CN1100E-HP HPE Dual Port Converged Network Adapter

HPE Dual Port Converged Network Adapter

The HPE CN1100E-HP Dual Port Converged Network Adapter is a high-performance solution designed for enterprise data centers. With advanced offload capabilities, multi-protocol support, and efficient PCI Express integration, this adapter ensures reliable connectivity and optimized throughput for modern workloads.

Main Information

• Manufacturer: HPE
• Part Number: CN1100E-HP
• Device Category: Network Adapter

Technical Specifications

• Number of Ports: 2 network ports
• Port Interface Type: SFP+

Performance

• Data Transfer Rate: 10 Gb/s per port
• Host Interface Slot: PCI Express Gen 2.0 ×8

Network Protocols

• Ethernet
• iSCSI
• Fibre Channel over Ethernet

Ethernet Standards

• Converged Enhanced Ethernet
• Lossless Ethernet

Offload Capabilities

• TCP/IP stateless offload
• TOE (TCP Offload Engine)
• iSCSI acceleration
• FCoE offload

Data Center Bridging

• IEEE 802.1Qbb (Priority Flow Control)
• IEEE 802.1Qaz (Enhanced Transmission Selection)
• IEEE 802.1Qau (Congestion Notification)

Network Controller

• Emulex OneConnect based (Broadcom)

Power & Physical Characteristics

• Typical Power Usage: 9.4 W

Form Factor

• Bracket Type: High profile / Full height bracket included
• Card Width: 265 mm
• Total Weight: Approximately 0.30 kg

Key Advantages

• Dual 10 Gb/s ports for high-speed connectivity.
• Supports Ethernet, iSCSI, and FCoE protocols.
• Advanced offload features for reduced CPU overhead.
• Optimized for data center bridging standards.
• Reliable Emulex OneConnect controller for enterprise workloads.

HPE CN1100E-HP Dual-Port SFP+ 10GBPS Adapter Overview

The HPE CN1100E-HP Dual-Port SFP+ 10Gbps Converged Network Adapter is engineered to deliver high-performance networking for enterprise data centers that demand stable throughput, low latency, and scalable connectivity. Built on a PCI Express 2.0 x8 interface, this adapter provides a balanced combination of bandwidth efficiency and compatibility with a wide range of server infrastructures. It is designed to support modern virtualization environments, cloud workloads, and storage-intensive applications where consistent 10 Gigabit Ethernet performance is essential for operational continuity and data integrity.

As a converged network adapter, this hardware integrates networking and storage traffic handling capabilities into a single adapter, reducing the need for multiple network interface cards. This design significantly improves server efficiency while minimizing infrastructure complexity. The dual-port SFP+ configuration enables flexible deployment in redundant network setups or high-throughput aggregation environments.

Dual-Port SFP+ Connectivity for High-Speed Data Transmission

Flexible Optical and Direct Attach Cabling Support

The dual SFP+ ports allow integration with both fiber optic transceivers and direct attach copper cables, making it suitable for diverse data center topologies. This flexibility ensures that administrators can deploy the adapter in short-range rack-level communication as well as long-distance interconnect scenarios. The support for 10Gbps per port ensures aggregated bandwidth scalability, enabling simultaneous high-speed data transfers across multiple workloads.

Redundant Network Path Configuration

Dual-port architecture enhances reliability by enabling redundant network pathways. In enterprise environments, redundancy is critical for preventing downtime caused by link failure or congestion. By distributing traffic across two independent ports, the adapter ensures continuous availability and load balancing capabilities, improving overall network resilience.

PCI Express 2.0 x8 Interface Performance Efficiency

Optimized Bus Bandwidth Utilization

The PCI Express 2.0 x8 interface provides sufficient bandwidth to support dual 10Gbps ports without bottlenecks. This ensures that the adapter can handle large-scale data transmission, including storage replication, virtual machine migration, and real-time analytics workloads. The PCIe architecture enables direct communication between the network adapter and system memory, reducing latency and improving throughput efficiency.

Low Latency Data Path Design

Low latency is a critical factor in high-performance computing environments. The architecture of this adapter minimizes data traversal delays by reducing CPU intervention through hardware offloading mechanisms. This allows the system to allocate more processing power to application-level tasks rather than network packet processing.

Improved CPU Utilization Efficiency

By offloading network processing tasks, the adapter significantly reduces CPU overhead. This is particularly beneficial in virtualization environments where multiple virtual machines compete for compute resources. Efficient CPU utilization results in improved workload density and better overall system performance.

Converged Networking Capabilities for Modern Data Centers

Unified Networking and Storage Traffic Handling

The converged architecture allows the adapter to handle both traditional Ethernet traffic and storage networking protocols. This reduces the need for separate network interface cards dedicated to storage traffic, simplifying infrastructure design and lowering total cost of ownership. It is particularly effective in environments utilizing iSCSI-based storage systems and virtualized storage networks.

Enhanced Infrastructure Consolidation

By consolidating networking functions into a single adapter, organizations can streamline server configurations and reduce hardware sprawl. This leads to more efficient rack utilization and simplified cable management, which is essential in large-scale enterprise deployments where physical complexity can become a bottleneck to scalability.

