HPE BladeSystem Overview
HPE BladeSystem, powered by HPE OneView, offers a unified infrastructure and management platform designed to accelerate IT service delivery. It converges servers, storage, and network fabric, significantly lowering data center costs and improving workload deployment speed. Key benefits include reduced downtime, enhanced efficiency, and simplified management through automation.
The platform delivers real business results by providing a modular infrastructure that accelerates operations and application delivery. It reduces infrastructure complexity and costs by sharing power, cooling, network, and storage resources at the enclosure level. HPE Virtual Connect technology further simplifies connectivity, making server connections transparent to storage and networks.
HPE Intelligent Infrastructure and Thermal Logic technology help manage power resources, increasing data center capacity and reducing power costs. HPE OneView provides simplified management, automating lifecycle management and streamlining processes for faster, lower-cost deployments.
Learn more about how HPE BladeSystem can drive business innovation by visiting hpe.com/info/bladesystem.
Step 1: Choose your operating environment
HPE Integrity and HPE ProLiant server blades support a wide range of operating systems and virtualization software, allowing for flexible configurations within the same enclosure.
Supported Operating Systems and Virtualization Software
- Microsoft® Windows®: hpe.com/servers/wincert
- Red Hat® Enterprise Linux® (RHEL): hpe.com/servers/rhelcert
- SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES): hpe.com/servers/slescert
- Oracle Linux Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel: hpe.com/servers/olcert
- Oracle Solaris: hpe.com/servers/solariscert
- Canonical Ubuntu: hpe.com/servers/ubuntucert
- VMware®: hpe.com/servers/vmwarecert
Integrity Certifications
- HP-UX 11i: hpe.com/info/hpux
- HPE Integrity NonStop: hpe.com/info/nonstop
- HPE OpenVMS: hpe.com/info/openvms
Hewlett Packard Enterprise also provides full service and support for these operating environments. Learn more at hpe.com/info/ossupport.
Step 2: Choose your BladeSystem enclosure
Hewlett Packard Enterprise offers versatile enclosures to meet the needs of various IT environments. The HPE BladeSystem c7000 and c3000 Platinum Enclosures provide essential power, cooling, and I/O infrastructure for servers, interconnects, and storage components.
These enclosures simplify infrastructure, reduce costs, and adapt to evolving business needs. Intelligent infrastructure features like Power Discovery Services and Location Discovery Services enhance management and prevent downtime.
The HPE BladeSystem Onboard Administrator is the integrated management processor and firmware for c-Class enclosures, offering a single point of control for server blades and switches. It provides wizards for setup, secure access, automated power and cooling, and device health monitoring.
HPE BladeSystem c3000 Platinum Enclosure
Image of HPE BladeSystem c3000 Platinum Enclosure.
Ideal for offices or branch locations needing up to eight server or storage components. It uses standard power outlets, requires no special air conditioning, and is designed for staff productivity.
HPE BladeSystem c7000 Platinum Enclosure
Image of HPE BladeSystem c7000 Platinum Enclosure.
A larger, modular solution for bigger data centers, supporting up to 16 server and storage blades and offering more interconnect expansion slots for high-performance IT environments.
| Feature | HPE BladeSystem c3000 Platinum Enclosure | HPE BladeSystem c7000 Platinum Enclosure |
|---|---|---|
| Device bays | Up to 8 server and storage blades, mixed configurations supported | Up to 16 server and storage blades, mixed configurations supported |
| Interconnect bays | 4 (up to 2 redundant I/O fabrics) | 8 (up to 4 redundant I/O fabrics) |
| Power supplies | Up to (6) 1200 W (N+1 or N+N and 80 PLUS Certified) | Up to (6) 2250 W, 2450 W, or 2650 W (N+1 or N+N and 80 PLUS Certified) |
| Fans | Up to 6 hot-plug Active Cool fans | Up to 10 hot-plug Active Cool fans |
| Onboard Administrator | Up to 2 | Up to 2 |
| Height | 6U | 10U |
Find a complete list of supported options at hpe.com/servers/bladesystem/enclosures.
Step 3: Choose your interconnects
HPE Virtual Connect is key for virtualized or cloud-ready environments, simplifying server connectivity with its wire-once technology. It allows servers to be added, moved, or changed in minutes, reducing network sprawl.
HPE offers various Ethernet switches, Fibre Channel switches, and Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapters (HBAs), as well as InfiniBand switch modules and HCAs to meet diverse network connectivity needs.
Interconnects: Virtual Connect modules
| Feature | HPE Virtual Connect 16 Gb 24-Port Fibre Channel Module | HPE Virtual Connect 8 Gb 20-Port Fibre Channel Module | HPE Virtual Connect 8 Gb 24-Port Fibre Channel Module |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blade type | Single bay | Single bay | Single bay |
| Network connections | 16 internal 16/8 Gb downlinks presented as F-Ports; 8 external 16/8/4 Gb uplinks presented as N-Ports | 16 internal 8 Gb downlinks presented as F-Ports; 4 external 8 Gb uplinks presented as N-Ports | 16 internal 8 Gb downlinks presented as F-Ports; 8 external 8 Gb uplinks presented as N-Ports |
| Media types | Small form-factor pluggable (SFP) laser; HPE B-series 16 Gb SFP+ Short Wave Transceiver; HPE B-series 8 Gb SFP+ Short Wave Transceiver | Small form-factor pluggable (SFP) laser; 2/4/8 Gb short wave up to 500 m (1,640 ft); 1/2/4 Gb long wave up to 10 km | Small form-factor pluggable (SFP) laser; 1/2/4 Gb short wave, long wave; SFP+ 2/4/8 Gb short wave, long wave |
| Performance | 16 Gb/s line speed, full duplex; 0.7 µs latency; Max frame size 2112-byte payload; Buffer-to-buffer flow control management packet prioritization | 8 Gb/s line speed, full duplex; 1.2 µs latency; Max frame size 2112-byte payload; Buffer-to-buffer flow control management packet prioritization | 8 Gb/s line speed, full duplex; 0.74 µs latency; Max frame size 2148 bytes (2112-byte payload) |
| Protocol support | NCITS T11 NPIV | NCITS T11 NPIV | NCITS T11 NPIV |
| Management | Simple and intuitive GUI and setup wizards accessible through VC Ethernet module; CLI accessible through VC Ethernet module; Embedded SNMP v1 and v2; SMI-S, Virtual Connect Manager, HPE OneView | Simple and intuitive GUI and setup wizards accessible through VC Ethernet module; CLI accessible through VC Ethernet module; Embedded SNMP v1 and v2; SMI-S, Virtual Connect Manager, HPE OneView | Simple and intuitive GUI and setup wizards accessible through VC Ethernet module; CLI accessible through VC Ethernet module; Embedded SNMP v1 and v2; SMI-S, Virtual Connect Manager, HPE OneView |
