The HPE ProLiant DL560 Gen10 24-Bay 2.5" pairs HPE's 4-socket flagship compute platform with maximum SFF storage density - twenty-four 2.5" hot-swap bays in a 2U chassis alongside up to four Intel Xeon Scalable processors, 48 DDR4 DIMM slots, 6 TB memory ceiling with LRDIMMs, FlexibleLOM networking, iLO 5 with Silicon Root of Trust, and up to 4 HPE Flex Slot power supplies. This is a deliberately specialized configuration: 4-socket compute for scale-up workloads combined with 24-bay SFF storage for high-density database, analytics, or HCI data that lives locally rather than on a SAN.

For the full DL560 Gen10 platform documentation - including the honest framing on when 4-socket compute is and isn't the right call, Section 12 platform vocabulary (CPU/memory/PCIe/management), and Dell PowerEdge R840 cross-vendor reference - see the DL560 Gen10 8-Bay 2.5" canonical. This page focuses on what's specific to the 24-bay variant: when 24 SFF bays alongside 4-socket compute is the right tool, the bay-count-driven workload patterns, and the storage controller and power decisions that change at 24 bays.

To configure a build, call 1-800-778-1545 or use the quote form below. Every refurbished unit ships under our 180-day warranty with 12+ hour burn-in testing, and volume pricing starts at 5 units. The 24-bay configuration benefits from extra design discussion - 4-socket compute plus 24 SSDs in 2U is genuinely dense and the architectural choices have downstream operational consequences worth getting right at quote time.

When 24 SFF Bays + 4-Socket Makes Sense

The 24-Bay DL560 is a deliberately narrow configuration. Most 4-socket workloads (SAP HANA, Oracle Database, mission-critical virtualization, SQL Server Enterprise) don't need 24 local SFF drives - they either use a SAN for primary storage or a smaller number of high-performance local SSDs alongside networked storage. The DL360-class 8-Bay DL560 is the right answer for most of those builds.

The 24-Bay DL560 earns its place when both 4-socket compute AND high-density local SSD storage are genuine requirements. The specific scenarios:

• SAP HANA with large local SSD persistence layer. HANA in-memory databases benefit from local NVMe/SSD for log persistence and warm-data tiering rather than depending on SAN latency for log writes. 24 SFF bays alongside HANA-scale memory (3-6 TB DDR4 + up to 12 TB Persistent Memory on L-series CPUs) enables a complete in-memory plus fast-persistence architecture in a single chassis. The persistence layer fits in the chassis instead of crossing the SAN, which matters for HANA savepoint and log-replay latency.
• Oracle Database with local ASM diskgroups. Oracle RAC or large-instance Oracle databases where the design choice is local SSD storage rather than SAN. 24 SAS SSDs in ASM disk groups deliver high IOPS and predictable latency without the SAN dependency. Common when SAN is unavailable, undesirable for licensing/cost reasons, or simply when the database team has decided ASM-on-local-SSD is the operational pattern they want to standardize on.
• SQL Server Enterprise with extensive tempdb and log staging on local SSDs. Per-core SQL Server licensing economics already favor consolidation on 4-socket compute; pairing with 24 high-endurance SSDs lets the entire tempdb plus transaction log infrastructure live on local NVMe/SAS rather than crossing the SAN. Datafile-on-SAN plus tempdb-and-logs-on-local-SSD is a documented Microsoft pattern for performance-sensitive SQL Server deployments.
• High-density VMware HCI or vSAN ReadyNode at 4-socket scale. vSAN ReadyNode configurations at 24 SFF bays with 4-socket compute deliver high VM density per host. Fewer, larger HCI nodes reduce vSphere license count (which is per-CPU socket) and rack footprint. The 24-bay DL560 is at the high end of the vSAN ReadyNode footprint and works well when the goal is consolidating to the fewest hosts possible.
• In-memory analytics with large local hot-data tier. Analytics workloads (Splunk, Elasticsearch hot-tier, in-memory data grids) that need both maximum processing capacity (4-socket) and large local SSD datasets that don't fit entirely in DRAM but are too latency-sensitive for SAN. 24 SAS SSDs as a tiered hot-data layer behind in-memory analytics is a meaningful configuration.
• Microsoft Storage Spaces Direct (S2D) at 4-socket scale. S2D requires HBA-mode storage and benefits from high drive counts per node for performance scaling. 24 NVMe or SAS SSDs in a 4-socket S2D node delivers a high-density HCI design with the per-node compute headroom to host many workloads.

If either the 4-socket compute or the 24-bay storage capacity is more than the workload actually needs, a different platform delivers better economics. The DL380 Gen10 24-Bay covers high-density storage at the dual-socket tier; the DL560 Gen10 8-Bay covers 4-socket compute with modest local storage. Pay for both 4-socket and 24-bay only when both are genuine requirements.

