HPE ProLiant DL340e Gen12 Storage Controllers

Genuine HPE storage controllers for the HPE ProLiant DL340e Gen12, new and refurbished. The platform is built around two HPE MR Gen11 PCIe plug-in controllers — the MR216i-p without cache and the MR416i-p with 8GB — each rated for up to 16 SAS, SATA or NVMe drives, with Intel VROC software RAID as the NVMe-only alternative. On a 24-bay chassis the first question is how many you need.

DL340e Gen12 Storage Controller Specifications

• HPE MR216i-p Gen11: x16 lanes, no cache, PCI SPDM plug-in; SAS, SATA and NVMe drives, up to 16 per controller
• HPE MR416i-p Gen11: x16 lanes, 8GB cache, PCI SPDM plug-in; up to 16 drives; requires the 96W Smart Storage Lithium-ion Battery or a Smart Hybrid Capacitor
• Cache protection: HPE 96W Smart Storage Lithium-ion Battery with 145mm Cable Kit, or HPE 16W Smart Hybrid Capacitor with 145mm Cable — HPE states one rules out the other
• HPE Smart Array E208e-p SR Gen10: 8 external lanes, no cache, 12G SAS PCIe plug-in, for storage outside the chassis
• Drive support: HPE's matrix for the MR200 and MR400 series lists SATA and SAS HDD, and SATA, SAS and NVMe SSD
• Software alternative: Intel VROC for HPE — RAID 0, 1, 5, 10 (Premium) or RAID 1, up to 32 NVMe drives depending on processor, SATA not supported; a licence, not a card
• Slots: PCIe 5.0 FHHL — six with the Rear 6x PCIe Enablement Kit (slots 1 and 2 x8, 3 to 6 x16), four with the Rear EDSFF kit (1, 2, 3 and 6)

Sixteen drives per controller, twenty-four bays in front. Both the MR216i-p and MR416i-p Gen11 are rated for up to 16 SAS/SATA/NVMe drives, so a fully populated DL340e Gen12 is a two-controller build — and if you choose the MR416i-p, each one also needs the 96W Li-ion battery or the Smart Hybrid Capacitor for its 8GB cache, never both.

MR216i-p or MR416i-p, and how many?

Sixteen drives per controller against a 24-bay front means a full chassis is a two-controller build, and HPE's own maximum configuration example lists two MR PCIe controllers alongside 24 LFF and 8 E3.S drives. The 8GB cache on the MR416i-p suits a write-heavy storage node; the MR216i-p is the lighter choice where the software-defined storage layer manages its own redundancy.

Choosing the Right DL340e Gen12 Storage Controller

• Count bays first. Up to 16 drives per controller; 24 front bays need two, and the eight rear E3.S bays are a third attachment unless they run direct to the processor.
• Cache means a battery or a capacitor. The MR416i-p requires the 96W Li-ion battery kit or the Smart Hybrid Capacitor, and HPE states that selecting one rules out the other.
• Rear E3.S has three cabling routes. The Rear 8EDSFF Controller Cable Kit brings the eight rear bays to an MR controller; the x4 and x2 Direct Attach kits bypass it to the processor; only one of the three can be fitted.
• The two boot bays need their own controller. HPE lists a stacking cable kit that connects the dedicated rear pair to an additional MR216i-p, and those bays exist only when the NS204i-u boot device is not installed.
• VROC is NVMe only. It does not support SATA drives, so the SAS and SATA front bays always sit behind an MR controller.

Complete Your DL340e Gen12 Build

Controllers and drives are bought together — see DL340e Gen12 drives for the 3.5-inch and E3.S options. Also here: DL340e Gen12 memory, processors (a Rich I/O part is needed for the x4 direct-attach route), networking adapters and power supplies, or the full DL340e Gen12 parts listing with the cable kits and NS204i-u boot devices. Related: DL360 Gen12 storage controllers and DL380 Gen12 storage controllers. Background: NVMe drives in HPE servers and the HPE parts by server model index.

DL340e Gen12 Storage Controllers FAQ

Which RAID controller does the DL340e Gen12 use?
The HPE MR216i-p Gen11 (x16 lanes, no cache) or the HPE MR416i-p Gen11 (x16 lanes, 8GB cache), both PCIe plug-in cards supporting SAS, SATA and NVMe drives, up to 16 per controller. Intel VROC software RAID is the NVMe-only alternative.

Do I need two controllers for 24 drives in a DL340e Gen12?
Yes. HPE rates each MR controller for up to 16 SAS/SATA/NVMe drives, so a fully populated 24-bay front needs two, and HPE's own maximum configuration example carries two MR PCIe controllers.

Does the MR416i-p need a battery?
Yes. HPE states the MR416i-p requires the 96W Smart Storage Lithium-ion Battery 145mm kit or a Smart Hybrid Capacitor with 145mm cable to protect its 8GB cache, and that choosing one rules out the other. The MR216i-p has no cache and needs neither.

Can the rear E3.S NVMe drives run without a controller?
Yes. The eight rear bays can be cabled directly to the processor - PCIe Gen5 x4 with the x4 Direct Attach kit on a Rich I/O processor, or x2 with the x2 kit - and Intel VROC provides RAID 0, 1, 5 and 10 for NVMe. The two dedicated boot bays are the exception; they need an additional MR216i-p.

What is the Smart Array E208e-p for?
Storage outside the chassis. It is a 12G SAS PCIe plug-in HBA with eight external lanes and no cache, listed for connecting an external SAS enclosure rather than the internal bays.

Is there an embedded RAID controller in the DL340e Gen12?
HPE lists no embedded drive controller for this server; the configuration table offers a choice of optional MR storage controllers or Intel VROC software RAID. Plan on at least one MR controller for the SAS or SATA front bays.

✅ Looking for a specific DL340e Gen12 storage controller? Browse our full selection below.

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