HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10 Memory Upgrade Guide — DDR4 RDIMM/LRDIMM Compatibility (2026)
DDR4 memory for the HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10: RDIMM and LRDIMM part numbers by processor generation, the HPE slot order, memory speeds and per-processor limits, checked against HPE documents.
HPE DL380 Gen10 Memory: Why Population Rules Matter
The HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10 is a 2U dual-socket server. Its memory architecture supports up to 3TB of DDR4 across 24 DIMM slots, but population rules matter: mix RDIMMs with LRDIMMs, populate channels unevenly, or mix speeds, and the server runs slower or will not accept the configuration.
This guide is a memory upgrade reference for IT teams sourcing DDR4 modules for the DL380 Gen10.
Browse all HPE DL380 Gen10 memory at Pro Disk Network — RDIMM, LRDIMM, persistent memory.
DL380 Gen10 Memory Architecture
The Gen10 uses Intel Xeon Scalable (1st or 2nd gen) "Skylake-SP" or "Cascade Lake" with 6 memory channels per CPU and 2 DIMMs per channel (2DPC) — total 24 DIMM slots in a dual-CPU configuration.
| Architecture Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| DIMM Slots (2 CPU) | 24 (12 per CPU × 2 CPU) |
| Memory Channels per CPU | 6 |
| DIMMs per Channel | 2 (2DPC) |
| Max Memory | 3TB (24 × 128GB LRDIMM) |
| Min Memory | 8GB (1 × 8GB RDIMM) |
| DDR4 kits | DDR4-2666 with 1st gen Xeon, DDR4-2933 with 2nd gen Xeon (HPE supports each only with its own generation) |
| Memory protection | Advanced ECC, Online Spare, Mirrored Memory, HPE Fast Fault Tolerance |
| Persistent Memory | Intel Optane Persistent Memory for HPE (select 2nd gen Xeon only) |
Memory speed is set by the processor, not by one or two DIMMs per channel. HPE's speed table for 2nd gen Xeon gives the same speed at both: 2933 MT/s for Platinum and Gold 62xx, 2666 for Gold 52xx, 2400 for Silver 42xx, 2133 for Bronze 32xx. 1st gen processors run at up to 2666 (Platinum, Gold 61xx and 5122), 2400 (other Gold 51xx and Silver 41xx) or 2133 (Bronze).
HPE-Branded RDIMM (Registered DIMM) for DL380 Gen10
Standard density, lowest price per GB, recommended for most workloads up to 1TB total memory.
16GB DDR4 RDIMM
| HPE SKU | Speed | Rank | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 815098-B21 | 2666 MT/s 1Rx4 | Single Rank | Boot pools, low-density VM hosts |
| 835955-B21 | 2666 MT/s 2Rx8 SmartMemory | Dual Rank | SmartMemory upgrade |
| P00920-B21 | 2933 MT/s 1Rx4 SmartMemory | Single Rank | 2nd-gen Xeon refresh |
32GB DDR4 RDIMM
| HPE SKU | Speed | Rank | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 815100-B21 | 2666 MT/s 2Rx4 | Dual Rank | Most common DL380 SKU — VMware, Hyper-V |
| P00924-B21 | 2933 MT/s 2Rx4 SmartMemory | Dual Rank | Cascade Lake refresh |
64GB DDR4 RDIMM
| HPE SKU | Speed | Rank | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| P00930-B21 | 2933 MT/s 2Rx4 SmartMemory | Dual Rank | Cascade Lake 64GB RDIMM |
HPE-Branded LRDIMM (Load-Reduced DIMM) for DL380 Gen10
Higher density, higher price per GB, supports 2DPC at full speed even at 128GB. Required for >1.5TB total memory configurations.
