QuickSpecs
HPE Boot Device Options QuickSpecs
Table of Contents
HPE Boot Device Options come in different form factors and are a dedicated hardware RAID 1 solution for those who wish to separate their data plane from their OS plane.
The NS204i meets the certification requirements of VMware and Microsoft Storage Spaces Direct. Refer to the included server compatibility matrix for each of the different form factors. Server platforms support a single NS204i OS boot device. This RAID optimized SSD flash based solution utilizes the Windows, Linux, or VMware NVMe inbox drivers for easy set up and reliability. The NS204i OS boot device does not consume any drive bay, thus making all of the bays available for data storage.
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HPE Boot Device Options
The HPE NS204i-u is a universal installation hot plug OS boot device that includes two 480 GB M.2 NVMe SSDs. This device no longer takes up a PCIe slot, and auto-creates RAID1 volume. The HPE NS204i-u Gen11 is compatible with Gen11 platforms, and the NS204i-u V2 is compatible with DL365, DL385 Gen11, and Gen12 Platforms.
The HPE NS204i-p and the NS204i-d (SY480 Gen10 Plus) boot devices includes two 480 GB M.2 NVMe SSDs. Two 22110 M.2 NVMe SSDs must be added to the NS204i-r riser and the NS204i-t Boot Controller. The NS204i boot device enables customers to mirror their OS through dedicated RAID 1.
HPE NS204i presents itself to your management interface as a single directly connected NVMe drive, not a RAID controller. As the NS204i is a hardware boot device, only RAID 1 mode is supported and it will not operate in any other RAID mode. HPE NS204i is “plug-and-play” with no need to configure or manage the device. Always ensure you are running the latest iLO version and update server BIOS, FW and drivers when they become available.
Notes:
– In some documentation and GUIs, the NS204i may be referred to as a controller or a device.
– HPE NS204i-d Synergy Gen11 Boot Controller does not support Ubuntu
Key Features
- – Automatic RAID 1 creation
- – Hardware RAID 1 with automatic drive rebuild
- – (2) 480 GB NVMe M.2 SSDs included with the NS204i-p and NS204i-d (SY480 Gen10 Plus option) controllers
- – (2) On-board M.2 drive bays
- – Utilizes native OS NVMe drivers – no custom driver needed
- – Full HPE iLO integration for Redfish, Alerts, GUI
- – Supports Intel Gen10 and Intel and AMD Gen10 Plus platforms (see support matrix for details)
Models | |
| HPE NS204i-u v2 480GB NVMe Hot Plug Boot Optimized Storage Device | P78279-B21 |
| HPE NS204i-u v2 960GB NVMe Hot Plug Boot Optimized Storage Device | P81160-B21 |
| HPE NS204i-u v2 960GB NVMe SED Hot Plug Boot Optimized Storage Device | P81162-B21 |
| HPE NS204i-u Gen11 NVMe Hot Plug Boot Optimized Storage Device | P48183-B21 |
| HPE NS204i-p x2 Lanes NVMe PCIe3 x8 OS Boot Device | P12965-B21 |
| HPE NS204i-t Gen10 Plus x2 Lanes NVMe PCIe 3 x8 Boot Controller | P20292-B21 |
| HPE Synergy NS204i-d Gen11 NVMe Boot Storage Device | P39568-B21 |
M.2 Drive – Required for NS204i-r Riser | |
| HPE 480GB NVMe Gen3 Mainstream Performance Read Intensive M.2 Multi Vendor SSD | P40513-B21 |
| HPE Boot Device Options | ||
|---|---|---|
| XXXXXX-X21 is SKU designation formed by a common six digit part number and a -X21 suffix that identifies a SKU that is available across multiple server family lines. Refer to the table below to find the SKU suffix that applies to the specific server product line this option can be ordered with. | ||
| -B21 | -H21 | -K21 |
| COMPUTE Server Line | SPECIALIZED COMPUTE Server Line | STORAGE Line |
| HPE Cloudline CL2100/CL2200/CL2800/CL3100/CL4100/CL5200/CL5800 Servers HPE Composable Cloud for ProLiant DL HPE ProLiant BL460c/BL660c Servers HPE ProLiant DL20/DL160/DL180 Servers HPE ProLiant DL325/DL345/DL365/DL360/DL380/DL385/DL560/DL580 Servers HPE ProLiant DX360/DX380 Servers HPE ProLiant MicroServer HPE ProLiant for Microsoft Azure Stack HPE ProLiant ML30/ML110/ML350 Servers HPE Synergy 480/660 Systems HPE ProLiant DX170r/DX190r, DX2000 Servers HPE ProLiant DX560 Gen10 server HPE ProLiant DX4200 Gen10 server | HPE Apollo 35/40/70 Systems HPE Apollo 2000/6000 Servers HPE XL170r/XL190r/XL270d (Apollo 6500) Gen10 Server for BlueData Software HPE Converged System 300/500/700/750 HPE Edgeline Systems and Servers HPE Integrity BL860c i6/BL870c i6/BL890c i6 Server Blades HPE Integrity MC990 X Server HPE Integrity rx2800 i6 Server HPE Integrity Superdome HPE SGI 8600 System HPE Solutions for SAP HANA (TDI) | HPE Apollo 4200 Gen9/Gen10 Servers HPE Apollo 4200 Gen10 LFF Server for BlueData Software HPE Apollo 4510 Gen10 System HPE D2220sb/D2500sb Storage Blade HPE D3000/D6020/D8000 Disk Enclosures HPE Scalable Object Storage with Scality RING HPE SimpliVity 2600 HPE SimpliVity 325/380 Gen10 HPE Storage File Controllers HPE StoreEasy 1460/1560/1650/1660/1860 Disclaimer: This may not be a complete listing of applicable servers |
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Software Updates
Always ensure you are operating with the latest iLO, system BIOS, and controller firmware for your server and OS.