Storage - 24 SFF Bays

Twenty-four 2.5" SAS/SATA/NVMe hot-swap bays across three drive boxes (Box 1, Box 2, Box 3) in the front of the chassis. With the full 24-bay configuration populated, the optional Universal Media Bay (front display port plus optical drive) is not supported - the media bay occupies the same physical position as one of the drive boxes. Production 24-bay builds typically don't need the media bay; remote iLO 5 access covers the operational requirements that the media bay served on earlier platforms.

Drive options span the full Gen10 SFF portfolio: SAS SSDs (mixed-use and read-intensive endurance tiers, 480 GB through 7.68 TB), SATA SSDs for cost-optimized roles, SAS HDDs at 10K and 15K for moderate-IOPS data, NVMe SSDs via specific drive cage and riser combinations (see NVMe section below), and self-encrypting drive variants for compliance-regulated deployments. Per-drive type mixing is supported subject to controller capability.

RAID guidance at 24 SFF bays: RAID 6 is appropriate for capacity-optimized SAS/SATA SSD pools where rebuild windows on individual drive failure need to be tolerated; RAID 10 is appropriate for write-intensive workloads where the 50% capacity overhead is acceptable in exchange for write performance and shorter rebuild windows; RAID 50 or RAID 60 across multiple sub-pools (e.g. 2x RAID 6 of 12 drives, striped) balances rebuild scope against usable capacity. We discuss RAID layout in every 24-Bay quote.

Boot Drives

M.2 boot via the HPE M.2 SSD enablement option is strongly recommended at 24 bays - consuming 2 bays for OS boot mirroring wastes meaningful storage capacity in a configuration that exists specifically for high-density local SSD. M.2 boot mounts in a PCIe slot or on the CPU mezzanine board and frees all 24 SFF bays for data. Standard on our 24-Bay DL560 quotes unless customer specifies otherwise.

Storage Controllers at 24-Bay Scale

At 24 SFF bays, the storage controller decision matters more than at 8 bays - controller capability, RAID overhead, and write-cache sizing become primary design factors rather than secondary considerations:

• Smart Array P816i-a SR Gen10 (4 GB FBWC). The standard production controller for the 24-Bay configuration. 4 GB flash-backed write cache absorbs burst writes across the larger drive pool, tri-mode SAS/SATA/NVMe support handles mixed drive types. Full hardware RAID 0/1/5/6/10/50/60. Right pick for traditional hardware RAID across 24 SAS SSDs.
• Smart Array P824i-p MR Gen10 (4 GB cache, CacheCade). MR-series controller with 24 internal SAS lanes - the controller is purpose-designed for 24-drive configurations. CacheCade SSD acceleration accelerates HDD pools when the drive mix includes both SSD and HDD. The right controller when the deployment uses dedicated CacheCade SSDs to front a larger HDD pool, or when maximum lane count matters for sustained throughput.
• Smart Array E208i-a SR Gen10 plus additional E208 (HBA mode). For software-defined storage workloads (vSAN, Ceph, ZFS, Storage Spaces Direct) at 24-bay scale. Multiple HBA controllers may be required to deliver pass-through for all 24 bays; we'll spec the right combination at quote time based on backplane configuration.
• Smart Array P408i-a SR Gen10 (2 GB FBWC). Supported on the 24-bay configuration but the 2 GB cache is smaller than ideal for 24 SSDs under heavy write load. Acceptable for primarily read-heavy or moderate-write workloads; for write-intensive workloads the P816i-a is the better default.

The HPE Smart Storage Battery is required when any P-series performance RAID controller is installed. At 24 bays the battery is essentially mandatory - write workload at this drive count makes write-cache protection a hard requirement. We include the battery on every 24-Bay quote with a P-series controller. On P824i-p MR builds, confirm CacheCade SSD requirements at quote time - the MR controller's value depends on the CacheCade SSD configuration matching the workload's read/write profile.

NVMe at 24 Bays

The DL560 Gen10 supports up to 12 NVMe SSDs (half of the 24-bay backplane) with the right combination of NVMe drive cages, PCIe risers, and Smart Array controllers. NVMe at this drive count requires PCIe lane budget that competes with other expansion (the 4-port NVMe Mezzanine card on the CPU mezzanine board doesn't consume PCIe slots but is limited to 8 NVMe drives; beyond that requires PCIe slot consumption).

Common NVMe configurations on the 24-Bay DL560:

• 8 NVMe + 16 SAS/SATA SFF. NVMe via the mezzanine card (no PCIe slot consumption), remaining 16 bays via SAS/SATA on a P816i-a or HBA. Typical hot/warm storage tiering pattern.
• 12 NVMe + 12 SAS/SATA SFF. Maximum NVMe configuration via PCIe slot consumption for additional NVMe lanes. Higher-bandwidth tier for performance-critical local storage paired with bulk SAS/SATA. Verifies feasibility at quote time given competing PCIe demand.
• 24 SAS/SATA SFF. All-SAS or all-SATA configuration with no NVMe. Simpler PCIe planning; appropriate when NVMe-tier performance isn't the design requirement.

