HPE DL360 G11 8SFF X4 U.3 TM BP KIT - P48896-B21

HPE P48896-B21 8SFF x4 U.3 Tri-Mode Backplane Kit

Overview

The HPE P48896-B21 is a factory-new x4 U.3 Tri-Mode (TM) drive backplane kit designed for the HPE ProLiant DL360 Gen11 server in 8 Small Form Factor (8SFF) drive bay configurations. It expands the server's internal storage connectivity by adding a dedicated U.3 backplane segment, enabling NVMe, SAS, and SATA drives to share a single physical interface — a meaningful advantage in mixed-workload environments where storage protocol flexibility matters without requiring separate cabling runs or additional HBAs for each drive type.

Compatibility

This kit is designed specifically for the HPE ProLiant DL360 Gen11 (G11) platform configured with the 8SFF small form factor drive cage. It is not interchangeable with earlier DL360 generations (Gen10, Gen10 Plus) or other ProLiant form factors such as the DL380 or ML series. Confirm your chassis SKU and existing backplane layout before ordering — the 8SFF bay count and physical backplane connector position must match this kit's mounting footprint. U.3 Tri-Mode requires a compatible controller (such as an HPE MR or SR Gen11 HBA/RAID adapter) to expose all three protocol modes; pairing with a legacy SAS-only HBA limits the backplane to SAS/SATA-only operation and foregoes NVMe capability.

Installation Notes

The kit ships at 0.74 lb and fits within a 5.00 x 5.00 x 5.00 in envelope, consistent with a standard DL360 internal backplane module. Installation requires partial server disassembly per HPE's documented procedure for the DL360 G11 — confirm access to the relevant server accessory installation guide before beginning. No specialized tooling beyond standard server-grade drivers is expected, but HPE's online service documentation for the DL360 Gen11 should be consulted for torque and connector seating requirements specific to this backplane position.