For optimal performance:
- – iLO 5 2.30 or later
- – BIOS 2.36 or later for Gen10 Servers
Operating Systems and Virtualization Software Support for HPE Servers
HPE servers are designed for seamless integration with partner Operating Systems and Virtualization Software. By collaborating closely with our partners, we ensure that their products are optimized, certified, and fully supported within your HPE server environment.
Notes: HPE NS204i-d Synergy Gen11 Boot Controller does not support Ubuntu
Access the certified and supported servers for each of the OS and Virtualization software: HPE Servers Support & Certification Matrices
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HPE Services
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HPE Complete Care Service is a modular, edge-to-cloud IT environment service designed to help optimize your entire IT environment and achieve agreed upon IT outcomes and business goals through a personalized experience. All delivered by an assigned team of HPE Services experts. HPE Complete Care Service provides:
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- – Modular and fully personalized engagement
- – Enhanced Incident Management experience with priority access
- – Digitally enabled and AI driven customer experience
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HPE Lifecycle Services
HPE Lifecycle Services provide a variety of options to help maintain your HPE systems and solutions at all stages of the product lifecycle. A few popular examples include:
- – Lifecycle Install and Startup Services: Various levels for physical installation and power on, remote access setup, installation and startup, and enhanced installation services with the operating system.
- – HPE Firmware Update Analysis Service: Recommendations for firmware revision levels for selected HPE products, taking into account the relevant revision dependencies within your IT environment.
- – HPE Firmware Update Implementation Service: Implementation of firmware updates for selected HPE server, storage, and solution products, taking into account the relevant revision dependencies within your IT environment.
- – Implementation assistance services: Highly trained technical service specialists to assist you with a variety of activities, ranging from design, implementation, and platform deployment to consolidation, migration, project management, and onsite technical forums.
- – HPE Service Credits: Access to prepaid services for flexibility to choose from a variety of specialized service activities, including assessments, performance maintenance reviews, firmware management, professional services, and operational best practices.
Notes: To review the list of Lifecycle Services available for your product go to:
https://www.hpe.com/services/lifecycle
For a list of the most frequently purchased services using service credits, see the HPE Service Credits Menu
Other Related Services from HPE Services
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Defective Media Retention
An option available with HPE Complete Care Service and HPE Tech Care Service and applies only to Disk or eligible SSD/Flash Drives replaced by HPE due to malfunction.
Consult your HPE Sales Representative or Authorized Channel Partner of choice for any additional questions and service options.
Parts and Materials
HPE will provide HPE-supported replacement parts and materials necessary to maintain the covered hardware product in operating condition, including parts and materials for available and recommended engineering improvements.
Parts and components that have reached their maximum supported lifetime and/or the maximum usage limitations as set forth in the manufacturer's operating manual, product QuickSpecs, or the technical product data sheet will not be provided, repaired, or replaced as part of these services.
How to Purchase Services
Services are sold by Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Hewlett Packard Enterprise Authorized Service Partners:
- – Services for customers purchasing from HPE or an enterprise reseller are quoted using HPE order configuration tools.