For most production 24-Bay DL560 workloads, all-SAS-SSD is the right answer - the per-drive performance of modern SAS SSDs is high enough that the NVMe step-up isn't required, and the SAS-only configuration simplifies PCIe planning meaningfully. If NVMe is a genuine workload requirement, we'll engineer the riser and controller combination at quote time.

Power and Cooling at 24-Drive Scale

A fully-populated DL560 Gen10 24-Bay with 4x Gold 6248 (4x 150W = 600W CPU), 48 DDR4 DIMMs (approximately 150-200W), and 24 SAS SSDs (approximately 240W) plus fans and overhead draws approximately 1,400-1,700W sustained. With 4x Platinum 8280 at 205W each (820W CPU alone) and 24 NVMe SSDs, the draw rises to approximately 1,800-2,000W sustained.

At this power envelope, 1600W Titanium PSUs are mandatory and 4-PSU configurations are typically required for production HA. Recall from the canonical that 4x 1600W PSUs and the tertiary PCIe riser are mutually exclusive - on the 24-Bay configuration, 4-PSU is typically the right choice (high TDP plus production HA) and the platform delivers 6 PCIe slots maximum rather than 8.

1600W Flex Slot Titanium PSUs require high-line input (200-240VAC) - confirm rack PDU and circuit capacity before deployment. We validate power budgets including PDU phase balance for every 24-Bay DL560 quote.

Thermal envelope: 24 SAS SSDs plus 4 high-TDP CPUs in 2U is thermally aggressive. Inlet temperature spec of 10°C to 35°C standard applies but at the upper limit (32-35°C inlet), confirm specific CPU SKU support against the HPE thermal matrix. ASHRAE A3/A4 support is configuration-specific at this density; we validate thermal headroom on every quote.

Honest Limitations

• Same 4-socket platform limitations as the canonical 8-Bay. 4x 1600W PSU and tertiary PCIe riser mutually exclusive; full 48-DIMM population drops memory speed one bin; 1st and 2nd Gen Xeon Scalable cannot be mixed; 4-socket TDP requires thermal validation; not a primary GPU compute platform. See the DL560 Gen10 8-Bay canonical for full Section 12 platform vocabulary.
• Universal Media Bay not supported with full 24-bay population. The media bay occupies the same physical position as one of the three drive boxes. Production 24-bay builds don't typically need the media bay; remote iLO 5 access covers the same operational requirements.
• NVMe at full 24-bay scale is PCIe-budget-limited. Maximum 12 NVMe drives requires PCIe slot consumption beyond the 4-port mezzanine card. NVMe beyond 8 drives competes with FlexibleLOM, storage controller, and any other expansion - we engineer this carefully at quote time.
• Storage controller decision matters more at 24 bays. The P408i-a (2 GB cache) is supported but undersized for write-intensive workloads at 24 SSDs. P816i-a (4 GB) is the standard recommendation; P824i-p MR for CacheCade-accelerated workloads. The wrong controller choice at 24 bays produces measurable performance loss under load.
• Single-PSU operation not appropriate. The 24-Bay DL560 draws 1.4-2.0 kW sustained - single PSU is not a production configuration at this power level. Take redundant PSU (2x or 4x 1600W) on every production build.
• Same Gen10 generational caveats apply. PCIe Gen3, DDR4-2933 ceiling, iLO Advanced licensing typically separate, FBWC battery as a wear item, third-party DDR4 limited to DDR4-2400 regardless of CPU. The DL380 Gen10 canonical and DL560 Gen10 8-Bay canonical cover these in detail and they apply identically here.

Workload Fit

Where to Look Instead

• 8 SFF bays sufficient alongside 4-socket compute? → DL560 Gen10 8-Bay 2.5" (canonical) - same 4-socket platform at lower cost when local storage requirement is modest
• Dual-socket with 24 SFF bays? → DL380 Gen10 24-Bay 2.5" - 24 SFF capacity at the dual-socket tier, significantly lower cost
• Need 16 SFF bays at dual-socket? → DL380 Gen10 16-Bay 2.5" - the dual-socket sweet spot for medium-density SFF storage
• Dell shop alternative at the same 4-socket 2U tier? → Dell PowerEdge R840 - 2U 4-socket Purley on the Dell side, equivalent positioning, supports up to 24 SFF in similar configurations
• Need PCIe Gen4 and DDR5 at 4-socket? → Contact us for DL560 Gen11 availability when budget allows the generational step

Ready to Configure?

24-Bay DL560 configurations are sufficiently specialized that we recommend a design conversation before hardware selection. Tell us the workload (SAP HANA / Oracle / SQL Server / vSAN / analytics / S2D), licensing context, CPU and core target, memory target including any Persistent Memory requirement, storage architecture (drive type mix, RAID layout, NVMe requirement), controller preference (P816i-a vs P824i-p MR vs HBA), PSU redundancy preference, PCIe expansion requirements, and quantity. We respond within 24 hours with a validated configuration including thermal, power-budget, and PCIe-budget confirmation. Every refurbished unit ships with the Wholesale Servers 180-day warranty and 12+ hour burn-in testing, and volume pricing starts at 5 units. Call 1-800-778-1545 or use the quote form below.