HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen11 Storage Controllers
Genuine HPE storage controllers for the HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen11, new and refurbished. The Gen11 portfolio is tri-mode — one controller family handling NVMe, SAS, and SATA drives — in PCIe plug-in and OCP form factors, with Intel VROC software RAID as the controller-free NVMe alternative and the NS204i-u as the dedicated boot device.
DL380 Gen11 Storage Controller Specifications
- MR416i-p / MR416i-o: 16-lane tri-mode controllers with 8GB cache — the mainstream hardware-RAID choice
- MR408i-o: 8-lane OCP controller with 4GB cache
- MR216i-p / MR216i-o: 16-lane, cache-less — pass-through/HBA-style for software-defined storage
- SR932i-p: 32-lane controller with 8GB wide cache for the platform's largest arrays
- Boot: NS204i-u hot-plug boot device — dual NVMe in hardware RAID1, keeping OS boot off the data bays
- Cache protection: controllers with cache require the HPE 96W Smart Storage Lithium-ion battery (P01366-B21) or Smart Storage Hybrid Capacitor (P02377-B21), each with 145mm cable kit
- Software RAID: Intel VROC for direct-attached NVMe
Cached controllers require cache protection. HPE requires the 96W Smart Storage battery (P01366-B21) or hybrid capacitor (P02377-B21) with 145mm cable kit whenever a controller with cache — MR416i, MR408i, or SR932i-p — is installed.
Which RAID controller does the DL380 Gen11 use?
| Controller | Form factor | Cache | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| MR416i-p / MR416i-o | PCIe / OCP | 8GB | Mainstream protected hardware RAID |
| MR408i-o | OCP | 4GB | Smaller cache-protected arrays |
| MR216i-p / MR216i-o | PCIe / OCP | None | HBA passthrough, vSAN/SDS, ZFS |
| SR932i-p | PCIe (x32 lanes) | 8GB wide cache | Largest arrays, maximum drive count |
| NS204i-u | Dedicated boot module | — | OS boot on mirrored NVMe |
Choosing the Right DL380 Gen11 Storage Controller
- Cached controllers require cache protection: HPE lists the 96W battery or hybrid capacitor (145mm cable kits) as required with cached controllers — budget one into every MR416/MR408/SR932 build.
- -p vs -o is placement, not performance: -p occupies a PCIe slot, -o an OCP bay. Choose based on what your NIC layout leaves free.
- Software-defined stacks (vSAN, Storage Spaces, ZFS) want the cache-less MR216i or direct-attach NVMe with VROC — hardware write-back cache works against them.
- Flexible Smart Array background: our guide to HPE Flexible Smart Array controllers covers how HPE's controller families evolved into the Gen11 lineup.
Complete Your DL380 Gen11 Build
Match your controller with DL380 Gen11 drives, then round out the system: memory, processors, networking adapters, power supplies, or everything on the DL380 Gen11 parts page. Other generations: DL380 Gen10 controllers and DL380 Gen12 storage controllers. Or browse all HPE parts by server model.
DL380 Gen11 Storage Controllers FAQ
Which RAID controllers are supported in the HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen11?
The HPE tri-mode Gen11 family: MR416i-p/-o (8GB cache), MR408i-o (4GB), the cache-less MR216i-p/-o, and the x32-lane SR932i-p with 8GB wide cache. Intel VROC software RAID covers direct-attached NVMe, and the NS204i-u handles boot.
What is the difference between the SR932i-p and MR416i controllers?
Scale. The SR932i-p provides 32 lanes and 8GB of wide cache for the platform's biggest internal arrays; the 16-lane MR416i handles mainstream arrays in either a PCIe slot (-p) or OCP bay (-o).
Do DL380 Gen11 RAID controllers need a battery?
Yes for the cached models - HPE requires either the 96W Smart Storage Lithium-ion battery (P01366-B21) or the Smart Storage Hybrid Capacitor (P02377-B21), each with a 145mm cable kit, when a controller with cache is installed. The cache-less MR216i needs none.
Can the DL380 Gen11 run NVMe drives without a RAID controller?
Yes - NVMe drives can direct-attach to the processors with Intel VROC providing software RAID, no controller card needed. Use a tri-mode MR or SR controller when you want hardware RAID across NVMe, SAS, or SATA.
What's the difference between -p and -o controller models?
Mounting: -p models are PCIe plug-in cards, -o models install in an OCP 3.0 bay. The controller silicon is the same - pick whichever slot type your configuration has free.
What is the NS204i-u boot device?
A hot-plug module holding two NVMe SSDs in hardware RAID1, dedicated to the operating system. It keeps OS boot off your data bays and is the standard Gen11 answer to boot drives.
✅ Looking for a specific DL380 Gen11 storage controller? Browse our full selection below.
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