HPE ProLiant DL20 Gen10 Storage Controllers
Genuine HPE Smart Array controllers and Smart Storage Batteries for the HPE ProLiant DL20 Gen10, new and refurbished. Storage starts on the embedded Smart Array S100i SR Gen10 software RAID, and its limits decide whether you need a card at all — it is SATA only, UEFI only, and Windows only.
DL20 Gen10 Storage Controller Specifications
- Embedded controller: HPE Smart Array S100i SR Gen10 software RAID, a 14-port SATA controller with twelve ports accessible, the other two serving the M.2 options on the primary riser
- S100i conditions: UEFI mode only, off by default until switched on, and Windows only; for Linux, HPE documents a two-disk RAID 1 boot volume built with in-distro open-source software
- Essential controllers: E208i-a SR Gen10, eight internal lanes and no cache, in the modular LH form; and E208e-p SR Gen10, eight external lanes and no cache, as a PCIe plug-in
- Performance controllers: P408i-a SR Gen10 with 2GB cache on eight internal lanes, and P408e-p SR Gen10 with 4GB cache on eight external lanes
- Cache protection: the HPE 12W Smart Storage Battery is required with either P408 card, and the maximum is one per server
- Cabling: the modular cards reach the 4SFF backplane on the MiniSAS cable shipped inside the 4SFF system; a 4+2SFF backplane also needs the cable from the 2SFF drive enablement kit
Plenty of DL20 Gen10 servers need no card on this page. A SATA array under Windows is already served by the embedded S100i SR Gen10 software RAID. The card becomes necessary at SAS drives, a write cache, external storage or a Linux array — and a P408 is incomplete without the 12W Smart Storage Battery.
Do You Need a Smart Array Card at All?
| What the server has to do | Controller |
|---|---|
| SATA drives under Windows, inside the cage | The embedded S100i SR Gen10 software RAID |
| SAS drives inside the chassis | E208i-a SR Gen10, eight internal lanes, no cache |
| A write cache on the internal array | P408i-a SR Gen10 with 2GB cache, plus the 12W battery |
| External SAS storage | E208e-p with no cache, or P408e-p with 4GB cache and the battery |
Two forks decide the part number. The first is internal against external: the modular cards serve the drive cage through the backplane cable, while the plug-in cards carry external ports and take one of the two PCIe slots. The second is cache, the whole difference between an E208 and a P408 — and a P408 is incomplete without the battery.
Choosing the Right DL20 Gen10 Storage Controller
- Work out whether the embedded controller is already enough. A four-drive SATA machine running Windows is served by the S100i as it stands; the card becomes necessary for SAS drives, cache or external storage.
- Buy the battery with the P408. HPE requires the 12W Smart Storage Battery with either card, and one per server is the maximum.
- Check the backplane cable. A modular card uses the MiniSAS cable that shipped with the 4SFF chassis; a server taken to six SFF bays also needs the cable from the 2SFF enablement kit.
- The S100i is UEFI only. A DL20 Gen10 left in legacy BIOS mode has no working embedded RAID and needs a card to present an array.
Complete Your DL20 Gen10 Build
A controller is only worth what it drives — see DL20 Gen10 drives for the families these cards serve, and networking adapters for the competing claim on the two PCIe slots, or the full DL20 Gen10 parts listing. The tower on the same platform has its own listing at HPE ProLiant ML30 Gen10 storage controllers. Background reading: what are HPE Flexible Smart Array controllers and how Gen10 and Gen11 compare. Every model we carry is listed under HPE parts by server model.
DL20 Gen10 Storage Controllers FAQ
Does the DL20 Gen10 come with a RAID controller?
It has the embedded HPE Smart Array S100i SR Gen10 software RAID, a 14-port SATA controller with twelve ports accessible. It runs in UEFI mode only, is off by default, and is Windows only.
Do I need a Smart Array card in a DL20 Gen10?
Only if the embedded S100i cannot do the job. SAS drives, a write cache, external storage or a Linux array call for an E208 or P408; a SATA array under Windows does not.
What is the difference between the E208 and the P408?
Cache. The E208i-a and E208e-p carry none at all, while the P408i-a has 2GB and the P408e-p has 4GB. Both P408 cards also require the Smart Storage Battery.
Do I need the Smart Storage Battery?
Yes, with either P408 card. HPE states that if a P408e-p or P408i-a is selected then the 12W Smart Storage Battery must be selected too, one per server maximum.
Can I connect external storage to a DL20 Gen10?
Yes. The E208e-p and P408e-p are PCIe plug-in cards with eight external lanes each, and each uses one of the two PCIe 3.0 slots.
What cable does a modular Smart Array card need?
The 4SFF backplane MiniSAS cable shipped inside the 4SFF system. A chassis upgraded to six SFF bays also needs the cable from the 2SFF drive enablement kit.
✅ Looking for a specific DL20 Gen10 storage controller? Browse our full selection below.
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