HPE ProLiant DL380a Gen12 Storage Controllers

Genuine HPE storage controllers for the HPE ProLiant Compute DL380a Gen12, new and refurbished. The storage stack has two layers: Intel VROC NVMe RAID embedded on the processors, and three optional tri-mode MR controllers that HPE installs strictly in pairs. Which layer you use decides how many bays you can protect.

DL380a Gen12 Storage Controller Specifications

• Embedded: Intel Virtual RAID on CPU (VROC) for NVMe SSDs connected directly to the processor — up to 8 direct-attach bays, RAID 0, 1, 5 and 10 depending on licensing, off by default; supports Intel and HPE SFF SSDs
• HPE MR416i-p Gen11: tri-mode controller, x16 lanes, 8GB cache, PCIe plug-in card, SPDM
• HPE MR416i-o Gen11: the same x16-lane, 8GB-cache tri-mode controller in OCP form factor, SPDM
• HPE MR932i-p: x32-lane PCIe Gen5 SPDM plug-in controller, paired with the 4EDSFF drive cage
• Quantity rules: controllers are restricted to a minimum and maximum of two, and mixing controller models is not allowed
• Cabling: each controller has a mandatory cable kit — NVMe to Tri-Mode PCIe, NVMe to Tri-Mode OCP, or the MR932i-p kit — and HPE lists all three as factory-integrated (FIO) options only
• Energy packs: 96W Smart Storage Lithium-ion Battery, Smart Storage Hybrid Capacitor or 16W Smart Hybrid Capacitor, each with 260mm cable; required when a controller is attached, offered only with the MR416i-p and MR416i-o
• Chassis: the MR416i-p, MR416i-o, battery and capacitor are not supported on the 8DW server P74461-B21

Tri-mode controllers come in pairs, and their cables come from the factory. HPE restricts the DL380a Gen12 to exactly two controllers of one model, requires a Smart Storage battery or Hybrid Capacitor whenever one is attached, and lists the mandatory cable kit for the MR416i-p, MR416i-o and MR932i-p as a factory-integrated option only. A chassis built without those cables has Intel VROC as its RAID.

VROC, MR416i or MR932i-p?

The cable kits are the catch. HPE lists the mandatory cable for each tri-mode controller as a factory-integrated option, so a chassis not configured with the controller at build time is unlikely to have the cabling to accept one afterwards. Check what your server was built with before ordering a controller as a field upgrade; without the cables, VROC is the RAID available to you.

Choosing the Right DL380a Gen12 Storage Controller

• Buy tri-mode controllers in pairs. HPE restricts the server to exactly two of the same model; there is no single-controller configuration.
• Match the controller to the cage. The MR932i-p is tied to the 4EDSFF cage.
• Budget for the energy pack. HPE requires a 96W Smart Storage battery or a Smart Hybrid Capacitor whenever a controller is attached.
• Use the OCP variant to save a PCIe slot. The MR416i-o occupies an OCP slot rather than a rear PCIe 5.0 slot that NICs and InfiniBand adapters compete for.
• Check the chassis SKU. No MR416i part or energy pack is supported on the P74461-B21 8DW server; the P76706-B21 supports all of them.
• Boot stays separate. The NS204i-u v2 has its own front cage and uses no controller or PCIe slot.

Complete Your DL380a Gen12 Build

Controllers and drives are bought together — see DL380a Gen12 drives for the U.3 and E3.S listings and cage rules. Also available: DL380a Gen12 memory, processors, networking adapters and power supplies, or the full DL380a Gen12 parts listing with the NS204i-u v2 boot devices and cable kits. The two-socket sibling is DL380 Gen12 storage controllers; energy packs across the range are under HPE Smart Array controller batteries. Background reading: NVMe drives in HPE servers and the HPE parts by server model index.

DL380a Gen12 Storage Controllers FAQ

Does the DL380a Gen12 have a built-in RAID controller?
Yes - Intel VROC, HPE's hybrid RAID on the CPU for NVMe drives connected directly to the processor. It covers up to 8 direct-attach NVMe bays with RAID 0, 1, 5 and 10 depending on the licence, and it is off by default until licensed.

Which RAID controllers does the DL380a Gen12 support?
Three tri-mode controllers: the HPE MR416i-p Gen11 (x16 lanes, 8GB cache, PCIe plug-in), the MR416i-o Gen11 (the same controller in OCP form factor) and the MR932i-p (x32 lanes, PCIe Gen5, plug-in). Mixing controller models is not allowed.

Can I install just one MR416i controller?
No. HPE restricts the DL380a Gen12 to a minimum and maximum of two controllers, so they are installed as an identical pair.

Do I need a battery with the controller?
Yes. HPE requires a 96W Smart Storage battery or a Smart Hybrid Capacitor to be selected whenever a controller is attached. The energy packs are offered only with the MR416i-p and MR416i-o.

Can I add a MR416i-p to a DL380a Gen12 in the field?
Only if the chassis already has the cabling. HPE lists the mandatory NVMe to Tri-Mode PCIe cable kit for the MR416i-p, and the OCP and MR932i-p kits for the other two controllers, as factory-integrated options. Check what the server was built with first.

Will the MR416i controllers work in the P74461-B21 chassis?
No. HPE lists the MR416i-p, the MR416i-o, the 96W Smart Storage battery and the Smart Hybrid Capacitor as not supported on the 8DW server P74461-B21. They are supported on the 8DW/16SW server P76706-B21.

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