64GB DDR4 LRDIMM
| HPE SKU | Speed | Rank | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 815101-B21 | 2666 MT/s 4Rx4 LRDIMM | Quad Rank | Bulk-density refresh path |
| P00926-B21 | 2933 MT/s 4Rx4 LRDIMM SmartMemory | Quad Rank | 2nd-gen Xeon 64GB LRDIMM |
128GB DDR4 LRDIMM
| HPE SKU | Speed | Rank | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 815102-B21 | 2666 MT/s 8Rx4 LRDIMM 3DS | Octal Rank | Max-density 1st-gen Xeon |
| P00928-B21 | 2933 MT/s 8Rx4 LRDIMM 3DS SmartMemory | Octal Rank | 2nd-gen Xeon, faster speed |
Persistent Memory (Optane DC PMM) — 2nd-gen Xeon Only
Intel Optane Persistent Memory for HPE works in the DL380 Gen10 only with select 2nd gen Xeon processors (Platinum 82xx, Gold 62xx and 52xx, Silver 4215R/4215), up to 12 × 512 GB (6 TB), and only alongside RDIMMs or LRDIMMs. With it installed, memory runs at most 2666 MT/s (HPE QuickSpecs). Ask us for current persistent memory part numbers.
Population Rules — Six Rules From HPE's Gen10 Documents
- Never mix RDIMMs and LRDIMMs in the same server. HPE does not support it.
- Put the higher-rank DIMM in the white slot when mixing ranks within a channel. HPE supports mixing SmartMemory DIMMs of different ranks in one channel, with the higher-rank DIMM in the white slot and the lower-rank DIMM in the black slot.
- Use the same DIMMs on both processors. HPE: split the DIMMs evenly across the CPUs; with 2 CPUs, order DIMMs in even quantities.
- Follow HPE's slot order for your DIMM count. The white slot (furthest from the CPU) is the first in each channel. Six per processor fills the six white slots (1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12); eight per processor uses slots 3 to 10 (four channels with two DIMMs each, about 67% of peak bandwidth); twelve fills every slot. Counts of 5, 7, 9, 10 and 11 per processor are unbalanced and slower.
- Match the kits to the processor generation. HPE supports DDR4-2933 kits only with 2nd gen Xeon and DDR4-2666 kits only with 1st gen Xeon, so the two don't belong in the same server.
- Do not exceed 1TB per CPU on Cascade Lake without an "M" or "L" suffix CPU SKU (e.g., Xeon Platinum 8276M or 8276L). "M" variants support 2TB per CPU; "L" variants support 4.5TB per CPU. (1st gen Xeon: 768GB per CPU, 1.5TB for "M" models.)
Check a plan against these rules with the HPE server memory configurator.
Recommended Configurations
Mid-Range VMware Cluster Host
384GB total = 12 × 32GB RDIMM (815100-B21) — 6 DIMMs per CPU, fills white slots, 1DPC, full 2666 MT/s, leaves 12 black slots empty for future expansion.
High-Density Hyper-V Cluster
768GB total = 24 × 32GB RDIMM (815100-B21) — 12 DIMMs per CPU, 2DPC, full 2666 MT/s, max DIMM count without going LRDIMM.
vSAN All-Flash Compute-Heavy
1.5TB total = 24 × 64GB RDIMM (P00930-B21) or 12 × 128GB LRDIMM (P11040-B21), both with 2nd gen Xeon — the LRDIMM route leaves 12 slots free, but going past 1TB per processor needs an "M" or "L" processor.
Web/App Tier (Cost-Optimized)
192GB total = 12 × 16GB RDIMM (835955-B21) — 6 DIMMs per CPU, 1DPC, full speed, lowest cost per server.
SmartMemory vs Generic — What Changes
HPE "SmartMemory" branded DIMMs (SKU suffix matching the iLO part validation list) include:
- iLO5 predictive failure analysis — DIMMs page-out before failure
- HPE Smart Update Manager (SUM) firmware tracking
- Active Health System (AHS) telemetry — DIMM error correlation across the fleet
Third-party DDR4 built on the same SK Hynix, Samsung or Micron chips usually boots, but HPE's speed and population tables are written for HPE SmartMemory: the QuickSpecs state that HPE DDR4 Smart Memory is required to realize the memory performance they list.
Refurbished vs New Bulk
Refurbished parts carry a 90-day advance-replacement warranty, and returns are accepted within 30 days with an RMA.