| Extended management features | Virtual Connect Manager supports HPE Storage Essentials (FC Management MIB) | Virtual Connect Manager supports HPE Storage Essentials (FC Management MIB) | Virtual Connect Manager supports HPE Storage Essentials (FC Management MIB) |
| High-availability features | N-port trunking support for uplinks; Automatic loop protection; Mirrored profile database; Multi-path heartbeat between redundant modules | Link Aggregation Protocol; Automatic loop protection; Mirrored profile database; Multi-path heartbeat between redundant modules | Link Aggregation Protocol; Automatic loop protection; Mirrored profile database; Multi-path heartbeat between redundant modules |
| Security | LDAP, SSL, role-based management | LDAP, SSL, role-based management | LDAP, SSL, role-based management |
| Maximum per enclosure | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Part number | 751465-B21; 778720-B21 (TAA-compliant) | 572018-B21 | 466482-B21 |
| Warranty in year(s) (parts/labor/onsite) | 1/1/1 | 1/1/1 | 1/1/1 |
Interconnects: Virtual Connect modules (continued)
| Feature | HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8 Module | HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric 10 Gb/24-Port Module | HPE Virtual Connect Flex-10/10D Module |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blade type | Single bay | Single bay | Single bay |
| Network connections | 16 x 10/20 Gb downlinks to servers; 2 x 20 Gb cross connects; 4 x 40 Gb SR, LR fiber, DAC and AOC QSFP+; 8 x 10 Gb external SR, LR fiber, and copper uplinks SFP+ (Ethernet/FC); 1 internal interface to BladeSystem c-Class Onboard Administrator Module | 16 x 10 Gb downlinks to servers; 2 x 10 Gb cross connects; 4 x 10 Gb external SR, LR fiber, and copper uplinks SFP+ (Ethernet/FC); 4 x 10 Gb external SR, LRM, and LR fiber and copper uplinks SFP+ (Ethernet); 1 internal interface to c-Class Onboard Administrator Module | 16 x 10 Gb downlinks midplane; 4 x 10 Gb cross connect; 10 x 10 Gb SR, LR, or LRM fiber uplinks SFP+; 1 internal interface to c-Class Onboard Administrator Module |
| Media types | FCSFP/SFP+, 2/4/8 Gb short wave up to 500 m, 1/2/4 Gb long wave up to 10 km, Ethernet SFP/SFP+/QSFP+, 10GbE SR, LR, and LRM, 10GbE copper direct-attached cable, 40GbE SR, LR and direct-attached cable both DAC and AOC, HPE 10 m C-series Active Copper SFP+ Cable, HPE BLc 40G QSFP+ to QSFP+ 7 m, 10 m, 15 m AOC cable, HPE BLc QSFP+ 4 to 4 x 10 SFP+ 7 m, 10 m, 15 m AOC splitter cable, HPE X242 SFP+ 3 m, 5 m, 7 m, 15 m DAC Cable, HPE X242 QSFP+ 1 m, 3 m, 5 m DAC Cable, HPE X242 QSFP+ 4 to 4 x 10 SFP+ 1 m, 3 m, 5 m DAC splitter Cable | Direct attach to HPE 3PAR with HPE Flat SAN technology; FCSFP/SFP+, 2/4/8 Gb short wave up to 500 m, 1/2/4 Gb long wave up to 10 km, Ethernet SFP/SFP+, 10GbE SR, LR, and LRM, 10GbE copper direct-attached cable, 1GbE SX, 1GbE 1000 BASE-T copper, HPE 7 m C-series Active Copper SFP+ Cable, HPE 10 m C-series Active Copper SFP+ Cable, HPE X242 SFP+ 15 m DAC Cable, HPE X242 SFP+ 7 m DAC Cable | SFP+ SR, LR, LRM SFP SX, RJ45, SFP+ Copper, HPE 7 m C-series Active Copper SFP+ Cable, HPE 10 m C-series Active Copper SFP+ Cable, HPE X242 SFP+ 15 m DAC Cable, HPE X242 SFP+ 7 m DAC Cable |
| Performance | Line rate, full-duplex 1.2 Tb/s bridging fabric, 1.0 µs on Ethernet-only ports; 1.8 µs on Ethernet/FC ports; max Ethernet frame size 9216 (jumbo frame); max FC frame size 2148 bytes (2,112 byte payload); buffer-to-buffer flow control management; packet prioritization | Line rate, full-duplex 480 Gb/s bridging fabric; 1.5 µs on Ethernet-only ports; 2.0 µs Ethernet/FC ports; max Ethernet frame size 9216 (jumbo frame); max FC frame size 2148 bytes (2112 byte payload); buffer-to-buffer flow control management; packet prioritization | Line rate, full-duplex 600 Gb/s bridging fabric, less than 1.0 µs with Ethernet-only ports; max Ethernet frame size 9216 (jumbo frame) |
| Protocol support | IEEE 802.1Qbb (preliminary), 802.1Qaz (preliminary), 802.1AB, 802.1D, 802.1Q, IEEE 802.2, IEEE 802.3ad, INCITS FC-BB5 Rev 2.00, INCITS T11 NPIV, SR-IOV, FC-BB5 (single-hop and dual-hop) | IEEE 802.1Qbb (preliminary), 802.1Qaz (preliminary), 802.1AB, 802.1D, 802.1Q, IEEE 802.2, 802.3ad, INCITS FC-BB5 Rev 2.00, INCITS T11 NPIV, FC-BB5 | IEEE 802.1Qbb (preliminary), 802.1Qaz (preliminary), 802.1AB, 802.1D, 802.1Q, IEEE 802.2, 802.3ad, FC-BB5 |
| Management | Simple and intuitive GUI and setup wizards; embedded SNMP v1, v2, v3; SMI-S, Virtual Connect Manager, HPE OneView IPv6 and sFlow® | Simple and intuitive GUI and setup wizards; embedded SNMP v1, v2, v3; SMI-S, Virtual Connect Manager, HPE OneView | Simple and GUI and setup wizards; embedded SNMP v1, v2, v3; SMI-S CLI, Virtual Connect Manager, HPE OneView |
| Extended management features | Virtual Connect Manager supports PXE, WOL, port VLAN, VLAN Tagging, VLAN pass-through, IGMP Snooping, NIC Teaming integrated with Onboard Administrator, HPE Systems Insight Manager, HPE Storage Essentials (FC Management MIB), Telnet, SNMP, FC port telemetry via GUI, telemetry support for port utilization including memory, and CPU performance measurement including FlexNICs telemetry | Virtual Connect Manager supports PXE, WOL, port VLAN, VLAN Tagging, VLAN pass-through, IGMP Snooping, NIC Teaming Integrated with Onboard Administrator, HPE Systems Insight Manager, HPE Storage Essentials (FC Management MIB), Telnet, SNMP, FC port telemetry via GUI, Telemetry support for port utilization including memory, and CPU performance measurement including FlexNICs telemetry | Virtual Connect Manager supports PXE, WOL, port VLAN, VLAN Tagging, VLAN pass-through, IGMP Snooping, NIC Teaming Integrated with Onboard Administrator, HPE Systems Insight Manager Telnet, SNMP, Telemetry support for port utilization including memory, and CPU performance measurement including FlexNICs telemetry |
| High-availability features | Link Aggregation protocol automatic, loop protection, Mirrored profile database, Multi-path heartbeat between redundant modules | Link Aggregation protocol automatic, loop protection, Mirrored profile database, Multi-path heartbeat between redundant modules | Link Aggregation protocol automatic, loop protection, Mirrored profile database, Multi-path heartbeat between redundant modules |
| Security | LDAP, SSL, TACACS+ and Radius, role-based management, and GUI and CLI session timeout | LDAP, SSL, TACACS+ and Radius, role-based management, and GUI and CLI session timeout | LDAP, SSL, TACACS+ and Radius, role-based management, and GUI and CLI session timeout |
