HPE ProLiant ML110 G7 Storage Controllers
Genuine HPE Smart Array controllers, cache modules and host bus adapters for the HPE ProLiant ML110 G7, new and refurbished. Storage starts at the embedded Smart Array B110i SATA RAID controller — four ports, RAID 0, 1 and 1+0, SATA only — so a build needing SAS disks, tape or a fifth drive needs a card.
ML110 G7 Storage Controller Specifications
- Embedded controller: HPE Smart Array B110i SATA RAID with four ports for hard drives and RAID 0, 1 and 1+0, supporting up to four 3.0Gb/s SATA drives only
- When a card is required: HPE states that SAS hard drive and tape support requires a SAS controller, and that hardware RAID does too
- Entry SAS card: Smart Array P212 with zero memory or a 256MB cache, one internal and one external port on PCIe x8
- Internal SAS card: Smart Array P410 in 256MB, 512MB BBWC, 512MB FBWC and 1GB FBWC forms, two internal ports on PCIe x8
- Cache upgrades: 256MB P-series cache, 512MB P-series BBWC, and 512MB and 1GB flash backed write cache modules, plus the 650 mAh P-series battery the 256MB cache needs before it acts as BBWC
- Tape: the SC11Xe Ultra320 single-channel PCIe x4 SCSI host bus adapter, which HPE lists for SCSI tape only, with no RAID support
What forces a card is SAS, tape or a fifth drive — not the RAID level. The embedded Smart Array B110i already gives RAID 0, 1 and 1+0 across four SATA ports, so a small SATA mirror needs nothing added. HPE states that SAS hard drive and tape support requires a SAS controller, which is where the P212 and P410 come in.
Do you need a card, or will the embedded B110i do?
| What you are building | What it needs |
|---|---|
| Four SATA drives in RAID 0, 1 or 1+0 | The embedded B110i — nothing to add |
| Any SAS drive, hot-plug or not | A Smart Array SAS controller: P212 or P410 |
| More than four drives | A Smart Array SAS controller — the B110i stops at four |
| Write cache that survives a power loss | A P410 with 512MB or 1GB FBWC, or 256MB cache plus the 650 mAh battery |
| A SCSI tape drive | The SC11Xe Ultra320 host bus adapter, with no RAID support |
The dividing line here is not the RAID level, it is the drive type and the drive count: the B110i already gives RAID 0, 1 and 1+0, so a small SATA mirror needs nothing bought at all. Once a card is going in, the cache shapes write behaviour — and flash backed cache carries a supercapacitor rather than a battery that ages, which is worth the difference on a server of this age.
Choosing the Right ML110 G7 Storage Controller
- Settle SATA or SAS before model numbers. The embedded B110i is SATA only and stops at four drives.
- Battery backed and flash backed cache are different parts. The 256MB P-series cache upgrade needs the 650 mAh P-series battery before it acts as BBWC, where the 512MB and 1GB flash backed modules do not.
- Count the lanes, not just the slots. Of four PCIe Gen2 slots only slot 1 carries sixteen lanes; slots 2 and 3 are x8 connectors wired with four, and slot 4 is x1.
- A hot-plug cage is a licence as well as hardware. HPE requires the Smart Array Hot Plug Advance Pack for B110i on any hot-plug system, on top of the cage kit.
Complete Your ML110 G7 Build
Controllers and drives are bought together — see ML110 G7 hard drives for what the array will hold. Also available: ML110 G7 memory, networking adapters, power supplies and rack options, or the full ML110 G7 parts listing and HPE parts by server model. Background reading: which HPE hard drive do I need.
ML110 G7 Storage Controllers FAQ
Which RAID controller does the ML110 G7 come with?
An embedded HPE Smart Array B110i SATA RAID controller, four ports, RAID 0, 1 and 1+0. HPE notes it supports up to four 3.0Gb/s SATA drives only.
Do I need a Smart Array card to use SAS drives?
Yes. HPE states that SAS hard drive and tape support requires a SAS controller, and says the same of hardware RAID.
What is the difference between the P212 and the P410 here?
Port layout. The P212 has one internal and one external port; the P410 has two internal. Both are PCIe x8, and HPE lists each with and without cache.
What is the difference between BBWC and FBWC?
Battery backed write cache holds the contents on a rechargeable battery, which ages; flash backed write cache writes them to flash using a supercapacitor. Here the 256MB cache upgrade needs the 650 mAh P-series battery to act as BBWC, where the flash backed modules do not.
Is the Smart Array Hot Plug Advance Pack needed?
For a hot-plug configuration on the B110i, yes - HPE states it is required for any hot-plug system, on top of the drive cage kit.
Can I attach a SCSI tape drive to an ML110 G7?
Yes, through the SC11Xe Ultra320 single-channel PCIe x4 SCSI host bus adapter, which HPE lists for SCSI tapes only, with no RAID support.
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