HPE MSA 2050 Storage Array

The HPE MSA 2050 Storage Array is an entry-level hybrid storage system for small and midsize businesses. Supporting Fibre Channel, iSCSI, and SAS with automated tiering and data services, it delivers cost-effective performance for virtualisation and business workloads.

HPE MSA 2050 Storage Array

HPE MSA 2050 Storage Array Key Platform Specifications

  • Primary Use Case: General Purpose Storage
  • Latency Tier: Balanced
  • Architecture Type: Dual-Controller Active-Active
  • Storage Type: Hybrid
  • Maximum Raw Capacity: 3.9 PB
  • Drive Bays: 24
Starting from: £2280.00 Ex. VAT
SKU MSA-2050 Categories , , , Brand:
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HPE MSA 2050 Storage Array Overview

Virtualised environments and business applications place increasing demands on storage performance, while organisations still need to maintain cost-effective infrastructure.

Flash-Ready Shared Storage for Application Performance

The HPE MSA 2050 Storage Array delivers shared SAN storage with support for 8Gb and 16Gb Fibre Channel, 10GbE iSCSI, and 12Gb SAS connectivity. The system supports up to 24 SFF or 12 LFF drives in the base enclosure and delivers over 200,000 IOPS of storage performance. Modern flash support, controller efficiency, and scalable drive options allow the platform to serve mixed business workloads while balancing performance, capacity, and investment discipline.

Hybrid Flash Architecture for Accelerated Workloads

SSD caching and automated storage tiering allow frequently accessed data to be served from flash media while larger datasets remain on high-capacity HDD drives. That flexibility helps teams place the right data on the right media, simplify storage planning, and avoid moving to a more complex platform before it is genuinely required. Organisations that require the current MSA platform generation may also consider the HPE MSA 2060 Storage Array, for refreshing shared storage with newer hardware and ongoing platform support alignment.

Improving Application Response Times Without Moving to All-Flash Storage

Hybrid storage architecture allows IT teams to improve performance for virtual machines, databases, and file services while maintaining a cost-effective storage platform.

Our specialists can design and deploy HPE MSA 2050 Storage Array solutions aligned with scalable SAN infrastructure and growing application workloads.

HPE MSA 2050 Storage Array Key Features​

The HPE MSA 2050 Storage Array delivers entry-level shared storage with improved performance, combining flexible connectivity, SSD acceleration, and enterprise storage services.

High-Performance Entry-Level Shared Storage

Dual-Controller Architecture
Provides high availability and balanced storage performance.

Flexible Host Connectivity
Supports 16Gb Fibre Channel or 12Gb SAS connectivity depending on system configuration.

LFF and SFF Drive Options
Supports multiple enclosure types to optimise capacity and performance.

SSD Acceleration Support
Supports SSD tiers to improve application performance.

Advanced Storage Data Services

Snapshot and Replication Support
Provides integrated data protection capabilities.

Automated Tiering
Moves frequently accessed data to faster media automatically.

RAID Data Protection
Supports enterprise RAID configurations for reliability.

Speak to an HPE Storage Specialist

Whether supporting virtualisation environments or business applications, we help design HPE MSA 2050 storage environments that deliver reliable shared storage.

HPE MSA 2050 Storage Array Technical Specifications

Full specifications for this model are listed below.

Additional information

Product Family

HPE MSA
Product Series

2000
Deployment

Data Centre
Target Organisation Size

Midmarket
Primary Use Case

General Purpose Storage
Workload Profile

General Enterprise Storage
Storage Performance Tier

Balanced
Product Tier

Standard
Latency Tier

Balanced
Scalability Model

Scale-Up
Architecture Type

Storage Type

Hybrid
Access Architecture

Block
NVMe Support Level

None
Maximum Raw Capacity

3.9 PB
Maximum Effective Capacity

3.9 PB
Capacity Basis

Model Maximum
Drive Bays

24
Drive Interface

SAS
Supported Media Types

HDD / SSD
Controller Architecture

Dual Controller Active-Active
Controller Cache

8 GB
Maximum Expansion Shelves

7
Supported Protocols

iSCSI / Fibre Channel
Host Interface Types

1/10Gb Ethernet / 16Gb FC
Maximum Host Ports

8
Data Protection

RAID 0/1/5/6/10
Deduplication Support

No
Compression Support

No
Data Reduction Method

None
Power Redundancy

Hot-swappable PSUs
Cloud Integration

None

Evaluating whether this is the right fit for your environment?

Our specialists are here to help assess compatibility, compare suitable alternatives, or talk through your configuration needs before committing to a solution.

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HPE MSA 2050 Storage Array Deployment Scenarios

 

The HPE MSA 2050 Storage Array is designed for organisations that need affordable shared SAN storage for virtualisation, business applications, and mixed workload environments. It is best suited to entry and midrange deployments where hybrid or flash-ready storage, simple management, and scalable shared capacity matter more than moving to a higher-tier enterprise array.

Virtualisation Platforms

The MSA 2050 is widely deployed with VMware and similar hypervisor estates where shared block storage supports clustered hosts and growing VM environments. It is a strong fit for organisations consolidating multiple server workloads onto one entry SAN platform.

Database and Business Applications

Databases, ERP systems, and day-to-day business applications often need predictable shared storage across mixed I/O profiles. The MSA 2050 works well where entry shared storage supports core production workloads without unnecessary platform complexity.

Private and Hybrid Server Environments

Many organisations use the MSA 2050 as the shared storage layer for private server environments that mix virtual machines, application servers, and attached services. It suits these deployments where centralised storage and straightforward administration are priorities.

Backup, Snapshot, and Recovery Workloads

Snapshot retention and recovery data are often managed alongside production storage on entry arrays. The MSA 2050 is a practical fit where affordable shared storage needs to cover both operational workloads and routine data protection.

Installed-Base and Refurbished SAN Continuity

Refurbished and existing MSA 2050 deployments remain useful where the workload still aligns to entry shared storage. The array fits continuity-led projects that extend current SAN infrastructure while planning future refresh cycles.

Planning an MSA 2050 Deployment?

Our team can help design and deploy HPE MSA 2050 storage for virtualisation, business applications, and entry shared SAN environments.

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