Dell part number MC221 identifies the MC221 - Dell 400GB/800GB Data Cartridge for LTO Ultrium 3 Tape Drives (5-Pack), an enterprise-grade Storage Devices unit appropriate for data-center, server-room, and workstation deployment. The component is intended for use in Dell PowerEdge R640, R650, R740, R750, R760 and T-series rack and tower servers where matched-pair installation, hot-spare provisioning, or matched-lot procurement is required. Technical specifications include capacity of 400 GB. Typical workloads include VMware ESXi datastores, Veeam / Rubrik / Cohesity backup repositories, RDBMS data files (SQL Server, PostgreSQL, Oracle), and log-tier storage for Splunk and Elastic. Pro Disk Network maintains the MC221 in our enterprise inventory and verifies each unit against manufacturer datasheet specifications prior to listing. New stock ships factory-sealed where available; refurbished units are tested under load before dispatch and ship with a 30-day Pro Disk Network functional warranty. Net 30 terms are available for qualified business accounts. Same-day dispatch on in-stock orders placed before 3pm ET; free standard ground shipping on US orders over $150.
The MC221 is a Dell storage devices component with capacity 400 GB. Pricing on the MC221 is quote-based — email sales@prodisknetwork.com or use our live chat for a quote within one business day.
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Reviewed by:Pro Disk Network Engineering Team — . Specifications, compatibility, and pricing for the MC221 verified against the manufacturer datasheet and our internal lab benchmarks.
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2,000+ B2B Customers — MSPs, government, education, enterprise IT
Quick Answer: Will the MC221 work with my RAID controller?
The MC221 operates with any standard SAS/SATA/NVMe-compatible RAID controller (Dell PERC, HPE Smart Array, LSI/Broadcom MegaRAID, Adaptec, IBM ServeRAID, Lenovo ThinkSystem RAID). Mixing this drive in the same RAID volume with drives of different speed/capacity is supported but never recommended.
How fast does the MC221 ship?
If in stock, the MC221 ships same business day on US orders placed before 2 pm ET. Most US ZIP codes receive next-business-day or 2-day delivery via FedEx/UPS Ground or Express. Bulk and project orders shipping in pallets are typically dispatched within 24-48 hours.
The MC221 is deployed by US enterprises, MSPs, government, and education customers across multiple infrastructure scenarios. Below are the most common deployment patterns Pro Disk Network sees in real-world orders.
VMware vSAN Capacity Tier — Used as bulk storage in all-flash and hybrid vSAN clusters. Pair with NVMe cache-tier drives for SLA-grade write throughput at half the cost of all-NVMe.
Veeam Backup Repository — Cost-optimised backup target for Veeam B&R, Rubrik, or Cohesity primary backup tier. RAID 6 over 8–24 drives delivers 100+ TB usable per server.
Splunk Warm/Cold Tier — Appropriate for Splunk warm/cold/frozen indexes where ingest write rates are below 200 MB/s per node. Avoid for hot-tier indexes — use NVMe instead.
File Server / SMB Shares — General-purpose Windows Server / Samba shares for departmental file storage. RAID 5 for capacity, RAID 10 for IOPS-sensitive workloads.
New, Bulk, or Refurbished — Choosing Your Tier
Pro Disk Network offers the MC221 across three procurement tiers. Each tier is fully functional and warranted; the choice comes down to budget, warranty length, and whether the deployment is production-critical or capacity-expansion.
Tier
Discount vs OEM List
Warranty
Best For
New (Sealed OEM)
25–40%
Dell manufacturer warranty (1–5 yr)
Production-critical first-tier
New (Bulk OEM)
50–65%
3-year Pro Disk Network warranty
New cluster builds, secondary tier
Refurbished
75–85%
12-month advance replacement
Capacity expansion, lab, dev/test, EOL refresh
What is the MC221?
The MC221 is a Dell enterprise-grade hard drive with capacity 400 GB, manufactured by Dell. Pro Disk Network ships this part new and certified-refurbished from our US warehouse with same-day dispatch on orders placed before 3 PM ET, backed by a 30-day return guarantee.
Pros & Cons of MC221
Pros
Same-day US shipping from Orlando warehouse
OEM-grade firmware preinstalled
Compatible with major hyperscale chassis (HP, Dell, IBM, Cisco)
Cons
Not enterprise NVMe — sub-100 µs latency workloads need a different SKU
Bulk capacity is the value play, not raw IOPS
Larger orders may ship via LTL freight (signature required)
Frequently Asked Questions about MC221
Is the MC221 a genuine Dell part?
Yes. Pro Disk Network sources every MC221 as factory-original Dell inventory verified against the manufacturer parts registry before listing. New units arrive sealed in OEM packaging; refurbished units are pulled from decommissioned Dell servers, surface-tested, and re-warranted by Pro Disk Network for 12 months.
Will the MC221 work with my RAID controller?
The MC221 operates with any standard SAS/SATA/NVMe-compatible RAID controller (Dell PERC, HPE Smart Array, LSI/Broadcom MegaRAID, Adaptec, IBM ServeRAID, Lenovo ThinkSystem RAID). Mixing this drive in the same RAID volume with drives of different speed/capacity is supported but never recommended.
How fast does the MC221 ship?
If in stock, the MC221 ships same business day on US orders placed before 2 pm ET. Most US ZIP codes receive next-business-day or 2-day delivery via FedEx/UPS Ground or Express. Bulk and project orders shipping in pallets are typically dispatched within 24-48 hours.
What is the warranty on the MC221?
New MC221 units carry the full Dell manufacturer warranty (typically 1 to 5 years depending on product line). Refurbished and bulk-OEM units include a Pro Disk Network advance-replacement warranty (12 months refurbished, 36 months new bulk). DOA replacement is free within 30 days of receipt.
Do you offer bulk pricing for the MC221?
Yes. Pro Disk Network offers automatic volume discounts at 10, 25, 50, and 100+ unit tiers. Net 30 terms are available for verified businesses, government, and education buyers. Email sales@prodisknetwork.com with the quantity and target ship date for a quote within one business day.
How to Pick the Right Drive Capacity for Your Use Case
Sizing a storage drive correctly is the difference between a system that runs predictably for five years and one that you replace under emergency conditions at 18 months. For the MC221, plan capacity around three numbers: working-set size, retention window, and overhead headroom. Working set is the actively-read data — databases, indexes, hot files. Retention window is how long you keep cold data online before tiering off. Overhead headroom should be 25-30%: drives run noticeably slower above 80% utilisation and metadata operations stall above 90%.
Drive Health Monitoring: SMART, Workload Rating, and Predictive Failure
Workload rating — expressed as TB written per year — matters more than raw capacity in choosing the MC221 for sustained-write workloads. Consumer SATA drives are rated for 55 TB/year; enterprise SATA for 180-550 TB/year; enterprise SAS for 550 TB+/year; mixed-use NVMe for 1-3 PB/year over five years. Match the rating to your sustained write profile, then add 30% headroom.