9 port to your management network. The iDRAC picks up an address by DHCP unless you ordered a static one.
- Find the address on the LCD panel, or set it in F2 System Setup.
- Log in to iDRAC and change the default password.
- Press F10 to open Lifecycle Controller for OS installs, firmware updates and hardware diagnostics.
PowerEdge R640 lights and status codes
| Health and ID light | What it means |
|---|---|
| Solid blue | Powered on and healthy |
| Blinking blue | System ID mode is on (press the button again to stop) |
| Solid amber | Fail-safe mode |
| Blinking amber | Fault: check the System Event Log or the LCD panel |
| Drive status light | What it means |
|---|---|
| Steady green | Drive online |
| Flashes green twice a second | Being identified or prepared for removal |
| Off | Ready to insert or remove (or still initializing) |
| Flashes green slowly | Rebuilding |
| Flashes green, amber, then off | Predicted failure: plan a replacement |
| Flashes amber four times a second | Drive failed |
| Green 3 s, amber 3 s, off 6 s | Rebuild stopped |
Memory and expansion
There are 24 DDR4 sockets, 12 per processor, in six channels per processor. Fill the sockets with white release tabs first, then the black ones, and keep both processors' memory identical. Don't mix RDIMMs with LRDIMMs.
| Riser | Slots |
|---|---|
| Riser 1A | Slots 1 and 2: low-profile, half-length x16 (processor 1) |
| Riser 2A | Slot 3: low-profile, half-length x16 (processor 2) |
| Riser 1B | Slot 1: low-profile, half-length x16 (processor 1) |
| Riser 2B | Slot 2: full-height, three-quarter length x16 (processor 2) |
Slots on risers 2A and 2B need the second processor installed.
Rack and room requirements
- Normal operation is 50 to 95 F (10 to 35 C) out of direct sunlight, below 3,117 ft.
- Depth runs up to 30.4 in. on 4 x 3.5 in. and 10-drive systems, so check your rack depth and leave room for cables.
- Weight runs up to 48.3 lb with all drives, so use rails and a second person when racking it.
Frequently asked questions
How many DIMM slots does the Dell PowerEdge R640 have?+
24 DDR4 sockets, 12 per processor. With one processor only sockets A1 to A12 can be used.
How many drives does the R640 hold?+
Eight or ten 2.5 in. drives, or four 3.5 in. drives, on the front. Some systems add two more 2.5 in. drives on the back.
What is the default iDRAC login on a PowerEdge R640?+
If the server shipped with secure default access, the password is on the information tag. Otherwise it is root / calvin. Change it after you set the iDRAC address.
What power supplies fit the R640?+
Two matching hot-swap supplies: 495 W, 750 W, 1100 W or 1600 W AC, or 1100 W DC. AC supplies must carry the EPP label.
What NIC options does the R640 have?+
Four onboard ports on the network daughter card, from four 1 GbE RJ45 up to two 25 Gb SFP28, plus up to three add-on network cards.
Which key opens Lifecycle Controller on the R640?+
Press F10 during startup. F2 opens System Setup and F11 opens the Boot Manager.
Plan this rack server in your rack
The PowerEdge R640 is in the Dell library for DaMatrix, with every port mapped so you can drag it into a rack, patch it and print the documentation.
Related Dell devices
Summarized from the Dell EMC PowerEdge R640 Installation and Service Manual. This page is a quick reference; check the full manual for safety warnings and model-specific limits.