P76172-001 HPE 16GB PC5-38400 DDR5 4800MT/s CL40 ECC Memory

HPE P76172-001 16GB DDR5 RDIMM — Product Overview

The ECC Registered DDR5 for servers

DDR5 RDIMM modules such as the HPE P76172-001 represent the next step in server memory evolution. Compared to unbuffered or non-ECC modules, ECC Registered memory brings three critical advantages to production environments:

• Data integrity: ECC automatically detects and corrects single-bit errors and detects multi-bit errors, reducing silent data corruption that can compromise databases, virtualization hosts, and analytics workloads.
• Scalability: Registered (buffered) DIMMs offload control signals from the memory controller, enabling higher module counts per channel and larger total system memory capacities—important for dense virtualization or in-memory databases.
• Stability under load: Enterprise workloads increase memory traffic; ECC RDIMMs sustain operational stability under heavy concurrent access and bursty I/O patterns.

Performance characteristics: throughput, latency, and real-world behavior

The P76172-001’s 4800 MT/s data rate delivers significant bandwidth improvements over legacy DDR4 modules. Bandwidth gains translate directly into faster dataset movement and reduced memory-bound bottlenecks for server tasks. While CAS latency (CL40) is numerically higher than some DDR4 CL values, the effective latency as experienced by applications depends on the higher throughput and architectural improvements of DDR5, including bank-group enhancements and on-die optimizations.

• Bandwidth advantage: PC5-38500 theoretical peak bandwidth increases sustained transfer rates for multi-threaded server workloads.
• Latency trade-off: DDR5’s higher CL number is offset by increased prefetch, improved parallelism, and higher clock rates—so many real-world applications show net performance gains.
• Mixed workloads: Virtualized hosts, container platforms, and multi-tenant databases benefit more from increased bandwidth and ECC protection than from small numeric reductions in CAS latency.

Power and thermal considerations

DDR5 modules incorporate power-management features and may draw slightly different voltages than DDR4, depending on JEDEC standards and module design. When planning deployments:

• Verify that server firmware and platform power delivery support DDR5 RDIMMs and the specific P-states used by HPE.
• Ensure adequate airflow in rack servers; higher-performance modules under sustained load generate heat that must be dissipated for reliable operation.
• Follow HPE’s server thermal guidelines and maintain firmware at recommended levels to preserve energy efficiency and throttle behavior.

Compatibility and platform support

Before purchasing or installing the HPE P76172-001, confirm compatibility with your server model and firmware revision. HPE’s server families—ProLiant, Apollo, Synergy, and select OEM certified platforms—often have qualified memory lists. Key compatibility checks include:

• Server model and BIOS/UEFI version supporting DDR5 RDIMM modules.
• Memory population rules for channels and ranks; follow manufacturer guidelines to maximize performance (e.g., balanced population across channels).
• Mixing DIMMs: consult HPE guidance—mixing different speeds, densities, or Registered vs. LRDIMM types can force the platform to clock down or disable features.

Common HPE server families that pair with DDR5 RDIMMs

Many modern HPE systems designed for next-generation workloads accept DDR5 RDIMMs. Typical categories include:

• HPE ProLiant rack and tower servers (latest Gen lines)
• HPE Apollo and high-density compute platforms for HPC
• HPE Synergy composable infrastructure (platform-dependent)

Always reference the server’s validated parts list (VPL) or memory compatibility matrix for exact match confirmation.

Population rules and best practices

To achieve optimal performance and stability, adhere to the following best practices when installing 16GB DDR5 RDIMMs like the P76172-001:

• Populate DIMMs symmetrically across channels—balanced configurations unlock maximum memory throughput.
• Follow motherboard/server slot numbering for recommended order; many designs require installing lower-numbered slots first.
• Update server firmware/BIOS before large-scale memory upgrades to ensure firmware recognizes DDR5 and applies correct timings and training algorithms.
• For mixed-capacity deployments, understand that the memory controller may run at the slowest module’s speed or adjust timings for compatibility.

