This link says the HP Proliant DL 180 G5 server only supports Smart Array E200, E500, P400 and P800 controllers.
Can I use a Smart Array P410 instead?
Currently the server has only the default internal controller, I need an additional one for better performance and to support additional drives (the default controller only supports 4, with a Smart Array controller all 8 bays can be used). The disks are SATA ones.
Best Answer
This will depend on your backplane connections and whether you can find the right parts. You can use the P410 in an older server, but you'll need to change SAS cables to match the specific backplane connections. G5 systems usually used internal SAS SFF-8484 connectors to mate the Smart Array P400 to their backplane.
I've confirmed that your DL180 G5 8-bay backplane has 2 x SAS SFF-8484 ports. The SmartArray P410 has two SAS SFF-8087 ports.
You will need a SAS SFF-8087 -> SFF 8484 cable to make this work.
For that generation of server and your use-case, though, I'd just use a new-old-stock or used P400 controller. You won't gain anything performance-wise using a P410, especially given the low drive count, the fact that the disks are probably 3G SATA and the age of the system (G5's were end-of-life in 2009-ish).