| Diagnostics | Troubleshoot network performance and monitor health in terms of CPU and memory, FlexNIC and LAG stats, mirroring--any uplink port can be used as a dedicated mirrored port from the server port(s) | Troubleshoot network performance and monitor health in terms of CPU and memory, FlexNIC, and LAG stats, mirroring--any uplink port can be used as a dedicated mirrored port from the server port(s) | Troubleshoot network performance and monitor health in terms of CPU and memory, FlexNIC, and LAG stats, mirroring--any uplink port can be used as a dedicated mirrored port from the server port(s) |
| Maximum per enclosure | 6 | 8 | 8 |
| Direct attach with FC storage | HPE 3PAR StoreServ 7000 Series | HPE 3PAR StoreServ 7000 Series | N/A |
| Part number | 691367-B21; 691367-B22 (TAA) | 571956-B21; 605865-B21 (dual module with VCEM) | 638526-B21; 662048-B21 (dual module with VCEM) |
| Warranty in year(s) (parts/labor/onsite) | 1/1/1 | 1/1/1 | 1/1/1 |
Interconnects: Ethernet switches
| Feature | HPE Networking 6127XLG Ethernet Blade Switch | HPE Networking 6125XLG | HPE Networking 6125G/XG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blade type | Single bay | Single bay | Single bay |
| Network connections | 16 internal 1/10/20 Gb downlinks; Four external 40 Gb; Eight external 10 Gb; Four internal 10 Gb cross-link; IRF support up to eight devices; 1 management console port | 16 internal 1/10 Gb downlinks; Four external 40 Gb; 8 external 10 Gb; 4 internal 10 Gb cross-link; 1 management console port | 16 internal 1 Gb downlinks; 4 external RJ45 (1 Gb); Four external SFP/SFP+ (1 Gb/10 Gb/IRF); 1 internal 10 Gb cross-link; 1 management console port |
| Media types | SFP+ SR/LR/LRM optical; QSFP+ | SFP+ SR/LR/LRM optical; QSFP+ SR4 | Copper RJ45; SFP SX optical; SFP+ SR/LR/LRM optical |
| Performance | 240 Gb/s uplink port bandwidth; 320 Gb/s downlink (server) port bandwidth; 40 Gb/s cross-link bandwidth; forwarding rate 1.5 million pps per Gigabit port (64-byte packets); 14.8 million pps per 10 Gb port, and 59.3 million pps per 40 Gb port | 240 Gb/s uplink port bandwidth; 160 Gb/s downlink (server) port bandwidth; 40 Gb/s cross-link bandwidth; forwarding rate 1.5 million pps per Gigabit port (64-byte packets); 14.8 million pps per 10 Gb port; 59.3 million pps per 40 Gb port | 44 Gb/s uplink port bandwidth; 16 Gb/s downlink (server) port bandwidth; 10 Gb/s cross-link bandwidth; forwarding rate 1.5 million pps per Gigabit port; (64-byte packets); 14.8 million pps per 10 Gb port |
| Protocol support | SSHv2, TACACS, TACACS+, RADIUS; IEEE 802.3, 802.3ab, 802.1ad, 802.1s, 802.1w, 802.1p, 802.1x, 802.1Qbg (VEPA), 802.3ad (static), 802.1Q, IGMP and 1588 Snooping, BOOTP, FCoE, FCF, TRILL, SPB, VXLAN | SSHv2, TACACS, TACACS+, RADIUS; IEEE 802.3, 802.3ab, 802.1ad, 802.1s, 802.1w, 802.1p, 802.1x, 802.1Qbg (VEPA), 802.3ad (static), 802.1Q, IGMP snooping, and BOOTP, FCoE, FCF, TRILL, SPB | SSHv2, TACACS, TACACS+, RADIUS; IEEE 802.3, 802.3ab, 802.1d, 802.1s, 802.1w, 802.1p, 802.1x, 802.3ad (static), and 802.1Q, IGMP snooping, BOOTP |
| Management | CLI, SNMP v1, v2c, and v3; OOBM via OA; GUI management via HPE IMC; RJ45 console port; sFlow and RMON networking monitoring; NTP OAM (802.3ah); CFD (802.1ag); Virtual Application Network (VAN), ISSU; SDN with OpenFlow | CLI, SMNP v1, v2c, and v3; OOBM via OA; GUI management via HPE IMC; RJ45 console port; sFlow and RMON network monitoring; NTP OAM (802.3ah); CFD (802.1ag); SDN with OpenFlow | Web browser or CLI, HTTPS, SMNP v1, v2c, and v3 OOBM via OA; GUI Management via HPE IMC, RJ45 console port, sFlow and RMON network monitoring, NTP OAM (802.3ah); CFD (802.1ag) |
| High-availability features | IRF, LACP Spanning Tree, ECMP, DLDP, RRPPP, Smart Link, VRRP | IRF, LACP, Spanning Tree; ECMP, DLDP, Smart Link; VRRP | IRF; LACP; Spanning Tree; ECMP; DLDP; Smart Link; VRRP |
| Maximum per c7000 enclosure | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Part number | 787635-B21; 787635-B22 (TAA) | 711307-B21; 737230-B21 (TAA) | 658250-B21; 737226-B21 (TAA) |
| Warranty in year(s) (parts/labor/onsite) | 1/1/1 | 1/1/1 | 1/1/1 |
| Feature | HPE Networking 6125G | Mellanox SX1018 HPE | Cisco Fabric Extender for HPE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blade type | Single bay | Double bay | Single bay |
| Network connections | 16 internal 1 Gb downlinks; 4 external RJ45 (1 Gb); 4 external SFP/SFP+ (1 Gb/IRF @10 Gb); 1 internal 10 Gb cross-link; 1 management console port | 16 internal 10 Gb/40 Gb downlinks; 18 40 Gb QSFP+ uplinks; 1 management console port (double bay width interconnect) | 16 internal 1/10 Gb downlinks; 8 external SFP+ 10 Gb uplinks |
| Media types | Copper RJ45; SFP SX optical | QSFP+ | SFP+ SR/LR/optical DAC copper cables; Cisco Fabric Extender Transceivers |
| Performance | 26 Gb/s uplink port bandwidth; 16 Gb/s downlink (server) port bandwidth; 10 Gb/s cross-link port bandwidth; forwarding rate 1.5 million pps per Gigabit port; (64-byte packets); 14.8 million pps per 10 Gb port | 1440 Gb/s uplink port bandwidth; 640 Gb/s downlink (server) port bandwidth; 230 ns latency at 40 Gb; 20 ns latency at 10 Gb; 2 Gb main, 2 MB flash memory | 48 Gb switching fabric; 128 MB DDR SDRAM; 16 MB flash memory |
| Protocol support | SSHv2, TACACS, TACACS+, RADIUS; IEEE 802.3, 802.3ab, 802.1d, 802.1s, 802.1w, 802.1p, 802.1x, 802.3ad (static), and 802.1Q, IGMP snooping, BOOTP | SSHv2, TACACS, TACACS+, RADIUS, IEEE 802.3, 802.3u, 802.3ab, 802.1d, 802.1s, 802.1w, 802.1p, 802.3ac, 802.1x | IEEE 802.1p: CoS prioritization; 802.1Q, 802.3; 802.3ae, 802.3ap, SFF 8431 SFP+ support, RMON, SFF 8461 |
| Management | Web browser or CLI, HTTPS; SMNP v1, v2c, and v3; OOBM via OA; GUI Management via IMC; RJ45 console port; sFlow and RMON network monitoring; NTP; OAM (802.3ah); CFD (802.1ag) | Web browser or CLI, HTTPS; GUI management via UFM; SNMP v1, v2c and v3; OOBM via OA; IGMPv1, IGMPv2; NTP; RADIUS/TACACS+; LLDP Discovery protocol, sFlow, OpenFlow | Fabric extender management using in-band management; Cisco DCNM and standard SNMP, XML interfaces, and CLI |
| High-availability features | IRF; LACP; Spanning Tree; ECMP; DLDP; Smart Link; VRRP | RSTP; MSTP; Link Aggregation Control Protocol | Uplink traffic management through Cisco Ether Channel hashing or static port pinning |
| Maximum per c7000 enclosure | 8 | 2 | 8 |
| Part number | 658247-B21; 737220-B21 (TAA) | 689638-B21 | 641146-B21; 657787-B21 |
| Warranty in year(s) (parts/labor/onsite) | 1/1/1 | 1/1/1 | 1/1/1 |
Interconnects: Ethernet Adapters for HPE BladeSystem c-Class Gen8/Gen9 servers
Find a complete list of products in the adapters portfolio; visit: hpe.com/servers/ProLiantNICs.
