817040-B21 HPE 40GBPS Fiber Channel Transceiver 4x10GBE/4x8GB QSFP

HPE 40GBPS Fiber Channel Transceiver

The HPE 817040-B21 Synergy QSFP+ Transceiver is a high-speed networking module engineered for enterprise environments. Supporting multiple protocols including 40GbE, 10GbE, and 8Gb Fibre Channel, this wired transceiver ensures reliable connectivity, efficient data transfer, and seamless integration with HPE Synergy infrastructure.

General Information

Manufacturer Details

• Brand: Hewlett Packard Enterprise
• Part Number: 817040-B21
• Category: QSFP+ Transceiver Module

Technical Specifications

• Connectivity Technology: Wired
• Cabling Type: 40GBASE-SR4
• Data Link Protocols: 10 Gigabit Ethernet, 8Gb Fibre Channel, 40 Gigabit LAN
• Data Transfer Rate: 40 Gbps
• Optical Wavelength: 850 nm
• Maximum Transfer Distance: 492 feet
• Features: Full Duplex Mode

Performance Highlights

Speed & Efficiency

• Delivers up to 40Gbps throughput
• Supports multiple protocols for versatile deployment
• Optimized for enterprise networking and storage solutions

Expansion & Connectivity

Interface Options

Supported Connections

Ethernet & Fibre Channel

• 1 x Ethernet 40GBASE-SR4
• MPO Multi-Mode Connector
• Compatible with Fibre Channel and LAN environments

HPE 817040-B21 40GbE / 4x10GbE FC Transceiver Overview

The HPE 817040-B21 Synergy 40GbE / 4x10GbE / 4x8Gb FC QSFP+ Transceiver is a high-performance optical networking module designed for advanced data center interconnectivity, converged infrastructure environments, and mission-critical enterprise workloads. Developed under the engineering standards of :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}, this transceiver plays a pivotal role in supporting multi-protocol communication across Ethernet and Fibre Channel networks, ensuring scalable bandwidth allocation and optimized network performance.

In modern IT ecosystems where virtualization, cloud computing, and hyper-converged infrastructure dominate, this QSFP+ transceiver enables seamless adaptability by supporting multiple transmission modes such as 40 Gigabit Ethernet, breakout configurations of 4x10 Gigabit Ethernet, and Fibre Channel speeds up to 8Gb per channel. This flexibility ensures that a single hardware component can support diverse networking requirements without the need for additional specialized modules.

Enterprise-Grade QSFP+ Architecture

High-Density Connectivity Design for Synergy Platforms

The QSFP+ form factor used in the HPE 817040-B21 transceiver is specifically engineered for high-density networking environments where space efficiency and port scalability are critical. In Synergy composable infrastructure systems, the module integrates seamlessly into fabric interconnects, enabling consolidated communication across compute, storage, and networking layers.

By supporting multiple data transmission configurations, the transceiver significantly reduces infrastructure complexity. This allows data center architects to deploy fewer hardware variations while still maintaining compatibility across multiple networking standards. The result is improved manageability and reduced operational overhead.

40GbE Backbone Performance Optimization

At its core, the transceiver delivers a stable 40 Gigabit Ethernet connection designed for backbone networking. This high-speed channel is essential for handling large-scale data transfers, distributed computing operations, and latency-sensitive workloads such as real-time analytics and virtualization clusters.

The 40GbE mode ensures that bandwidth-intensive applications such as cloud orchestration platforms and database replication systems can operate with minimal congestion and packet loss. It also enhances east-west traffic efficiency within modern leaf-spine network topologies.

Data Throughput Efficiency in Virtualized Environments

Virtualized infrastructures depend heavily on consistent throughput between hypervisors and storage nodes. The HPE QSFP+ transceiver ensures that multiple virtual machines can communicate simultaneously without bottlenecking the network fabric, thereby improving workload distribution efficiency and system responsiveness.

