Cisco N2XX-AEPCI05-Emulex LPE 12002 Dual Port 8Gb Fibre Channel Card

Experience enterprise-grade storage connectivity with the Cisco N2XX-AEPCI05-Emulex LPE 12002 Dual Port 8Gb Fibre Channel Card. Engineered for data centers and virtualization environments, this PCI Express 2.0 x8 plug-in adapter delivers reliable, high-performance Fibre Channel connectivity that powers mission-critical applications. Built around the trusted Emulex LPE12002 chipset, this Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapter (HBA) is designed to meet the demanding workloads of enterprise storage networks, providing deterministic I/O, scalable bandwidth, and seamless integration with Cisco N2XX servers and a broad range of standard x8 PCIe-enabled systems. Whether you’re expanding your SAN fabric, consolidating storage, or fortifying disaster recovery capabilities, this dual-port 8Gb Fibre Channel card delivers the speed, resilience, and compatibility your data center requires.

• Dual-port 8Gb Fibre Channel: Two independent 8 Gbit/s ports deliver parallel bandwidth for storage area networks, enabling high-throughput SAN traffic and robust redundancy across mission-critical workloads.
• PCI Express 2.0 x8 Interface: Fits standard x8 PCIe slots, delivering high-bandwidth data transfer with low latency to support virtualization, backups, databases, and demanding I/O workloads.
• Emulex LPe12002 Architecture: Enterprise-class Fibre Channel HBA with a proven track record for reliability, strong error detection, and proactive management in data centers and orchestration-enabled environments.
• Plug-in Card for Data Centers: A standard PCIe plug-in form factor that integrates easily into Cisco N2XX servers and other compatible enterprise servers, enabling scalable storage connectivity without compromising server density.
• Connectivity to Fibre Channel Peripherals: Supports connecting up to two Fibre Channel devices or switches, enabling flexible fabric topology and enabling multipath I/O for resilience and performance in SAN deployments.

Technical Details of Cisco N2XX-AEPCI05-Emulex LPE 12002 Dual Port 8Gb Fibre Channel Card

• Model: Cisco N2XX-AEPCI05-Emulex LPE12002 Dual Port 8Gb Fibre Channel Card
• Interface: PCI Express 2.0 x8
• Ports: 2 x Fibre Channel ports
• Port Speed: 8 Gbps per port
• Chipset: Emulex LPe12002 Fibre Channel HBA
• Form Factor: Plug-in PCIe card
• Compatibility: Designed for the Cisco N2XX server family and other enterprise servers that support PCIe, with Fibre Channel SAN fabric compatibility
• Protocol: Fibre Channel (FC) SAN connectivity
• Purpose: Enterprise-grade storage networking, virtualization acceleration, and high-availability SANs

how to install Cisco N2XX-AEPCI05-Emulex LPE 12002 Dual Port 8Gb Fibre Channel Card

• Prepare the server: Power down the server, unplug from power, and ground yourself to avoid static discharge. Remove the chassis cover to access the motherboard and PCIe slots.
• Choose the right slot: Locate an available PCI Express slot that supports at least x8 lanes. Remove any slot cover or filler plate as needed to accommodate the card.
• Install the card: Insert the N2XX-AEPCI05 card firmly into the PCIe x8 slot until the retention mechanism clicks into place. Secure the card with the retention screw to the chassis to prevent movement.
• Connect Fibre Channel cables: Attach Fibre Channel cables or transceiver modules to the two FC ports on the card according to your fabric topology. Ensure a secure connection to your SAN switch, storage array, or other FC peripherals.
• Power up and configure: Reassemble the server chassis, reconnect power, and boot the system. Install the Emulex LPe12002 drivers and management utilities appropriate to your operating system. Use the FC HBA configuration tool to detect the fabric, assign identifiers if required, and verify link status on both ports.
• Validate and optimize: Confirm that both ports come online, establish multipath I/O paths if using a redundant SAN setup, and run basic throughput and latency tests. Monitor the adapter with vendor-provided diagnostics and your OS utilities to ensure stability under load.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the Cisco N2XX-AEPCI05-Emulex LPE 12002 Dual Port 8Gb Fibre Channel Card? It is a dual-port Fibre Channel HBA based on the Emulex LPe12002 chipset, designed for Cisco N2XX servers and other PCIe-equipped enterprise systems to provide high-performance SAN connectivity with 8 Gbps per port.
• What speeds and port configuration does it offer? The card delivers 2 x 8 Gbps Fibre Channel ports, offering parallel bandwidth to storage arrays and switches, with reliable, deterministic I/O for latency-sensitive applications.
• Which systems is it compatible with? It is designed for Cisco N2XX servers and other enterprise servers that support PCIe slots (specifically PCIe 2.0 x8 or higher) and Fibre Channel storage fabrics.
• Do I need special drivers? Yes. Install the Emulex LPe12002 drivers and management utilities appropriate to your operating system to enable proper detection, configuration, and monitoring of the HBA.
• What environments is this card best suited for? This card is ideal for data centers employing Fibre Channel SANs, server virtualization, backup and recovery workflows, disaster recovery planning, and any workload requiring low-latency, reliable storage I/O.
• Can I use multipath I/O with this card? Yes. The Emulex HBA supports multipath I/O configurations, enabling redundant paths for higher availability and improved fault tolerance in SAN fabrics.
• Is this a plug-in upgrade for existing Cisco infrastructure? Yes, it is a plug-in PCIe card that can be added to compatible Cisco N2XX servers and other enterprise servers to expand Fibre Channel connectivity without changing existing fabric topology.
• What is the governing use case for this card? Its primary use case is providing fast, reliable Fibre Channel connectivity in enterprise data centers, facilitating efficient data transfer between servers and storage arrays, with proven performance for virtualization, databases, and business-critical applications.