HPE ProLiant SL165s G7 Storage Controllers
Genuine HPE Smart Array controllers, cache modules and host bus adapters for the HPE ProLiant SL165s G7, new and refurbished. The tray starts on an embedded B110i SATA RAID controller that does RAID 0, 1 and 10 on SATA drives only — so anything involving SAS, an enclosure or RAID 5 starts with an add-in card, and every add-in card starts with a riser kit.
SL165s G7 Storage Controller Specifications
- Embedded controller: HPE B110i SATA RAID, RAID 0, 1 and 10, enabled from the ROM-based setup utility rather than shipped active
- Internal add-in card: Smart Array P410 in 256MB, 512MB BBWC, 512MB FBWC and 1GB FBWC forms, two internal ports on a PCIe x8 card
- Internal and external card: Smart Array P212 with zero memory or 256MB, one internal and one external port
- External add-in card: Smart Array P411 in 256MB, 512MB BBWC, 512MB FBWC and 1GB FBWC forms, two external ports
- Cache and battery upgrades: a 256MB P-series upgrade for the P212 only, a 512MB battery backed write cache for the P410 and P411 only, a 650 mAh battery to enable BBWC on a 256MB cache, and 512MB and 1GB flash backed modules
- External attach: a P411 drives up to eight D2600 or four D2700 enclosures and a P212 with 256MB up to four D2600 or two D2700; the SC11Xe Ultra320 PCIe x4 adapter covers older SCSI tape and disk
Every add-in card here needs a riser kit, and HPE decides which slot it goes in. The P410 is always fitted in the internal PCIe x4 slot on the x4 riser; the P212 and P411 are always fitted in the external PCIe x16 slot on the x16 riser. The tray has only those two slots, so a P410 and a P411 together leave nothing for a network card.
Which Smart Array card fits which slot?
| Controller | Ports | Slot HPE assigns it | Riser kit required |
|---|---|---|---|
| B110i (embedded) | SATA, internal | None — on the system board | None |
| P212 | 1 internal, 1 external | External PCIe Gen2 x16 | x16 riser kit |
| P410 | 2 internal | Internal PCIe Gen2 x4 | x4 riser kit |
| P411 | 2 external | External PCIe Gen2 x16 | x16 riser kit |
The slot assignment is HPE's, not a preference: the P410 always goes in the internal x4 slot, the P212 and P411 always in the external x16. That matters because the tray has only those two slots. A P410 for internal drives and a P411 for an enclosure fills both, leaving nothing for a 10 Gigabit or InfiniBand card, so the storage plan and the networking plan have to be made together.
Choosing the Right SL165s G7 Storage Controller
- Order the riser with the card. Neither PCIe slot works without its riser kit, and the two are different parts: x16 for the external slot, x4 for the internal one.
- Internal or external decides the card. A P411 has no internal ports and will not drive the tray's own drive bays; a P410 has no external ports and will not reach an enclosure.
- Cache upgrades are card-specific. HPE lists the 256MB P-series upgrade for the P212 alone and the 512MB battery backed upgrade for the P410 and P411 alone, so the cache is matched to the card.
- Battery backed and flash backed are not interchangeable. BBWC depends on a rechargeable battery that ages, plus a separate 650 mAh battery part; FBWC uses flash, which is the steadier choice on a server of this age.
- Adding a Smart Array also adds drive bays. A P410 is what takes an SFF tray from six drives to eight, so the card can pay for itself in capacity as well as in RAID levels.
Complete Your SL165s G7 Build
Controllers and drives are bought together — see SL165s G7 hard drives for what a given card will attach, and what are HPE Flexible Smart Array controllers for how the family is laid out. Also available: SL165s G7 memory, processors, networking adapters and power supplies, or the full SL165s G7 parts listing and HPE parts by server model.
SL165s G7 Storage Controllers FAQ
Which RAID controller does the SL165s G7 come with?
An embedded HPE B110i SATA RAID controller supporting RAID 0, 1 and 10. It handles SATA only, and RAID has to be switched on in the ROM-based setup utility first.
Does the SL165s G7 support RAID 5?
Not on the embedded controller, which stops at RAID 0, 1 and 10. RAID 5 means a Smart Array P212, P410 or P411, and that in turn means the riser kit the card is specified for.
Do I need a riser kit for a Smart Array card?
Yes. Both PCIe slots are riser-fed: the x16 riser kit serves the external slot used by the P212 and P411, and the x4 riser kit serves the internal slot used by the P410.
What is the difference between BBWC and FBWC?
Battery backed write cache holds the cache contents on a rechargeable battery, which ages and is a separate part. Flash backed write cache writes them to flash instead, so there is no battery to replace.
Can I connect an external disk enclosure to an SL165s G7?
Yes. A Smart Array P411 supports up to eight D2600 or four D2700 enclosures, and a P212 with 256MB cache up to four D2600 or two D2700. Both sit in the external x16 slot.
Which cache upgrade fits which controller?
HPE lists the 256MB P-series cache upgrade for the P212 only, and the 512MB battery backed write cache upgrade for the P410 and P411 only. The 650 mAh battery enables BBWC on a 256MB cache.
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