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HPE ProLiant DL380 and DL360: Gen9 vs Gen10 vs Gen10 Plus

Compare HPE ProLiant DL380 and DL360 Gen9, Gen10, Gen10 Plus and Gen11: processors, memory slots, network options, drive layouts and CTO part numbers.

Updated 6 min readBy the NorthernITShop team

The HPE ProLiant DL380 is the 2U two-socket model and the DL360 is the 1U two-socket model; each generation changes the processor platform, memory and network design. Gen9 runs Xeon E5-2600 v3/v4, Gen10 runs 1st and 2nd generation Xeon Scalable, Gen10 Plus runs 3rd generation Xeon Scalable with 32 DIMM slots, and Gen11 moves to DDR5.

DL380 vs DL360

Both lines share the same processors, memory and management within a generation. The difference is height.

  • DL360 (1U): compact compute. Fewer drive bays and expansion slots. Suits virtualization hosts and application servers where rack space is tight.
  • DL380 (2U): more drive bays, more expansion and more cooling headroom. Suits storage-heavy hosts, databases and servers with several adapters.

In our catalog, the DL380 Gen10 is available in 8SFF, 24SFF, 8LFF and 12LFF chassis, while the DL360 Gen10 comes in 8SFF, 4LFF and a 10 x NVMe base configuration (879991-B21).

Generations at a glance

Generation Processors Memory DIMM slots Max memory Embedded network
Gen9 Intel Xeon E5-2600 v3 and v4 DDR4 24 3 TB 4-port 1Gb 331i
Gen10 Intel Xeon Scalable, 1st and 2nd generation DDR4 24 3 TB 4-port 1Gb 331i, or Network Choice (none embedded)
Gen10 Plus Intel Xeon Scalable, 3rd generation DDR4 32 8 TB None; OCP 3.0 or PCIe adapter
Gen11 Intel Xeon Scalable, 4th and 5th generation DDR5 32 8 TB None; OCP 3.0 or PCIe adapter

All figures are from HPE QuickSpecs held in our catalog. Each row applies to both the DL380 and the DL360 of that generation.

Gen9: the budget platform

Gen9 is the last ProLiant generation on Xeon E5-2600 processors. The CTO chassis in our catalog ship with the HPE Dynamic Smart Array B140i embedded controller and the 4-port 1Gb 331i adapter.

Part number Model Drive bays
755258-B21 DL360 Gen9 8 x 2.5in SFF
719064-B21 DL380 Gen9 8 x 2.5in SFF
767032-B21 DL380 Gen9 24 x 2.5in SFF
767033-B21 DL380 Gen9 4 x 3.5in LFF
719061-B21 DL380 Gen9 12 x 3.5in LFF

Choose Gen9 when you are expanding an existing Gen9 estate, building a lab, or need the lowest entry cost for a two-socket DDR4 server. For older Gen8 systems, see the DL380p Gen8, which uses DDR3 and is not memory-compatible with Gen9.

Gen10: Xeon Scalable on DDR4

Gen10 moved to Intel Xeon Scalable processors while keeping 24 DIMM slots and DDR4.

Gen10 comes in two network styles:

  • Standard CTO with the embedded 4-port 1Gb 331i adapter.
  • Network Choice CTO with no embedded network. You choose a FlexibleLOM or PCIe adapter when you configure the server.
Part number Model Drive bays Network
867959-B21 DL360 Gen10 8 x 2.5in SFF 331i embedded
867958-B21 DL360 Gen10 4 x 3.5in LFF 331i embedded
868703-B21 DL380 Gen10 8 x 2.5in SFF 331i embedded
868704-B21 DL380 Gen10 24 x 2.5in SFF 331i embedded
868705-B21 DL380 Gen10 12 x 3.5in LFF 331i embedded
P19720-B21 DL380 Gen10 8 x 2.5in SFF Network Choice

Gen10 storage controllers in our catalog include the Smart Array E208i-a (8 lanes, no cache), the P408i-a (8 lanes, 2 GB cache) and the P816i-a (16 lanes, 4 GB cache). For 10GbE, the 562FLR-SFP+ is a 2-port Intel X710-DA2 FlexibleLOM adapter.

Gen10 Plus: 32 slots and OCP 3.0

Gen10 Plus brings 3rd generation Xeon Scalable processors, 32 DIMM slots and up to 8 TB of DDR4. It drops the embedded adapter and the FlexibleLOM slot in favor of OCP 3.0 or PCIe network adapters. That means Gen10 FlexibleLOM cards do not carry over.

Part number Model Drive bays
P28948-B21 DL360 Gen10 Plus 8 x 2.5in SFF
P28947-B21 DL360 Gen10 Plus 4 x 3.5in LFF
P05172-B21 DL380 Gen10 Plus 8 x 2.5in SFF
P05173-B21 DL380 Gen10 Plus 24 x 2.5in SFF
P05174-B21 DL380 Gen10 Plus 12 x 3.5in LFF

Gen10 Plus storage controllers include the MR416i-a (x16 lanes, 4 GB cache, NVMe and SAS).

Gen11: DDR5

Gen11 moves to DDR5 memory and 4th and 5th generation Xeon Scalable processors, with 32 DIMM slots and up to 8 TB. New chassis options include EDSFF drive bays, such as the DL360 Gen11 20EDSFF (P52500-B21). Memory from Gen10 and Gen10 Plus does not carry over. See the DL380 Gen11 8SFF (P52534-B21) and DL360 Gen11 8SFF (P52499-B21).

Which generation should you buy?

  • Gen9 for the lowest cost, labs and existing Gen9 estates.
  • Gen10 for a balance of cost and a newer platform, and for matching the large installed base.
  • Gen10 Plus when you need more memory (32 slots, 8 TB) or OCP 3.0 networking on DDR4.
  • Gen11 for new long-term deployments on DDR5.

Buying checklist

  1. Model and generation. DL360 or DL380, and Gen9, Gen10, Gen10 Plus or Gen11.
  2. Chassis. SFF, LFF or EDSFF, and the number of bays. A CTO part number fixes the front bay layout.
  3. Processors. One or two, from the supported family. Two processors are needed to use all DIMM slots.
  4. Memory. HPE SmartMemory or matching modules, populated evenly. See our server memory guide.
  5. Storage controller. Embedded, Smart Array or MR series, with or without cache.
  6. Network. Embedded, FlexibleLOM, OCP 3.0 or PCIe, plus optics or DAC cables.
  7. Power supplies, rails and cable management arm.

How to request pricing

Send the CTO part number or model with your parts list as one RFQ. We reply with pricing and availability within 1 business day. Browse HPE products and rack servers, or use Source a Part for anything not listed.

FAQ

What is the difference between the DL380 Gen9 and Gen10?

Gen9 uses Intel Xeon E5-2600 v3 and v4 processors. Gen10 uses 1st and 2nd generation Xeon Scalable processors. Both have 24 DIMM slots, DDR4 memory and up to 3 TB, but processors and many controllers are not interchangeable.

Does Gen10 memory work in Gen10 Plus?

Both use DDR4, but supported module speeds and part numbers differ. Check the HPE QuickSpecs for your model, or send us both part numbers to check.

What does "Network Choice" mean on a ProLiant part number?

It is a CTO chassis with no embedded network adapter. You add a FlexibleLOM (Gen10) or OCP 3.0 (Gen10 Plus and Gen11) adapter, or a PCIe card, when you configure the server.

Is a CTO server a complete system?

No. A CTO (configure-to-order) part number is a base chassis. Processors, memory, drives and power supplies are added to build a working server. List them in your RFQ.

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