HPE ProLiant BL420c Gen8 Storage Controllers
Genuine HPE Smart Array mezzanine controllers, cache modules and licences for the HPE ProLiant BL420c Gen8, new and refurbished. The two drive bays already have an embedded controller behind them — a Smart Array P220i or a Dynamic Smart Array B320i — so the parts here either reach storage outside the blade or unlock what that card can already do.
BL420c Gen8 Storage Controller Specifications
- Embedded, one of two: Smart Array P220i, 512MB flash backed write cache as standard, RAID 0 and RAID 1 across up to 64 logical drives
- Embedded, the other: Dynamic Smart Array B320i on an x8 PCIe 3.0 interface; with no cache it manages two logical volumes, and the optional 512MB FBWC raises it to 64
- B320i RAID levels: RAID 0, 1 and 1+0, with RAID 5 available only once the optional 512MB cache is installed
- B320i licensing: SATA RAID 0 and 1 are standard; SAS RAID needs the SAS License Key on Configure-to-Order blades, and is standard on pre-configured ones
- External SAS: Smart Array P721m four-port external mezzanine SAS controllers, with 512MB or 2GB cache
- Placement and cache limits: the P721m is a Type B mezzanine supported in slot 2 only, which needs a processor in socket 2; the blade takes two FBWC supercaps
The Smart Array P721m needs a second processor before it will do anything. It is a Type B mezzanine supported in mezzanine slot 2 only, and slot 2 stays inaccessible until a processor is installed in socket 2. On a single-processor blade the card is dead weight, whichever cache size you buy.
Which controller part does the job you have in mind?
| Part | Where it sits | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Smart Array P721m | Mezzanine slot 2 only | Four external SAS ports, with 512MB or 2GB of cache |
| 512MB B-series FBWC | On the embedded B320i | Write caching, 64 logical drives and RAID 5 |
| SAS License Key | On the embedded B320i | SAS RAID 0 and 1 on a Configure-to-Order blade |
| Smart Array Advanced Pack | Software licence | Advanced features on the B320i and the P220i |
Which embedded controller a blade has was settled when it was built, so the useful question is what that card is missing — on a B320i, usually cache or a SAS licence. The P721m is a different job: it is how a blade reaches disk shelves outside the enclosure, at the cost of a mezzanine slot and the processor it depends on.
Choosing the Right BL420c Gen8 Storage Controller
- A P721m needs a second processor. It is a Type B mezzanine supported only in slot 2, and that slot is inaccessible until a processor sits in socket 2.
- Check which embedded controller you have before buying an upgrade. HPE states plainly that the B-series 512MB FBWC and the SAS License Key are not supported on the Smart Array P220i.
- RAID 5 on a B320i is a cache purchase. The 512MB cache is required to enable it; without it the card is limited to RAID 0, 1 and 1+0 and two logical volumes.
- A SAS licence buys nothing for SATA. SATA RAID 0 and 1 are standard on the B320i, so it only matters where the bays hold SAS drives.
Complete Your BL420c Gen8 Build
Controllers and drives are bought together — see BL420c Gen8 drives for what the bays will hold, and BL420c Gen8 processors before ordering a P721m, since the second socket opens the slot it needs. Also available: BL420c Gen8 memory and networking adapters, or the full BL420c Gen8 parts listing, which carries the Fibre Channel adapters and the D2200sb storage blade. The four-socket blade of this generation is the BL660c Gen8. Background reading: HPE Flexible Smart Array controllers and HPE parts by server model.
BL420c Gen8 Storage Controllers FAQ
Which storage controller does the BL420c Gen8 come with?
One of two, chosen when the blade was built: a Smart Array P220i with 512MB flash backed write cache, or a Dynamic Smart Array B320i. Both drive the same two hot-plug bays.
What is the difference between the P220i and the B320i?
The P220i ships with 512MB of flash backed write cache and does RAID 0 and 1 across up to 64 logical drives. The B320i starts with no cache and two logical volumes, adds RAID 1+0, and gains RAID 5 once the optional 512MB cache is fitted.
Can I add cache to a Smart Array P220i?
No. It already includes 512MB of flash backed write cache, and HPE states that the B-series 512MB FBWC option and the SAS License Key are not supported on the P220i.
What does the Smart Array P721m do?
It is a four-port external SAS mezzanine controller, with 512MB or 2GB of flash backed write cache, used to connect the blade to storage outside the enclosure.
Why will my P721m not work in mezzanine slot 1?
It is a Type B mezzanine, and HPE supports it in slot 2 only. That slot also requires a processor in socket 2, so a single-processor blade cannot use the card.
Do I need the Smart Array Advanced Pack?
Only for the additional features it licenses. It is software rather than hardware, and the controller works without it at its standard RAID levels.
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