HPE SmartArray P440/2GB FBWC 12Gb 1-port Int SAS RAID Controller PCI Express x8

The HPE Smart Array P440 Controller is a low-profile PCIe3 x8 12Gb/s SAS RAID controller designed for HPE ProLiant Gen9 rack and tower servers and Apollo systems. It provides enterprise-class storage performance, eight internal physical links, and support for increased internal storage scalability when used with a SAS Expander Card. The controller offers advanced data protection features including flash-backed write cache (FBWC) with transportable cache, global online spare, and pre-failure warnings to help maintain server uptime.

Advantages

The controller supports online RAID level migration between supported RAID levels without taking the system offline and enables improved data integrity through FBWC. Transportable FBWC allows cached data to be migrated to a replacement controller, reducing rebuild windows. Compatibility with SAS and SATA drives and the ability to expand with a SAS Expander Card increase configuration flexibility for enterprise deployments.

Key specifications

• Supported storage drive interfaces: SAS, Serial ATA
• Host interface: PCI Express x8 (PCIe3)
• RAID levels supported: 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 ADM, 10, 50, 60
• Maximum link speed: 12 Gbit/s (12Gb/s SAS)
• Internal physical links: 8

How to use

Install the P440 Controller into a compatible PCIe3 x8 slot in supported HPE ProLiant Gen9 or Apollo systems following server documentation. Connect SAS or SATA drives and, if additional internal devices are required, attach a SAS Expander Card to increase drive scalability. Configure RAID arrays and cache settings using HPE Smart Storage Administrator or the server management tools; enable FBWC to provide write-back caching and ensure transportable FBWC policy is set if controller replacement is anticipated.

Recommendations

Use certified HPE drives and follow HPE installation and firmware guidelines. Ensure FBWC battery/flash modules are maintained and firmware is kept up to date to preserve cache integrity and support transportable cache functionality.