HPE ProLiant DL385 Gen10 Plus Storage Controllers
Genuine HPE storage controllers for the HPE ProLiant DL385 Gen10 Plus, new and refurbished. Storage here runs on the Smart Array SR Gen10 family — Essential (E-series) and Performance (P-series) cards in modular (-a) and PCIe (-p and -e) forms, with the Smart Storage Battery protecting write-back cache.
DL385 Gen10 Plus Storage Controller Specifications
- Essential RAID: Smart Array E208i-a (modular), E208i-p and E208e-p (PCIe) — 8 lanes, no cache
- Performance RAID: Smart Array P408i-a (modular) and P408i-p (PCIe) with 2GB cache, plus P408e-p with 4GB on 8 external lanes
- Top of the line: Smart Array P816i-a — 16 internal lanes, 4GB cache, SmartCache included
- Cache protection: Performance RAID controllers require the HPE Smart Storage Battery (P01366-B21), sold separately
- Boot: HPE NS204i-p NVMe PCIe3 x8 OS boot device — slot 1 of the primary riser or slot 8 of the tertiary riser
- Software RAID: the embedded SR100i Gen10 Plus SW RAID covers up to two U.3 NVMe SSDs, UEFI and Windows Server only
Performance RAID needs a battery. The P408 and P816 Smart Array controllers require the HPE Smart Storage Battery (P01366-B21), sold separately; the cache-less E208 Essential controllers do not. Modular -a cards use no PCIe slot — the -p and -e plug-in cards do.
Which RAID controller does the DL385 Gen10 Plus use?
| Controller | Form factor | Cache | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Array E208i-a | Modular (AROC) | None | Entry internal SAS/SATA |
| Smart Array E208i-p / E208e-p | PCIe plug-in | None | Internal or external lanes, cache-free |
| Smart Array P408i-a / P408i-p | Modular / PCIe | 2GB | Mainstream protected hardware RAID |
| Smart Array P408e-p | PCIe plug-in | 4GB | External 12G SAS: tape and JBOD |
| Smart Array P816i-a | Modular (AROC) | 4GB + SmartCache | 16 lanes, largest internal arrays |
The modular -a controllers mount on the Flexible Smart Array connector and use no PCIe slot — useful where riser slots 4 through 8 all depend on a second processor. For flash-heavy builds, the AROC to NVMe adapter kit extends a modular controller to 16 NVMe drives.
Choosing the Right DL385 Gen10 Plus Storage Controller
- Performance RAID means a battery. The P408 and P816 cards require the HPE Smart Storage Battery (P01366-B21), sold separately; the cache-less E208 models need none.
- -a saves a slot, -p and -e buy reach. Modular cards use no PCIe slot; plug-in cards do, and the -e models carry the external SAS ports for tape and enclosures.
- The SR100i is not a general-purpose controller — two U.3 NVMe SSDs, UEFI mode only, off by default, Windows Server only.
- Boot off the array: the NS204i-p fits only slot 1 of the primary riser or slot 8 of the tertiary riser, and cannot be combined with the M.2 enablement kit.
- Background reading: what HPE Flexible Smart Array controllers are.
Complete Your DL385 Gen10 Plus Build
Match your controller with DL385 Gen10 Plus drives, then round out the system: memory, processors, networking adapters, power supplies, or the full DL385 Gen10 Plus parts page. Neighboring platforms: DL385 Gen10 controllers and DL385 Gen10 Plus v2 controllers. Catalog-wide: HPE parts by server model.
DL385 Gen10 Plus Storage Controllers FAQ
Which RAID controllers does the HPE ProLiant DL385 Gen10 Plus support?
The Smart Array SR Gen10 family: the cache-less E208i-a, E208i-p, and E208e-p Essential controllers; the P408i-a and P408i-p with 2GB cache; the P408e-p with 4GB cache and external ports; and the 16-lane P816i-a with 4GB cache and SmartCache.
Do DL385 Gen10 Plus RAID controllers need a battery?
The Performance RAID controllers do. HPE lists the Smart Storage Battery (P01366-B21) as a required, separately sold companion for the P408 and P816 cards. The cache-less E208 Essential controllers do not need one.
What is the difference between the -a, -p, and -e Smart Array models?
Mounting and ports. The -a models are modular controllers that use the server's Flexible Smart Array connector and take no PCIe expansion slot. The -p models are PCIe plug-in cards with internal ports, and the -e models are PCIe cards with external SAS ports.
Can the DL385 Gen10 Plus run RAID without a controller card?
Only in a narrow case. The embedded SR100i Gen10 Plus software RAID supports up to two U.3 NVMe SSDs, runs in UEFI mode only, is disabled by default, and supports Microsoft Windows Server only.
How should I boot a DL385 Gen10 Plus?
The HPE NS204i-p NVMe PCIe3 x8 OS boot device keeps the operating system off your data array. It is supported in slot 1 of the primary riser or slot 8 of the tertiary riser, and it cannot be selected alongside the Universal SATA M.2 enablement kit.
Can one modular controller drive NVMe drives in this server?
Yes, with help. HPE's AROC to NVMe adapter kit extends a modular (AROC) controller to support up to 16 NVMe drives. Larger NVMe builds use the dedicated enablement bundles and retimer cards instead.
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