This feature uses high-speed Solid State Drives (SSDs) as a caching layer in front of slower Hard Disk Drive (HDD) bulk storage.
This article provides a definitive guide. We will cover the P420i controller's capabilities, clarify the exact role of licenses like the Smart Array Advanced Pack (SAAP), provide detailed instructions for installation and recovery, and offer essential troubleshooting advice.
For many, it is a common misconception that a license key is required for basic RAID 5 functionality on a P420i. This is . According to official HP/HPE documentation, while older Gen6 and Gen7 controllers (like the P410i) require a license key for SAAP features, SAAP 2.0 is a base feature on the HP Smart Array P420i . hp smart array p420i license key
Select the from the left-hand controller list. Click on Actions and select Manage License Keys . Click Add License Key .
For headless Linux environments or automated deployments, use the command line utility. Open your terminal or command prompt as an administrator. This feature uses high-speed Solid State Drives (SSDs)
Even with a license or updated firmware, certain hardware prerequisites must be met to enable advanced RAID levels or caching: Flash Backed Write Cache (FBWC):
Enables online capacity expansion and RAID migration without taking servers offline. For many, it is a common misconception that
: Features like RAID 6, RAID 60, and Online RAID Level Migration are typically and unlocked by default in current firmware (v4.68+). HPE SmartCache : This remains a licensed feature
If your server still asks for a "License Activation Key," you typically need the HPE Smart Array Advanced Pack 2.0 .
Select , paste your key into the field, and click Submit . Method 3: Using HP SSACLI (Command Line Interface)