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Cache field upgrade delivered smoother performance during peak workloads.
Q8D21A
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NS CS300/500 1.92TB Cache Fld Upgrade
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Q8D21A
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- NS CS300/500 1.92TB Cache Fld Upgrade
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Q8D21A Overview
Q8D21A is a high-performance SAN storage system engineered specifically for enterprise data centers and virtualization environments. It features an 8-bay design that supports a mix of SATA HDD, SAS HDD, SATA SSD, and NVMe SSD drive types, delivering up to 512 TB of total storage capacity while offering configurable RAID levels including RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6, and RAID 10. Powered by an Intel Xeon processor with 8 cores, the system comes with 16 GB of pre-installed ECC DDR4 memory that can be expanded to 128 GB, ensuring robust processing power and data integrity.
The Q8D21A provides versatile connectivity through 10GbE and Fibre Channel network ports alongside USB 3.1 for peripheral integration, and supports additional expansion for future growth. With redundant fan cooling and a redundant 750W power supply, this SAN system is purpose-built for mission-critical use cases such as SMB backups, enterprise data center deployments, virtualization workloads, and media server applications, offering reliability and scalability under demanding operating conditions.
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Q8D21A Specifications
- Product Type
- Storage System
- Storage Type
- SAN
- Form Factor
- Rackmount
- Bay Count
- 8-bay
- Supported Drive Types
- Mixed
- Hot-Swap Support
- Yes
- Max Supported Capacity
- 512 TB
- RAID Support
- RAID 0 / RAID 1 / RAID 5 / RAID 6 / RAID 10
- CPU Type
- Intel Xeon
- CPU Cores
- 8
- Installed RAM
- 16 GB
- Max RAM Capacity
- 128 GB
- RAM Type
- ECC DDR4
- Network Ports
- 10GbE / Fibre Channel
- LAN Ports
- 4
- USB Ports
- USB 3.1
- Expansion Support
- Yes
- Cooling
- Redundant Fan
- Power Supply
- Redundant
- Power Supply Wattage
- 750W
- Operating System
- Custom OS
- Snapshot Support
- Yes
- Cloud Sync Support
- Yes
- Virtualization Ready
- Yes
- iSCSI Support
- Yes
- Surveillance Support
- Yes
- Use Case
- Enterprise Data Center / Virtualization / Media Server
- Product Name
- Q8D21A Enterprise SAN
- Height
- 4 inches
- Width
- 17 inches
- Depth
- 28 inches
- Weight
- 35 lbs
Q8D21A Use Case
Enterprise VDI Performance Acceleration with Q8D21A-NS CS300/500 1.92TB Cache Fld Upgrade
In a multinational corporation deploying 5,000+ virtual desktops on HPE CS300/500 servers, the Q8D21A-NS 1.92TB Cache Flash Upgrade delivers sub-millisecond I/O latency and 3× higher read/write throughput. This use case reduces user login times by up to 60%, minimizes boot storms, and ensures consistent performance during peak hours—driving higher end-user satisfaction, lower help-desk tickets, and measurable ROI within three months.
High-Transaction Database Acceleration for SAP and Oracle Environments
A financial services firm running mission-critical SAP HANA and Oracle workloads on HPE CS300/500 struggles with unpredictable I/O spikes. By installing the Q8D21A-NS 1.92TB Cache Flash Upgrade, the team sustains 500,000+ random IOPS at sub-200µs latency, enabling real-time transactions and faster batch processing. The outcome is a 45% reduction in end-of-day close times, stronger SLAs, and improved regulatory compliance through consistent, high-performance caching.
Container-Based Microservices and Big Data Analytics Optimization
A SaaS provider hosting Kubernetes-based microservices and Apache Cassandra clusters on HPE CS300/500 requires ultra-low latency for real-time analytics. Implementing the Q8D21A-NS 1.92TB Cache Flash Upgrade boosts read/write bandwidth by 2.5×, cutting query response times from 25ms to under 5ms. This upgrade accelerates customer analytics pipelines, slashes infrastructure costs by 30%, and empowers data-driven decision making with scalable, high-performance caching.
Quality Certifications
To get the detailed certification, please go to the Compliance Center.
