P13188-B21 HPE Mellanox MCX512F-ACHT 10/25GBE 2 Port 28 SFP PCI-E Adapter

Product Overview of HPE P13188-B21 2 Ports Network Adapter

The HPE P13188‑B21 dual‑port network adapter is engineered to deliver dependable high‑bandwidth connectivity for modern enterprise servers. This plug‑in expansion card supports advanced Ethernet standards, optimized throughput, and seamless integration into high‑performance infrastructures.

General Attributes

• Manufacturer: HPE
• Part Number: P13188-B21
• Product Type: 2 Ports Network Adapter

Technical Information

• Form Factor: Internal plug‑in card
• Bus Interface: PCI Express 3.0 x16
• PCIe Revision: PCIe Gen3 compliance
• Number of Ports: 2 independent network interfaces
• Port Type: QSFP28 connectors
• Supported Ethernet Standards: 10GbE and 25GbE
• Transceiver Compatibility: SFP28 modules

Network Protocols & Data Handling

• Data Link Protocols: Gigabit Ethernet, 10‑Gigabit Ethernet, 25‑Gigabit LAN
• Maximum Data Throughput: Up to 25 Gbps
• Interface Technology: PCI‑Express connectivity for low‑latency data movement

Operational Advantages

• Reliable multi‑speed Ethernet support for evolving workloads
• High‑efficiency PCIe 3.0 architecture for consistent performance
• Ideal for virtualization, cloud workloads, and dense compute nodes

Server Compatibility & Deployment Scope

• Designed For:
• HPE ProLiant DL325 Gen10 Plus
• HPE ProLiant DL385 Gen10 Plus
• HPE ProLiant DL385 Gen10 Plus Entry

Use‑Case Scenarios

• High‑density data center networking
• Scalable virtualization clusters
• Performance‑driven enterprise applications

HPE P13188-B21 SFP PCI-E Network Adapter

The HPE P13188-B21 Mellanox 10/25GbE 2 Port 28 SFP PCI-E MCX512F-ACHT Adapter is an advanced high-performance Ethernet networking solution designed to deliver flexible, scalable, and efficient connectivity for modern enterprise server environments. Built around Mellanox ConnectX-5 technology, this adapter provides dual-port Ethernet capability with support for both 10 Gigabit Ethernet and 25 Gigabit Ethernet speeds, enabling organizations to upgrade network performance while maintaining compatibility with existing infrastructure.

Designed for data centers, cloud computing platforms, virtualization environments, and high-performance enterprise applications, the HPE P13188-B21 network adapter combines powerful throughput, low latency communication, and advanced networking features. The adapter utilizes SFP28 connectivity, allowing administrators to deploy a wide range of optical and direct-attach copper network solutions depending on their infrastructure requirements. Its PCI Express interface provides high-speed communication between the server system and the network fabric, ensuring reliable data transfer for demanding workloads.

High-Speed Ethernet Connectivity for Enterprise Servers

The HPE P13188-B21 Mellanox adapter is engineered to support next-generation server networking requirements by providing dual-port 10GbE and 25GbE connectivity. With two SFP28 ports, this adapter enables flexible network deployment options for organizations seeking improved bandwidth, reduced congestion, and enhanced application performance. The ability to operate at multiple Ethernet speeds allows businesses to integrate this adapter into both existing 10GbE environments and newer 25GbE infrastructures.

25 Gigabit Ethernet technology provides a significant improvement over traditional 10 Gigabit networking by increasing available bandwidth while maintaining efficient server rack connectivity. The HPE P13188-B21 adapter helps eliminate network bottlenecks by providing higher data transfer capacity for applications such as virtualization, database processing, artificial intelligence workloads, high-performance computing, and enterprise storage environments.

Mellanox ConnectX-5 Ethernet Adapter Architecture

The MCX512F-ACHT adapter platform is based on Mellanox ConnectX-5 architecture, which is designed to provide advanced networking capabilities for demanding data center applications. Mellanox technology delivers efficient packet processing, optimized data movement, and hardware acceleration features that improve overall server communication performance.

The ConnectX-5 controller incorporates advanced networking functions that help reduce CPU overhead by handling network processing tasks directly through dedicated hardware resources. This approach allows server processors to dedicate more computing power to business applications while maintaining high-speed network communication.

Advanced Network Processing Capabilities

The adapter supports technologies designed to enhance network efficiency, including hardware offloading, intelligent traffic management, and optimized packet handling. These capabilities are especially valuable in environments where large amounts of data must be transferred quickly and consistently between servers, storage systems, and network switches.

The HPE P13188-B21 adapter is suitable for organizations that require dependable connectivity for mission-critical workloads. Its advanced architecture supports stable performance under intensive network conditions, making it an effective solution for enterprise server platforms requiring high availability and efficient data exchange.

Dual-Port SFP28 Network Interface Design

The dual-port design of the HPE P13188-B21 provides two independent SFP28 interfaces, giving administrators greater flexibility when designing network configurations. Each port can support high-speed Ethernet connections, allowing servers to connect to multiple network paths, redundant network architectures, or separate data communication segments.

SFP28 ports are widely used in modern data centers because they support both 10GbE and 25GbE connectivity options. This compatibility provides investment protection by allowing organizations to gradually transition from older networking standards to higher-performance Ethernet technologies without replacing the entire network infrastructure.

