HPE ProLiant DL560 Gen11 Drives
Genuine HPE hot-plug drives for the HPE ProLiant DL560 Gen11, new and refurbished, tested before shipping. This 2U four-socket platform is SFF- and EDSFF-only: 2.5-inch U.3 bays on Basic Carriers plus E3.S NVMe bays, in front-box configurations up to 24 drives.
DL560 Gen11 Drive Specifications
- Bay types: 2.5-inch SFF (U.3, Basic Carrier) and EDSFF E3.S — no 3.5-inch LFF bays on this model
- Maximums: up to 24 SFF (8SFF × 3 boxes) or 24 EDSFF on 4-processor systems (2-processor systems support up to 16 EDSFF); an optional Universal Media Bay adds 2 front SFF drives plus optical support
- Interfaces: NVMe Gen4 (U.3 SFF) and Gen5 (E3.S), SAS 12G and 24G, SATA 6G, including Value SAS options
- SSD endurance classes: Read Intensive (about 1 drive write per day), Mixed Use (about 3 DWPD), and Very Read Optimized
- HDDs: Mission Critical 10K SAS SFF drives for tiered and legacy workloads
- Carriers: Gen11 uses the Basic Carrier (BC) — Smart Carrier (SC) drives from Gen8–Gen10 servers do not fit
Check the carrier before you buy. DL560 Gen11 bays take Basic Carrier (BC) U.3 and EDSFF E3.S drives only — Smart Carrier (SC) drives from Gen8–Gen10 servers do not fit, and x1 and x4 tri-mode cage kits cannot be mixed in one server.
What drives fit the DL560 Gen11?
| Bay type | Carrier / form factor | Interfaces | Max bays |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5-inch SFF | Basic Carrier, U.3 | NVMe Gen4, SAS 12/24G, SATA 6G | 24 |
| EDSFF | E3.S EC1 | NVMe Gen5 (and Gen4 VRO) | 24 (16 on 2P) |
| Universal Media Bay | 2 × SFF + optical | NVMe/SAS/SATA | 2 |
Capacities run from 300GB 10K SAS HDDs to 15.36TB NVMe SSDs. E3.S EDSFF is the highest-density NVMe path; U.3 SFF keeps SAS, SATA, and NVMe options open in the same bays through the tri-mode cage kits.
Choosing the Right DL560 Gen11 Drives
- Never mix interfaces, endurance classes, or drive types within one RAID array — build arrays from identical drives.
- Match endurance to workload: Read Intensive for read-heavy serving, Mixed Use for databases — our DWPD guide explains the classes.
- Boot from the NS204i-u module rather than spending front bays on the OS.
- Check the carrier before reusing older drives: Gen10-and-earlier Smart Carrier drives are mechanically incompatible — here's why HPE moved off Smart Carriers.
- Confirm cage compatibility: x1 and x4 tri-mode cage kits cannot be mixed in one server, and direct-attach NVMe cannot be mixed with tri-mode controller drives. Our Gen11 drive compatibility guide covers the details.
Complete Your DL560 Gen11 Build
Drives pair with DL560 Gen11 storage controllers and the rest of the platform: memory, processors, networking, power supplies, or the full DL560 Gen11 parts page. Previous generation: DL560 Gen10 drives. Browse the wider catalog at all HPE server SSDs, EDSFF NVMe SSDs, U.3 SSDs, and parts by server model.
DL560 Gen11 Drives FAQ
Does the HPE ProLiant DL560 Gen11 support 3.5-inch LFF drives?
No. The DL560 Gen11 is SFF and EDSFF only - 2.5-inch U.3 bays and E3.S NVMe bays up to 24 drives. Large-capacity LFF spindles would live in external storage rather than this chassis.
How many drives fit in a DL560 Gen11?
Up to 24: three 8SFF boxes, or up to 24 EDSFF drives on a 4-processor system (2-processor systems support up to 16 EDSFF). The optional Universal Media Bay adds two more front SFF drives plus an optical drive slot.
Can I use drives from a Gen9 or Gen10 ProLiant in the DL560 Gen11?
No - those generations use the Smart Carrier (SC) tray, while Gen11 bays take Basic Carrier (BC) and EDSFF drives. Drives must be sourced in the correct Gen11 carrier.
What's the difference between Read Intensive and Mixed Use SSDs?
Endurance. Read Intensive drives are rated around 1 drive write per day and cost less per TB; Mixed Use drives are rated around 3 DWPD for write-heavy databases and virtualization. Match the class to your workload and never mix classes in one array.
Are HPE Multi Vendor SSDs genuine HPE drives?
Yes. Multi Vendor (MV) SSDs are HPE-qualified, HPE-firmware drives sourced from multiple flash manufacturers for better availability and price. They carry HPE part numbers and full DL560 Gen11 compatibility.
Do DL560 Gen11 NVMe drives need a RAID controller?
Not necessarily. NVMe drives can run direct-attached with Intel VROC or OS-level software RAID, or connect through a tri-mode controller (MR416i, MR216i, SR932i-p) for hardware RAID - but direct-attach and tri-mode drives cannot be mixed in the same system.
✅ Looking for a specific DL560 Gen11 drive? Browse our full selection below.
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