Use cases and target workloads

The HPE P76172-001 is optimized for a wide range of enterprise scenarios where reliability and throughput are critical:

• Virtualization platforms: Dense VM consolidation relies on abundant and stable memory; ECC RDIMMs protect multi-tenant data and reduce crash risk.
• Database servers: OLTP and analytics systems benefit from higher bandwidth and error correction to maintain transactional integrity.
• In-memory caching: Memory-first architectures (e.g., Redis, Memcached, SAP HANA) gain from expanded memory capacity and registered buffering.
• High-performance computing (HPC): Parallel simulations and distributed compute tasks need both throughput and scalable capacity.

Enterprise benefits: uptime, maintainability, and lifecycle value

Investing in ECC RDIMM memory modules yields measurable operational benefits across the server lifecycle:

• Reduced downtime: ECC corrects transient errors before they escalate into crashes or data corruption events.
• Predictable maintenance windows: Using vendor-qualified memory reduces the incidence of intermittent faults that complicate troubleshooting.
• Longevity: DDR5’s higher capacity-per-module and better parallelism future-proof server memory investments for several upgrade cycles.

Comparison: DDR5 RDIMM versus DDR4 RDIMM

When assessing upgrades from DDR4 to DDR5, consider these differences:

• Bandwidth: DDR5 (4800 MT/s in this SKU) offers higher peak bandwidth than common DDR4 speeds, improving throughput for memory-intensive workloads.
• Density: DDR5 enables larger per-module capacities, facilitating greater total system memory without increasing DIMM counts.
• Power management: DDR5 shifts some power regulation responsibilities on-die; platform-level power planning should be revisited during upgrades.
• Latency: Raw CAS numbers may be higher for DDR5, but architectural improvements usually deliver net positive performance in server contexts.

Regulatory and compliance benefits

Using ECC RDIMMs supports compliance efforts by reducing the risk of undetected data errors that could invalidate audit trails, analytical outputs, or records retention. Memory-level error correction complements software and storage-layer integrity mechanisms.

Comparison guides and purchasing alternatives

When evaluating HPE P76172-001 against other options, consider these comparison axes:

• Vendor certification: HPE-branded or HPE-qualified parts are generally preferred for HPE platforms to maintain support entitlements.
• Capacity per module: If higher capacity per module is needed, compare with 32GB/64GB DDR5 RDIMMs and LRDIMM alternatives depending on server support.
• Speed variants: DDR5 families include multiple speed grades—match your module speed to platform capability for the best price/performance balance.
• Registered vs. Load-Reduced (LRDIMM): LRDIMMs offer higher maximum capacities per module at the cost of slightly different latency and cost dynamics—select based on needs for extreme density.

Optimizing memory for specific workloads

Different workload profiles extract different benefits from the HPE P76172-001:

• Database OLTP: Prioritize low-latency I/O paths and balanced channel population to reduce contention and maximize transaction throughput.
• Analytics/HPC: Maximize overall memory bandwidth and consider pairing with CPUs offering larger memory controllers and high core counts.
• Virtualization: Use larger capacity modules across many slots to increase per-host RAM, enabling higher VM density and reducing hypervisor-level swapping.

Testing and benchmarking recommendations

Before full rollout, benchmark using workload-representative tests:

• Memory bandwidth tests (e.g., STREAM) to quantify bandwidth gains.
• Application-level stress tests to capture end-to-end performance differences.
• Long-duration validation runs to surface intermittent hardware faults.

Final deployment considerations 

• Document serial numbers and module locations for asset tracking.
• Schedule firmware, BIOS, and driver updates during maintenance windows.
• Monitor ECC metrics post-deployment and maintain thresholds for replacement.
• Train operations staff on population rules and troubleshooting steps for DDR5 RDIMMs.