Emulex LPe12002 Fiber Channel HBA Product Introduction

1. Product Overview

             Emulex (now a brand under Broadcom) LPe12002 is an 8Gbps fiber channel HBA based on the fourth generation (Gen4) LightPulse architecture, designed specifically for enterprise storage area networks (SANs). It provides stable high-performance connectivity, suitable for traditional data centers, virtualization environments, and critical business storage systems, balancing cost and reliability requirements.

2. Key characteristics

High performance and compatibility:

            Supports 8GFC speed and is backward compatible with 4GFC/2GFC, ensuring seamless integration with existing infrastructure.

            The theoretical bandwidth in full duplex mode reaches 1.6GB/s, meeting the I/O requirements for medium scale storage.

Low latency architecture:

            Adopting Emulex's fourth generation LightPulse technology, optimizing data transmission paths and reducing CPU usage.

            Hardware acceleration supports T10 PI (Data Integrity Check) to enhance data reliability.

High availability design:

            Support NPIV (N_Port ID Virtualization), allowing multiple virtual machines to share a single physical port.

             Equipped with link fault switching and automatic recovery functions, enhancing SAN stability.

Flexible configuration options:

             PCIe 2.0 x4 host interface, compatible with mainstream servers (including rack and blade servers).

            Provide single port (LPe12002) and dual port (LPe12004) models to meet different connection density requirements.

Management and Diagnosis

            Support Emulex OneCommand Manager tool for centralized configuration and monitoring

             Onboard LED status indicator light for quick identification of connection or hardware issues.

3. Applicable scenarios

            Enterprise storage network: connects storage arrays such as EMC, HPE, IBM, etc., supporting applications such as databases (Oracle, SQL Server), email systems, etc.

Virtualization platform: Provides stable SAN access for VMware HANA and Microsoft Hyper-V.

            Medium sized data center: SAN expansion or upgrade for cost sensitive environments.

           Backup and disaster recovery: Integrate with tape libraries or backup devices to ensure high data availability.

4. Certification and compatibility

            Compliant with FC-PI-4 and FCP-4 standards, certified for interoperability with mainstream storage vendors.

Operating system support:

            Windows Server（2008/2012）

           Linux（RHEL、SLES）

            VMware ESXi（5.x/6.x）

          Solaris, HP-UX (requires specific drivers)

5. Summary of Technical Specifications

              Project parameters

             Fiber Channel speed 8GFC/4GFC/2GFC (adaptive)

             Host interface PCIe 2.0 x4 (compatible with PCIe 1.0)

             Port configuration single port or dual port SFP

            The protocol supports FCP-4 (SCSI) and FC Tape (FICON optional)

            Power consumption<10W (typical value)

           Standard external dimensions/Low Profile optional

6. Market positioning

            LPe12002 is the flagship product of the Emulex 8GFC series, aimed at users who require reliable and cost-effective SAN connectivity solutions, particularly suitable for scenarios such as upgrading from 4GFC or building small to medium-sized SAN environments.