HPE ProLiant DL385p Gen8 Drives
Genuine HPE hot-plug drives for the HPE ProLiant DL385p Gen8, new and refurbished. How far an internal build goes is decided by the cage the server was ordered with — 8 SFF, 8 LFF, 12 LFF or 25 SFF — and HPE states those versions are not upgradeable from one another.
DL385p Gen8 Drive Specifications
- Bays: 8 SFF (with an optional second 8 SFF cage for 16 total), 8 LFF, 12 LFF or 25 SFF hot-plug bays by model; no hard drives ship standard
- Carriers: re-designed Gen8 SFF (2.5in) and LFF (3.5in) SmartDrive carriers with status, location and activity indicators plus a Do Not Remove indicator
- Interfaces: 12G SAS, 6G SAS and 6G SATA hard drives and SSDs
- Documented maximums: 50.0TB from 25 × 2.0TB SFF, 96.0TB from 12 × 8TB LFF, and 48.0TB from 25 × 1.92TB SFF SAS SSD
- Endurance classes: Write Intensive, Mixed Use, Read Intensive and Value Endurance SSDs, in SAS and SATA
- Blanks: more are ordered as 666987-B21 (SFF) or 666986-B21 (LFF)
The drive cage is fixed at build time. HPE states the 8 LFF, 12 LFF and 25 SFF versions are not upgradeable from the standard 8 SFF model, or vice versa. The one documented internal expansion is the second 8 SFF cage on an 8 SFF chassis, and that needs an additional Smart Array controller.
What drives fit the DL385p Gen8?
| Drive family | Interface | Speeds and classes | Capacities listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise hard drives | 12G and 6G SAS | 15K and 10K | 146GB to 1.8TB |
| Midline hard drives | 12G / 6G SAS, 6G SATA | 7.2K, 512e and Helium parts | 500GB to 8TB |
| SAS solid state drives | 12G SAS | WI, MU, RI and Value Endurance | 200GB to 3.84TB |
| SATA solid state drives | 6G SATA | All four classes, SC and SCC carriers | 80GB to 3.84TB |
| Blanks and cage kit | n/a | SFF and LFF blanks, 8 SFF backplane cage | 666987-B21, 666986-B21, 662883-B21 |
12G drives are listed for this server, but the embedded Smart Array P420i is specified at 6Gb/s SAS and 3Gb/s SATA, and HPE notes the subsystem negotiates down to the slowest of drive, controller, firmware and backplane. Our SAS versus SATA guide and the SmartDrive carrier history cover what matters most here.
Choosing the Right DL385p Gen8 Drives
- Match the drive to the cage you have. SFF cages take 2.5in SC carriers, LFF cages 3.5in SC or SCC converter carriers.
- Balance a partly filled 25 SFF backplane. HPE routes bays 1–12 to one expander and bays 13–25 to the other, and asks that drives be split evenly.
- Match endurance to the workload: Write Intensive for heavy write duty, Mixed Use for virtualization and databases, Read Intensive and Value Endurance for read-heavy serving — see the WI, MU and RI comparison.
- Keep each array uniform. Mixing interfaces or endurance classes leaves it running to its weakest member.
- The second 8 SFF cage is not just a cage. That upgrade needs an additional Smart Array controller and removes optical drive support.
Complete Your DL385p Gen8 Build
Drives pair with DL385p Gen8 storage controllers, then memory, processors, and power supplies, or the full DL385p Gen8 parts page. Neighbors: DL385 G7 drives and DL380p Gen8 drives. Catalog-wide: SFF SAS SmartDrive hard drives, LFF SAS SmartDrive hard drives, and parts by server model.
DL385p Gen8 Drives FAQ
How many drives does the HPE ProLiant DL385p Gen8 hold?
It depends on the drive cage. HPE built this server with 8 SFF, 8 LFF, 12 LFF and 25 SFF configurations, and the 8 SFF chassis accepts an optional second 8 SFF cage for 16 bays. No hard drives ship standard in any of them.
What is the maximum internal storage of the DL385p Gen8?
HPE lists 50.0TB from twenty-five 2.0TB SFF SAS or SATA drives, 96.0TB from twelve 8TB LFF drives, 48.0TB from twenty-five 1.92TB SFF SAS SSDs, and 19.2TB from twelve 1.6TB LFF SATA SSDs.
Can I convert an 8 SFF DL385p Gen8 to 12 LFF or 25 SFF?
No. The QuickSpecs state that the 8 LFF, 12 LFF and 25 SFF versions are not upgradeable options from the standard 8 SFF model, or vice versa. The only documented internal expansion is the second 8 SFF cage on the 8 SFF chassis.
Can the DL385p Gen8 use 12G SAS drives?
Yes, 12G SAS hard drives and SSDs are listed for this server. Keep in mind that the embedded Smart Array P420i is specified at 6Gb/s SAS and 3Gb/s SATA, and HPE notes the storage subsystem negotiates down to the slowest component in the path.
What carrier do DL385p Gen8 drives use?
The Gen8 SmartDrive carrier, in SFF 2.5-inch and LFF 3.5-inch forms. HPE re-designed both for Gen8 with status, location and activity indicators plus a Do Not Remove caution indicator, so a drive needs the right carrier to seat in this backplane.
Do DL385p Gen8 drives come with a warranty?
HPE states that hard drives carry either a one year or three year warranty depending on the drive, and directs you to the specific drive QuickSpecs for details. The midline 7.2K parts are generally the one-year models.
✅ Looking for a specific DL385p Gen8 drive? Browse our full selection below.
Browse all models
Why Global One?
- Trusted by thousands. Over 36,000 customers in 100+ countries trust Global One Technology to deliver mission-critical HP Enterprise hardware - including Fortune 500 businesses, schools, hospitals, and federal, state, and local goverment agencies.
- HPE is our specialty! We only sell genuine HP Enterprise parts.
- EASY ordering process. Purchase online now with credit card or PayPal!
- FAST shipping. Global One Technology ships orders received by 4pm ET the same day and offers NEXT DAY delivery to US customers.