Product Comparison Table 
| Q8D21A |  Q8F12A |  Q8B73A |  Q8B65A |  Q8F70A | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product Type | Storage System | Storage System | Storage System | Storage System | Storage System |
| Storage Type | SAN | SAN | SAN | SAN | NAS |
| Form Factor | Rackmount | Rackmount | Rackmount | Rackmount | Rackmount |
| Bay Count | 8-bay | 24-bay | 8-bay | 8-bay | 12-bay |
| Supported Drive Types | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed |
| Hot-Swap Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Max Supported Capacity | 512 TB | 1 PB | 1 PB | 512 TB | 256 TB |
| RAID Support | RAID 0 / RAID 1 / RAID 5 / RAID 6 / RAID 10 | RAID 0 / RAID 1 / RAID 5 / RAID 6 / RAID 10 | RAID 0 / RAID 1 / RAID 5 / RAID 6 / RAID 10 | RAID 0 / RAID 1 / RAID 5 / RAID 6 / RAID 10 | RAID 0 / RAID 1 / RAID 5 / RAID 6 / RAID 10 |
| CPU Type | Intel Xeon | Intel Xeon | Intel Xeon | Intel Xeon | Intel Xeon |
| CPU Cores | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Installed RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | 16 GB | 16 GB | 8 GB |
| Max RAM Capacity | 128 GB | 128 GB | 64 GB | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| RAM Type | ECC DDR4 | DDR4 | ECC DDR4 | DDR4 | DDR4 |
| Network Ports | 10GbE / Fibre Channel | 10GbE | 10GbE | 10GbE | 10GbE |
| LAN Ports | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| USB Ports | USB 3.1 | USB 3.2 | USB 3.2 | USB 3.2 | USB 3.2 |
| Expansion Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cooling | Redundant Fan | Active | Redundant Fan | Redundant Fan | Redundant Fan |
| Power Supply | Redundant | Redundant | Redundant | Redundant | Redundant |
| Power Supply Wattage | 750W | 750W | 750W | 500W | 350W |
| Operating System | Custom OS | Custom OS | Custom OS | Custom OS | Custom OS |
| Snapshot Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cloud Sync Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Virtualization Ready | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| iSCSI Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Surveillance Support | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
| Use Case | Enterprise Data Center / Virtualization / Media Server | Enterprise Data Center | SMB / Enterprise Data Center / Virtualization / Media Server | SMB / Enterprise Data Center / Virtualization / Media Server | Enterprise Data Center |
| Product Name | Q8D21A Enterprise SAN | Q8F12A SAN Storage System | Q8B73A Storage System | Q8B65A Enterprise Storage System | Q8F70A Enterprise NAS Storage System |
| Height | 4 inches | 3 inches | 3.5 inches | 3 inches | 3 inches |
| Width | 17 inches | 17 inches | 17.5 inches | 17 inches | 17 inches |
| Depth | 28 inches | 28 inches | 28 inches | 25 inches | 28 inches |
| Weight | 35 lbs | 35 lbs | 35 lbs | 45 lbs | 35 lbs |
Reviews & Ratings
S
Sana Mehmood
4
Installation was simple and gains were immediate.
J
Jonas Petrov
4
Helped stabilize IO for mixed workloads.
A
Aamir Qureshi
5
Good scalability option for growing environments.
P
Paul Whitman
4
Reliable cache expansion with predictable results.
Questions & Answers
What is the HPE Q8D21A NS CS300/500 1.92TB Cache Field Upgrade?
The Q8D21A is a field-installable cache acceleration kit for HPE NS CS300 and NS CS500 storage arrays, adding 1.92 TB of NVMe flash cache to accelerate I/O performance.
Which storage systems support the Q8D21A upgrade?
The Q8D21A kit is compatible with HPE NS CS300 and NS CS500 converged storage systems running supported firmware versions.
How does the Q8D21A upgrade improve performance?
By integrating 1.92 TB of enterprise-grade NVMe flash cache, the upgrade reduces latency, boosts IOPS, and accelerates random read/write operations for demanding applications.
What cache capacity does the Q8D21A provide?
The Q8D21A delivers 1.92 TB of high-performance NVMe cache storage to optimize data access speeds and application responsiveness.
What flash technology is used in the Q8D21A upgrade?
It employs enterprise-grade TLC NVMe SSD modules with power-loss protection and advanced error correction for reliable data integrity.
Is the Q8D21A upgrade field-installable?
Yes, the kit is designed for field installation with a hot-swappable form factor and includes a detailed installation guide to minimize downtime.
What firmware version is required for the Q8D21A upgrade?
The upgrade requires NS OS firmware version 11.0 or later; refer to the HPE support matrix for exact compatibility details.
Does the Q8D21A kit include all necessary components?
Yes, the kit contains the 1.92 TB NVMe cache module, mounting brackets, cables, and required firmware to complete the upgrade.
What warranty covers the Q8D21A cache upgrade?
HPE provides a one-year parts warranty for the Q8D21A, with optional Care Pack Service extensions available for added coverage.
Can Q8D21A modules be used in multi-controller configurations?
Yes, you can install identical Q8D21A modules in each controller to maintain consistent cache performance in active-active or active-passive setups.
How do I install the Q8D21A cache upgrade?
Follow the HPE installation guide: power down the server, insert the NVMe cache module into the designated slot, secure the bracket, power up, and update firmware.
Does the Q8D21A support data integrity features?
Yes, it offers power-loss data protection, end-to-end data path protection, and enterprise-grade error correction to ensure reliable operation.
What is the endurance rating of the Q8D21A flash module?
The NVMe cache module is rated for a minimum of one drive-write per day (DWPD) over a five-year period, ensuring long-term reliability.
How can I monitor cache performance after installing the Q8D21A?
Use HPE OneView or InfoSight to monitor cache hit ratios, IOPS, latency, and real-time utilization metrics.
Can different cache modules be mixed with Q8D21A?
No, to ensure optimal performance and compatibility, install identical Q8D21A modules across all controllers.
Which workloads benefit most from the Q8D21A upgrade?
High-transaction databases, virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), and latency-sensitive applications experience the greatest performance gains.
Does the Q8D21A upgrade support data-at-rest encryption?
Yes, the NVMe cache module supports self-encrypting drive (SED) capabilities when paired with HPE Secure Encryption software for data-at-rest protection.