HPE ProLiant DL120 G7 Storage Controllers
Genuine HPE Smart Array controllers, cache modules and host bus adapters for the HPE ProLiant DL120 G7, new and refurbished. This is the page that unlocks the rest of the server: the embedded Smart Array B110i is a SATA-only controller, so SAS drives, RAID 5 and the eight-bay SFF chassis all start with a card in one of the two PCIe slots.
DL120 G7 Storage Controller Specifications
- Embedded controller: HPE Smart Array B110i SATA RAID on entry and base models, RAID 0, 1 and 1+0 at a 3Gb/s SATA transfer rate, with SAS not supported
- Factory alternative: the performance model shipped an HPE Smart Array P212 with 256MB cache instead, adding RAID 5 and 5+0
- Internal add-in cards: Smart Array P410 in 256MB, 512MB BBWC, 512MB FBWC and 1GB FBWC forms, two internal ports on a PCIe x8 connection
- External add-in cards: Smart Array P411 in 256MB, 512MB BBWC, 512MB FBWC and 1GB FBWC forms, two external ports; the P212 carries one internal and one external port
- Cache and battery upgrades: 1GB and 512MB flash backed cache modules, a 256MB P-series upgrade HPE documents for the P212 only, a 512MB P-series BBWC upgrade for the P411 only, and a 650 mAh battery to enable BBWC on the 256MB cache
- Licences and legacy: the Smart Array Advanced Pack, the Hot Plug Advance Pack HPE documents as required for a hot-plug system on the B110i, and the SC11Xe Ultra320 single-channel PCIe x4 SCSI host bus adapter
Two slots is the whole expansion budget. The DL120 G7 has two PCI Express Gen2 slots — one full length and full height, one half height and low profile with four lanes on an x8 connector. A storage controller and a network adapter fills the server, so decide which card the low-profile slot is going to carry before you buy the second one.
Which controller does your array actually need?
| Controller | Ports | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| B110i (embedded) | Internal SATA only | The four LFF bays as shipped, at RAID 0, 1 and 1+0 |
| P212 | 1 internal, 1 external | SAS on the internal bays plus one external enclosure, from a single slot |
| P410 | 2 internal | SAS and SATA on the internal bays; the card HPE names for the 8 SFF chassis |
| P411 | 2 external | External enclosures only, leaving the internal bays on the embedded controller |
| SC11Xe | 1 Ultra320 SCSI channel | Legacy parallel SCSI tape and disk |
Two constraints shape every choice here. The B110i does not speak SAS, so any SAS drive is a card purchase as well as a drive purchase. And slot count is tight: two PCIe Gen2 slots, one of them half height, low profile and four lanes wide, so a storage controller and a network adapter is the whole expansion budget.
Choosing the Right DL120 G7 Storage Controller
- Decide internal or external before the model number. The P411 carries external ports only and will not drive the internal backplane, however much cache is on it; the P212 is the one card here with a port of each kind.
- Cache upgrades are card-specific here. HPE documents the 256MB P-series upgrade for the P212 only and the 512MB battery backed upgrade for the P411 only, with the 650 mAh battery as what enables BBWC on a 256MB cache.
- Battery backed and flash backed cache are not interchangeable. BBWC modules depend on a rechargeable battery that ages; FBWC modules write the cache to flash, which is the steadier choice on a server of this age.
- Check the card height against slot 2. Slot 1 is full length and full height; slot 2 takes low-profile cards only, at four electrical lanes on an x8 connector.
Complete Your DL120 G7 Build
Controllers and drives are one decision here — see DL120 G7 hard drives for what the bays will hold. Also available: DL120 G7 memory, networking adapters, power supplies and rack options, or the full DL120 G7 parts listing. Background reading: what HPE Smart Array controllers do. Other models are listed under HPE parts by server model.
DL120 G7 Storage Controllers FAQ
Which RAID controller does the DL120 G7 come with?
Entry and base models ship an embedded HPE Smart Array B110i SATA RAID controller with RAID 0, 1 and 1+0 at 3Gb/s. The performance model shipped an HPE Smart Array P212 with a 256MB cache instead.
Does the B110i support SAS drives?
No. It is a SATA RAID controller, and HPE notes that SAS support on this server requires an optional host bus adapter or Smart Array card.
Does the DL120 G7 support RAID 5?
Not on the embedded B110i, which is limited to RAID 0, 1 and 1+0. The Smart Array P212 with 256MB cache that HPE shipped on the performance model supports RAID 5 and 5+0.
How many expansion slots does a DL120 G7 have for a controller?
Two PCI Express Gen2 slots. Slot 1 is full length and full height with sixteen lanes on an x16 connector; slot 2 is half height and low profile with four lanes on an x8 connector.
Which cache upgrade fits which Smart Array card?
HPE documents the 256MB P-series cache upgrade for the P212 only, and the 512MB battery backed write cache upgrade for the P411 only. The 650 mAh battery is what enables BBWC on a 256MB cache.
Can I attach external storage to a DL120 G7?
Yes. The Smart Array P411 provides two external ports and the P212 one, and HPE lists the D2600 and D2700 disk enclosures against this server.
✅ Looking for a specific DL120 G7 storage controller? Browse our full selection below.
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