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$5,586.00
Ships from China.
Sold by Hebei XG Technology Co., Ltd.
Shipped by Hebei XG Technology Co., Ltd.
Meet Your Seller
Dell 3800F (3.5 - inch / 12 - bay) barebone, dual - control, no disks, 600W dual - power supply
Used - Like New Product Type
Condition A: No scratches and a 3 - year guarantee.
- 1. 3800F storage enclosure with 12 x 3.5-inch drive bays
- 2. Dual-controller configuration for enhanced reliability
- 3. No pre-installed hard drives, customizable storage
- 4. Equipped with 600W dual power supply for redundancy
- 5. Cost-effective storage expansion solution
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Overview
Specs
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1. 3800F storage enclosure with 12 x 3.5 -inch drive bays
2. Dual-controller configuration for enhanced reliability
3. No pre-installed hard drives, customizable storage
4. Equipped with 600W dual power supply for redundancy
5. Cost-effective storage expansion solution
2. Dual-controller configuration for enhanced reliability
3. No pre-installed hard drives, customizable storage
4. Equipped with 600W dual power supply for redundancy
5. Cost-effective storage expansion solution
Warranty & Returns
Warranty, Returns, And Additional Information
Warranty
- Please contact the Seller directly for warranty information. Warranty information may also be found on the Manufacturer's website.
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Return Policies
- Return for refund within: 30 days
- Return for replacement within: 30 days
- This item is covered by Hebei XG Technology Co., Ltd. Return Policy
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The Dell PowerEdge 3800F is a 12-bay 3.5-inch storage enclosure barebone with dual controllers and redundant 600W power supplies, built for businesses and IT teams that need customizable shared storage expansion in server or data center environments.
Recommended For
- IT teams building or extending a Fibre Channel SAN that need a 12-bay 3.5-inch array with dual controllers, redundant power, and shared storage features such as RAID, thin provisioning, and VMware integration.
- Small and mid-size businesses that want a bare storage chassis they can populate with their own supported drives, especially when they need shared block storage without moving up to a newer enterprise array platform.
- VMware or Hyper-V environments that benefit from array-side management features and established host compatibility, particularly for centralized storage in older but still supported mixed-server deployments.
- Admins who prefer controller redundancy and serviceability over direct-attached simplicity, such as branch office or departmental infrastructure where storage uptime matters more than compactness.
- Homelab or secondary-lab users who specifically want to learn SAN workflows and Dell MD Storage Manager, and are comfortable with enterprise rack hardware, Fibre Channel setup, and used-enterprise quirks discussed in the community.
Real-World Use Scenarios
- Adding shared block storage to a small VMware, Hyper-V, or mixed-server rack: the usual goal is to move VM data off individual servers and centralize it in one array, and the likely experience is easier capacity management plus better uptime when the dual controllers and redundant power supplies are set up correctly.
- Building a low-cost SAN for business file shares, backups, and general data consolidation: buyers typically populate the 12 bays with their own SAS or NL-SAS drives, and the expected outcome is a customizable storage pool that fits older enterprise environments better than buying a new fully populated array.
- Using it as central storage for video projects, media archives, or large sequential files: the real goal is to keep bulky footage and finished assets in one rack unit instead of across workstations, and the likely experience is good fit for shared raw storage if the surrounding Fibre Channel setup is already in place.
- Expanding an existing Dell MD-series environment instead of replacing it: admins are usually trying to keep legacy Fibre Channel storage online for another cycle, and the outcome is practical reuse when the organization already has compatible hosts, cabling, and operational knowledge.
- Deploying it in a lab, test rack, or homelab that mirrors enterprise storage workflows: the user is usually learning SAN zoning, controller failover, RAID/DDP behavior, or multi-host storage management, and the experience is realistic but more complex and infrastructure-heavy than a simple NAS or USB enclosure.
Spec Summary
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Best For | Deployments that need a 12-bay 3.5-inch barebone storage enclosure with dual-controller redundancy and redundant 600W power supplies; ships without drives and is intended for adding customer-selected drives to expand storage capacity |
| Model Identifiers | Dell PowerEdge 3800F (Model 3800F) |
| CPU And Socket | No CPU included and no CPU socket (storage device) |
Reference Q&A
Q: Should I choose the Dell 3800F or the Dell MD3820F?
A: Choose the Dell 3800F when you want a 12-bay 3.5-inch Fibre Channel array that favors larger-capacity drives and simpler capacity-focused deployments. Choose the MD3820F when you want a 24-bay 2.5-inch platform that is better suited to higher spindle counts, denser performance-oriented layouts, or smaller SAS/SSD media. Both are dual-controller 16Gb Fibre Channel arrays in Dell's MD3 family, but the main trade-off is 3.5-inch capacity density per drive on the 3800F versus 24-bay 2.5-inch drive density on the MD3820F.