Hardware Design and Engineering Excellence

Robust PCB Layout and Component Integration

The internal design of the HPE CN1100E-HP adapter emphasizes signal integrity and durability. The printed circuit board is engineered to minimize electromagnetic interference while ensuring stable high-speed data transmission across both ports. High-quality components are selected to maintain performance consistency under continuous enterprise workloads.

Thermal Efficiency and Heat Dissipation

Thermal management plays a critical role in maintaining long-term reliability. The adapter is designed with optimized heat dissipation pathways that allow efficient cooling even under sustained network load conditions. This ensures stable operation in dense server environments where airflow may be constrained.

Enterprise-Grade Durability Standards

The hardware is built to meet stringent enterprise reliability requirements. It is capable of continuous 24/7 operation in mission-critical environments where downtime is not acceptable. The durability of the adapter ensures long service life and reduced maintenance requirements.

Signal Integrity Optimization

High-speed data transmission requires precise signal control to prevent packet loss and degradation. The adapter incorporates advanced signal conditioning techniques that help maintain data integrity across both SFP+ ports, even in high-noise data center environments.

Performance Characteristics and Network Efficiency

High Throughput for Data-Intensive Applications

With dual 10Gbps ports, the adapter supports high-throughput workloads including database replication, cloud storage synchronization, and high-speed backup operations. The aggregated bandwidth allows seamless handling of simultaneous data streams without congestion.

Latency Reduction for Real-Time Applications

Low latency performance is essential for applications such as financial trading systems, real-time analytics, and virtual desktop infrastructure. The adapter minimizes packet processing delays, ensuring rapid data delivery and response times.

Virtualization Optimization Features

The adapter is optimized for virtualized environments where multiple workloads share a single physical network interface. Advanced virtualization support improves packet routing efficiency and ensures fair bandwidth allocation among virtual machines.

Network Standards and Protocol Compatibility

10GBase-X Ethernet Standard Compliance

The adapter supports the 10GBase-X Ethernet standard, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of enterprise networking equipment. This standard enables high-speed optical and copper-based communication, making the adapter suitable for diverse deployment scenarios.

SFP+ Module Compatibility and Flexibility

The use of SFP+ interfaces provides flexibility in selecting optical transceivers or direct attach cables based on deployment requirements. This modular approach allows administrators to tailor network configurations according to distance, bandwidth, and environmental conditions.

Server Integration and Compatibility

Seamless Integration with Enterprise Server Platforms

The adapter is designed for compatibility with enterprise server platforms, ensuring smooth installation and operation within existing infrastructure. It integrates efficiently with server BIOS and operating systems that support PCIe network adapters.

Driver and Firmware Support Optimization

Comprehensive driver support ensures that the adapter can be deployed across various operating systems and virtualization platforms. Regular firmware updates help maintain security, performance, and compatibility with evolving network standards.

Storage Networking and Data Management Use Cases

iSCSI Storage Connectivity

The adapter is well-suited for iSCSI storage deployments, enabling high-speed block-level data transfer between servers and storage arrays. This enhances storage performance while reducing reliance on dedicated storage networks.

Unified Storage and Network Traffic Handling

By supporting both storage and network traffic, the adapter simplifies data center architecture and improves resource utilization. This convergence is particularly beneficial in environments where storage scalability and network efficiency must coexist.

Data Center Applications and Cloud Infrastructure

Cloud Computing Environments

In cloud computing infrastructures, the adapter supports scalable workloads by providing reliable and high-speed network connectivity. It enables efficient communication between virtual machines, storage systems, and application servers.

Virtualization Clusters and High Availability Systems

Virtualization clusters rely on stable and fast network communication to maintain synchronization and workload distribution. The dual-port design ensures redundancy and high availability in clustered environments.

High Performance Computing (HPC) Applications

HPC environments require extremely fast data transfer rates to process complex computations. The adapter supports such environments by minimizing latency and maximizing throughput efficiency across distributed computing nodes.

Security and Data Protection Features

Hardware-Based Offloading Capabilities

The adapter includes hardware-based offloading functions that reduce CPU workload while enhancing security and performance. These capabilities help manage encryption, segmentation, and packet processing tasks more efficiently.

Secure Data Transmission Handling

Secure transmission of data across enterprise networks is essential for protecting sensitive information. The adapter ensures stable packet handling mechanisms that reduce vulnerabilities associated with software-only processing.

Reliability and Enterprise Deployment Stability

Continuous Operation in Mission-Critical Environments

The adapter is engineered for continuous operation in environments where uptime is critical. Its robust design ensures stable performance even under heavy workloads and extended usage cycles.

Fault Tolerance and Error Handling

Built-in error detection and correction mechanisms help maintain network stability. These features reduce the likelihood of packet loss and ensure consistent communication between systems.

Deployment Scenarios and Infrastructure Optimization

Enterprise Data Center Integration

The adapter is commonly deployed in enterprise data centers where high-speed connectivity and reliability are essential. It supports complex networking architectures involving multiple switches, servers, and storage systems.

Scalable Network Expansion Strategies

Organizations can scale their network infrastructure by deploying multiple adapters across server clusters. This enables incremental expansion without requiring major architectural changes.

Rack-Level Optimization

At the rack level, the adapter contributes to optimized network design by reducing cabling complexity and improving port utilization efficiency. This enhances airflow management and overall system organization.