HPE P9D94A Internal Fibre Optic

The HPE SN1100Q 16Gb Host Bus Adapter is a Fibre Channel HBA designed to double I/O throughput compared with 8 Gb HBAs and to support high-bandwidth server virtualization and storage-intensive applications. It provides 16 Gbps line rate per physical port, is backward compatible with 8 Gb and 4 Gb networks, and supports emerging NVMe over Fibre Channel deployments. The adapter helps increase virtual machine density on a single server and reduces cabling by enabling more applications and VMs per port.

Advantages

The SN1100Q delivers higher I/O performance for backup/restore, database transactions, virtualization and rich media workloads while protecting current IT investments through backward compatibility. It supports NPIV and standards-based control features for end-to-end QoS, enabling more VMs per HBA port and improved host utilization. When combined with HPE B-series FC switches, advanced diagnostics reduce troubleshooting time and downtime.

Key specifications

• Interface: Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapter
• Data rate: 16 Gbps per physical port
• Compatibility: Backward compatible with 8 Gb and 4 Gb FC networks
• Standards/support: NPIV, CS_CTL, FDMI, FC Ping, FC Trace Route
• NVMe: Designed to support NVMe over Fibre Channel

How to use

Install the SN1100Q in a compatible server PCIe slot and connect to the Fibre Channel fabric using appropriate SFP+ transceivers and fibre cabling. Configure zoning and storage targets on the SAN switches and register the HBA with the storage array as required. Use server and switch management tools to enable NPIV, QoS settings and diagnostics features; when paired with HPE B-series switches, run diagnostics such as D-port diagnostics, Link Cable Beaconing and Read Diagnostic Parameters to verify link health.

Recommendations

Use the SN1100Q in environments with I/O-intensive workloads or high virtual machine density. Ensure firmware and driver versions are up to date and pair the adapter with HPE B-series switches for full diagnostic capabilities. Plan SAN zoning and capacity to take advantage of the 16 Gbps bandwidth while maintaining backward compatibility with existing 8 Gb and 4 Gb infrastructure.