How to Add Drives and Expand Storage on a Dell PowerEdge R720
The Dell PowerEdge R720 has 8 or 16 SFF (2.5") drive bays in front. This guide covers adding new drives, expanding existing RAID arrays, and verifying the new capacity in iDRAC.
What You Need
- Compatible Dell SAS or SATA hot-plug drive
- Dell R720 SFF drive caddy (G176J, F830C, X968D, or similar)
- Phillips-head #2 screwdriver (for drive-to-caddy mounting)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Identify available empty drive bays
Front bezel shows 8 bay slots. Identify which are empty (no drive present, or filler installed). Press the release button on the right side of any empty bay's filler and remove it.
Step 2: Mount the drive into a caddy
Place the new drive label-up in a Dell R720-compatible caddy. Align the 4 screw holes on the drive with the caddy mounting points. Secure with 4 Phillips screws (included with caddy).
Step 3: Insert the caddy into the bay
Slide the caddy into the empty bay firmly until it clicks. The release lever folds in automatically. The drive should be flush with the chassis face.
Step 4: Verify in iDRAC / PERC
iDRAC web UI > Storage > Physical Disks. New drive should appear within 30 seconds as "Foreign" or "Ready" (depending on prior state). If "Foreign", import the foreign configuration or wipe and convert to "Ready".
Step 5: Add to existing RAID or create new VD
To expand existing RAID array (Online Capacity Expansion): PERC CU > VD Mgmt > select existing VD > Add Drives. Wait for parity rebuild (12-48 hours depending on array size). To create new VD: VD Mgmt > Create New > select RAID level + new drive(s).
Step 6: Partition and use in OS
Once VD is ready (online), OS sees new capacity. Linux: fdisk -l to identify, mkfs.xfs / mkfs.ext4 to format, mount to a directory. Windows: Disk Management > online + initialize + format.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I mix SAS and SATA drives in a Dell PowerEdge R720?
Yes — the PERC H710/H710P/H720 controllers accept both. Best practice: keep them in separate RAID arrays. Don't mix SAS and SATA within a single array (performance degrades to SATA speed).
What size drive caddy fits a Dell R720?
Dell R720 uses SFF (2.5") caddies for the front bays. Part numbers: G176J, F830C, X968D, 9W8C4. We stock all these caddies in stock.
Does the R720 support NVMe drives?
Not natively in the front bays — the R720 backplane is SAS/SATA only. You can add NVMe via PCIe carrier cards (Dell SSD7110/7210) but they don't hot-swap.
Need the parts?
Pro Disk Network stocks all the parts referenced in this guide. Email sales@prodisknetwork.com with your server model — we will send a quote within one business day.