Q: Is the Dell 3800F a better fit than a newer Dell PowerVault ME4012?
A: Choose the Dell 3800F if you specifically need the older MD-series Fibre Channel platform, already run compatible MD tooling, or want a barebones array for an existing FC environment. Choose the ME4012 if you want a newer 12-bay 3.5-inch Dell platform with broader modern protocol options, integrated web management, newer controller architecture, and a more current product family. The practical trade-off is legacy FC array continuity with the 3800F versus a newer platform and management experience with the ME4012.
Q: Should I buy this 12-bay 3800F or move up to a higher-capacity 60-bay Dell array?
A: Choose the 3800F when you want a smaller 2U footprint, lower initial drive count, and easier step-by-step expansion for a traditional SAN deployment. Move to a 60-bay class Dell array such as the MD3860F only when rack density and much larger raw capacity matter more than simplicity. The trade-off is straightforward: the 3800F is easier to size for modest or growing deployments, while a 60-bay platform is better for larger consolidated storage pools.
Q: Is the Dell 3800F better than a simple disk shelf or JBOD for storage expansion?
A: Choose the 3800F when you need dual controllers, Fibre Channel host connectivity, built-in RAID features, and a shared storage design for SAN use. Choose a disk shelf or JBOD when you only need direct-attached capacity expansion behind another server or storage controller. The main difference is that the 3800F is a storage array with controller intelligence and FC connectivity, while a JBOD shelf is mainly an expansion enclosure and depends on an external controller for array functions.
Q: Does this barebone enclosure come with any hard drives or a CPU?
A: No. This is a diskless storage enclosure, not a complete server. Based on the provided product data, it includes 12 x 3.5-inch drive bays, dual controllers, and dual 600W power supplies, but no pre-installed hard drives and no CPU. It is best suited for buyers who already plan to supply drives and integrate the enclosure into an existing storage environment.
Q: Who is this product suitable for?
A: This product is suitable for IT teams, labs, and businesses that need rack-style storage expansion with high drive density and hardware redundancy. The 12-bay layout supports large-capacity builds, while the dual-controller and dual-power design suggests a focus on availability and service continuity rather than general desktop use. It is not ideal for casual users because it is a barebone enclosure that requires drives and a compatible storage setup.
Q: Is this a good choice if I want flexible storage capacity later?
A: Yes, if your priority is flexibility. Because the unit ships without disks, you can choose drive sizes and populate bays over time instead of paying upfront for fixed storage. The trade-off is that your total cost, supported drive options, and final usable capacity depend on the drives and storage configuration you add later.
Q: Is this an all-in-one NAS I can use by itself on a network?
A: Not by itself. The provided specifications identify it as a storage device with no CPU, which means it should be treated as an enclosure or storage subsystem rather than a full self-contained NAS server. Buyers should expect to pair it with compatible storage infrastructure instead of using it as a simple plug-and-play network appliance.
Q: Is this a full server or just a storage enclosure?
A: It is a storage enclosure, not a complete server. The listed specs show no CPU and no CPU socket, and barebone listings for similar Dell 12-bay units are typically discussed by Reddit users as drive shelves that need a separate host server, controller, and drives. Buy it if you already have a server and want external storage expansion; do not buy it if you need a standalone compute system.
Q: Who is this suitable for?
A: This is best suited to buyers who already run a server and need more raw drive bays, especially for lab, backup, archive, media, or general storage expansion. Reddit discussions around comparable Dell 12-bay shelves consistently frame them as add-on storage for an existing setup rather than as first-time all-in-one servers.
Q: What else do I need before this can be used?
A: You should expect to supply drives, a compatible external storage controller or HBA in your server, and the correct cabling. Community threads about similar Dell dual-controller shelves regularly focus on needing a host-side controller and external SAS connections before the enclosure is usable.
Q: What are the main trade-offs of buying this barebone unit?
A: The main advantage is flexible, potentially cost-effective storage expansion with 12 large-drive bays and redundant controllers and power supplies. The trade-off is that barebone means more setup work and more parts to source, including disks and host connectivity. It is a better fit for buyers who value expandability and redundancy than for buyers who want a simple plug-and-play NAS.
Q: Is this a good choice for a first-time buyer building a home server?
A: Usually only if you already understand external storage shelves and have a host system ready. For first-time buyers, the lack of included drives, compute hardware, and built-in simplicity makes it less straightforward than a complete server or a ready-to-use NAS. It makes more sense as an expansion purchase than as a beginner's single-box solution.