HPE ProLiant DL385 Gen11 Storage Controllers
Genuine HPE storage controllers for the HPE ProLiant DL385 Gen11, new and refurbished. Gen11 storage on AMD is tri-mode — one controller family handling NVMe, SAS, and SATA — in PCIe and OCP form factors. Software RAID is not supported on AMD Gen11 servers, so anything past direct-attached NVMe needs a controller or the NS204i-u boot device.
DL385 Gen11 Storage Controller Specifications
- MR416i-p / MR416i-o: x16-lane tri-mode with 8GB cache, up to 16 SAS/SATA/NVMe drives
- MR408i-o: x8-lane OCP tri-mode with 4GB cache, up to 8 drives
- MR216i-p / MR216i-o: x16-lane tri-mode, cache-less, up to 16 drives — passthrough for software-defined storage
- SR932i-p: x32 lanes and 8GB wide cache, up to 32 drives for the biggest arrays
- Smart Array E208e-p: 8 external 12G SAS lanes, no cache, for tape and enclosures
- Boot: NS204i-u hot-plug boot device — two 480GB M.2 NVMe SSDs in hardware RAID 1
- Cache protection: 96W Smart Storage Lithium-ion battery or Smart Storage Hybrid Capacitor, plus the extension cable kit
There is no software RAID fallback on this platform. HPE does not support software RAID on AMD Gen11 servers, and MR (MegaRAID) and SR (SmartRAID) internal controllers cannot be mixed in one server. The cached MR416i, MR408i and SR932i-p also need the 96W Smart Storage battery or a hybrid capacitor.
Which RAID controller does the DL385 Gen11 use?
| Controller | Form factor | Cache | Drives supported |
|---|---|---|---|
| MR416i-p / MR416i-o | PCIe / OCP | 8GB | 16 (4 NVMe at x4) |
| MR408i-o | OCP | 4GB | 8 (2 NVMe at x4) |
| MR216i-p / MR216i-o | PCIe / OCP | None | 16 (4 NVMe at x4) |
| SR932i-p | PCIe (x32 lanes) | 8GB wide cache | 32 (8 NVMe at x4) |
| Smart Array E208e-p | PCIe | None | 8 external SAS/SATA |
Drive counts are the ceiling, not the NVMe count: a 16-drive MR card carries only four NVMe devices at x4 lanes, or eight at x2. Size the controller against the backplane lane width you actually ordered.
Choosing the Right DL385 Gen11 Storage Controller
- Never mix MR and SR internal controllers — HPE does not support it, and the two families use different tools (MR Storage Administrator for MegaRAID, HPE Smart Storage Administrator for SmartRAID).
- Cached controllers require cache protection: pair the MR416i, MR408i, or SR932i-p with the 96W Smart Storage battery or a hybrid capacitor, plus its extension cable kit.
- -p versus -o is placement: an -o (OROC) controller consumes one of the two OCP 3.0 slots that a network adapter would otherwise use, while a -p card takes a PCIe 5.0 slot.
- Plan the NS204i-u location: it mounts in the tertiary bay or in secondary slot 4, and each choice retires riser slots.
- Software-defined stacks want the cache-less MR216i in passthrough, and note that MR controllers are not supported with Intelligent Provisioning.
Complete Your DL385 Gen11 Build
Match your controller with DL385 Gen11 drives, then round out the system: memory, processors, networking adapters, power supplies, or everything on the DL385 Gen11 parts page. Related platforms: DL385 Gen10 Plus v2 controllers, DL325 Gen11 controllers, and DL380 Gen11 controllers. Or browse all HPE parts by server model.
DL385 Gen11 Storage Controllers FAQ
Which RAID controllers are supported in the HPE ProLiant DL385 Gen11?
The Gen11 tri-mode family: MR216i-p and MR216i-o without cache, MR408i-o with 4GB, MR416i-p and MR416i-o with 8GB, and the x32-lane SR932i-p with 8GB wide cache. The Smart Array E208e-p covers external SAS, and the NS204i-u handles boot.
Can the DL385 Gen11 run software RAID?
No. The QuickSpecs state that software RAID is not supported on AMD Gen11 servers. Use a tri-mode MR or SR controller for hardware RAID, run NVMe direct-attached without RAID, or put the OS on the NS204i-u boot device.
Can I mix MR and SR controllers in one DL385 Gen11?
No. HPE does not support mixing MR (MegaRAID) and SR (SmartRAID) internal controllers in the same server, and each family is configured with a different tool.
Do DL385 Gen11 RAID controllers need a battery?
The cached models should be paired with the 96W Smart Storage Lithium-ion battery or a Smart Storage Hybrid Capacitor, plus the extension cable kit. The cache-less MR216i needs no backup power.
What is the difference between -p and -o controller models?
Mounting. A -p model plugs into a PCIe slot; an -o model is an OROC card that occupies one of the two OCP 3.0 slots, which is then unavailable for a network adapter.
How many NVMe drives can one DL385 Gen11 controller handle?
Fewer than its total drive count. The MR416i and MR216i support 16 SAS/SATA/NVMe drives but only four NVMe at x4 lanes, or eight at x2. The MR408i-o handles 8 drives with two NVMe at x4, and the SR932i-p handles 32 with eight NVMe at x4.
✅ Looking for a specific DL385 Gen11 storage controller? Browse our full selection below.
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