| Feature | HPE FlexFabric 10 Gb 2-port 536FLB Adapter | HPE FlexFabric 20 Gb 2-port 650FLB Adapter | HPE FlexFabric 20 Gb 2-port 650M Adapter | HPE FlexFabric 20 Gb 2-port 630FLB Adapter | HPE FlexFabric 20 Gb 2-port 630M Adapter | HPE FlexFabric 10 Gb 2-port 534M Adapter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware features | TOE, accelerated iSCSI, and iSCSI boot | Accelerated iSCSI, and iSCSI boot | Accelerated iSCSI, and iSCSI boot | TOE, accelerated iSCSI, and iSCSI boot | TOE, accelerated iSCSI, and iSCSI boot | TOE, accelerated iSCSI, and iSCSI boot |
| Blade server type | (Gen9) | (Gen9 and BL460c Gen8) | (Gen9 and BL460c Gen8) | (Gen8/Gen9) | (Gen8/Gen9) | (Gen8/Gen9) |
| IEEE compliance | 802.1p, 802.1Q, 802.3, 802.3ad, and 802.3x, IEEE 1588, 802.1AS | 802.3ae, 802.1Q, 802.3x, 802.1p, 802.3ad/LACP, 802.1AB (LLDP), 802.1Qbg, 802.1Qbb, 802.1Qaz, 802.3ap | 802.3ae, 802.1Q, 802.3x, 802.1p, 802.3ad/LACP, 802.1AB (LLDP), 802.1Qbg, 802.1Qbb, 802.1Qaz, 802.3ap | 802.3, 802.1ab, 802.3x, 802.3ad, 802.3p, 802.1q, 802.3ae, 802.1au, 802.3ap, 802.1as, 802.1Qaz, 802.1Qbb, and IEEE 1588 | IEEE 802.3, 802.1ab, 802.3x, 802.3ad, 802.3p/802.1q, 802.3ae, 802.1qau, 802.3ap, 802.1as, 802.1Qaz, and 802.1Qbb | 802.3, 802.1ab, 802.3x, 802.3ad, 802.3p, 802.1q, 802.3ae, 802.1au, 802.3ap, 802.1as, 802.1qaz, 802.1Qbb, IEEE 1588 |
| Ports/type | 2 x 10 Gb | 2 x 10/20 Gb | 2 x 10/20 Gb | 2 x 10/20 Gb | 2 x 10/20 Gb | 2 x 10 Gb |
| Form factor | x8 PCIe 3.0, FlexibleLOM | x8 PCIe 3.0, FlexibleLOM | x8 PCIe 3.0, type 1 card | x8 PCIe 3.0, FlexibleLOM | x8 PCIe 3.0, type 1 card | x8 PCIe, type I card |
| Network controller | QLogic 57840S | Emulex XE-104 | Emulex XE-104 | QLogic 57840S | QLogic 57804S | QLogic 57810S |
| Software features | Adapter teaming: Yes; PXE: Yes | Adapter teaming: Yes; PXE: Yes | Adapter teaming: Yes; PXE: Yes | Adapter teaming: Yes; PXE: Yes | Adapter teaming: Yes; PXE: Yes | Adapter teaming: Yes; PXE: Yes |
| Warranty in year(s) (parts/labor/onsite) | 1/0/0 | 1/0/0 | 1/0/0 | 1/0/0 | 1/0/0 | 1/0/0 |
| Feature | HPE Ethernet 10 Gb 2-port 570FLB Adapter | HPE Ethernet 10 Gb 2-port 570M Adapter | HPE Ethernet 10 Gb 2-port 560FLB Adapter | HPE Ethernet 10 Gb 2-port 560M Adapter | HPE FlexFabric 10 Gb 2-port 554M Adapter | HPE FlexFabric 10 Gb 2-port 554FLB Adapter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware features | TOE, accelerated iSCSI, and iSCSI boot | TOE, accelerated iSCSI, and iSCSI boot | TOE | TOE | TOE, accelerated iSCSI, iSCSI boot | TOE, accelerated iSCSI, iSCSI boot |
| Blade server type | (Gen8) | (Gen8) | (Gen8/Gen9) | (Gen8/Gen9) | (Gen8) | (Gen8) |
| IEEE compliance | IEEE 802.3, 802.3x, 802.3ad, 802.3p, 802.1q, 802.3ae | IEEE 802.3, 802.3x, 802.3ad, 802.3p, 802.1q, 802.3ae | 802.3, 802.1ab, 802.3x, 802.3ad, 802.3p, 802.1q, 802.3ae, 802.1au, 802.3ap, 802.1as, 802.1qaz, 802.1Qbb, IEEE 1588 | IEEE 802.3, 802.1ab, 802.3x, 802.3ad, 802.3p/802.1q, 802.3ae, 802.1qau, 802.3ap, 802.1as, 802.1Qaz, and 802.1Qbb | IEEE 802.1p, 802.1q, 802.1qau, 802.3ad, 802.3ae, 802.3ap (10GBASE-KX4), and 802.3x | IEEE 802.1p, 802.1q, 802.3, 802.3ad, and 802.3x, IEEE 1588, 802.1AS |
| Ports/type | 2 x 10 Gb | 2 x 10 Gb | 2 x 10 Gb | 2 x 10 Gb | 2 x 10 Gb | 2 x 10 Gb |
| Form factor | x8 PCIe 2.0, FlexibleLOM | x8 PCIe 2.0, type I card | x8 PCIe 2.0, type A card | x8 PCIe 2.0, type A card | x8 PCIe 2.0, FlexibleLOM | FlexibleLOM |
| Network controller | Solarflare SFC9120 | Solarflare SFC9120 | Intel® 82599 | Intel 82599 | Emulex BE3 | Emulex BE3 |
| Software features | Adapter teaming: No; PXE: No | Adapter teaming: No; PXE: No | Adapter teaming: Yes; PXE: Yes | Adapter teaming: Yes; PXE: Yes | Adapter teaming: Yes; PXE: Yes | Adapter teaming: Yes; PXE: Yes |
| Warranty in year(s) (parts/labor/onsite) | 1/0/0 | 1/0/0 | 1/0/0 | 1/0/0 | 1/0/0 | 1/0/0 |
| Feature | HPE NC553m 10 Gb 2-port FlexFabric Adapter | HPE NC532m 2-port Flex-10 10GbE Adapter | HPE Ethernet 1 Gb 4-port 366M Adapter | HPE NC364m Quad-Port 1GbE Adapter | HPE NC360m Quad-Port 1GbE Adapter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware features | TOE, accelerated iSCSI, and iSCSI boot | TOE, accelerated iSCSI | TOE | TOE | TOE |
| Server type | Blade | Blade | Blade (Gen8) | Blade | Blade |
| IEEE compliance | IEEE 802.1p, 802.1q, 802.1qau, 802.3u, 802.3ad, 802.3ae, 802.3ap (10GBASE-KX4), 802.3x, and 802.3ap | IEEE 802.3u, 802.3ad, 802.3ae, 802.1p, 802.1q, 802.3z, 802.3ae, and 802.3ap (10GBASE-KX4) | 802.1p, 802.1Q, 802.3, 802.3ad, and 802.3x, IEEE 1588, 802.1AS | IEEE 802.1p, 802.1Q, 802.3, 802.3ad, and 802.3x | IEEE 802.1p, 802.1Q, 802.3, 802.3ad, and 802.3x |
| Ports/type | 2 x 10 Gb | 2 x 10 Gb | 4 x 1 Gb | 4 x 1 Gb | 4 x 1 Gb |
