HPE P87796-005 ProLiant ML350 Gen12 Tower Server

The HPE P87796-005 is a configured-to-order ProLiant ML350 Gen12 tower server built around the AMD EPYC 6505P 12-core processor, shipping with 1x64GB DDR5 registered memory, dual 480GB SATA SSDs, and an 8-bay SFF drive cage managed by the MR408i-O storage controller. At 107 lb and 39.50 x 24.00 x 13.20 inches, this is a full-depth tower platform intended for data center floor or dedicated server room deployment — not a rackmount, not a desktop workgroup unit.

Overview

The ML350 Gen12 line positions as HPE's mid-range dual-socket-capable tower, and this specific configuration — P87796-005 (often searched as P87796 005) — ships as a factory-integrated unit with storage already provisioned. The 8SFF backplane supports up to eight 2.5-inch drives, giving you room to expand beyond the two pre-installed SSDs without additional cage kits. The MR408i-O controller provides hardware RAID, which is the right approach for any workload requiring write consistency under failure conditions.

Key Features

• AMD EPYC 6505P 12-Core Processor: A single-socket 12-core configuration that keeps licensing costs predictable for per-core or per-socket software. The EPYC architecture delivers high memory bandwidth, relevant for workloads that stream large datasets.
• 1x64GB DDR5 Registered Memory: Ships with a single 64GB RDIMM, leaving additional slots open for capacity expansion without rebalancing populated channels — plan your growth path before commissioning.
• Dual 480GB SATA SSD (MR408i-O): Two SSDs under hardware RAID provide OS redundancy out of the box. The MR408i-O controller offloads RAID compute from the CPU, keeping application workload headroom intact.
• 8-Bay SFF Drive Cage: Six unpopulated bays mean you can add NVMe or SAS drives post-deployment without chassis surgery — critical for installations where storage requirements grow after initial commissioning.
• Tower Form Factor (107 lb / 39.50 x 24.00 x 13.20 in): At these dimensions and weight, floor placement or a reinforced server shelf is required. Verify your floor load rating and clearance before delivery — 107 lb on a standard desk is not a supported configuration.

Integration and Compatibility

As an HPE ProLiant platform, the ML350 Gen12 integrates with HPE iLO management, HPE OneView, and Agentless Management Service for out-of-band monitoring and lifecycle management. The MR408i-O controller is supported under HPE's Smart Storage Administrator toolset. Verify VMS, hypervisor, or application stack compatibility against HPE's SPOCK (Single Point of Connectivity Knowledge) tool before finalizing the BOM — Gen12 platforms introduced platform-level changes that affect some legacy driver stacks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the processor in the P87796-005?

A: The P87796-005 ships with an AMD EPYC 6505P 12-core processor in a single-socket configuration.

Q: How many drive bays does the P87796-005 have, and how many are pre-populated?

A: The unit includes an 8-bay SFF (2.5-inch) backplane. Two bays are populated with 480GB SATA SSDs at the factory; six bays remain available for expansion.

Q: What RAID controller is included?

A: The MR408i-O is the included hardware RAID controller, supporting hardware RAID offload from the host CPU.

Q: What are the physical dimensions and weight of the P87796-005?

A: The unit measures 39.50 x 24.00 x 13.20 inches (L x W x H) and weighs 107 lb. Floor placement or a structurally rated server shelf is required.

Q: Does this server ship with memory, or is RAM purchased separately?

A: This configuration ships factory-integrated with 1x64GB DDR5 registered DIMM. Additional DIMM slots are available for capacity expansion.

Karl Wilson

The P87796-005 is a factory-configured ML350 Gen12 tower that ships ready to commission — AMD EPYC 6505P 12-core, 64GB DDR5, and dual 480GB SSDs under the MR408i-O hardware RAID controller. At 107 lb and nearly 40 inches deep, site preparation is not optional; confirm floor capacity and vertical clearance before scheduling delivery.

Technical Highlights:

• Single-socket 12-core EPYC 6505P: Single-socket licensing simplifies per-core software agreements while the EPYC memory architecture supports bandwidth-intensive workloads that choke on older Xeon platforms.
• Hardware RAID via MR408i-O: Offloads RAID processing from the CPU, keeping application performance consistent under rebuild conditions — important for always-on workloads like video recording or database writes.
• 8SFF bay capacity with 6 open slots: Two SSDs are factory-installed; the remaining six bays support phased storage expansion without chassis reconfiguration, which simplifies procurement planning on multi-year deployments.

Deployment Considerations:

• At 107 lb and 39.50 inches depth, standard 4-post server racks will not accommodate this tower chassis — plan for floor standing or a dedicated tower shelf rated for the load.
• The single populated DIMM (1x64GB) means memory runs in single-channel until additional DIMMs are installed; for workloads sensitive to memory bandwidth, populate matched pairs before go-live.

This configuration suits a dedicated on-premises VMS recording server, an edge compute node for a security operations center, or a virtualization host in a branch office where rack space is not available — not a fit for high-density rack environments where 2U/4U rackmount platforms are the correct selection.