Dell
Dell 405-AAMX Perc H740p 12Gbps SAS RAID Controller
Eight channels of 12Gb/s SAS throughput and 8GB of cache give PowerEdge storage the headroom to handle serious workloads.
View price on Amazon
Affiliate Disclosure: Studio Supplies may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you. This helps support our editorial team.
Notice a mistake? Let Us Know
Overview
High-Performance RAID Control: Dell PERC H740P Adapter
The Dell PERC H740P RAID controller offers advanced storage management capabilities for Dell PowerEdge servers. With support for SAS 12Gb/s and 8GB of cache, this adapter delivers exceptional performance and data protection.
- Controller Type: Storage controller (RAID)
- Channel: 8 Channel
- Interface: SATA 6Gb/s / SAS 12Gb/s
- Data Transfer Rate: 12 Gbit / s
- RAID Levels: RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, 60
- Interface Type: PCIe 3.1 x8
Key Features
Item Package Quantity
1
Model Number
405-AAMX
Package Weight
1 kilograms
Package Dimensions (L x B x H) in cm
20 x 20 x 11
Pros & Cons
👍 Pros
- 12Gb/s SAS interface per channel means the controller is not the bottleneck in drive-dense, high-IOPS configurations.
- 8GB of onboard cache delivers meaningful write performance improvements in RAID 5 and 6 arrays compared to controllers with 2GB or 4GB cache.
- Support for RAID 50 and 60 provides enterprise-grade redundancy options for large drive pools where single-level parity is insufficient.
- PCIe 3.1 x8 host interface ensures the controller doesn't create a lane-width bottleneck in 8-channel concurrent workloads.
- Deep integration with Dell OpenManage and iDRAC simplifies monitoring, alerting, and firmware updates in managed data center environments.
👎 Cons
- Proprietary Dell ecosystem lock-in means this card cannot be dropped into a non-Dell server — it requires Dell's specific PCIe slot configuration and firmware stack.
- Battery backup module (CVPM05) is sold separately, leaving write-back cache unprotected until purchased and installed.
- No NVMe support limits the controller's relevance in all-flash or hybrid NVMe+SAS architectures.
- Driver and firmware updates are tied to Dell's release cadence, which can lag behind OS releases — particularly relevant for non-Windows environments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Dell PowerEdge servers is the H740P compatible with?
The PERC H740P is designed specifically for Dell PowerEdge 14th-generation servers (and supported 15th-gen platforms). It is not a universal RAID card — it requires a Dell proprietary PCIe slot and firmware environment. Confirm compatibility against Dell's official HCL for your specific server model before purchasing.
What RAID levels does the H740P support?
It supports RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60. RAID 6 and 60 are particularly relevant for environments prioritizing dual-drive fault tolerance without a full mirror penalty — useful for high-capacity NAS-style configurations inside a PowerEdge chassis.
How much cache does the controller include, and does it support a battery backup?
The H740P ships with 8GB of non-volatile cache. It supports Dell's Persistent Cache feature via an optional RAID Controller Battery (CVPM05) or a flash-based Cache Vault module — critical for protecting write-back cache data during a power interruption.
What is the maximum data transfer rate, and what interface does it use?
The controller interfaces via PCIe 3.1 x8 and supports SAS at 12Gb/s and SATA at 6Gb/s. Real-world sequential throughput is constrained by the drive pool and RAID level, but the 12Gb/s SAS backend eliminates the controller itself as a bottleneck in all-SAS drive configurations.
Can this controller be used with NVMe drives?
No. The H740P is a SAS/SATA controller and does not support NVMe. For NVMe, Dell's PERC H755 or a separate HBA/NVMe controller is required.
Related Products
