HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen9 Upgrade Guide: RAM and Storage

Updated Oct. 9, 2026 · Written from this device's verified specifications

This guide covers adding memory and storage to the HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen9. The short answer: it takes up to 24 DDR4 registered DIMMs (3 TB at most, with the right CPUs) and has SFF or LFF SATA/SAS bays, with optional NVMe. Check whether you have v3 or v4 Xeon CPUs before buying memory.

At a glance

  • 24 DDR4 DIMM slots, 12 per CPU. You need a second CPU to use all 24.
  • Registered ECC only: RDIMM or LRDIMM, and the two can't be mixed. Don't mix 2133 and 2400 MHz modules.
  • 128 GB LRDIMMs and NVDIMMs need Xeon E5-2600 v4 CPUs.
  • The chassis is either SFF (2.5") or LFF (3.5"). Up to 24+2 SFF or 12+3 LFF bays, and the extra bays need the optional rear cage.
  • NVMe in the drive bays needs the optional 6-SFF Express Bay Enablement kit. The M.2 option is SATA only.
DDR4 SmartMemory DIMM slots (12 per CPU)24 × DDR4 DIMM · up to 3.072 TB total · 2400 MT/s · registered (RDIMM) · ECC
SFF 2.5" drive bays (front, plus optional rear cage)24 × HDD / SSD 2.5" (SATA / SAS) · up to 15.3 TB
LFF 3.5" drive bays (front, plus optional rear cage)12 × HDD / SSD 3.5" (SATA / SAS) · up to 12 TB
NVMe SFF bays (6-SFF Express Bay Enablement option)6 × SSD 2.5" (NVMe) · up to 6.4 TB
24 × DIMM · DDR4up to 3 TB totalSFF 2.5" drive bays (front, plus optional rear cage)24 × HDD / SSD 2.5" (SATA / SAS) · up to 15.3 TBLFF 3.5" drive bays (front, plus optional rear cage)12 × HDD / SSD 3.5" (SATA / SAS) · up to 12 TBNVMe SFF bays (6-SFF Express Bay Enablement option)6 × SSD 2.5" (NVMe) · up to 6.4 TB
Schematic of the upgradeable slots (not to scale). Check the owner's manual for their exact positions.

Lifecycle and support

Standard support ended on July 22, 2025 (estimate).

2014201620182020202220242026Today11 · Release · Dec. 1, 201422 · End of sale · July 22, 202033 · EOSL · July 22, 2025
Filled dots: dates published by the manufacturer. Hollow dots: estimates from third-party sources.
MilestoneDate
Release
First available to buy.		 Dec. 1, 2014 Estimate HP Gen9 FAQ (hosted by a reseller) says Gen9 rack and tower servers, including the DL380 Gen9, could be ordered from December 1, 2014
Source ↗
End of sale
No longer sold new by the manufacturer (Dell calls this 'End of Life', Lenovo 'Withdrawn').		 July 22, 2020 Estimate Third-party date; icd3s.com gives July 2020. HPE publishes no end-of-sale date for this model
Source ↗
End of standard support (EOSL)
Standard warranty and support contracts can no longer be renewed.		 July 22, 2025 Estimate Third-party end of support (HPE EOSL); icd3s.com (July 2025) and servnetuk.com (22 July 2025) agree. HPE publishes no date
Source ↗

Dates not listed haven't been published by the manufacturer or a reliable third party.

RAM: DDR4 SmartMemory, up to 24 DIMMs

The DL380 Gen9 has 24 DIMM slots: 12 per processor, arranged as 4 channels per CPU with 3 DIMMs per channel. With only one CPU fitted, just 12 slots work and you get half the maximum capacity. A second CPU unlocks the other 12 slots. The slots take full-size DDR4 HPE SmartMemory modules, which are registered (RDIMM) or load-reduced (LRDIMM) with ECC. Unbuffered or non-ECC modules aren't listed, so don't assume they work.

Check your CPU generation first. With Xeon E5-2600 v3 CPUs, the largest listed module is a 64 GB quad-rank LRDIMM, giving 768 GB with one CPU or 1,536 GB with two. v4 CPUs add the 128 GB octal-rank LRDIMM, for up to 1,536 GB with one CPU or 3,072 GB (3 TB) with two, at 2400 MHz. The RDIMM maximum is 768 GB (24 × 32 GB) in either case. NVDIMMs work only with v4 CPUs and RDIMMs, up to 128 GB in total (16 × 8 GB).

Both DDR4-2133 and DDR4-2400 modules are listed, but you can't mix the two speeds. HPE's documents don't spell out which speed goes with which CPU generation. The v3 RDIMM list shows 2133, so confirm in the owner's manual before ordering. You also can't mix RDIMMs with LRDIMMs, and the 128 GB LRDIMM can't share the server with other capacities or types. Module labels read capacity, rank, data width, DDR4, speed, CAS and type, for example 1Rx4.

Buying tips

  • Find out whether you have v3 or v4 CPUs before you buy any memory.
  • Buy HPE SmartMemory RDIMM or LRDIMM only, and match what is already installed in type and speed.
  • If you want more than 12 slots, you need a second CPU as well as the extra DIMMs.
  • Buy modules in matching sets rather than mixing capacities where you can. The 128 GB LRDIMM can't be mixed with other capacities at all.

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Storage: SFF or LFF bays, optional NVMe and M.2

Your chassis is either SFF (2.5") or LFF (3.5"), so check which one you have. SFF models take up to 24 front bays plus 2 more with the optional rear drive cage. LFF models take up to 12 front bays plus 3 with the rear cage. Bay counts vary by model. Both accept SATA or SAS, HDD or SSD. The largest listed drives are a 15.3 TB SAS SSD for SFF and a 12 TB HDD for LFF. HPE doesn't state a drive thickness limit. The standard embedded controller is a 10-port SATA B140i. Optional Flexible Smart Array or Smart HBA controllers are available. The P440ar has 2 GB of flash-backed write cache.