| Form factor | x8 PCIe 2.0, type I card | x8 PCIe 2.0, type I card | x4 PCIe, type I card | x4 PCIe, type I card | x4 PCIe, type I card |
| Network controller | Emulex BE3 | Broadcom 57711 | Intel i350 | Dual Intel 82571EB | Intel 82571EB |
| Software features | Adapter teaming: Yes; PXE: Yes | Adapter teaming: Yes; PXE: Yes | Adapter teaming: Yes; PXE: Yes | PXE boot with VC modules only | PXE boot with VC modules only |
| Warranty in year(s) (parts/labor/onsite) | 1/0/0 | 1/0/0 | 1/0/0 | 1/0/0 | 1/0/0 |
Interconnects: Direct Connect SAS Switch
| Feature | HPE 6 Gb SAS Switch for HPE BladeSystem c-Class |
|---|---|
| Performance | 6 Gb/s SAS |
| Port configuration | 16 internal (2x) SAS ports, 8 external (4x) SAS ports |
| Management features | Virtual SAS Manager (VSM) GUI and CLI allows port based and bay based configuration |
| High-availability features | Redundant switches; hot-pluggable; non-disruptive software upgrades, dual domain support |
| Protocols supported | SAS |
| Warranty in year(s) (parts/labor/onsite) | 1/1/1 |
| HPE related offerings | HPE Direct Connect SAS Controllers |
| Capacity for server blades | External SAS JBOD (D6000) SAS storage: Each BladeSystem enclosure supports up to four HPE MSA P2000 G3 storage arrays |
HPE Smart Array Controllers
| Feature | HPE Smart Array P731m/P741m Controllers | HPE Smart Array P721m Controller | HPE Smart Array P712m Controller | HPE Smart Array P711m Controller | HPE Smart Array P246br HBA | HPE Smart Array H244br HBA | HPE Smart Array P244br HBA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance | 6 Gb/s SAS with 2 Gb FBWC (P731m); 12 Gb/s SAS with 4 Gb FBWC (P741m) | 6 Gb/s SAS includes either a 512 MB or 2 GB FBWC | 6 Gb/s SAS available 256 MB cache | 6 Gb/s SAS includes 1 GB FBWC | 12 Gb/s SAS with 1 Gb FBWC | 12 Gb/s SAS with zero memory | 2 internal SAS ports |
| Port configuration | 4 external (2x) SAS ports | 4 external (2x) SAS ports | 2 internal (1x) SAS ports, 2 external (2x) SAS ports (only enabled with cache) | 4 external (2x) SAS ports | 4 internal SAS ports | 2 internal SAS ports | 2 internal SAS ports |
| Management features | Online array expansion, RAID migration, and online spares Virtual SAS Manager | Online array expansion, RAID migration, and online spares Virtual SAS Manager | Online array expansion, RAID migration, and online spares (with cache) Virtual SAS Manager | Online array expansion, RAID migration, and online spares Virtual SAS Manager | HPE SSA Smart Array management with online array expansion, RAID migration | HPE SSA Smart HBA management | HPE SSA Smart Array management with online array expansion, RAID migration |
| High-availability features | Flash backed write cache, RAID 0, 1, 10, 5, 50, 6, 60, 1 ADM, 10 ADM | Flash backed write cache, RAID 0, 1, 10, 5, 50, 6, 60, 1 ADM, 10 ADM | RAID 0, 1, 10, 5, and 50 (on shared storage) | Flash backed write cache, RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 50, and 60 | Raid mode or HBA mode, flash backed write cache (FBWC), RAID 0, 1 | RAID mode or HBA mode | RAID mode or HBA mode, flash backed write cache (FBWC), RAID 0 or 1 |
| Protocols supported | 3/6 Gb/s SAS, 3/6 Gb/s SATA | 3/6 Gb/s SAS, 3/6 Gb/s SATA | 6 Gb/s SAS, 3 Gb/s SATA | 3/6 Gb/s SAS, 1.5/3 Gb/s SATA | Up to 12 Gb/s SAS or 6 Gb/s SATA | Up to 12 Gb/s SAS or SATA | Up to 12 Gb/s SAS or SATA |
| Warranty in year(s) (parts/labor/onsite) | 3/0/0 | 3/0/0 | 3/0/0 | 3/0/0 | 3/0/0 | 3/0/0 | 3/0/0 |
Interconnects: Fibre Channel Switches for HPE BladeSystem c-Class Servers
| Feature | Brocade 16 Gb SAN Switch | Brocade 8 Gb SAN Switch |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | 896 Gb/s (full duplex) | 384 Gb/s (end-to-end) |
| Port configuration | 16 Gb/s, non-blocking and auto-sensing; 8/16 Gb for internal ports and 4/8/16 Gb for external ports | 8 Gb/s, non-blocking and auto-sensing; 2/4/8 Gb |
| Management features | SAN Network Advisor (optional); Web tools; Advanced zoning; Power Pack+ (bundled or optional): ISL Trunking, Advanced Performance Monitoring, Fabric Watch, Extended Fabrics | SAN Network Advisor (optional), Web tools; Advanced zoning; Power Pack+ (bundled or optional), ISL Trunking, Advanced Performance Monitoring, Fabric Watch, Extended Fabrics |
| High-availability features | Hot pluggable; non-disruptive software upgrades; Diagnostic ports | Redundant switches; hot pluggable; non-disruptive software upgrades |
| Protocols supported | Fibre Channel | Fibre Channel |
| Part number | C8S45A, C8S46A, C8S47A | AJ820B, AJ821B, AJ822B |
| Warranty in year(s) (parts/labor/onsite) | 1/1/1 | 1/1/1 |
Interconnects: Fibre Channel HBA mezzanine cards
Find a complete list of products in the Host Bus Adapters portfolio; visit: hp.com/us/en/products/server-host-bus-adapters/index.html#!view=grid&page=1.
