| Feature | Requires License? | Notes | |--------|------------------|-------| | Basic RAID (0,1,5,6,10,50,60) | ❌ No | Free and built-in | | HPE SSA (GUI/CLI config tool) | ❌ No | Free download from HPE | | Smart Array Advanced Pack (SAAP) | ✅ Yes | Unlocks: RAID 6, 60, Online Spare, etc. But P420i already supports RAID 6/60 natively — so SAAP is irrelevant here. | | SSD Caching / CacheCade | ✅ Yes | Requires separate license key (not for P420i typically). | | Mixed drive types (SAS+SATA) in one array | ❌ No | P420i supports mixing without license. |
✅ Bottom line: You do not need a license key for normal RAID operation on a P420i.
You will find GitHub repositories and YouTube videos showing how to modify the P420i firmware to ignore the license check. These usually involve:
We do not recommend this for production. While it works technically, a firmware brick on a Gen8 motherboard is irreversible. Furthermore, running unsupported firmware in a commercial environment violates HPE support agreements.
If you want, I can:
Unlocking the Full Potential of the HP Smart Array P420i: A Guide to Advanced Licensing
The HP Smart Array P420i is a cornerstone of ProLiant Gen8 server architecture, offering a reliable 6Gb/s SAS interface for enterprise workloads. While the hardware provides robust baseline performance, many of its most powerful capabilities—like high-speed SSD caching and advanced RAID configurations—traditionally required a separate license key. The Evolution of P420i Licensing
When the P420i was first released, standard features were limited to basic RAID levels (0, 1, 10). To unlock "Advanced Pack" features, administrators needed to purchase a Smart Array Advanced Pack (SAAP) 2.0 license. hp smart array p420i license key new
However, in a significant shift for legacy hardware owners, HPE released firmware updates (starting from version 4.68 and later) that integrated several formerly paid features into the base firmware for free. Features Now Free (Firmware 4.68+):
RAID 6 and RAID 60: Advanced Data Guarding (ADG) can now be enabled without a license, provided you have at least 512MB of Flash Backed Write Cache (FBWC). Advanced Capacity Expansion: Resize logical drives online. Secure Drive Erase: Standardize data sanitization.
Mirror Splitting and Recombining: Useful for offline backups or testing. When You Still Need a License Key
Despite the firmware updates, certain performance-critical features still require a dedicated license key, most notably HP SmartCache.
HP SmartCache: This feature allows you to use high-performance SSDs as a cache for slower HDD-based arrays. It significantly accelerates read-intensive workloads. To use this on a P420i, you must have: A minimum of 1GB FBWC. At least one SSD to act as the "Accelerator". A valid HP SmartCache License Key. How to Install a New P420i License Key
If you have acquired a new license key (typically a 25-character alphanumeric code), follow these steps to activate it using the HPE Smart Storage Administrator (SSA): Smart Array P410i License Key 12 - Google Groups
For users of the HP Smart Array P420i controller, license keys were traditionally required to unlock high-end features. However, significant changes in firmware have altered how these capabilities are accessed today. The Evolution of P420i Licensing Originally, the P420i required an HP Smart Array Advanced Pack (SAAP) 2.0 | Feature | Requires License
license key to enable advanced RAID levels and optimization tools. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Integrated Features: With firmware version 4.68 or later , HPE made many SAAP 2.0 features
and "free" for the P420i. This means that for modern setups, most advanced RAID levels like RAID 6 and RAID 60
no longer require a separate license key as long as the controller firmware is updated. Hardware Requirements:
Even without a license, advanced functionality (like Online RAID Migration) still requires a Flash Backed Write Cache (FBWC) module, typically 512MB, 1GB, or 2GB. Features Unlocked by SAAP 2.0
If you are running older firmware or specific advanced management tasks, the SAAP 2.0 license enables: Advanced RAID Levels: RAID 6, 60, 1 ADM (Advanced Data Mirroring), and 6+0. Optimization:
Drive Erase, Performance Optimization for degraded reads, and Read Coalescing. Management:
Advanced Capacity Expansion, Mirror Splitting, and Recombining in offline mode. HP SmartCache Licensing While basic RAID features are now standard, HPE Smart Array SR SmartCache remains a separately licensed feature. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Community You will find GitHub repositories and YouTube videos
This technology uses SSDs as a high-speed caching tier for traditional HDD arrays to accelerate workloads. Activation: SmartCache requires a unique 25-character alphanumeric key per server. These are typically purchased through HPE Part Numbers or authorized retailers. Hewlett Packard Enterprise How to Install a License Key
If you have a new license key (e.g., for SmartCache), you can activate it using the HPE Smart Storage Administrator (SSA) or the older Array Configuration Utility (ACU) Google Groups
HP Smart Array Advanced Pack Evaluation License Key · GitHub
Here is what you need to know:
If you cannot find a new or legitimate P420i license key, you have a superior hardware option.
Buy an HP Smart Array P420 (PCIe version) or P822.
These add-on cards do not require a software license key. They ship from the factory with the Advanced Pack features unlocked (RAID 5/6). You can find used P420 PCIe cards for $30-$50.
How to switch:
This is often cheaper and faster than finding a genuine software license.