4x10GbE Breakout Capability for Flexible Network Segmentation

One of the most valuable features of this transceiver is its ability to split a single 40GbE channel into four independent 10GbE links. This breakout capability enables organizations to optimize port utilization and distribute traffic across multiple endpoints without requiring additional switch ports or hardware expansion.

This feature is particularly useful in environments where aggregation of server clusters is necessary, allowing multiple compute nodes to connect to a single high-speed uplink. It also supports gradual scaling strategies where organizations can upgrade network capacity incrementally.

Improved Port Efficiency and Network Design Simplification

Instead of deploying separate 10GbE modules for each connection, administrators can rely on a single QSFP+ port, reducing switch port consumption and simplifying cabling architecture. This leads to improved airflow management and reduced physical clutter within rack-mounted systems.

8Gb Fibre Channel Integration for Storage Networks

The inclusion of 8Gb Fibre Channel support makes the HPE 817040-B21 transceiver suitable for storage area networks (SANs), where high reliability and low latency are critical. Fibre Channel remains a widely adopted protocol in enterprise storage due to its deterministic performance and lossless transmission characteristics.

By supporting 4x8Gb Fibre Channel lanes, this transceiver enables simultaneous storage communication paths that enhance redundancy and throughput for mission-critical storage workloads. This is especially beneficial in environments running high-availability databases and large-scale backup systems.

Storage Traffic Segmentation and Performance Isolation

The multi-lane Fibre Channel capability allows administrators to separate storage traffic from general data traffic, ensuring that storage operations remain unaffected by network congestion. This isolation improves overall system stability and reduces latency spikes during peak workloads.

Integration within HPE Synergy Composable Infrastructure

Composable Fabric Connectivity for Modern Data Centers

Within HPE Synergy environments, the 817040-B21 transceiver functions as a critical connectivity component for composable fabric interconnects. It enables dynamic resource allocation, allowing compute and storage resources to be logically assembled and reassembled based on workload requirements.

This composability enhances operational agility by allowing IT teams to define infrastructure through software rather than static hardware configurations. The transceiver ensures that the underlying physical network supports this abstraction layer with high reliability.

Software-Defined Networking Compatibility

The transceiver supports environments leveraging software-defined networking principles, where network behavior is controlled centrally through orchestration platforms. This allows administrators to define traffic policies, segmentation rules, and bandwidth allocation dynamically.

High Availability and Redundancy Engineering

Enterprise data centers require uninterrupted connectivity, and this QSFP+ module is designed with redundancy in mind. When deployed in dual-fabric configurations, it ensures failover capability, allowing network traffic to reroute seamlessly in case of link degradation or hardware failure.

This redundancy model is essential for maintaining service-level agreements in industries such as finance, healthcare, and telecommunications, where downtime can lead to significant operational and financial impact.

Optical Performance and Signal Integrity Characteristics

Low Latency Optical Transmission Design

The optical design of the HPE 817040-B21 transceiver prioritizes low latency signal transmission, ensuring minimal delay in data propagation across network segments. This is crucial in environments where microseconds of delay can affect transaction processing, analytics accuracy, or system synchronization.

Signal Stability in High-Density Environments

In dense rack deployments, electromagnetic interference and signal degradation are common challenges. This QSFP+ module is engineered to maintain signal integrity under such conditions, ensuring consistent performance even in high-utilization data center racks.

Error Reduction and Transmission Reliability

Advanced error correction and signal stabilization mechanisms help reduce packet loss and retransmission rates. This contributes to improved overall network efficiency and reduces the computational overhead associated with error handling.

Energy Efficiency and Thermal Optimization

Power consumption is a critical factor in large-scale data center operations. The transceiver is designed with energy-efficient optics that reduce heat generation while maintaining high-speed data transmission capabilities. This helps lower cooling requirements and operational costs.

Thermal stability ensures consistent performance even under sustained high-throughput conditions, making it suitable for 24/7 enterprise workloads.