HPE 728987-B21 Ethernet 10Gb 2-port 571SFP+ Adapter
Overview
The HPE 728987-B21 is a dual-port 10GbE network adapter designed to provide high-throughput, low-latency connectivity for HPE ProLiant Gen8 servers. As a 10 Gigabit Ethernet card, it addresses I/O bottlenecks in enterprise data centers, particularly in virtualized environments and high-performance computing clusters. This adapter is engineered to handle the demanding application loads generated by modern multi-core processors, solving the critical need for increased network bandwidth and server efficiency. Based on the Solarflare SFC9020 controller, this adapter delivers a full 40 Gbps of bidirectional line-rate performance. It optimizes server I/O through features like TCP and UDP checksum offloading and Receive Flow Steering (RFS), which minimizes CPU utilization by efficiently directing network traffic. These capabilities translate to improved application performance and better resource utilization, allowing for higher virtual machine density and faster data processing for intensive workloads. Designed as a low-profile, plug-in PCIe card, the 728987-B21 fits seamlessly into select HPE ProLiant rack servers, such as the DL360p Gen8 and DL380p Gen8. Management is integrated within the server’s existing infrastructure, and its dual SFP+ cages offer flexible connectivity options, supporting both Direct Attach Cables (DACs) and SR fiber optic modules. The adapter’s power-efficient design helps reduce operational costs in high-density server deployments.
Key Features
- Offers 40 Gbps aggregate full-duplex theoretical bandwidth.
- Hardware offloads for TCP, UDP, and other stateless traffic.
- Supports NIC teaming (bonding) for load balancing and failover.
- Features Receive Side Scaling (RSS) for efficient packet processing.
- Includes support for Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) boot.
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