HPE ProLiant BL685c G7 Hard Drives
Genuine HPE hot-plug drives for the HPE ProLiant BL685c G7, new and refurbished, tested before shipping. This blade has two 2.5-inch hot-plug bays and nothing else — and HPE does not support mixing SAS, SATA and solid state drives inside one blade, so whatever occupies the other bay decides what you are allowed to buy.
BL685c G7 Drive Specifications
- Bays: two hot-plug small form factor (2.5-inch) bays, taking SAS, SATA or solid state drives; nothing ships in them as standard
- Mixing: SAS, SATA and SSD drives cannot be mixed within one blade, so both bays carry the same type
- Maximum internal capacity: 2.4TB on two 1.2TB SAS drives, 2.0TB on two 1TB SATA drives, or 3.2TB on two 1.6TB solid state drives
- Interface: 6G SAS and 3G SATA at the controller; 12G SAS and 6G SATA drives negotiate down to those rates
- Array levels: RAID 0 and RAID 1 on the Smart Array P410i, with a maximum logical drive capacity of 2.4TB
- Transfer rate rule: HPE notes that the drive, the controller, the firmware and the backplane should all run at the same rate, or the whole path negotiates down to the slowest of them
Two bays, and both of them take the same kind of drive. HPE does not support mixing SAS, SATA and solid state drives inside one BL685c G7, so the drive already fitted decides what the second one can be. The whole internal ceiling is 2.4TB on SAS, 2.0TB on SATA, or 3.2TB on two 1.6TB solid state drives.
Which Drive Family Suits Two Bays?
| Family | Rate on this blade | Both bays filled |
|---|---|---|
| SAS enterprise, 2.5-inch | 6G SAS | 2.4TB on two 1.2TB drives |
| SAS midline, 2.5-inch | 6G SAS | 2.0TB on two 1TB drives |
| SATA midline, 2.5-inch | 3G SATA | 2.0TB on two 1TB drives |
| SATA solid state, 2.5-inch | 3G SATA | 3.2TB on two 1.6TB drives |
With two bays and a controller that does RAID 0 and RAID 1 only, this is a mirror-or-stripe decision and nothing more — there is no third bay to bring parity into play. Solid state is the one family that buys both capacity and speed here, at the cost of running its 6G interface at the controller's 3G SATA rate. If the blade needs more storage than 3.2TB, that storage belongs outside it, on a mezzanine SAS controller.
Choosing the Right BL685c G7 Hard Drive
- Check the other bay first. SAS with SATA, or either with a solid state drive, is unsupported in this blade, so the drive already fitted sets the type of the one you order.
- Expect a 12G SAS drive to run at 6G. The Smart Array P410i tops out at 6G SAS and 3G SATA, and faster drives negotiate down rather than refuse to work.
- Two bays means RAID 1 or RAID 0. Capacity and redundancy are a straight trade on this blade: mirror two drives, or stripe them and accept no protection.
- Midline for terabytes, enterprise for duty cycle. Midline SAS and SATA carry the capacity per pound and a one year warranty; enterprise SAS carries the higher spindle speeds and a three year warranty.
Complete Your BL685c G7 Build
The controller decides the rate and the RAID levels — see BL685c G7 storage controllers before committing to an array. Also available: BL685c G7 memory and processors, or the full BL685c G7 parts listing and the wider HPE parts by server model index. Background reading: SAS vs SATA hard drives and SSD vs HDD for enterprise servers.
BL685c G7 Hard Drives FAQ
How many drives does a BL685c G7 hold?
Two. The blade has two hot-plug 2.5-inch bays, and no drives ship in them as standard.
Can I mix SAS and SATA drives in a BL685c G7?
No. HPE states that SAS, SATA and solid state drives cannot be mixed within the server, so both bays must carry the same type of drive.
What is the maximum internal storage of a BL685c G7?
2.4TB on two 1.2TB SAS drives, 2.0TB on two 1TB SATA drives, or 3.2TB on two 1.6TB solid state drives.
Will a 12G SAS drive work in this blade?
It will work, but not at 12G. The Smart Array P410i supports 6G SAS and 3G SATA, and faster drives negotiate down to the rate the controller supports.
What RAID levels can I run on two drives?
RAID 1 or RAID 0. The Smart Array P410i fitted to this blade supports mirroring and striping only, and its maximum logical drive capacity is 2.4TB.
Is there any way to add storage beyond the two bays?
Not inside the blade. c-Class storage blades and external SAS arrays on a mezzanine controller are how this platform grows past two drives, which is why the SB40c storage blade appears in the listing below.
✅ Looking for a specific BL685c G7 drive? Browse our full selection below.
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