Dell PowerEdge R710: rear panel, ports and setup guide
The PowerEdge R710 is a 2U, two socket rack server with 18 DIMM sockets, four gigabit NICs and four PCIe Gen 2 slots. Click any port on the rear panel below to see what it does, then read on for power supplies, memory rules, setup keys and LED codes.
- 2U rack server
- 2 processor sockets
- 18 DIMM sockets
- 4 x 1 GbE
- 4 PCIe Gen 2 slots
- iDRAC6
PowerEdge R710 specifications
| Model | Dell PowerEdge R710 |
| Form factor | 2U rack server |
| Memory | 18 DDR3 sockets (9 per processor), RDIMM or ECC UDIMM at 1067 or 1333 MHz |
| Maximum memory | 144 GB with single or dual-rank RDIMMs, 96 GB with quad-rank, 24 GB with UDIMMs |
| Drives | Eight 2.5 in., four 3.5 in. plus a flex bay, or six 3.5 in. hot-swap bays |
| Optical / tape | Optional slim SATA DVD-ROM or DVD+RW; flex bay takes a half-height tape unit |
| Expansion | 4 PCIe Gen 2 slots on two risers |
| Rear ports | 4 x 1 GbE RJ45, optional iDRAC6 Enterprise port, serial (DB9), VGA, 2 x USB 2.0 |
| Front ports | VGA and 2 x USB 2.0 |
| Power supplies | Two redundant: 870 W High Output or 570 W Energy Smart |
| Management | iDRAC6 (optional Enterprise card), Unified Server Configurator, front LCD |
Every port on the rear panel, explained
Click a card to light up those ports on the panel above.
4 gigabit network ports4 on the panel
Four integrated 10/100/1000 RJ45 NICs, labeled Gb 1 to Gb 4.
The link light is green at 1000 Mbps and amber at 10 or 100 Mbps. The activity light blinks green when data moves.
iDRAC6 Enterprise port1 on the panel
A dedicated management port that only exists when the optional iDRAC6 Enterprise card is installed. Patch it to your management network for remote power control and console access.
The VFlash SD slot above it also belongs to the iDRAC6 Enterprise card.
Serial port1 on the panel
A 9-pin serial connector for a serial console or older devices.
VGA video1 on the panel
A 15-pin VGA output for a monitor or KVM. There is a second video port on the front.
2 USB ports2 on the panel
Two stacked USB 2.0 ports for a keyboard, mouse or KVM dongle. Two more are on the front.
Power supplies2 on the panel
Two hot-swap power supply bays, PS1 and PS2, each with its own inlet. See power supplies for the matching rule.
System status indicator connector1 on the panel
A small jack for the indicator extension cable that runs along the cable management arm, so the status light shows at the back of the rack. Next to it are the rear status light and the blue system ID button.
Also on the back
| PCIe slot | Link | Card size |
|---|---|---|
| Slot 1 | x4 Gen 2 | Full height, up to 12.2 in. long |
| Slot 2 | x4 Gen 2 | Low profile, up to 9.5 in. long |
| Slot 3 | x8 Gen 2 (or x16 with no slot 4) | Full height, up to 9.5 in. long |
| Slot 4 | x8 Gen 2 | Full height, up to 9.5 in. long |
- System ID button: press to flash the front LCD and rear status light blue so someone can find the server in the rack. If the server won't boot, hold it for at least five seconds to show an error code on the LCD.
On the front
- Power button (hold five seconds to force off), NMI button and a second system ID button
- LCD panel with menu buttons, VGA and two USB 2.0 ports
- Drive bays, an optional DVD drive and a slide-out tag with the Service Tag and MAC addresses
PowerEdge R710 power supplies
The R710 takes two hot-swap supplies: 870 W High Output or 570 W Energy Smart. Both must be the same type. Changing from one type to the other means powering the server down first.
| Supply light | What it means |
|---|---|
| Off | No AC power connected |
| Green | Valid AC connected; when the server is on, the supply is delivering power |
| Amber | Problem with the supply |
| Alternating green and amber | Mismatched with the other supply (870 W and 570 W mixed) |
To fix a mismatch, replace only the supply with the flashing light. Swapping the other one to make a pair can shut the server down.
Startup keys and iDRAC
- F2
- System Setup
- F10
- Unified Server Configurator
- F11
- Boot Manager
- F12
- PXE boot
- Ctrl+E
- iDRAC setup
- Ctrl+R
- PERC RAID setup
- Patch the iDRAC6 port (with the Enterprise card) to your management network.
- Press Ctrl+E during startup to set the iDRAC network settings and view the system event log.
- Press Ctrl+R to build RAID arrays on a PERC card, or F10 for the Unified Server Configurator and diagnostics.
Ctrl+C opens the SAS configuration utility and Ctrl+S sets the onboard NICs up for PXE boot.
PowerEdge R710 lights and LCD
The front LCD lights blue in normal use and amber when the server needs attention, with an error code and short text. It can turn amber on AC power even while the server is off.
| Drive status light | What it means |
|---|---|
| Steady green | Drive online |
| Blinks green slowly | Rebuilding |
| Blinks green, amber, then off | Predicted failure: plan a replacement |
| Blinks amber four times a second | Drive failed |
PowerEdge R710 memory rules
There are 18 sockets: A1 to A9 for processor 1 and B1 to B9 for processor 2, in three channels of three. The first socket in each channel has a white lever.
- Don't mix RDIMMs and UDIMMs, and use no more than two UDIMMs per channel.
- Every populated channel needs the same configuration, and with two processors both sets must match.
- Speed drops as you add DIMMs: one per channel runs up to 1333 MHz, two up to 1067 MHz, three are limited to 800 MHz.
- Quad-rank DIMMs go in the white-lever sockets, with only one other DIMM in that channel.
- For Memory Mirroring or Advanced ECC, skip the three sockets furthest from the processor and start at A2 or B2.
A layout that breaks these rules can stop the server at startup with no video, so check them before you power on.
Frequently asked questions
How much RAM does the Dell PowerEdge R710 support?+
Up to 144 GB with single or dual-rank RDIMMs across 18 sockets, 96 GB with quad-rank RDIMMs, or 24 GB with UDIMMs.
What power supplies does the R710 use?+
Two hot-swap supplies, either 870 W High Output or 570 W Energy Smart. Both must be the same type.
How do I get into the iDRAC on a PowerEdge R710?+
Press Ctrl+E during startup to open the iDRAC configuration utility. The dedicated rear iDRAC port needs the optional iDRAC6 Enterprise card.
How many drives does the R710 hold?+
Eight 2.5 in. drives, four 3.5 in. drives plus a flex bay for tape, or six 3.5 in. drives, depending on the chassis.
Why is the R710 power supply light green and amber?+
The two supplies don't match, usually an 870 W and a 570 W mixed. Replace the one with the flashing light.
How do I see the error code on an R710 that won't boot?+
Hold the system ID button for at least five seconds until the error code appears on the front LCD.
Plan this rack server in your rack
The PowerEdge R710 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 PowerEdge R710 Systems Hardware Owner's Manual. This page is a quick reference; check the full manual for safety warnings and model-specific limits.