HPE ProLiant WS460c Gen8 Networking Adapters

Genuine HPE FlexibleLOM and mezzanine adapters for the HPE ProLiant WS460c Gen8, new and refurbished. Blade networking does not use PCIe cards: the blade requires one FlexibleLOM and offers two PCIe 3.0 mezzanine slots beside it, and on a graphics blade those mezzanine slots are contested — MXM graphics, Fibre Channel and InfiniBand all want the same two connectors.

WS460c Gen8 Networking Specifications

• FlexibleLOM: one required, in the dedicated connector; all FlexibleLOMs are dual port, one port routed to interconnect bay 1 and the other to bay 2
• FlexibleLOMs stocked: the Flex-10 10Gb 530FLB (656590-B21), the FlexFabric 10Gb 534FLB (700741-B21) and 554FLB (647586-B21), and the FlexFabric 20Gb 630FLB (700065-B21), all dual port
• Mezzanine slots: two x16 PCIe 3.0 slots — slot 1 Type A, slot 2 Type A or B and dependent on a processor in socket 2; both are reserved and unavailable once a graphics expansion blade is attached
• InfiniBand mezzanines stocked: the QDR and Ethernet 10Gb 544M (644160-B21), the FDR and Ethernet 10Gb/40Gb 544M (644161-B22) and the FDR 545M (702213-B21)
• InfiniBand placement: an adapter in slot 1 runs one active port whatever its mode, both ports only in another slot; the FDR 544M must sit in slot 1 for FDR mode, and QDR and FDR speeds need a c7000
• Interconnect placement: 10 Gigabit adapters reach a 10Gb interconnect in bays 3 to 6 of a c7000 or 2 to 4 of a c3000, and HPE calls for at least 2GB of server memory each

What the blade boots decides what adapters it can use. With Windows 7 directly on the metal, HPE supports only the Flex-10 530FLB or the FlexFabric 534FLB, with basic network functions, and no Fibre Channel or InfiniBand mezzanine at all. Put a server OS or hypervisor on the same blade and every adapter here becomes available.

Which adapters does your operating system allow?

This is the table that separates a WS460c Gen8 from an ordinary blade. A machine running Windows 7 on the metal, which is how many were sold, is restricted to the 530FLB or 534FLB with basic network functions, and cannot use a Fibre Channel or InfiniBand mezzanine at all. Put a hypervisor on the same blade and every adapter here becomes available, so settle what the blade boots before what fits the slot.

Choosing the Right WS460c Gen8 Network Adapter

• Match the interconnect, not just the blade. A 10 Gigabit adapter facing an interconnect with 1Gb Ethernet downlinks links at 1Gbps, and both its ports run at the same speed.
• Mezzanine slot 2 is dark without a second processor. That makes a single-processor blade a one-mezzanine machine.
• Count the graphics against the slots. MXM modules occupy mezzanine slots, and with a Quadro K3100M in slot 2 HPE allows no other card in slot 1 — so a graphics-loaded blade may have no mezzanine left for networking.
• A FlexibleLOM from an older blade will not carry over. HPE states that FlexibleLOMs are not compatible with prior generation c-Class server blades.
• FlexFabric is an enclosure feature as much as an adapter one. It needs an HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric module behind it.

Complete Your WS460c Gen8 Build

Ten Gigabit adapters call for memory headroom and the second mezzanine slot calls for a second CPU — see WS460c Gen8 memory and processors. Also available: WS460c Gen8 drives and the full WS460c Gen8 parts listing, which carries the Fibre Channel mezzanine HBAs and the graphics options. Neighbouring blades: BL460c Gen8 adapters and WS460c G6 parts, indexed under HPE parts by server model.

WS460c Gen8 Networking Adapters FAQ

Does the WS460c Gen8 have onboard network ports?
It has a FlexibleLOM rather than a fixed LAN-on-motherboard. The blade requires one, it is always dual port, and its ports are routed to interconnect bays 1 and 2.

Which FlexibleLOM works with Windows 7 on bare metal?
Only the Flex-10 10Gb 2-port 530FLB or the FlexFabric 10Gb 2-port 534FLB, and HPE limits them to basic network functions there. Every other adapter is supported on a server OS or hypervisor only.

Can I use a standard PCIe network card in a WS460c Gen8?
No. The base blade has no standard PCIe card slots. Network expansion goes through the FlexibleLOM connector and the two c-Class mezzanine slots.

Why is my second mezzanine slot not working?
A processor must be installed in socket 2 for expansion slot 2 to be accessible. On a single-processor blade only the first mezzanine slot is available.

Does it matter which mezzanine slot an InfiniBand adapter goes in?
Yes. An InfiniBand adapter in mezzanine slot 1 has only one active port regardless of mode, and both ports are active in any other slot. The FDR 544M must be in slot 1 for FDR mode, and QDR and FDR speeds need a c7000.

Why does my 10Gb adapter only link at 1Gbps?
Because of the interconnect module it faces. A 10 Gigabit adapter connected to an interconnect with 1Gb Ethernet downlinks links at 1Gbps only, and both its ports run at the same speed.

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