HPE ProLiant DL120 Gen9 Memory
Genuine HPE DDR4 SmartMemory for the HPE ProLiant DL120 Gen9, new and refurbished. This is a single-socket server, so it carries eight DIMM slots — four channels, two DIMMs per channel — and all eight are live with the one processor fitted. Two rules decide most orders: Registered and Load Reduced cannot be mixed, and quad-rank RDIMMs are not supported in this server at all.
DL120 Gen9 Memory Specifications
- Type: HPE SmartMemory DDR4 Registered (RDIMM) or Load Reduced (LRDIMM) at 1.2V; UDIMM, RDIMM and LRDIMM are distinct technologies and cannot be mixed within a server
- Slots: 8 in total, two per channel across four channels, all addressed by the single processor
- Maximum capacity: 256GB either way — eight 32GB dual-rank RDIMMs, or eight 32GB LRDIMMs
- Rank rules: quad-rank RDIMMs are not supported here; where ranks differ on a channel, the higher-rank module goes in the white slot
- Speed grades: DDR4-2133 CAS-15 kits belong with E5-2600 v3 processors and DDR4-2400 CAS-17 kits with v4; three DIMMs per channel does not apply here
- Protection modes: Advanced ECC with single device data correction, and Online Spare, which switches a degrading rank to a spare
Load reduced memory buys no extra capacity on this server. Registered and Load Reduced both stop at 256GB, because eight slots and a 32GB largest module is the limit either way. What the LRDIMM buys is speed at full population on an E5-2600 v4: 2400MT/s where Registered modules drop to 2133MT/s with both slots on a channel filled.
Should You Fit RDIMMs or LRDIMMs?
| Registered (RDIMM) | Load Reduced (LRDIMM) | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum capacity | 256GB | 256GB |
| Largest module | 32GB dual rank | 32GB dual rank on v4, quad rank on v3 |
| Quad rank supported | No | Yes |
| Speed at 2 DIMMs per channel, E5-2600 v4 | 2133MT/s | 2400MT/s |
| Mixing with the other type | Not supported | Not supported |
Unlike the bigger Gen9 ProLiants, load reduced memory buys no extra capacity here — both types stop at 256GB, because eight slots and a 32GB largest module is the ceiling either way. What the LRDIMM buys is speed at full population on an E5-2600 v4: Registered modules step down to 2133MT/s once both slots on a channel are filled, where the load reduced kit holds 2400MT/s. On a v3 machine the question does not arise, since every v3 kit runs 2133MT/s at one or two DIMMs per channel.
Choosing the Right DL120 Gen9 Memory
- Check which technology is fitted before ordering. Registered and Load Reduced cannot run together, so a single wrong module means rebuilding the whole bank rather than losing a little speed.
- Do not buy quad-rank RDIMMs for this server. HPE states plainly that quad rank RDIMMs are not supported in the DL120 Gen9; quad rank here is an LRDIMM-only proposition.
- Buy to one speed grade. HPE lets mixed speeds run at a common optimal speed, which means the whole bank drops to the slower rating — a 2400 kit in a 2133 machine buys nothing.
- The processor sets the ceiling, not the DIMM. An E5-2603v3 holds memory at 1600MT/s and an E5-2603v4 at 1866MT/s, however fast the modules are rated.
- Every option kit here is a single DIMM. A 16GB kit is one module, so filling all eight slots is eight kits, and memory from earlier ProLiant generations is not qualified for Gen9.
Complete Your DL120 Gen9 Build
Memory speed is set by the processor as much as by the module — see DL120 Gen9 processors before deciding on clock. For the rest of the server, browse DL120 Gen9 drives, storage controllers, networking adapters and power supplies, or start from the full DL120 Gen9 parts listing. Background reading: understanding memory rank in HPE servers and the importance of memory speed. Other models are listed under HPE parts by server model.
DL120 Gen9 Memory FAQ
What is the maximum memory in a DL120 Gen9?
256GB, reached with eight 32GB modules. The figure is the same for Registered and Load Reduced, because the limit here is eight slots and a 32GB largest module rather than the memory technology.
How many memory slots does the DL120 Gen9 have?
Eight, arranged as four channels with two DIMMs per channel. This is a single-socket server, so all eight are live with the one processor installed - there is no second bank waiting on a second CPU.
Can I mix RDIMMs and LRDIMMs in a DL120 Gen9?
No. UDIMM, RDIMM and LRDIMM are distinct memory technologies and cannot be mixed within a server. Whichever type is fitted is what an upgrade has to match.
Are quad-rank memory modules supported in the DL120 Gen9?
Only as LRDIMMs. HPE states that quad rank RDIMMs are not supported in this server. The quad-rank part documented for it is the 32GB DDR4-2133 Load Reduced kit.
Why does my DL120 Gen9 memory run below 2400MT/s?
Either the processor or the population. E5-2600 v3 parts hold DDR4 at 2133MT/s or lower, and on a v4 server Registered DIMMs drop to 2133MT/s once both slots on a channel are filled.
Do HPE memory kits for this server contain more than one DIMM?
No. Every DDR4 option kit listed for this server is a single DIMM, so filling all eight slots means eight kits.
✅ Looking for a specific DL120 Gen9 memory module? Browse our full selection below.
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