QL41132HLCU-HC HPE 10GB 2-port SFP+ Ethernet Adapter

Overview of QL41132HLCU-HC HPE 10GB 2-Port SFP+ Ethernet Adapter

The QL41132HLCU-HC is a high-performance 10 Gigabit Ethernet adapter developed by Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE). Engineered for advanced networking environments, this dual-port SFP+ adapter is designed for HPE ProLiant and Apollo server platforms, providing robust connectivity, low latency, and enhanced virtualization support. Supporting PCIe 3.0 x8 interface and based on the reliable QLogic technology, this adapter ensures superior performance for enterprise-level workloads, making it a staple in modern data centers.

Key Features of the QL41132HLCU-HC Adapter

Dual-Port SFP+ Design

The QL41132HLCU-HC includes two SFP+ ports that allow for flexible and scalable network configurations. With support for 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE), users can take advantage of high-bandwidth connectivity between servers and switches or other networking infrastructure, ensuring ample throughput for demanding applications like virtualization, storage networking, and big data analytics.

PCI Express Gen3 x8 Interface7

This adapter utilizes a PCIe 3.0 x8 interface, which provides high bandwidth and lower latency, ensuring optimal communication between the network adapter and server system. This interface supports advanced I/O throughput needed by modern data-driven workloads and efficiently handles high packet loads in virtualized environments.

QLogic Controller Technology

The adapter is powered by the QLogic 41000 Series controller, delivering ultra-low CPU utilization and minimizing power consumption without compromising performance. It enables enhanced I/O throughput and supports stateless offloading features that improve overall system performance and network efficiency.

Advanced Network Offloading Capabilities

Key network offload features include:

• TCP/IP stateless offload
• Receive Side Scaling (RSS)
• Large Send Offload (LSO)
• Checksum offload (IPv4, IPv6, TCP, UDP)
• Single Root I/O Virtualization (SR-IOV)

These features reduce CPU workload by offloading network packet processing, enhancing system responsiveness and efficiency in multitasking environments.

Benefits for Enterprise Networking

High-Performance Data Throughput

With its dual-port 10GbE architecture, the QL41132HLCU-HC is ideal for high-throughput network environments. Whether used for streaming massive datasets, backing up servers, or handling intensive I/O operations, this adapter ensures that data flows without congestion or bottlenecks.

Enhanced Virtualization Support

By incorporating technologies like SR-IOV and NIC partitioning, the adapter optimizes network performance in virtualized systems. It enables each virtual machine to have its own dedicated virtual function (VF) and separate bandwidth, improving traffic segregation and reducing latency in virtual environments.

Data Center Optimization

In modern data centers, energy efficiency, reliability, and performance are critical. The QL41132HLCU-HC is tailored for these requirements, offering power-efficient operations and reducing thermal output. The dual-port setup also supports redundancy and failover, increasing reliability for mission-critical systems.

Use Cases and Deployment Scenarios

Virtualized Environments

Thanks to its SR-IOV capability and low-latency architecture, the QL41132HLCU-HC excels in virtualized deployments. Whether in VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, or Linux KVM-based systems, this adapter ensures consistent, high-performance networking for multiple virtual machines sharing the same physical NIC.

Cloud and Web Services

For organizations operating private or hybrid cloud infrastructures, this adapter delivers the necessary bandwidth and redundancy. It enables fast communication between server nodes, load balancers, and web front-ends, improving the user experience and minimizing latency.

Big Data and Analytics

In data-intensive applications such as Hadoop clusters, data lakes, and distributed databases, the QL41132HLCU-HC provides the necessary 10GbE speeds to move data efficiently across processing nodes. This improves performance for batch analytics and real-time data streaming.

Enterprise Backup and Storage Connectivity

With its compatibility with iSCSI and NFS protocols over 10GbE, the adapter is suitable for connecting to network-attached storage (NAS) and storage area networks (SAN). It enables faster data backups, quicker restores, and uninterrupted storage replication across the network.

Compatibility and Interoperability

Supported HPE Server Platforms

The QL41132HLCU-HC is validated for multiple HPE server families, including:

• HPE ProLiant Gen10
• HPE Apollo Gen10
• HPE Synergy Compute Modules

This broad compatibility ensures flexibility in deployment across different compute tiers and workloads.

Operating System Support

The adapter supports a wide range of operating systems, including:

• Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES)
• VMware ESXi
• CentOS and Ubuntu (community support)

This OS diversity enhances its utility across hybrid IT environments and reduces the need for multiple network interface types.

Security and Reliability Features

Hardware Root of Trust

The QL41132HLCU-HC supports HPE’s Silicon Root of Trust security framework. This enhances firmware integrity, enabling secure boot and preventing unauthorized firmware updates, which is essential in mission-critical and sensitive data environments.

Secure Firmware Updates

Utilizing digitally signed firmware updates, this adapter guarantees that only authenticated and approved firmware can be loaded. This adds another layer of protection against cyber threats and firmware-level vulnerabilities.

Failover and Link Aggregation Support

The adapter supports IEEE 802.3ad link aggregation (LACP), allowing multiple ports to be bonded for redundancy and performance. In the event of a single port or cable failure, the traffic is automatically rerouted to maintain uptime.

Performance Metrics and Benchmarks

Low Latency and High Throughput

Benchmarks show the QL41132HLCU-HC can deliver line-rate 10Gbps performance per port with latencies under 5 microseconds. Its deterministic latency and high packet-per-second (PPS) rate are ideal for latency-sensitive applications such as financial trading, online gaming infrastructure, and telecommunications.

CPU Utilization

With hardware offloading capabilities, the adapter significantly reduces CPU usage under network-heavy workloads. Compared to legacy adapters, it shows an average 20-30% reduction in processor overhead, freeing up CPU cycles for application processing.

Power Efficiency

Thanks to its optimized power usage profile, the QL41132HLCU-HC consumes less power per gigabit transferred compared to previous generation adapters. This contributes to greener data centers and lowers total cost of ownership (TCO).

Physical and Technical Specifications

Form Factor and Slot Compatibility

The adapter comes in a low-profile PCIe form factor and includes both full-height and low-profile brackets. It is compatible with standard PCIe Gen3 x8 slots found in most HPE ProLiant servers.

Environmental Specifications

• Operating Temperature: 0°C to 55°C
• Humidity: 10% to 90% non-condensing
• MTBF: Over 1 million hours

These specs ensure the adapter’s durability and reliability in harsh data center conditions.

Management and Configuration Tools

Integration with HPE Systems Insight Manager (SIM)

The adapter can be fully monitored and managed through HPE SIM, providing centralized management, health status reporting, and alerts.

Command Line and Web Tools

CLI and web-based configuration tools are available for tuning adapter parameters such as VLANs, jumbo frames, NIC teaming, and queue tuning.

Driver and Firmware Update Tools

HPE Smart Update Manager (SUM) and iLO provide streamlined firmware update processes for the adapter, reducing administrative complexity and minimizing downtime during upgrades.