| Feature | HPE QMH2672 16 Gb FC HBA | HPE LPe1605 16 Gb FC HBA | HPE LPe1205 8 Gb FC HBA | HPE LPe1205A 8 Gb FC HBA | HPE QMH2562 8 Gb FC HBA | Brocade 804 8 Gb FC HBA | HPE QMH2572 8 Gb FC HBA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance | Up to 500,000 I/Os per second per channel | Up to 500,000 I/Os per second per channel | Up to 200,000 I/Os per second per channel | Up to 200,000 I/Os per second per channel | Up to 200,000 I/Os per second per channel | Up to 500,000 I/Os per second per port | Up to 200,000 I/Os per second per channel |
| Port configuration | Dual 16 Gb Fibre Channel ports | Dual 16 Gb Fibre Channel ports | Dual 8 Gb Fibre Channel ports | Dual 8 Gb Fibre Channel ports | Dual 8 Gb Fibre Channel ports | Dual 8 Gb Fibre Channel ports | Dual 8 Gb Fibre Channel ports |
| Management features | QLogic Converge Console management utility for centralized management and remote control of distributed HBAs | Emulex installation and management tools automate installation and provide local and remote HBA configuration and management | Emulex installation and management tools automate installation and provide local and remote HBA configuration and management | Emulex installation and management tools automate installation, providing local and remote HBA configuration and management | QLogic Converge Console management utility for centralized management and remote control of distributed HBAs | Integrates into HPE Data Center Fabric Manager | QLogic Converge Console management utility for centralized management and remote control of distributed HBAs |
| High-availability features | Multi-path support for redundant HBAs and paths | Multi-path support for redundant HBAs and paths | Multi-path support for redundant HBAs and paths | Multi-path support for redundant HBAs and paths | Multi-path support for redundant HBAs and paths | Multi-path support for redundant HBAs and paths | Multi-path support for redundant HBAs and paths |
| Protocols supported | Fibre Channel | Full support for both FC service class 2 and 3 | Full support for both FC service class 2 and 3 | Full support for both FC service class 2 and 3 | Fibre Channel | Fibre Channel | Fibre Channel |
| Warranty in year(s) (parts/labor/onsite) | 1/1/1 | 1/1/1 | 1/1/1 | 1/1/1 | 1/1/1 | 1/1/1 | 1/1/1 |
Interconnects: InfiniBand Switch Module
| Feature | HPE BLc 4X QDR IB Switch | HPE BLc 4X DDR IB G2 Switch |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | 40 Gb/s (QDR) per port, 2.5 Tb/s switching capacity | 20 Gb/s (DDR) per port, 1.28 Tb/s switching capacity |
| Port configuration | 16 4X QDR QSFP uplink ports | 16 4X DDR QSFP uplink ports |
| Management features | Externally managed | Externally managed |
| Support notes | Requires subnet manager on the fabric. Supported only on new RoSH 6 of 6 compliant c7000 enclosure | Requires subnet manager on the fabric |
| Protocols supported | IBTA | IBTA |
| Warranty | 1-year parts exchange | 1-year parts exchange |
Interconnects: InfiniBand Mezzanine HCA
| Feature | HPE 4X QDR IB Dual-Port Mezzanine HCA | HPE 4X DDR IB Dual-Port Mezzanine HCA |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | 4x quad data rate (40 Gb/s) | 4x double data rate (20 Gb/s) |
| Port configuration | Dual-port | Dual-port |
| Management features | OFED driver stack | OFED driver stack |
| Supported ProLiant BL | BL280c G6, BL460c G6, and BL490c G6 | BL260c G5, BL280c G6, BL2x220c G5, BL460c, BL460c G5, BL460c G6, BL465c G5, BL480c, BL490c G6, BL495c G5, BL680c G5, BL685c, BL685c G5, and BL685c G6 |
| Supported Integrity BL | N/A | BL860c |
| Warranty | 1-year parts exchange | 1-year parts exchange |
Step 4: Choose your server blades
HPE ProLiant servers are designed for speed, efficiency, and intelligence, offering the right compute for various workloads. HPE server blades deliver optimal performance for demanding tasks.
HPE ProLiant BL460c Gen9
Image of HPE ProLiant BL460c Gen9 server blade.
The HPE ProLiant BL460c Gen9 is a popular server blade balancing performance, scalability, and expandability, making it a standard for dense data center computing.
| Specification | HPE ProLiant BL460c Gen9 |
|---|---|
| Number of processors | 1 or 2 |
| Maximum number of cores per blade | 44 |
| Processor family | Intel® Xeon® E5-2600 v4 or v3 |
| Maximum processor frequency | 3.5 GHz |
| Memory slots | 16 |
| Maximum memory per server | 2 TB |
| Networking ports (embedded) | None |
| Maximum FlexibleLOM ports | 2 |
| Maximum drive bays | 2 SFF SATA/SAS/SSD, NVMe |
| Maximum internal storage | 7.68 TB |
| I/O expansion slots | 2 PCIe 3.0 mezzanine |
| Form factor | Half-height server blade (16 per 10U enclosure; 8 per 6U enclosure) |
| UEFI support | Yes |
| Management | HPE iLO 4, HPE OneView, HPE Insight Online |
| Warranty in year(s) (parts/labor/onsite) | 3/3/3 |
HPE ProLiant BL660c Gen9
Image of HPE ProLiant BL660c Gen9 server blade.
The HPE ProLiant BL660c Gen9 offers a dense, four-socket form factor without compromising performance, scalability, or expandability.
| Specification | HPE ProLiant BL660c Gen9 |
|---|---|
| Number of processors | 2 or 4 |
| Maximum number of cores per blade | 88 |
| Processor family | Intel Xeon E5-4600 v4 or v3 |
| Maximum processor frequency | 3.2 GHz |
| Memory slots | 32 |
| Maximum memory per server | 4.0 TB |
| Networking ports (embedded) | None |
| Maximum FlexibleLOM ports | 4 |
| Maximum drive bays | 4 SFF SATA/SAS/SSD/NVMe |
| Maximum internal storage | 7.68 TB |
| I/O expansion slots | 3 PCIe 3.0 mezzanine |
| Form factor | Full-height server blade (8 per 10U enclosure; 4 per 6U enclosure) |
| UEFI support | HPE iLO 4 |
| Management | HPE OneView, HPE Insight Online |
| Warranty in year(s) (parts/labor/onsite) | 3/3/3 |
HPE ProLiant WS460c Gen9 Graphics Server Blades
These blades offer high-density workstation-class compute power with data center-class security and scalability, supporting multiple media-rich PC users per blade with NVIDIA® GRID graphics cards.
| Specification | HPE ProLiant WS460c Gen9 Graphics Server Blade | HPE ProLiant WS460c Gen9 Graphics Server Blade with Expansion |
|---|---|---|
| Number of processors | 1 or 2 | 1 or 2 |
| Maximum number of cores | 44 | 44 |
| Processor family | Intel Xeon E5-2600 v4 or v3 | Intel Xeon E5-2600 v4 or v3 |
| Maximum processor frequency | 3.5 GHz | 3.5 GHz |
| Memory slots | 16 | 16 |
| Maximum memory per server | 1 TB | 1 TB |
| Maximum FlexibleLOM ports | 2 | 2 |
| Maximum drive bays | 2 SFF SATA/SAS/SSD | 2 SFF SATA/SAS/SSD |
| Maximum internal storage | 7.68 TB | 7.68 TB |
| I/O expansion slots | 2 PCIe x16 (Gen3) mezzanine slots | 2 full-size, full-height, PCIe x16 (Gen3) slots |
| Graphics | 1 NVIDIA Quadro K3100M or 1 NVIDIA Tesla M6 or 1 AMD S7100X | HPE MultiGPU Carrier (4 NVIDIA Tesla M6) or (4 AMD S7100X) or (6 NVIDIA Quadro K3100M) or 1 NVIDIA GRID K2/K1 or 1 NVIDIA Quadro K6000/K5000 or up to 2 NVIDIA Quadro K4000 |
| Form factor | Half-height server blade, 16 per 10U enclosure, 8 per 6U enclosure | Half-height, double-width server blade, 8 per 10U enclosure, 4 per 6U enclosure |
| Warranty in year(s) (parts/labor/onsite) | 3/3/3 | 3/3/3 |
Mezzanine graphics
| Mezzanine slot | NVIDIA Quadro K3100M mezzanine graphics card | NVIDIA Tesla M6 mezzanine graphics adapter | AMD S7100X mezzanine graphics card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mezzanine slot | MXM3 type-B mezzanine, single card | MXM3 type-B mezzanine, single card | MXM3 type-B mezzanine, single card |
| GPU cores | NVIDIA CUDA, 768 | NVIDIA CUDA, 1536 | GFXIP8, 2048 |
| Memory size | 4 GB (GDDR5) | 8 GB (GDDR5) | 8 GB (GDDR5) |
| PCI Express | x16 Gen3 | x16 Gen3 | x16 Gen3 |
Graphics for Expansion Blade
| PCIe form factor | HPE MultiGPU Carrier (shown with six NVIDIA Quadro K3100M) (two carriers) | HPE MultiGPU carrier with NVIDIA M6 (two per carrier) | HPE MultiGPU carrier with AMD S7100X (two per carrier) | NVIDIA GRID K2 | NVIDIA GRID K1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCIe form factor | Single-width, dual cards | Single-width | Single-width | Double-width, single card only | Double-width, single card only |
| GPU cores | 240 per GPU | 768 per GPU | 2048 per GPU | 3072 (2 GPUs) | 768 |
| Memory size | 2 GB (GDDR5) per GPU | 8 GB per GPU | 8 GB per GPU | 8 GB (GDDR5) | 16 GB (GDDR3) |
| PCI Express | PCIe x16 (Gen3) | PCIe x16 (Gen3) | PCIe x16 (Gen3) | PCIe x16 (Gen3) | PCIe x16 (Gen3) |
| PCIe form factor | NVIDIA Quadro K6000 | NVIDIA Quadro K5000 | NVIDIA Quadro K4000 | NVIDIA Quadro M6000 | NVIDIA Quadro M5000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCIe form factor | Double-width, single card only | Double-width, single card only | Single-width, dual cards | Double-width, single card only | Double-width, single card only |
| NVIDIA CUDA cores | 2,880 | 1536 | 768 | 3,072 | 2,048 |
| Memory size | 6 GB (GDDR5) | 4 GB (GDDR5) | 3 GB (GDDR5) | 12 GB (GDDR5) | 8 GB (GDDR5) |
| PCI express | PCIe x16 (Gen3) | PCIe x16 (Gen2) | PCIe x16 (Gen2) | PCIe x16 (Gen3) | PCIe x16 (Gen3) |
Step 5: Choose your storage infrastructure
Connect to external HPE SAN, NAS, and backup solutions, or integrate storage within the BladeSystem enclosure. This allows for quick storage expansion and data protection without additional cabling.
