RAID controller HPE P408i-a SR Gen10

The HPE Smart Array P408i-a SR Gen10 Controller is an enterprise-class RAID controller designed to deliver high performance, reliability and storage capacity without using a PCI Express expansion slot. Supporting 12 Gb/s SAS and PCIe 3.0, this type-a modular controller provides eight internal SAS lanes for connection to SAS or SATA drives, Mixed Mode operation (RAID and HBA simultaneously), 2 GB Flash-Backed Write Cache (FBWC) and optional data-at-rest encryption. The controller fits a dedicated storage slot on HPE ProLiant Gen10 servers and is compatible with the HPE Smart Storage Battery (sold separately).

Advantages

The P408i-a SR Gen10 increases data throughput with 12 Gb/s SAS connectivity and 2 GB FBWC to reduce latency in write-intensive workloads such as databases or messaging applications. It supports HPE SSD Smart Path to optimize I/O paths to SSDs and SR SmartCache (optional license) to cache hot HDD data on SSDs for faster access. Mixed Mode capability allows concurrent RAID and HBA operation, eliminating the need for an additional controller. Built-in features for drive health (HPE SmartSSD Wear Gauge) and optional Smart Array SR Secure Encryption provide added reliability and protection for data-at-rest.

Suitable for

• Enterprise servers requiring high-performance RAID on HPE ProLiant Gen10
• Database and messaging workloads with heavy write logging
• Mixed SSD/HDD storage environments where caching improves response times
• Deployments needing drive-level encryption and drive health monitoring

Key specifications

• Interface: PCI Express x8 (host interface)
• SAS speed: 12 Gb/s
• Internal lanes: 8 SAS lanes (connects SAS or SATA drives)
• Cache: 2 GB Flash-Backed Write Cache (FBWC)
• RAID levels: hardware RAID (supports RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 and others via Smart Array features)
• Mixed Mode: supports RAID and HBA operations simultaneously
• Form factor: type-a modular controller occupying a dedicated storage slot
• Compatibility: HPE ProLiant Gen10 servers; supported by HPE Smart Storage Battery (sold separately)

How to use

Install the P408i-a SR Gen10 into the server's dedicated storage slot following the server hardware installation guidelines. Connect internal SAS or SATA drives to the controller via the server backplane or appropriate cables. Configure RAID volumes and controller features using the UEFI storage configuration tool during boot or use HPE Smart Storage Administrator (SSA) for graphical configuration and management. For scripted or remote deployments, configure arrays through iLO using the RESTful interface. If using optional features such as SR SmartCache or SR Secure Encryption, obtain and apply the corresponding licenses before enabling them in SSA.

Recommendations

Use the HPE Smart Storage Battery to maintain cache protection for write operations and follow HPE guidelines for firmware and firmware driver updates. Monitor drive health with HPE SmartSSD Wear Gauge and enable Secure Encryption where regulatory compliance or data protection requirements demand encryption of data-at-rest.