<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-01-06</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001056923</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>DATALINK CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DTLK</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001184336</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BARNUM GREGORY T</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>10050 CROSSTOWN CIRCLE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 500</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>EDEN PRAIRIE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>55344</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>CFO</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-01-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>99377</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>11.25</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>6.83</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-01-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>71151</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>4.42</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2026-02-26</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>71151</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Performance Share Units (PSUs)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-01-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>26430</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>11.25</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>26430</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Price reflects per share consideration paid pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the &quot;Merger Agreement&quot;), dated as of November 6, 2016, by and among Datalink Corporation, Insight Enterprises Inc., and Reef Acquisition Co.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">These stock options were granted on February 26, 2016 and provided for vesting as follows: 50% vest on the first anniversary of the grant date, 25% vest on the second anniversary of the grant date, and 25% vest on the third anniversary of the grant date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Each stock option was canceled pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement in exchange for a cash payment of $11.25 (the per share consideration under the Merger Agreement) less the per share exercise price.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Each PSU represents a contingent right to receive one share of common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">These PSUs were granted on February 26, 2016 and provided for vesting as follows: 1/3 vest February 26, 2019 if the company's stock achieves a market price of $9.00/share for 20 consecutive trading days before that date; 1/3 vest February 26, 2020 if the company's stock achieves a market price of $11.00/share for 20 consecutive trading days before that date; 1/3 vest February 26, 2021 if the company's stock achieves a market price of $13.00/share for 20 consecutive trading days before that date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Each PSU was canceled pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement in exchange for a cash payment of $11.25 (the per share consideration under the Merger Agreement).</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Gregory T. Barnum</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-01-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