HPE offers a comprehensive Converged Storage portfolio, including entry-level options to multi-petabyte all-flash arrays. These solutions are built on modular hardware and federated software for simplicity, efficiency, and agility, supporting virtualization, cloud, and IT as a Service (ITaaS).
Options include systems-based storage like HPE 3PAR StoreServ Storage arrays and HPE StoreOnce System backup appliances, as well as cost-optimized virtual storage appliances (VSAs).
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric modules can directly connect to HPE 3PAR StoreServ Storage systems using Flat SAN direct-attach technology for simplified storage solutions.
The HPE BladeSystem is an affordable way to connect servers to Fibre Channel-based SANs, reducing cables and transceivers and potentially saving up to 64 percent compared to traditional rack-mount environments. Visit hpe.com/storage for SAN options.
HPE BladeSystem Storage options (internal)
| Feature | HPE D2220sb Storage Blade* | HPE StoreEasy 3850 Gateway Blade Storage | HPE IO Accelerator G2 for HPE BladeSystem c-Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interconnect | Direct-attach over PCIe (iSCSI SAN storage when configured with HPE StoreVirtual VSA on server blade) | SAN connect: SMB (CIFS), NFS, FTP and FTPS, HTTP and HTTPS, WebDAV, iSCSI | Ideal for organizations faced with increasing demands for better application performance from their technology infrastructure. |
| Drives supported | Up to 12 SFF SAS, SATA, SAS/SATA SSD drives | Enterprise SAS HDDs for internal OS drives only | 365 GB, 785 GB, 1.2 TB native maximum, depending on model |
| Maximum capacity | Up to 24 TB raw SAS; Up to 24 TB raw SATA | Gateway to unlimited external storage (0 GB useable; internal drive capacity for OS mirror only) | N/A |
| Form factor | Half-height storage blade | Half-height storage blade | N/A |
| RAID levels supported | RAID 0, 1, 10, 5, and 6 | OS drives configured with RAID 0, 1 | N/A |
| Warranty | Hardware: 3-year NBD Parts Only; Software: 3-year 9x5 remote technical support | 3-year parts exchange, 3-year labor, 3-year onsite, and next business day response for hardware; 1-year 24x7 telephone support for software | 3-year parts only |
| HPE related offerings | Installation and Startup for HPE BladeSystem Infrastructure and 3-year, 24x7 hardware support | 3-year, Support Plus 24 and enhanced 3-year, Proactive 24 service | N/A |
| ProLiant server blade supported | Supports Gen8 blade servers as well as BL460c and BL660c Gen9 | N/A | Gen8 |
| Maximum IOPS | N/A | N/A | 530,000 IOPS |
| Supported operating systems | N/A | N/A | Microsoft Windows Server® 2008 (x86_64-bit only) R1 with SP2 or higher, Microsoft Windows Server 2008 (x86_64-bit only) R2, Microsoft Windows Hyper-V, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.7 (AMD64/EM64T), Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.1 (AMD64/EM64T), SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 (AMD64/EM64T), SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 (AMD64/EM64T), VMware ESX 4.1, VMware ESXi 5.x |
HPE BladeSystem Storage options (software-defined)
| Feature | HPE StoreVirtual Virtual Storage Appliance (VSA) | HPE StoreOnce Virtual Storage Appliance (VSA) |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware support | Runs on all HPE ProLiant or third-party servers and c-Class server blades certified with VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, or KVM | Runs on all HPE ProLiant or third-party servers and c-Class server blades certified with VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, or Ubuntu KVM |
| Warranty standard statement | 3-year or 5-year HPE software support standard; 9x5 business hours phone support (software technical support and software product and documentation updates) | 3-year or 5-year HPE software support standard; 9x5 business hours phone support (software technical support and software product and documentation updates) |
| Software licensing terms | License keys enable all features of the HPE StoreVirtual VSA, including storage clustering, application-managed snapshots and Remote Copy. Keys are required for each individual VSA instance. Licenses available for up to 4 TB, 10 TB, or 50 TB usable capacity. | The StoreOnce VSA has an all-inclusive license which includes the StoreOnce Catalyst, Replication and Security Pack features and entitlement to HPE technical support. Licenses available for up to 4 TB, 10 TB, or 50 TB usable capacity. Capacity upgrade licenses are available. |
| Download location | Free 1 TB license available at: hp.com/us/en/products/data-storage/server-vsa.html | Free 1 TB license available at: hp.com/go/freebackup |
| HPE related offerings | Support services: HPE StoreVirtual VSA Software Installation and Startup Service, HPE Proactive Select Services, HPE Proactive Care 24x7, HPE Proactive Care Personalized Support | Support services: HPE StoreOnce VSA Software Installation and Startup Service, HPE Proactive Select Services, HPE Proactive Care 24x7, HPE Proactive Care Personalized Support |
HPE BladeSystem Storage options (external)
| Interconnect | HPE 3PAR StoreServ 8200 or 8400 Storage | HPE 3PAR StoreServ 8440 or 20800 Storage | All-Flash HPE 3PAR StoreServ 8450, 20450, or 20850 Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interconnect | 16 Gb/s FC host ports; Optional 10 Gb/s iSCSI, 10 Gb/s FCoE, and 10/16 Gb/s Ethernet ports. Two built-in remote copy ports per node pair. Maximum initiators per system: 2048 or 4096 | 16 Gb/s FC host ports; Optional 10 Gb/s iSCSI, 10 Gb/s FCoE, and 10/16 Gb/s Ethernet ports. Two built-in remote copy ports per node pair. | 16 Gb/s FC host ports; Optional 10Gb/s iSCSI, 10 Gb/s FCoE, and 10/16 Gb/s Ethernet ports. Two built-in remote copy ports per node pair. |
| Drives supported | 6-576 HDDs (SAS or NL); 6-240 SSDs (MLC or cMLC) | 6-1920 HDDs (SAS or NL); 6-1044 SSDs (MLC or cMLC) | 6-1024 SSDs (MLC or cMLC) |
| Maximum capacity | Up to 2400 TB | Up to 6000 TB | Up to 3932 TB |
| RAID levels supported | RAID 0, 1, 5, and 6 | RAID 0, 1, 5, and 6 | RAID 0, 1, 5, and 6 |
| Warranty in year(s) (parts/labor/onsite) | 3/3/3; 5 years for all SSDs | 3/3/3; 5 years for all SSDs | 3/3/3; 5 years for all SSDs |
| HPE related offerings | Support services: Installation and Startup service, HPE Proactive Care 24x7; HPE Proactive Care Advanced; HPE Proactive Care Select; For a full list see: hpe.com/services/storage | Support services: Installation and Startup service, HPE Proactive Care 24x7; HPE Proactive Care Advanced; HPE Proactive Care Select; For a full list see: hpe.com/services/storage | Support services: Installation and Startup service, HPE Proactive Care 24x7; HPE Proactive Care Advanced; HPE Proactive Care Select; For a full list see: hpe.com/services/storage |
| Interconnect | HPE MSA Storage | HPE StoreVirtual 4000 Storage | HPE D6000 Disk Enclosure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interconnect | 8/16 Gb Fibre Channel and/or 1/10GbE iSCSI (2-4 ports per controller) | For each StoreVirtual Node: 4 (four) 1 Gb iSCSI ports; 2 (two) 10 Gb iSCSI ports in select models | 6 Gb SAS |
