HPE SmartArray E208i-p SR RAID controller PCI Express x8 12 Gbit/s

Smart Array E208i-p SR controller is a server storage controller supporting SAS and SATA devices. It provides eight SAS lanes delivered through two internal Mini‑SAS x4 ports and connects to the host over a PCI Express 3.0 x8 interface. The controller supports hardware RAID levels 0, 1, 5 and 10 and operates with 12 Gb/s SAS and 6 Gb/s SATA devices. This model does not include a flash‑backed write cache.

Advantages

The Smart Array E208i-p SR offers multi‑protocol support for both SAS and SATA drives, compact internal Mini‑SAS connectivity for up to eight lanes, and hardware RAID 0, 1, 5 and 10 for data protection and performance tuning. PCIe 3.0 x8 host connectivity delivers sufficient bandwidth for typical server storage workloads. Absence of flash‑backed write cache reduces complexity and avoids battery/BBU maintenance.

Key specifications

• Interface: SAS/SATA
• SAS lanes: 8 across 2 × Mini‑SAS internal x4 ports
• Host bus: PCI Express 3.0 x8
• RAID levels: 0, 1, 5, 10
• Maximum SAS speed: 12 Gb/s
• Maximum SATA speed: 6 Gb/s
• Write cache: No flash‑backed write cache

How to use

Install the controller into an available PCIe x8 (or larger) slot and connect internal Mini‑SAS cables from the controller ports to the server backplane or drive carriers. Configure attached drives and create RAID arrays using the server management utility or the controller's firmware configuration tool. Ensure firmware and drivers are up to date for compatibility with the operating system and storage devices.

Recommendations

Choose appropriate RAID levels based on required balance of performance and redundancy; use RAID 1 or 10 for higher redundancy and RAID 5 for capacity efficiency. Because the controller lacks a flash‑backed write cache, consider workload characteristics and, if write caching is required, evaluate adding a controller with cache protection.