- – Customers purchasing from a commercial reseller can find services at https://ssc.hpe.com/portal/site/ssc/
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Achieve faster time to resolution with access to product-specific resources and expertise through a digital and data driven customer experience
Sign into the HPE Support Center experience, featuring streamlined self-serve case creation and management capabilities with inline knowledge recommendations. You will also find personalized task alerts and powerful troubleshooting support through an intelligent virtual agent with seamless transition when needed to a live support agent.
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- – Get faster time to market
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To learn more about HPE Services, please contact your Hewlett Packard Enterprise sales representative or Hewlett Packard Enterprise Authorized Channel Partner. Contact information for a representative in your area can be found at "Contact HPE" https://www.hpe.com/us/en/contact-hpe.html
For more information: http://www.hpe.com/services
| HPE NS204i | |
|---|---|
| Function | OS boot only |
| Form Factor | PCIe HHHL card, mezzanine or 1U riser |
| RAID Mode | Preconfigured hardware RAID 1 |
| SSD | 480/960 GB, read intensive, enterprise-class with Power Loss Protection (PLP). SSDs must be added to the NS204i-r riser and NS204i-t boot controller |
| SSD form factor | 22110 |
| Drive writes per day (dwpd) | 1 |
| PCIe Support | Gen 3 |
| PCIe Host Interface | NS204i-p: x8 physical, x4 electrical |
| Physical Drives Required | 2 |
| NVMe RAID | Supported, hardware RAID 1 only |
| Boot Mode | UEFI |
| Security | FW RoT |
| Platform support | HPE Intel Gen10 and Intel and AMD Gen10 Plus (see Platform Support matrix for details) |
| What’s in the box | NS204i-p: (1) PCIe HHHL card, (2) NVMe M.2 SSDs, full height bracket, half height bracket, installation instructions NS204i-d: (1) Boot Controller SY480 Gen10 Plus, (2) NVMe M.2 SSDs, installation instructions NS204i-r: (1) DL36x Gen10 Plus riser, installation instructions - SSDs not included NS204i-t: (1) Apollo boot controller, installation instructions – SSDs not included |
| Driver and Firmware | Uses native OS NVMe drivers. No separate driver required. |
| OS supported | VMware, Linux, Windows See Support table for details. |
| HPE OneView support | Visible, not managablemanageable |
| Storage Management Software support | Visible, not managablemanageable |
| Compliance | RoHS, Lot 9 |
| Warranty | 3 years, parts only. Does not include SSD wear out. |
Environmentally friendly Products and Approach End-of Life Management and Recycling
Hewlett Packard Enterprise offers end-of-life product return, trade-in, and recycling programs, in many geographic areas, for our products. Products returned to Hewlett Packard Enterprise will be recycled, recovered or disposed of in a responsible manner.
The European Union Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive [EU WEEE] (2002/95/EC) requires
manufacturers to provide treatment information for each product type for use by treatment facilities. This information (product disassembly instructions) is posted on the Hewlett Packard Enterprise web site. These instructions may be used by recyclers and other WEEE treatment facilities as well as Hewlett Packard Enterprise OEM customers who integrate and re-sell Hewlett Packard Enterprise equipment.
| Date | Version History | Action | Description of Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Nov-2025 | Changed | Overview section was updated. | |
| Removed | HPE ProLiant DL36X Gen10 Plus x16/x8 PCIe M.2 NS204i-r Riser Kit obsolete SKU. | ||
| 28-Jul-2025 | Changed | Technical specifications Section was updated (HPE NS204i) | |
| 07-Jul-2025 | Changed | Models Section was updated with new SKUs, | |
| Added | SKUs were added in Models Section: P81160-B21, P81162-B21 | ||
| 27-May-2025 | Changed | Notes updated (page 1 & 5), SKU P48183-21 was removed from Models | |
| 02-Dec-2024 | Changed | QuickSpecs Name was updated | |
| 16-Sep-2024 | Changed | Operating Systems information was updated. | |
| 04-Dec-2023 | Changed | Service and Support Section was updated | |
| 05-Sep-2023 | Changed | Standard Features & Overview Sections were updated | |
| 05-Jun-2023 | Changed | Overview, Standard Features and Service and Support sections were updated. | |
| 10-Nov-2022 | Changed | Models & Service and Support Sections were updated | |
| 06-Sep-2022 | Changed | Models Section was updated | |
| 06-Dec-2021 | Changed | Added NS204i-r, NS204i-d, and NS204i-t products | |
| 15-Nov-2021 | Changed | Models & Service and Support Sections were updated | |
| 09-Nov-2020 | Changed | Technical Specifications was updated | |
| 28-Sep-2020 | New | New QuickSpecs |
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For hard drives, 1 GB = 1 billion bytes. Actual formatted capacity is less.
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