| Drives supported | 99-199 SFF drives or 48-96 LFF drives maximum including expansion | 48 TB per node with 32 nodes maximum scalability | Up to 70 LFF drives per enclosure |
| Maximum capacity | 768 TB maximum with expansion, depending on drive type | 1536 TB | Up to 560 TB supported in a single box |
| RAID levels supported | RAID 0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 10, and 50 | RAID 10, 5, and 6. Network RAID 10 eliminates any single point of failure 10 and 50 | RAID functionality provided by supported by provided HPE Smart Array controllers |
| Warranty in year(s) (parts/labor/onsite) | 3/0/0 | 3/3/3 | 3/0/0 |
| HPE related offerings | Support services: HPE Proactive Care 24x7; HPE Proactive Care Advanced; HPE Proactive Care Personalized Support; HPE Foundation Care 24x7 Service | Installation and Startup Service; HPE Proactive Care 24x7 | Installation and Startup Service; HPE Foundation Care 24x7 Service; HPE Proactive Care 24x7 |
| Interconnect | HPE StoreOnce System | HPE StoreEver Tape Automation | HPE Data Protector Software |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interconnect | 10GbE and 8 Gb FC, 1 Gb Ethernet, and 1GbE, 10GbE vNIC, iSCSI available. (Host interface and number of ports per controller depending on the model) | 4 Gb Fibre Channel, 8 Gb Fibre Channel, 6 Gb SAS | N/A |
| Capacity | Scalable from 1 TB to 2240 TB raw or 1 TB to 1728 TB (usable, depending the model) | Up to 6.25 TB per LTO-6 cartridge (assuming 2.5:1 compression) options from 8 to 560 slots | N/A |
| Transfer rate | Up to 139 TB/hr (max), depending on the model | Up to 1.44 TB/hr per drive; Max: 60.4 TB/hr with 42 LTO-6 tape drives | N/A |
| Format | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Media compatibility/RAID levels supported | Hardware RAID 6 (RAID 5 with StoreOnce 2700 only) | LTO-6; LTO-5; LTO-4 | N/A |
| Form factor | Rack-based (19-inch rack) | Rack-based external data protection | N/A |
| Warranty in year(s) (parts/labor/onsite) | 1/1/1, next-day response with 9x5 phone support | 1/1/1, next-day response with 9x5 phone support | N/A |
| HPE related offerings | Support services: 3-year, Proactive Care 24x7 | Support services: 3-year, 24x7 hardware support; HPE 3-year 4-hour 24x7 Proactive Care Service | Support services: 3-year HPE Foundation Care 24x7 |
Step 6: Choose your infrastructure management
HPE infrastructure management is delivered through a portfolio of capabilities that operate from embedded utilities to cloud-based portals. Key components include HPE OneView, HPE iLO, and HPE Insight Online.
HPE OneView provides a unified, software-defined approach to converged infrastructure management, automating deployment, updates, and ongoing management. It offers a single, integrated view of servers, storage, and fabric, simplifying operations and accelerating time to business value.
Key features of HPE OneView include:
- A single platform for managing HPE BladeSystem and HPE 3PAR StoreServ storage.
- Smart Search for quick navigation.
- 3-D Power/Thermal Mapping for intuitive power management.
- Automated lifecycle management using repeatable templates.
- Automation hub for deployment, updates, and management via REST API or scripting.
- Server profile templates for configuration changes and automated updates.
- Integration with third-party management tools like VMware vCenter and Microsoft System Center.
HPE iLO (Integrated Lights-Out) provides embedded management for server lifecycle, including Intelligent Provisioning, Active Health System, and Agentless Management. It speeds deployment, maximizes availability, and accelerates time-to-resolution.
HPE Insight Online is a cloud-based portal for infrastructure management and support, offering a personalized dashboard to track service events, support cases, and monitor contracts and warranties.
Refer to hpe.com/info/oneview for the complete HPE Server Infrastructure Management Portfolio.
Step 7: Choose your power and cooling configurations
The HPE BladeSystem c7000 Platinum Enclosure provides comprehensive power, cooling, and I/O infrastructure for servers, interconnects, and storage components.
Power is delivered through a pooled-power backplane with flexible input options (single-phase, three-phase AC, -48 V DC, high voltage DC). HPE Thermal Logic and Intelligent Infrastructure technologies combine energy efficiency with accurate measurement and control to optimize power usage and data center capacity.
HPE Power Advisor utility can provide estimates of power needs and demonstrate how HPE Intelligent Infrastructure can enhance power and cooling. Learn more or download at hpe.com/info/poweradvisor.
HPE Intelligent Infrastructure capabilities
- Active cool fans: Optimize airflow, reduce power draw, and improve acoustic performance.
- Parallel redundant scalable enclosure cooling (PARSEC) design: Hybrid cooling model for effective airflow and cooling for all servers.
- Instant thermal monitoring: Real-time view of heat, power, and cooling data, with dynamic fan speed adjustments.
- Power pooled for true N+N power redundancy: Single pool of power accessible by any blade, facilitating N+N and N+1 redundancy.
- High-efficiency power supplies: Up to 94 percent efficient, including Platinum-level options.
- Dynamic power saver mode: Power load shifting improves efficiency by automatically adjusting power consumption based on demand.
- Power regulator: Integrated speed-stepping for processors to improve energy efficiency.
- Power workload balancing: Manages power at the enclosure level to stay within defined power caps.
- Enclosure dynamic power capping: Limits peak power usage without impacting performance.
- HPE Intelligent Power Distribution Unit (iPDU): Manages and controls rack-mounted power distribution units with precision.
- Location discovery services: Automatically records the exact location of components in HPE Intelligent Series Racks.
Step 8: Choose your services
HPE Technology Services offers consulting and support to help deploy and operate new IT with minimal disruption. Services include Installation and Startup, Proactive Care, Foundation Care, and Datacenter Care.
- HPE Proactive Care Services: Offers personalized problem prevention, up to 77% reduction in downtime, near 100% diagnostic accuracy, and 24x7 monitoring with pre-failure alerts. Proactive Care Advanced provides an assigned Account Support Manager for business-critical IT.
- HPE Foundation Care: Economical hardware and software support with simplified coverage and response times, including collaborative call management with ISVs.
- HPE Datacenter Care: Comprehensive service for the entire IT environment, offering enhanced call management, proactive services, and tailored support options like multi-vendor support and Spare Parts service.
- HPE Flexible Capacity: A pay-as-you-grow solution for scaling IT capacity without upfront capital investment.
- HPE Lifecycle Event Services: Expertise across strategy, design, deployment, and operations, sold on a per-event basis.
- HPE Education Services: Training to help staff assimilate new IT skills and manage resources effectively.
For more information on HPE services, visit hpe.com/services.