Flexible Cabling Options with SFP28 Interfaces

The SFP28 form factor enables compatibility with various transceiver and cable options, including direct attach copper cables and optical fiber modules. This flexibility allows enterprises to select the appropriate physical connection based on rack layout, distance requirements, power efficiency goals, and network design considerations.

For short-distance server-to-switch connections, direct attach copper solutions provide cost-effective and low-latency communication. For longer distances and more complex data center environments, optical transceivers can provide reliable connectivity across extended network links.

PCI Express Interface for High Bandwidth Server Integration

The HPE P13188-B21 Mellanox adapter uses a PCI Express interface to provide efficient communication between the network controller and the host server system. PCI Express connectivity enables the adapter to deliver high throughput while maintaining compatibility with enterprise server platforms designed for advanced networking expansion.

The PCI Express architecture provides a direct pathway for transferring network data between the adapter and system resources. This efficient connection helps maximize available bandwidth and supports applications that require consistent high-speed communication between servers and network infrastructure.

Optimized Performance for Data Center Workloads

Modern enterprise environments generate increasing amounts of data through virtualization, analytics, cloud services, and distributed applications. The HPE P13188-B21 adapter is designed to support these demanding workloads by providing faster network access and efficient data transmission capabilities.

Virtualized environments benefit from high-performance adapters because multiple virtual machines often share the same physical network connection. The adapter helps improve network resource utilization by supporting advanced traffic management features and providing sufficient bandwidth for multiple simultaneous workloads.

Enterprise Virtualization and Cloud Networking Support

The HPE P13188-B21 Mellanox adapter is well suited for virtualization platforms where network efficiency and scalability are essential. High-speed Ethernet connectivity enables virtualized servers to communicate efficiently while reducing limitations caused by traditional network interfaces.

Cloud infrastructure providers and enterprise data centers rely on high-performance network adapters to maintain consistent service delivery. This adapter supports environments where rapid data movement, low latency communication, and reliable connectivity are critical for application performance.

Enhanced Server-to-Server Communication

Server clusters, distributed computing environments, and storage networks require reliable communication between interconnected systems. The HPE P13188-B21 adapter provides the bandwidth and performance needed to support these architectures, helping organizations achieve improved application responsiveness and operational efficiency.

Enterprise Networking Features and Reliability

The HPE P13188-B21 Mellanox 10/25GbE adapter incorporates enterprise-grade networking features designed to improve reliability, performance, and management flexibility. It is built for professional environments where network availability and consistent operation are essential.

By supporting advanced Ethernet technologies, this adapter enables organizations to create efficient networking environments capable of handling large-scale workloads. Its combination of dual-port connectivity, high-speed Ethernet support, and Mellanox processing technology makes it suitable for a wide range of enterprise applications.

Designed for Modern Data Center Infrastructure

Data centers continue to evolve as organizations adopt cloud platforms, virtualization, artificial intelligence, and high-volume data processing applications. The HPE P13188-B21 adapter supports these trends by providing a scalable networking foundation that can accommodate increasing bandwidth requirements.

The adapter is designed to integrate with HPE server environments, providing compatibility with enterprise systems that require dependable network expansion options. Its compact PCI Express form factor allows organizations to enhance server networking capabilities without requiring major infrastructure changes.

Efficient Data Transfer and Reduced Latency

Low latency networking is important for applications where processing speed and response time directly impact performance. The Mellanox ConnectX-5 controller used in the MCX512F-ACHT adapter provides efficient data handling mechanisms that help optimize communication between connected systems.

Fast and reliable data transfer benefits applications such as financial computing, scientific research, enterprise databases, content delivery platforms, and large-scale virtualization deployments. The adapter helps maintain consistent network performance even in environments with intensive traffic demands.

Scalable Connectivity for Future Expansion

Organizations investing in 10GbE and 25GbE infrastructure require networking components that can support future growth. The HPE P13188-B21 provides scalability by supporting multiple Ethernet speeds and flexible SFP28 connectivity options.

This adaptability allows enterprises to expand their network capabilities over time while protecting existing technology investments. The adapter provides a practical solution for businesses upgrading from older network standards to higher-performance Ethernet environments.

Applications of HPE P13188-B21 Network Adapter

The HPE P13188-B21 Mellanox adapter is designed for a variety of professional networking applications where high bandwidth and efficient communication are required. It can support enterprise servers, data center systems, cloud infrastructure, storage environments, and specialized computing platforms.

High-Performance Computing Environments

High-performance computing systems require fast communication between processing nodes to complete complex calculations efficiently. The dual-port 10/25GbE capability of the HPE P13188-B21 adapter provides the network performance needed for demanding computational workloads.

Storage and Data Intensive Applications

Enterprise storage environments depend on fast network connections to deliver data access performance. The HPE P13188-B21 adapter helps improve communication between servers and storage systems by providing high-speed Ethernet connectivity suitable for data-intensive operations.

Enterprise Server Expansion

The adapter serves as an effective expansion component for organizations looking to enhance server networking capabilities. By adding dual-port 10/25GbE connectivity, enterprises can improve network flexibility, increase available bandwidth, and support modern application requirements.