HPE ProLiant DL385 Gen10 Plus v2 Drives
Genuine HPE hot-plug drives for the HPE ProLiant DL385 Gen10 Plus v2, new and refurbished, tested before shipping. This model moved to Basic Carrier (BC) drive cages — the DL385 Gen10 Plus before it used Smart Carrier cages.
DL385 Gen10 Plus v2 Drive Specifications
- Carrier: Basic Carrier (BC) throughout — not the Smart Carrier cages used on the DL385 Gen10 Plus
- Chassis: 8 SFF, 24 SFF, 8 LFF, and 12 LFF front ends
- Maximums: up to 36 SFF (24 front + 8 mid-tray + 4 rear) or 20 LFF (12 + 4 mid-tray + 4 rear)
- NVMe scale: up to 32 SFF NVMe drives (24 front + 8 mid-tray) — 491.52TB using 15.36TB U.3 SSDs
- Interfaces: NVMe Gen4 (U.3 and U.2), SAS 24G and 12G, SATA 6G — the cage kit decides what each bay runs
- Types: Read Intensive and Mixed Use SSDs, 10K/15K SAS and 7.2K LFF spindles to 24TB, plus self-encrypting (SED) options
NVMe bays need a tri-mode controller. The 8 SFF U.3 and U.2 cages cannot be driven by SAS/SATA controllers or the embedded SR100i. U.3 and U.2 cages cannot be mixed, and neither can x1 and x4 U.3 cages — identify your cage kit before ordering NVMe drives.
What drives fit the DL385 Gen10 Plus v2?
| Bay type | Cage kit | Interfaces | Max bays |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5-inch SFF | 8 SFF SAS/SATA Basic Carrier cage | SAS 24G, SAS 12G, SATA 6G | 36 |
| 2.5-inch SFF | 8 SFF x4 or x1 tri-mode U.3 BC cage | NVMe, SAS, SATA | 32 |
| 2.5-inch SFF | 8 SFF x4 NVMe U.2 BC cage | NVMe only | 24 |
| 3.5-inch LFF | 12 LFF front, 4 LFF mid-tray, two 2LFF rear cages | SAS 12G, SATA 6G | 20 |
Two cage rules do most of the damage: U.3 and U.2 cages cannot be mixed, and neither can x1 and x4 U.3 cages. The NVMe cages also need a tri-mode controller — SAS/SATA controllers and the embedded SR100i cannot drive them. Our U.2 vs U.3 guide explains the difference.
Choosing the Right DL385 Gen10 Plus v2 Drives
- Buy Basic Carrier drives. Smart Carrier drives from the DL385 Gen10 Plus do not fit these cages — here is why HPE moved off Smart Carriers.
- Identify the cage before ordering NVMe: x4 U.3, x1 U.3, and x4 U.2 cages are distinct and all require a tri-mode storage controller.
- Never mix interfaces, endurance classes, or capacities in one RAID array — use identical drives.
- Match endurance to workload: Read Intensive for read-heavy serving, Mixed Use for databases — our DWPD guide explains the classes.
- Check cooling when you add bays: rear drives, 12 LFF or more drives, and high-performance NVMe all require the Max Performance Fan Kit.
Complete Your DL385 Gen10 Plus v2 Build
Drives pair with DL385 Gen10 Plus v2 storage controllers and the rest of the platform: memory, processors, networking, power supplies, or the full DL385 Gen10 Plus v2 parts page. Neighboring models: DL385 Gen10 Plus drives and DL385 Gen11 drives. Browse the wider catalog at all HPE server SSDs, U.3 SSDs, and parts by server model.
DL385 Gen10 Plus v2 Drives FAQ
How many drives fit in a DL385 Gen10 Plus v2?
Up to 36 SFF drives - 24 front, 8 in the mid-tray, and 4 in rear cages - or up to 20 LFF drives from a 12 LFF front end plus a 4 LFF mid-tray and 4 LFF at the rear.
Can I use drives from a DL385 Gen10 Plus in the Gen10 Plus v2?
Generally no. The QuickSpecs state that the v2 uses Basic Carrier drive cages rather than the Smart Carrier cages used on the DL385 Gen10 Plus, so drives have to be sourced on the correct Basic Carrier.
Does the DL385 Gen10 Plus v2 support NVMe drives?
Yes - through 8 SFF U.3 tri-mode cages (x4 or x1) or 8 SFF x4 U.2 NVMe cages, up to 32 NVMe drives with the mid-tray. Those cages require a tri-mode controller; SAS/SATA controllers and the embedded SR100i cannot support them.
What is the maximum storage capacity of the DL385 Gen10 Plus v2?
491.52TB of NVMe using 32 x 15.36TB U.3 SSDs. On SAS SSDs the figure is 428.4TB (28 x 15.3TB), and LFF spindle configurations reach 390.6TB with 18TB drives plus two rear SFF SSDs.
What is the difference between Read Intensive and Mixed Use SSDs?
Endurance. Read Intensive drives are built for read-heavy serving and cost less per TB; Mixed Use drives take far more daily writes and suit databases and virtualization. Match the class to the workload and never mix classes in one array.
Do the U.3 and U.2 drive cages work together?
No. The QuickSpecs state that U.3 and U.2 front and mid drive cages cannot mix, and that x1 and x4 U.3 cages cannot mix either. Pick one cage type for the whole chassis.
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