Name: 42D0500 IBM 8Gb Dual-Port PCIe Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapter
Brand: IBM
SKU: 42D0500
Price: 97.00 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.8 (119 reviews)

Product Overview
The IBM LightPulse 8Gb Dual-Port PCIe Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapter connects servers to storage networks with dual ports running at 8Gbps, offering reliable and fast SAN communication. It fits into PCIe slots on IBM System x servers and is designed to handle demanding storage workloads in data centers or enterprise setups where uptime and speed are key.

General Information
Brand	IBM
Part Number	42D0500
Alternate Part Number	42D0500-06-UK

Technical Information
Protocol	Fibre Channel (FC)
Data Rate	8Gbps
Port Count	2-Port (Dual)
Bus Interface	PCIe 2.0 x8
Generation	Gen 5
Connector Type	SFP+ (LC)
Chipset / Controller	Emulex (LightPulse)
Network Topology	Point-to-Point, Switched Fabric (N-Port)
Bracket Height	Both Brackets Included

Advanced Features & Compatibility
Management Features	NPIV Support, Boot from SAN, Selective LUN Masking, Full Fabric Support, Diagnostics (D_Port), VMID Support
OS Compatibility	Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2022, VMware ESXi 7.x, VMware ESXi 8.x, RHEL 8, RHEL 9, SLES 15, Solaris, AIX

Physical Characteristics
Form Factor	Low Profile (Half Height)
Weight	5.00
Condition	Refurbished

Miscellaneous
Compliance Standards	WEEE, RoHS, CE, FCC, UL, cULus

Product Description
This IBM LightPulse 8Gb Dual-Port PCIe Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapter is built for connecting servers to SAN storage with fast and reliable data transfer rates. It is commonly used in data centers and enterprise environments where high throughput and low latency are essential. IT professionals and system administrators often rely on this adapter to integrate storage arrays with server systems efficiently. Key Features Delivers 8Gbps Fibre Channel speed for quick storage access Dual ports allow simultaneous connections to multiple SAN fabrics Utilizes PCI Express 2.0 for fast host interface bandwidth Compatible with broad range of IBM System x servers Supports advanced offload capabilities to reduce CPU load This adapter is typically deployed in large-scale SAN environments, where its dual ports help maintain redundancy and higher availability. It plays a vital role in ensuring smooth, continuous storage access for critical applications without compromising performance.

Use Cases
The IBM LightPulse 8Gb Dual-Port PCIe Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapter is commonly deployed in enterprise data centers and storage-intensive environments where high-speed, reliable SAN connectivity is critical. It serves IT professionals managing virtualized servers, large storage clusters, and mission-critical applications requiring low latency and consistent throughput. How It's Used: Connecting IBM System x servers to centralized SAN storage arrays in large-scale virtualization deployments. Facilitating high-throughput data replication and backup operations within enterprise data centers. Supporting storage clustering solutions for improved redundancy and load balancing in multi-server environments. Enabling fast data access for transactional databases in financial and healthcare IT infrastructures. Integrating with rack-mounted servers in colocation facilities requiring scalable SAN connectivity. This adapter enhances operational efficiency by providing robust and scalable SAN connectivity that aligns with demanding workloads. Its dual-port design and PCIe 2.0 interface ensure consistent performance, making it a practical choice for enterprises prioritizing storage network reliability and speed.