What brands of memory does HPE use on their ProLiant Gen9 servers?

[PTSFrivera]

I have a ProLiant DL380 Gen 9 server and it uses Samsung memory that has the HP sticker on it. I want to buy used memory on ebay and I noticed a lot of sellers have "geniuine HPe" listed in their description, but the photo will show memory from SK Hynix China, with the HP sticker on it.

Does HPE use only Samsung for the ProLiant Gen 9 machines? If not, what are all they brands they do use?

[parnassus]

Although the question (and curiosity behind it) is legitimate you have to consider that HPE uses various OEM vendors as suppliers so, in the case of RAM Modules (and not only, think about Disks!) you will find some of them (Samsung, Hynix, etc.) providing certified and qualified RAM Modules for HPE ProLiant servers series. IMHO the only two things you should really worry about are (a) to purchase HPE genuine parts (brand new or refurbished, it doesn't matter) and (b) to purchase an HPE part/option supported by your HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen9 Server (thus an HPE Memory option SKU offically listed on its 47th edition QuickSpecs of 2 December 2019).

To summarize: look for the SKU listed on QuickSpecs and try to validate it (visual inspection) to be sure that what is being sold is really a new/used HPE genuine part supported by your Server. I don't know if, all in all, trying to match the OEM supplier really worths the effort.

[PTSFrivera]

I took your advice and did the search, and it brought up interesting results. My server's product number is 779559-S01. If you bring up the specs, it says the memory speed for it is 1866Mhz. But the memory it came with installed from factory is part number 752369-001, which is 2133Mhz. 

Is there something I'm missing here? Is it normal for there to be a discrepancy like this in the specs? 

[parnassus · Accepted solution]

Hi! no discrepancy...if you have a look at older QuickSpecs (say, as example, edition 18th June 2016)...you will note that supported Registered DIMMs (RDIMMs) for E5-2600v3 Series were:

• HP 4GB (1x4GB) Single Rank x8 DDR4-2133 CAS-15-15-15 Registered Memory Kit 726717-B21
• HP 8GB (1x8GB) Single Rank x4 DDR4-2133 CAS-15-15-15 Registered Memory Kit 726718-B21
• HP 8GB (1x8GB) Dual Rank x8 DDR4-2133 CAS-15-15-15 Registered Memory Kit 759934-B21
• HP 16GB (1x16GB) Dual Rank x4 DDR4-2133 CAS-15-15-15 Registered Memory Kit 726719-B21
• HP 32GB (1x32GB) Dual Rank x4 DDR4-2133 CAS-15-15-15 Registered Memory Kit 728629-B21

NOTE: Depending on Processor selected this memory will run at 1600, 1866 or 2133MHz.
NOTE: Mixing of DIMM types is not supported.
NOTE: Mixing of 2133 and 2400MHz DIMMs is not supported.

and supported Load Reduced DIMMs (LRDIMMs) for E5-2600v3 Series were:

• HP 16GB (1x16GB) Dual Rank x4 DDR4-2133 CAS-15-15-15 Load Reduced Memory Kit 726720-B21
• HP 32GB (1x32GB) Quad Rank x4 DDR4-2133 CAS-15-15-15 Load Reduced Memory Kit 726722-B21
• HP 64GB (1x64GB) Quad Rank x4 DDR4-2133 CAS-15-15-15 Load Reduced Memory Kit 726724-B21

NOTE: Depending on Processor selected this memory will run at 1600, 1866 or 2133MHz.
NOTE: Mixing of DIMM types is not supported.
NOTE: Mixing of 2133 and 2400MHz DIMMs is not supported.

So from a pure "frequency" standpoint having a 2133 MHz memory module - instead of a 1866 MHz - was (and is) permitted....the downsize is that your Processor is currently limiting the maximum work frequency at which your DIMM Modules could work...but, on the other side, if you change the CPU (some V3 or V4 models) with one lightly faster (2133 MHz) you don't need to change your DIMMs.

Probably to find the exact match between your DIMM SKU and you Server SKU you need to dig into each QuickSpecs edition until you will find your SKUs. Try also with HPE Part Surfer (example: https://partsurfer.hpe.com/WSearch.aspx?Wchar=Y&searchText=752369 and https://partsurfer.hpe.com/WSearch.aspx?Wchar=Y&searchText=779559).

Edit: would also be interesting to understand how/when your server configuration was built...so have a look at 8th Edition of QuickSpecs here...there you will find exactly your Server's SKU (779559-S01)...and you will discover that your Server was born with "16GB (1x16GB Registered DIMMs, 2133 MHz) NOTE: the DIMM will operate at 1866 MHz with this processor".