HP HP ProLiant MicroServer Gen8HP Proliant MicroServer G8 E3-1220L 2.3GHz 16GB NO Hard Drives

HP ProLiant MicroServer Gen8 — Compact Server for Small Business & Home Lab

The HP ProLiant MicroServer Gen8 is a compact, energy-efficient server built for small business file sharing, home lab projects, and NAS builds. This certified refurbished unit features an Intel Xeon E3-1220L V2 processor, 16GB DDR3 ECC RAM, HP iLO 4 remote management, and a 12-month Reboot IT warranty. Sold without hard drives — 2 x 3.5" LFF drive caddies included.

Why This Server?

• Low-power Xeon processor: The Intel Xeon E3-1220L V2 runs at just 17W TDP — ideal for 24/7 operation without a punishing power bill.
• ECC error-correcting RAM: 16GB DDR3 ECC memory protects your data from silent memory errors — critical for NAS, file servers, and always-on workloads.
• Remote management via iLO 4: HP Integrated Lights-Out 4 lets you manage, monitor, and reboot the server remotely from any browser — no physical access needed.
• Four drive bays, bring your own storage: Accepts up to four 3.5" LFF SATA drives. 2 x caddies included; 2 additional caddies needed to populate all four bays.
• Dual Gigabit Ethernet: Two onboard GigE ports enable link aggregation, VLAN separation, or dedicated management and data networks.
• Compact, quiet footprint: At 38.1 x 24.3 x 22.4 cm and ~6 kg, it fits under a desk or in a small comms room without rack space or excess noise.

Performance in Use

For small businesses running file shares, backup targets, or lightweight virtualisation, the MicroServer Gen8 punches well above its size. The Xeon E3-1220L V2 handles multi-user file access and basic VM workloads without complaint, while the ECC RAM ensures data stays uncorrupted under sustained load. Pair it with drives in RAID 5 across all four bays and you have a capable, affordable file server built to run reliably for years.

Home lab enthusiasts will appreciate the iLO 4 management interface — remote console access, power cycling, and hardware health monitoring all accessible from a browser, even when the OS is not running. Install your own drives, drop in Proxmox, TrueNAS, or Windows Server, and you have a fully managed home lab node for a fraction of the cost of new hardware.

The PCIe x16 slot opens further expansion possibilities: add a 10GbE NIC, an HBA for direct-attach storage, or a low-profile GPU for transcoding. The dual GigE ports are ideal for separating management traffic from data traffic, or for simple bonding to boost NAS throughput.

Technical Specifications

Is It Right for You?

Condition Grades

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this server come with hard drives?

No. This unit is sold without hard drives. Two 3.5" LFF drive caddies are included (of the four total bays). You will need to supply your own SATA hard drives or SSDs — and two additional caddies if you wish to populate all four bays.

What drives are compatible?

The MicroServer Gen8 supports standard 3.5" SATA HDDs in each bay. With a 2.5"-to-3.5" caddie adapter, 2.5" SATA SSDs also fit. Each bay accepts drives up to the SATA III standard. HP also supports a 5th drive internally via a USB-connected flash module.

What operating systems can I run?

The MicroServer Gen8 is compatible with Windows Server 2012/2016/2019, VMware ESXi, Proxmox VE, TrueNAS/FreeNAS, Ubuntu Server, and other Linux distributions. HP provides a Service Pack for ProLiant (SPP) for driver and firmware updates.

What is HP iLO 4 and how does it work?

HP iLO 4 (Integrated Lights-Out) is a dedicated remote management interface with its own network port. It lets you access the server console, monitor hardware health, and perform power operations from a web browser — even when the server OS is not running.

Can I expand the RAM?

This unit ships with 16GB DDR3 ECC already installed — that is the maximum supported capacity across the two DIMM slots. No further RAM expansion is possible on this model.

What are the shipping arrangements?

Shipping costs apply based on size and destination — rates are calculated at checkout.

Is this covered by warranty?

Yes — this server comes with a 12-month warranty from Reboot IT. If any hardware fault occurs within the warranty period, we will repair or replace the unit at no charge. Contact us at reboot-it.com.au for support.