For NVMe in the front bays, you need the optional 6-SFF Express Bay Enablement kit. It gives NVMe bays 1 to 6 and is installed in universal media bay 2. The drives are PCIe 3.0 x4 SFF and come in 1.6, 3.2 and 6.4 TB. Another route is a half-height, half-length (HHHL) NVMe x8 add-in card, also in 1.6, 3.2 and 6.4 TB, which goes in a PCIe riser slot instead of a drive bay.

The only M.2 option is the HPE Universal SATA HHHL M.2 Kit (878783-B21). The drives sit on a card in a PCIe slot and run on the B140i controller in software RAID only. That means no Flexible Smart Array support, and it is SATA, not NVMe. HPE's documents don't give the M.2 length, so check the kit's specification before buying drives.

Buying tips

  • Check whether your server is SFF or LFF before buying drives.
  • The extra 2 (SFF) or 3 (LFF) bays need the optional rear drive cage.
  • For NVMe in the bays, confirm you have, or will buy, the 6-SFF Express Bay Enablement kit.
  • If you want an M.2 boot drive, remember it is SATA only and can't be mixed with the Smart Array controllers.
  • The largest drives HPE lists are costly and may be hard to find. Smaller listed capacities will work in the same bays.

Cheapest compatible right now

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How to upgrade

Before you start

  • Identify your CPU generation (Xeon E5-2600 v3 or v4) and how many CPUs are installed.
  • Check whether your chassis is SFF or LFF and whether it has the rear drive cage.
  • List the memory already installed (type, speed, capacity) so new modules match.
  • Keep the owner's manual handy for exact disassembly and slot population order.
  • Have a current backup of your data and the server's configuration.

Steps

  1. Back up your data
    Back up everything important and note your RAID and BIOS settings. This matters most if you plan to change drives or controllers.
  2. Check firmware and compatibility
    Confirm the part you bought suits your CPU generation and chassis. Check whether the BIOS and firmware need updating first, using HPE's current guidance.
  3. Power off and unplug
    Shut the server down properly, then disconnect all power cords and other cables.
  4. Ground yourself
    Use an anti-static wrist strap or touch bare metal on the chassis before handling parts. Hold DIMMs and cards by their edges.
  5. Open the server
    Follow the owner's manual for removing the access panel and any air baffles or covers in your way.
  6. Install the part
    For memory, follow the manual's slot population order for your CPU count and use matching modules. For drives, fit them in the bays, or install the Express Bay Enablement kit in universal media bay 2 for NVMe. For an M.2 kit or NVMe card, use a PCIe riser slot as the manual describes.
  7. Close up and reconnect
    Refit any covers or baffles and the access panel. Reconnect the cables and power.
  8. Check that the server sees the part
    Power on and check that the BIOS or firmware lists the new memory or drive. Set up RAID if needed, and confirm the full capacity is recognised.

Good to know

  • This guide doesn't cover CPU upgrades, because socket and compatible-processor details aren't confirmed here. Check the owner's manual for supported CPUs. If you add a second CPU, it unlocks the other 12 DIMM slots and the secondary riser slots.
  • HPE's documents don't say which memory speed (2133 or 2400 MHz) goes with which CPU generation. Confirm in the owner's manual before buying.
  • The M.2 kit's length isn't given in HPE's documents, so check it before buying M.2 drives.
  • HPE doesn't state a drive thickness limit for the bays.
  • One capacity table prints the LFF SATA SSD maximum as "57.6B". The arithmetic (15 × 3.84 TB) gives 57.6 TB.
  • Maximum capacities are theoretical. They assume the largest modules and drives HPE lists, which can be costly and hard to find.
  • The documents we link are reseller-hosted copies of HPE's own manuals, not hpe.com pages, so check HPE's site for the newest versions.

Frequently asked questions

How much RAM can the HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen9 take?

Up to 3 TB with two CPUs, using 24 × 128 GB LRDIMMs at 2400 MHz. This needs Xeon E5-2600 v4 CPUs. With RDIMMs the maximum is 768 GB (24 × 32 GB). With only one CPU you get 12 slots and half those figures.

Does the DL380 Gen9 use ECC memory?

Yes. It takes registered DDR4 HPE SmartMemory, either RDIMM or LRDIMM, and supports Advanced ECC and Online Spare. Unbuffered or non-ECC modules aren't listed, so don't assume they work.

Can I mix different memory in the DL380 Gen9?

Not freely. You can't mix RDIMMs and LRDIMMs, or 2133 and 2400 MHz modules. The 128 GB LRDIMM can't be mixed with other capacities or types.

Can I use NVMe SSDs in the DL380 Gen9?

Yes, in two ways. The optional 6-SFF Express Bay Enablement kit adds NVMe in bays 1 to 6, using PCIe 3.0 x4 SFF drives of 1.6, 3.2 or 6.4 TB. Or you can fit a half-height NVMe x8 add-in card in a PCIe riser slot.

Does the DL380 Gen9 support M.2 SSDs?

Only through the HPE Universal SATA HHHL M.2 Kit (878783-B21), which sits in a PCIe slot. It is SATA only, runs in software RAID on the B140i controller and doesn't support Flexible Smart Array. It is not an NVMe M.2 option.

How many drives can the DL380 Gen9 hold?

SFF models take up to 24 front bays plus 2 with the optional rear cage. LFF models take up to 12 plus 3. Bay counts vary by model, so check yours.

Official documents and references

This guide was written with AI assistance from the compatibility data PartsPrices verified against the manufacturer's documents. Always check your exact model and the owner's manual before buying or opening your computer.