656241-001 HPE 361T 1Gb PCIe 2 Port Network Adapter for ProLiant

The HPE 656241-001 Ethernet 1Gb 2-Port Network Adapter

The HPE 656241-001 Ethernet 1Gb 2-Port 361T Adapter is a high-performance network interface card engineered for enterprise servers and data center environments. Designed to deliver dependable Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, this dual-port adapter enhances network availability, bandwidth efficiency, and system performance. Featuring a low-profile form factor and PCI Express 2.0 x4 interface, it is an ideal networking solution for HPE ProLiant servers and other compatible systems requiring reliable wired connectivity. This enterprise-grade network adapter supports advanced networking technologies, including Jumbo Frames, PXE boot, Wake-on-LAN, Network Fault Tolerance, and Large Send Offload, helping organizations optimize network traffic while reducing CPU overhead.

General Information

• Manufacturer: HPE
• Part Number: 656241-001
• Product Type: Network Adapter

Technical Specifications

• Model: HPE Ethernet 1Gb 2-Port 361T Adapter
• Device Type: Network Adapter
• Number of Ports: 2
• Form Factor: Low-Profile Plug-in Card
• Bus Interface: PCI Express 2.0 x4

Connectivity Specifications

• Technology: Wired Networking
• Connector Type: RJ-45
• Ports: 2 x Gigabit Ethernet
• Supported Speeds: 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps, and 1000 Mbps
• Maximum Transfer Rate: 1 Gbps

Supported Ethernet Standards

• 10BASE-T Ethernet
• 100BASE-TX Fast Ethernet
• 1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet

The HPE 656241-001 361T 1GB PCIE 2-Port Network Adapter 

The HPE 656241-001 361T 1Gb PCIe 2-Port 10MB 2.0x4 Network Adapter for ProLiant servers represents a highly reliable enterprise-class networking solution designed for scalable data center environments. Built to support dual Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, this adapter is engineered to deliver consistent throughput, low latency communication, and robust system integration within HPE ProLiant server infrastructures. It is widely adopted in mission-critical workloads where stable network performance and hardware-level reliability are essential for uninterrupted operations. This adapter belongs to a category of server-grade network interface cards optimized for virtualization, database access, cloud computing workloads, and enterprise resource planning systems. Its architecture is specifically tuned for high-density server environments that require dependable dual-port Ethernet communication with PCI Express 2.0 x4 interface efficiency.

Enterprise-Level Hardware Integration

The HPE 361T 1Gb PCIe 2-Port adapter is engineered using enterprise-grade components that ensure long-term operational stability. The design emphasizes thermal efficiency, signal integrity, and consistent data transmission across both ports. The dual-port configuration allows simultaneous network pathways that enhance redundancy and load balancing capabilities, making it suitable for environments that cannot afford downtime or packet loss.

Controller Technology and Processing Efficiency

At the core of this network adapter lies an advanced Ethernet controller designed to handle high-volume data traffic with minimal CPU overhead. This offloading capability ensures that server processors can focus on application workloads rather than network packet processing. The hardware-based acceleration features improve throughput performance, especially in virtualized environments where multiple network interfaces are actively used.

Packet Processing adapter

The adapter is optimized for reduced latency in packet transmission and reception. This is particularly important for enterprise applications that depend on real-time communication between servers, storage systems, and client endpoints. By minimizing processing delays, the adapter enhances application responsiveness and network efficiency.

PCI Express 2.0 x4 Interface Performance

The PCIe 2.0 x4 interface used in the HPE 656241-001 adapter provides a stable and efficient pathway between the network controller and the server motherboard. This interface ensures sufficient bandwidth to support dual 1Gb Ethernet ports without congestion, enabling smooth data flow even under heavy workloads.

Dual-Port 1Gb Ethernet Connectivity

The dual-port design of the HPE 361T adapter provides built-in redundancy, ensuring that network connectivity remains uninterrupted even if one port experiences failure or maintenance downtime. This redundancy is critical in enterprise environments where continuous availability is a key requirement.

Load Balancing Capabilities

By distributing network traffic across two independent Gigabit Ethernet ports, the adapter supports effective load balancing. This helps prevent network congestion and ensures that applications receive consistent bandwidth availability. The load balancing mechanism is especially useful in clustered server environments and virtualization platforms.

Compatibility with HPE ProLiant Servers

The HPE 656241-001 361T adapter is specifically designed for compatibility with HPE ProLiant server systems. This ensures seamless installation, driver support, and firmware alignment within enterprise data center environments. The hardware is validated for use with multiple ProLiant generations, ensuring flexibility in deployment.

Hypervisor Compatibility

This adapter is compatible with major hypervisor technologies used in enterprise virtualization environments. It enables efficient virtual switching and supports advanced network configurations required for cloud infrastructure deployments.

High Availability Systems

In high availability architectures, the adapter plays a crucial role in ensuring continuous network access. Its dual-port redundancy and failover mechanisms make it a preferred choice for systems that require minimal downtime.

Scalable Network Expansion

The adapter supports scalable deployment strategies, allowing organizations to expand network capacity by adding additional ProLiant servers equipped with the same adapter model. This ensures consistency across the infrastructure and simplifies network management.

Multi-Platform Compatibility

The HPE 656241-001 361T adapter supports a wide range of enterprise operating systems, ensuring flexibility in deployment across diverse IT environments. This includes compatibility with Windows Server distributions, Linux-based systems, and virtualization hypervisors.