What are the port specifications of the HPE AK859B?

The blade features 32 x 8Gb Fibre Channel ports operating at 8 Gbps speeds in full-duplex mode. It uses SFP interfaces and is designed as a director-blade plug-in for HPE StorageWorks DC SAN Director chassis, providing high-density expansion for enterprise fabrics.

Which firmware is required for this FC blade?

Minimum recommended firmware is FOS 7.4.1f, supporting Fabric OS services including ISL Trunking for link aggregation and FSPF rerouting for failover. This ensures compatibility with B-series management tools and advanced fabric features.

What chassis is compatible with this blade?

It is a blade module specifically for HPE StorageWorks DC SAN Director chassis, fitting the director-class form factor. This allows hot-swappable installation to scale fabrics without downtime, ideal for large enterprise deployments.

What reliability features does it offer?

Provides enhanced data integrity across all data paths to prevent transmission errors, plus non-disruptive hot software loads for firmware upgrades without interrupting traffic. These features support continuous operations in mission-critical SAN environments.

What protocols and technologies are supported?

Supports FC8-32 blade technology with Fabric OS protocols, including ISL Trunking to combine multiple links for higher bandwidth and FSPF for equal-cost path routing. This enables resilient, high-performance fabrics for storage virtualization and replication.

Is this blade suitable for large-scale SANs?

Yes, as part of HP StorageWorks B-series, it delivers 32 ports at 8Gb for core switching in director chassis, handling bandwidth-intensive apps with features like hot loads and data integrity, perfect for enterprise data centers.

AK859B - HPE DC SAN Director 32 Port 8Gb FC Blade (FC8-32) Switch

Name: AK859B - HPE DC SAN Director 32 Port 8Gb FC Blade (FC8-32) Switch
Brand: HPE
SKU: AK859B
Price: 182 USD
Availability: InStock

AK859B - HPE DC SAN Director 32 Port 8Gb FC Blade (FC8-32) Switch | US IT Hardware

Product overview

The HPE StorageWorks DC SAN Director 32 Port 8Gb FC Blade (AK859B), model FC8-32, is a high-density Fibre Channel switch blade from the HP StorageWorks B-series product line, designed for enterprise-level SAN deployments. It features 32 x 8Gb Fibre Channel ports operating at 8 Gbps speeds, integrating seamlessly into DC SAN Director chassis as a plug-in blade module. Key management capabilities include Fabric OS (FOS) firmware version 7.4.1f or higher, supporting ISL Trunking, FSPF rerouting, and Fabric OS services for robust fabric management. Reliability is enhanced with data integrity across all paths and non-disruptive hot software loads, minimizing downtime in mission-critical environments. Ideal for large-scale storage networks requiring scalable connectivity, this blade enables high-performance data transfer for virtualization, backup, and replication use cases. Compatible with HPE StorageWorks director-class chassis, it ensures backward compatibility and future-proofing for evolving SAN infrastructures.

32 x 8Gb FC ports for high-density SAN connectivity
8 Gbps speeds with full-duplex for I/O-intensive apps
FOS 7.4.1f+ with ISL Trunking & FSPF rerouting
Blade form factor for DC SAN Director chassis
Enhanced data integrity on all paths
Non-disruptive hot software loads

Expedited and overnight shipping options are available at checkout, priced by destination and service.
Purchase orders accepted from qualified institutions.
Refunds within 14 days and replacements within 30 days of delivery with an RMA (25% restocking fee on customer-initiated returns), and every part carries our Standard 30-Day Warranty - see our return policy or contact US IT Hardware.

Featuring

Manufacturer part #	AK859B
Brand	HPE
Condition	Refurbished
Model	DC SAN Director 32 Port 8Gb FC Blade (FC8-32)
Technology	FC8-32 blade for SAN Director
Product Line	HP StorageWorks B-series
Product Type	Fibre Channel Switch Blade
Firmware Version	FOS 7.4.1f minimum recommended
Supported Protocols	FOS firmware; Fabric OS services including ISL Trunking, FSPF rerouting
Reliability Features	Enhanced data integrity on all data paths; Non-disruptive hot software loads

Compatible systems

Compatible with HPE DC SAN Director chassis; FOS firmware based

HPE StorageWorks
Model: DC SAN Director
Form factor: Chassis blade
Fits HP DC SAN Director switches

Best for

Enterprise SAN Core
Serves as core switching blade in large DC SAN Director chassis with 32 x 8Gb FC ports for high-density connectivity in bandwidth-intensive applications.
Data Center Fabrics
Supports ISL Trunking and FSPF rerouting via FOS firmware, enabling scalable, resilient fabrics for virtualized environments with non-disruptive upgrades.
Disaster Recovery
Provides enhanced data integrity on all paths and hot software loads, ensuring reliable replication traffic in mission-critical storage networks.
Storage Virtualization
8 Gbps port speeds and blade form factor optimize I/O performance for highly virtualized setups within HPE director chassis.

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Chassis Bandwidth	256 Gbit/sec
Inter Chassis Link (ICL) Bandwidth	256 Gbit/sec of ICL bandwidth (freeing up to 32 8Gb ports per chassis)

Physical Characteristics

Mounting	Blade module for DC SAN Director chassis
Blade Type	32-port 8Gb Fibre Channel Blade
Form Factor	Blade for DC SAN Director chassis
Port Density	32 ports per blade
Supported Director Chassis	HP StorageWorks DC SAN Director Switch

Interface/Ports

Port Speed	8 Gbps Fibre Channel
Network Ports	32 x 8Gb Fibre Channel ports
Port Configuration	32 ports operating simultaneously at full 8Gb speed
Fibre Channel Port Type	8Gb Fibre Channel ports

HPE DC SAN Director 32 Port 8Gb FC Blade (FC8-32) Switch