MikroTik ROSE Data Server RDS2216 100G NVMe Storage

The MikroTik ROSE Data Server (RDS2216) is the answer to a question that enterprise IT teams have been asking for years: why are networking, storage, and compute three separate budgets, three separate vendors, three separate support contracts, and three separate power draws? The RDS2216 collapses all three into a single 1U rackmount device — and prices the entire stack at USD 1,950.

The storage architecture starts with 20 U.2 NVMe bays. U.2 is the enterprise NVMe form factor — the same interface used in enterprise SSDs from Samsung, Kioxia, Seagate, and Western Digital for data centre deployments. Each bay connects via PCIe Gen3 with 1–2 lanes, providing the consistent low-latency, high-throughput access that NVMe was designed to deliver. The 20-bay capacity supports RAID configurations, iSCSI block storage, NVMe-TCP exports, and TCG-Opal hardware-level self-encryption — covering the full range of enterprise storage use cases from simple file serving to mission-critical database clusters.

The 100G networking stack is enterprise-grade without enterprise pricing. Two 100G QSFP28 ports handle spine-level connectivity — backbone links to core switches, high-speed interconnects to other servers, or direct attachment to 100G-capable storage clients. Four 25G SFP28 ports cover server-to-server and server-to-switch connectivity at the speed that most modern enterprise workloads actually require. Four 10G SFP+ ports handle legacy 10G infrastructure and access-layer connections. Two 10G Ethernet ports provide additional copper connectivity, and a dedicated 1GbE management port keeps out-of-band management traffic separate from production data paths. The SFF-8644 external interface enables connection to external JBOD or SAS expansion shelves for future storage capacity growth beyond the 20 internal NVMe bays.

The 16-core AL73400 ARM64 CPU at 2 GHz with 32 GB DDR4 RAM drives the compute side. This is not a lightweight router CPU — it is a server-class processor capable of running full container workloads, virtualised applications, and demanding data processing tasks concurrently with storage and networking operations. MikroTik explicitly validates MinIO (S3-compatible object storage), Nextcloud (enterprise document and file management), Shinobi and Frigate (video surveillance and NVR), and PostgreSQL and MariaDB (database clusters) as container workloads on the RDS2216.

The BTRFS filesystem support brings enterprise storage features that Linux administrators and storage architects will recognise immediately: snapshots for point-in-time recovery, compression for storage efficiency, and subvolume transfers for flexible data management. Combined with TCG-Opal self-encrypting drive support and block device encryption for non-TCG drives, the RDS2216 handles GDPR compliance requirements at the storage layer without additional software licensing.

The dual hot-swap PSUs (286W max, 105W without NVMe attachments) ensure the RDS2216 never has a single point of power failure. If a PSU degrades or fails, it slides out and the replacement slides in while the server continues running. The official replacement PSU is the DPS-550AB-36G (12V / 550W, USD 139) — available separately in this catalogue and strongly recommended as an on-site spare for any production deployment.

The ROSE edition of RouterOS v7 License Level 6 is not a stripped-down storage OS. It is the full RouterOS platform — BGP, OSPF, MPLS, advanced firewall, traffic shaping, VLANs, SNMP, scripting, WireGuard, container orchestration — with the additional ROSE storage and compute capabilities layered on top. No subscriptions. No feature paywalls. No licence renewals. RouterOS is included in the purchase price, with free updates for the life of the product or a minimum of 5 years from date of purchase.

Key features:

- 20× U.2 NVMe bays — enterprise NVMe storage, supports RAID, iSCSI, NVMe-TCP, TCG-Opal self-encrypting drives

- 2× 100G QSFP28 ports — backbone and high-speed server interconnect

- 4× 25G SFP28 ports — server-to-server and server-to-switch connectivity

- 4× 10G SFP+ ports — legacy 10G infrastructure and access-layer connections

- 2× 10G Ethernet ports — additional copper connectivity

- 1× 10/100/1000 Ethernet management port — dedicated out-of-band management

- SFF-8644 external interface — external JBOD / SAS expansion shelf connectivity

- 16-core AL73400 ARM 64-bit CPU, 2,000 MHz, 32 GB DDR4 RAM, 98DX4310 switch chip

- Container-ready — OCI compliant, runs MinIO, Nextcloud, Shinobi, Frigate, PostgreSQL, MariaDB

- BTRFS support — snapshots, compression, subvolume transfers

- TCG-Opal self-encrypting drive support + block device encryption

- NVMe-TCP block device export — share NVMe storage over TCP to downstream routers and devices

- NFS and SMB protocol support — branch office and workstation storage access

- 2× USB 3.0 Type-A ports (1A each, USB Power Reset)

- 2× M.2 slots (details not published by MikroTik at time of listing)

- RJ45 serial console port

- Dual hot-swap PSUs included — 286W max (105W without NVMe attachments), 100–240V AC, 50–60 Hz

- 10-fan active cooling system

- 1U rackmount, 476 × 443 × 44 mm — includes K-90 fastening set, rackmount ears, rear support ears

- ROSE edition RouterOS v7, License Level 6 — all RouterOS features + ROSE storage and compute capabilities, no subscriptions, free lifetime updates

- CPU temperature monitor, PCB temperature monitor, voltage monitor, mode button

- Certified CE, EAC, RoHS | IP20

- MTBF ~200,000 hours at 25°C

- Tested ambient temperature -20°C to +50°C

In the box: 2× IEC cord, K-90 fastening set, rackmount ears (ROSE), small rear support ears (ROSE), long rear rackmount support ears (ROSE).

Note: U.2 NVMe drives are NOT included. The CADDY NVMe drive trays (10-pack, USD 49) are the official tray accessory for this chassis and are available separately. The DPS-550AB-36G (550W hot-swap PSU, USD 139) is the official replacement PSU and is recommended as an on-site spare for production deployments.

Ideal for: Canadian enterprises and MSPs replacing separate NAS, switch, and server infrastructure with a single converged platform; self-hosted S3-compatible cloud storage replacing AWS S3 or Azure Blob with a one-time hardware purchase; Nextcloud enterprise document management with BTRFS snapshots and GDPR-compliant encryption; high-speed PostgreSQL and MariaDB database clusters requiring low-latency NVMe storage; video surveillance NVR deployments using Shinobi or Frigate containers with direct NVMe recording; branch office infrastructure where a single device handles routing, switching, storage, and compute; IT teams and data centre operators building private cloud infrastructure without recurring subscription costs; and any enterprise environment where the combination of 100G networking, 20-bay NVMe storage, and full RouterOS v7 L6 capability in a 1U rackmount at USD 1,950 represents a compelling total cost of ownership versus equivalent separate-component deployments.