HPE ProLiant DL325 Gen11 Storage Controllers
Genuine HPE storage controllers for the HPE ProLiant DL325 Gen11, new and refurbished. The Gen11 portfolio is tri-mode — one controller family handling NVMe, SAS, and SATA — in PCIe plug-in (-p) and OCP (-o) forms, with NVMe direct attach as the controller-free option and the NS204i-u as the dedicated boot device.
DL325 Gen11 Storage Controller Specifications
- MR416i-p / MR416i-o: x16-lane tri-mode controllers with 8GB cache, up to 16 SAS/SATA/NVMe drives
- MR408i-o: x8-lane OCP controller with 4GB cache, up to 8 drives
- MR216i-p / MR216i-o: x16-lane, cache-less — passthrough for software-defined storage, up to 16 drives
- SR932i-p: x32-lane controller with 8GB wide cache, up to 32 drives
- Smart Array E208e-p SR Gen10: 8 external 12G SAS lanes for tape and enclosures
- Boot: NS204i-u hot-plug NVMe boot device — dual M.2 NVMe preconfigured as RAID 1, externally accessible, and it occupies no PCIe slot
- Cache protection: the 96W Smart Storage lithium-ion battery or the Smart Storage hybrid capacitor, 145mm cable kits, one or the other
Pick one controller family and stay in it. HPE does not allow MR (MegaRAID) and SR (SmartRAID) controllers in the same DL325 Gen11, and the cached models — MR416i, MR408i, SR932i-p — each require the 96W Smart Storage battery or the hybrid capacitor, one or the other.
Which RAID controller does the DL325 Gen11 use?
| Controller | Form factor | Cache | Drives supported |
|---|---|---|---|
| MR416i-p / MR416i-o | PCIe / OCP 3.0 | 8GB | Up to 16 SAS/SATA/NVMe |
| MR408i-o | OCP 3.0 | 4GB | Up to 8 SAS/SATA/NVMe |
| MR216i-p / MR216i-o | PCIe / OCP 3.0 | None | Up to 16, passthrough for SDS |
| SR932i-p | PCIe, x32 lanes | 8GB wide cache | Up to 32 SAS/SATA/NVMe |
| Smart Array E208e-p | PCIe | None | 8 external 12G SAS lanes |
Every backplane needs a matching cable kit, and the kit is specific to the controller's slot — primary riser, secondary riser, or OCP 3.0 slot 22. NVMe direct attach is the one path that needs no cable kit at all on the x4 backplanes.
Choosing the Right DL325 Gen11 Storage Controller
- Cached controllers require cache protection: pair the MR416i, MR408i, or SR932i-p with the 96W Smart Storage battery or the hybrid capacitor — one or the other, never both.
- Do not mix MR and SR families — HPE does not allow MegaRAID and SmartRAID controllers in the same server, and the two use different configuration tools.
- -p versus -o is placement: with only two risers in 1U, OCP controllers save a PCIe slot, but they then compete with your NIC for the OCP bays.
- Software-defined stacks such as vSAN, Storage Spaces, or ZFS want the cache-less MR216i, or NVMe direct attach with no controller at all.
Complete Your DL325 Gen11 Build
Match your controller with DL325 Gen11 drives, then round out the system: memory, processors, networking adapters, power supplies, or everything on the DL325 Gen11 parts page. Related platforms: DL325 Gen10 Plus v2 controllers and DL385 Gen11 controllers. Or browse all HPE parts by server model.
DL325 Gen11 Storage Controllers FAQ
Which RAID controllers are supported in the HPE ProLiant DL325 Gen11?
The Gen11 tri-mode family: MR416i-p and MR416i-o (8GB cache), MR408i-o (4GB), the cache-less MR216i-p and MR216i-o, and the x32-lane SR932i-p with 8GB wide cache. The Smart Array E208e-p SR Gen10 covers external SAS, and the NS204i-u handles boot.
Do DL325 Gen11 RAID controllers need a battery?
The cached models do. HPE requires either the 96W Smart Storage lithium-ion battery or the Smart Storage hybrid capacitor with the MR416i, MR408i, and SR932i-p - one or the other, not both. The cache-less MR216i needs neither.
Can I mix MR and SR controllers in one DL325 Gen11?
No. HPE does not allow MegaRAID (MR) and SmartRAID (SR) series controllers in the same server. They also use different RAID configuration tools, so pick one family and stay in it.
What is the difference between -p and -o controller models?
Mounting. The -p models are PCIe plug-in cards that use a riser slot; the -o models install in an OCP 3.0 bay. In a 1U chassis with two risers, OCP models save PCIe space but compete with networking for the OCP bays.
Can the DL325 Gen11 run NVMe drives without a RAID controller?
Yes. The x4 backplanes support NVMe direct attach to the processor with no controller and no cable kit, and the 20-bay EDSFF chassis ships that way by default.
What boot device does the DL325 Gen11 use?
The NS204i-u hot-plug NVMe boot device, which holds two M.2 NVMe modules preconfigured as a RAID 1 mirror. It is externally accessible, occupies no PCIe slot, and requires the low-profile secondary riser plus its own cable kit.
✅ Looking for a specific DL325 Gen11 storage controller? Browse our full selection below.
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