HPE ProLiant SL4540 Gen8 Networking Adapters
Genuine HPE Ethernet server adapters for the HPE ProLiant SL4540 Gen8, new and refurbished. Networking here is a property of the I/O module rather than the node board: every node already has two embedded 1Gb ports, and a 10G I/O module adds two embedded 10Gb ports, so an add-in card earns the single PCIe slot only when neither of those covers the requirement.
SL4540 Gen8 Networking Specifications
- Embedded networking: an HPE Ethernet 1Gb 2-port 361i on the I350 controller, dedicated to each node and hosted in that node's I/O module
- I/O module choice: the SL454x 1G module carries two 1Gb NICs; the 10G module carries those plus two 10Gb NICs from an Ethernet 10Gb 2-port 544i, with an optional InfiniBand upgrade — only one module per node
- Rear connectors: two 1Gb RJ-45 ports on either module, plus a 10Gb SFP+ connector and a 10GbE or 40Gb InfiniBand QSFP connector on the 10G module
- QSFP caveat: 10 Gigabit Ethernet on the QSFP port needs the QSFP to SFP+ adapter kit, InfiniBand the HPE InfiniBand Enablement Kit
- Management: a dedicated 10/100Mb management port, or a 1GbE port dedicated to iLO instead
- Expansion: one low profile PCIe 2.0 x8 slot per node, enabled by the Storage Mezzanine to PCIe Enablement Kit, with one expansion option permitted per node
- Cards stocked: NC365T and Ethernet 1Gb 4-port 331T Gigabit adapters, and 10Gb 2-port 530SFP, 530T, 560SFP+ and 561T adapters in SFP+ and 10GBASE-T
Check the I/O module before buying a card. Every node already has two embedded 1Gb ports, and the 10G module adds two 10Gb ports without touching the expansion slot. That slot is one low profile PCIe connection per node, disabled until the enablement kit is fitted, and HPE permits one expansion option per node.
Do You Need an Add-in Adapter at All?
| What you need | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| Two 1Gb copper ports | Already present — both I/O modules carry them |
| Two 10Gb ports on SFP+ | The 10G I/O module, not an add-in card |
| 10 Gigabit on the QSFP port | The QSFP to SFP+ adapter kit |
| More than four ports of any speed | NC365T or 331T four-port Gigabit card |
| 10 Gigabit over copper RJ-45 | 530T or 561T dual-port adapter |
The constraint worth understanding before shopping is the slot count. Each node has exactly one low profile PCIe slot, it stays disabled until the Storage Mezzanine to PCIe Enablement Kit is fitted, and HPE permits one expansion option per node — so a network card, an external storage controller and an I/O accelerator compete for the same place. Where the requirement is 10 Gigabit rather than port count, the 10G I/O module answers it without spending that slot.
Choosing the Right SL4540 Gen8 Network Adapter
- Check which I/O module is fitted first. If the rear of the node already has an SFP+ and a QSFP connector, the 10 Gigabit ports are there and a card would duplicate them.
- One card per node, not per chassis. Nodes do not share the expansion slot, so a three-node chassis needs three answers.
- Match the media, not just the speed. A 530SFP or 560SFP+ needs direct attach copper or transceivers and fibre; a 530T or 561T plugs into 10GBASE-T. The two do not interconnect without optics between them.
- InfiniBand is a module feature. It upgrades the 10G I/O module through the enablement kit, and is not something an Ethernet card in the PCIe slot provides.
Complete Your SL4540 Gen8 Build
The PCIe slot a network card needs is the same one an external storage controller wants — see SL4540 Gen8 storage controllers before committing it. Also available: SL4540 Gen8 drives, memory, processors, power supplies and rack options, or the full SL4540 Gen8 parts listing. Other models are listed under HPE parts by server model.
SL4540 Gen8 Networking Adapters FAQ
How many network ports does an SL4540 Gen8 node have?
Two 1Gb RJ-45 ports as standard, from an embedded Ethernet 1Gb 2-port 361i in the node's I/O module. A 10G I/O module adds a 10Gb SFP+ connector and a QSFP connector.
Does the SL4540 Gen8 support 10 Gigabit Ethernet?
Yes, two ways. The 10G I/O module carries two embedded 10Gb NICs, and add-in 530SFP, 530T, 560SFP+ and 561T adapters are listed for the low profile PCIe slot.
Can a node have both the 1G and the 10G I/O module?
No. HPE states that only one of the two modules can be connected to a node, and the 10G module includes the same two 1Gb NICs as the 1G module.
Why does the QSFP port not give me 10 Gigabit Ethernet?
Because 10 Gigabit Ethernet on the QSFP port requires the QSFP to SFP+ adapter. Without it the port serves InfiniBand, which itself needs the InfiniBand enablement kit.
How many expansion cards can one node take?
One. Each node has a single low profile PCIe 2.0 x8 slot, it has to be enabled by the Storage Mezzanine to PCIe Enablement Kit, and HPE permits only one expansion option per node.
Are cables or transceivers included with SFP+ adapters?
No. Direct attach copper for short runs, or transceivers and fibre for longer ones, are ordered separately from the adapter.
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