Buying Process
Email sales@prodisknetwork.com with:
- DL380 Gen10 server serial number (sticker on rear / iLO > Information > Overview)
- CPU SKU + count — affects supported speed (1st-gen Xeon caps at 2666; 2nd-gen at 2933)
- Current DIMM population — iLO > Information > Memory Inventory or dmidecode -t memory output
- Target total memory + DIMM count
- iLO firmware version
You receive a quote with per-DIMM HPE SKU, speed downclock note (if any), recommended population diagram, and stock + lead time.
Use Cases
VMware vSphere ESXi 8 Host
DL380 Gen10 with 2× Xeon Gold 6258R, 768GB DDR4 (24 × 32GB RDIMM P00924-B21), HPE Smart Array P408i, 8× 1.92TB SAS SSD.
Hyper-V Cluster Node (Windows Server 2022)
DL380 Gen10 with 2× Xeon Gold 6238R, 1.5TB DDR4 (24 × 64GB RDIMM P00930-B21), 25Gb RoCEv2 networking (HPE 631FLR-SFP28, 817709-B21), all-flash storage spaces direct.
Citrix VDI Pool
DL380 Gen10 with 2× Xeon Gold 5218, 768GB DDR4 (24 × 32GB), Nvidia M10 or A16 vGPU profile, 16× SSD all-flash.
Splunk Indexer
DL380 Gen10 with 2× Xeon Silver 4216, 384GB DDR4 (12 × 32GB), 12× 1.92TB SSD RAID 6.
FAQ
Q: Will Crucial / Kingston / Samsung DDR4 work in a DL380 Gen10? A: They usually boot, but HPE does not validate them: its speed tables and population rules are for HPE SmartMemory, which the QuickSpecs say is required for the listed memory performance. Check your HPE support contract before adding third-party memory.
Q: Can I mix HPE 2666 MT/s and 2933 MT/s DIMMs in the same server? A: Not as a supported configuration: HPE supports DDR4-2933 kits only with 2nd gen Xeon and DDR4-2666 kits only with 1st gen. Where DIMMs of different speeds are installed, the server runs all memory at the lowest common speed.
Q: My DL380 Gen10 has 1st-gen Xeon — can I install 2933 MT/s DIMMs? A: HPE's QuickSpecs say DDR4-2933 kits are supported only with 2nd gen Xeon Scalable processors. For a 1st gen processor use the DDR4-2666 kits (815097-B21, 815098-B21, 835955-B21, 815100-B21, 815101-B21, 815102-B21).
Q: Do I need to populate all 6 channels per CPU before adding 2DPC? A: Not always — follow HPE's order for your DIMM count. HPE's 8-DIMM layout uses slots 3 to 10: four channels with two DIMMs each and two empty channels (about 67% of peak bandwidth). For full bandwidth use 6 per processor (one per channel) or 12 (two per channel). Counts of 5, 7, 9, 10 and 11 per processor are unbalanced and slower.
Q: Can I run RDIMM in some slots and LRDIMM in others? A: No. RDIMM and LRDIMM are mutually exclusive across the entire chassis (both CPUs, all 24 slots).
Q: What is HPE SmartMemory vs HPE Standard Memory? A: SmartMemory is HPE-branded DDR4 that iLO recognizes for predictive failure logging. Standard Memory is generic JEDEC-compliant DDR4 — usually boots, lacks iLO integration.
Q: Is refurbished server memory reliable? A: Refurbished DIMMs carry a 90-day advance-replacement warranty, and returns are accepted within 30 days with an RMA.
Related Resources
- HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10 Parts Guide
- HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10 Plus Guide
- HPE ProLiant Gen11 Server Parts Guide
- HPE Server RAM / Memory Upgrade Guide
- Server RAM Buying Guide — DDR4 vs DDR5 ECC
- DDR4 vs DDR5 Server Memory Upgrade — Worth It?
- HPE Server Memory Configurator
- HPE Server Memory Catalog
Get a Quote — DL380 Gen10 Memory
The HPE DDR4 kits above are listed in our catalogue with live prices; check a full plan first with the memory configurator.
Email sales@prodisknetwork.com with your DL380 Gen10 serial number — we return a population diagram, per-DIMM SKU, lead time, and stock confirmation.