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Apple Xserve RAID (SFP) Specs

Identifiers: Xserve RAID - M9721LL/A* - N/A - A1009 - N/A

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Apple Xserve RAIDThe Apple Xserve RAID (SFP) is a 3U rack mountable storage solution designed for use with an Xserve or Power Macintosh G5 with an installed dual-channel 2 GB Apple Fibre Channel PCI-X card (sold separately).

The Xserve RAID (SFP) features fourteen independent ATA/100 drive channels, dual independent RAID controllers each with 512 MB of controller cache memory, 8 MB of on drive cache per drive, a dual 2.0 GB Fibre Channel host interface with SFP connectors, redundant load-sharing hot-swappable 450W power supplies, redundant hot-swappable "cooling modules", and optional "Cache Battery Backup Modules" that provide 72 hours of backup power.

This model is quite similar to the original Xserve RAID, but has 512 MB of controller cache memory standard and SFP connectors.

It supports a total of fourteen drives, and Apple has increased the maximum "officially" supported capacity several times -- it was 3.5 TB in RAID 0 on January 6, 2004 when it was introduced -- and 5.6 TB on October 19, 2004, and 7.0 TB on September 13, 2005 as new Xserve models were introduced and larger drives became available.

The final configurations -- discontinued February 19, 2008 -- were configured with either four 250 GB (M9721LL/A), seven 500 GB (M9721LL/A), or fourteen (MA209LL/A) 500 GB 7200 RPM ATA/100 drives (Apple Drive Modules).

Despite the age of this system, site sponsor Other World Computing has RAM, hard drives, SSDs, and other upgrades available for this specific Mac while supplies last.



  • Tech Specs
  • Ports
  • Global Original Prices
  • Popular Q&As

Click on a category for related details. The most commonly needed info is "open" by default, but all info is important. Asterisks (*) reference data in details fields.


January 6, 2004 February 19, 2008
Details: The "Introduction Date" refers to the date a model was introduced via press release. The "Discontinued Date" refers to the date a model either was replaced by a subsequent system or production otherwise ended.

Also see: All Macs introduced in 2004.
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Details: Also see: All models with a N/A processor courtesy of EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Sort.
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Details: N/A These numbers reflect an average of user provided 32-bit and 64-bit results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better.

You also might be interested in reviewing all 32-bit and 64-bit Geekbench 2 user submissions for Macs with the N/A Model Identifier, which may include multiple models.

To dynamically compare Geekbench 2 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison.
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Details: N/A Both numbers reflect an average of user provided results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better.

You also might be interested in reviewing all 32-bit single core and multicore Geekbench 3 user submissions for Macs with the N/A Model Identifier, which may include multiple models.

To dynamically compare 32-bit Geekbench 3 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison.
N/A N/A
Details: N/A Both numbers reflect an average of user provided results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better.

You also might be interested in reviewing all 64-bit single core and multicore Geekbench 3 user submissions for Macs with the N/A Model Identifier, which may include multiple models.

To dynamically compare 64-bit Geekbench 3 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison.
N/A N/A
Details: N/A Both numbers reflect an average of user provided results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better.

You also might be interested in reviewing all single core and multicore Geekbench 4 user submissions for Macs with the N/A Model Identifier, which may include multiple models.

To dynamically compare Geekbench 4 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison.
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Details: The Geekbench 5 benchmark is not applicable to the Xserve RAID. Both numbers reflect an average of user provided results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better.

You also might be interested in reviewing all single core and multicore Geekbench 5 user submissions for Macs with the N/A Model Identifier, which may include multiple models.

To dynamically compare Geekbench 5 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison.
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512 MB 512 MB
Details: The Apple Xserve RAID (SFP) has 512 MB of controller cache memory standard.

Also see: Actual Max RAM of All G3 & Later Macs.
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250 GB* HDD 7200 RPM
Details: The final configurations of the Xserve RAID (SFP) shipped with either four 250 GB (M9721LL/A), seven 500 GB (M9721LL/A), or fourteen (MA209LL/A) 500 GB 7200 RPM ATA/100 drives (Apple Drive Modules) each with 8 MB of on drive cache per drive.

Also see: SSD Compatibility Guide for All G3 & Later Macs.
3.5" (25.4 mm) Ultra ATA/100
Details: This model supports a total of fourteen 3.5" Ultra ATA/100 hard drives or SSDs, and in RAID 0, officially supports up to 7.0 TB of storage.
None None
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None 10/100Base-T (x2)
Details: The Xserve RAID (SFP) has two 10/100Base-T Ethernet ports "for remote management". It also has two DB-9 serial ports.
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N/A 14 3.5"
Details: The Xserve RAID (SFP) currently ships with either four 250 GB (M9721LL/A), seven 500 GB (M9721LL/A), or fourteen (MA209LL/A) 500 GB 7200 RPM ATA/100 drives (Apple Drive Modules) each with 8 MB of on drive cache per drive. It supports a total of fourteen drives, and in RAID 0, officially supports up to 7.0 TB of storage.
None None
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Rack-Mountable Xserve RAID
Details: Apple reports that the Xserve RAID "fits EIA-310-D-compliant, industry-standard 19-inch-wide four-post racks from 24 to 36 inches deep [and] deeper racks require a third-party extender."
M9721LL/A* Xserve RAID
Details: M9721LL/A is with four 250 GB 7200 RPM ATA/100 drives (Apple Drive Modules), MA208LL/A is with seven 500 GB 7200 RPM ATA/100 drives (Apple Drive Modules), and MA209LL/A is with fourteen 500 GB 7200 RPM ATA/100 drives (Apple Drive Modules).
A1009 (EMC N/A) N/A
Details: This model number is unique to this model.

Also see: All Macs with the A1009 Model Number, the N/A EMC Number, and the N/A Model Identifier.

For more about these identifiers and how to locate them on each Mac, please refer to EveryMac.com's Mac Identification section.
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5.25 x 17.0 x 18.4 60-100 lbs.
Details: In inches - height by width by depth, (13.3 cm, 43.2 cm, 46.7 cm). It weighs between 60 and 100 pounds (27.2 and 45.4 kg) depending on the number of drives installed.
US$5999-$12999 N/A
Details: Please note that on average the estimated current retail pricing of used systems is updated twice a year (please refer to the date on the bottom of the page for the date last updated).

Photo Credit: Apple Computer.


Click on a category for additional details. The most commonly needed info is "open" by default, but all info is important. The icons correspond with the icons for each port on the computer.


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2 (DB-9) None
Details: This system has two DB-9 serial ports for accessing the server through a serial console session. This is not a "Mac serial" port.
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None 2 (RJ-45)
Details: The system has two 10/100Base-T Ethernet ports.
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Global original prices for the Xserve RAID (SFP) in 34 different countries and territories follow; organized alphabetically by region.

For global original prices for Intel Macs in one particular country on a single page, please refer to EveryMac.com's Global Original Prices section.

Original Prices - North & South America

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N/A US$5999-$12999

Original Prices - Europe

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€5999-€10999 N/A
N/A £4349-£9399

Original Prices - Asia

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Original Prices - Australia & New Zealand

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If you have additional original prices for this model, please get in touch. Thank you.


Ten of the most popular Q&As about the Xserve models follow.



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