Hp Smartcache — License Key

A: No – HPE no longer offers trial licenses for SmartCache. Purchase is required.

This guide is based on publicly available HPE documentation as of 2025. Always verify hardware and license compatibility with HPE before purchasing. hp smartcache license key

This guide covers what HP SmartCache is, why you need a license, how to obtain and install it, and critical compatibility notes. 1. What is HP SmartCache? HP SmartCache (formerly known as Smart Cache or SSD Smart Cache ) is a feature available on certain HP ProLiant Gen8, Gen9, and some Gen10 servers. It uses a small, high-performance SSD (or a partition on an SSD) as a read/write cache for a larger array of slower HDDs. A: No – HPE no longer offers trial licenses for SmartCache

A: No – the license is locked to the controller. Moving the SSD won't work. Always verify hardware and license compatibility with HPE

A: Yes – the cache persists and is automatically rebuilt if the SSD fails.

# Create a cache from a physical drive ssacli controller slot=0 smartcache enable drive 1I:2:3 ssacli controller slot=0 logicaldrive 1 smartcache assign Show status ssacli controller slot=0 smartcache show 7. Important Restrictions & Warnings | Restriction | Details | |--------------|---------| | One cache per controller | One SSD acts as cache for all assigned logical drives. | | Cache SSD not usable for data | The entire SSD (or partition) is reserved. | | No RAID on cache drive | Must be a single physical drive (RAID 0 status internally). | | Power loss protection | Write-cache requires FBWC (Flash Backed Write Cache) – otherwise data loss risk. | | No mixing | Cache SSD and data HDDs must be on the same controller. | | Non-transferable | License is tied to controller serial – cannot move to another server. | 8. Common License Installation Issues & Fixes | Problem | Likely Cause | Solution | |---------|--------------|----------| | "Invalid License Key" | Typo or wrong controller serial | Re-check email; use hyphens exactly as given. | | License installs but SmartCache still disabled | Controller firmware too old | Update controller firmware via SPP. | | "License already installed" | Previously activated | Run ssacli controller slot=0 license show to confirm. | | Key not accepted in iLO | iLO firmware mismatch | Use SSA offline method instead. | 9. Frequently Asked Questions Q: Can I use an HPE SmartCache license on a non-HPE SSD? A: Yes – the license is controller-based. However, HPE recommends HPE SSDs for reliability.