P26256-B21 is an HPE enterprise Ethernet network adapter designed for HPE ProLiant servers. It’s a dual-port 10GbE SFP+ adapter based on the Broadcom 57412 controller, built in the OCP 3.0 form factor for high-performance, low-latency server networking.
Why buyers pick P26256-B21 (plain English)
ProLiant-optimized 10Gb networking Delivers reliable 10GbE performance for virtualization, storage, and enterprise workloads.
OCP 3.0 form factor Installs in the dedicated OCP slot, preserving PCIe slots for storage or accelerators.
Dual-port flexibility Supports redundancy, link aggregation, or traffic separation across two SFP+ ports.
Broadcom enterprise silicon Well-known for stability, low CPU overhead, and strong driver support.
HPE-qualified reliability Firmware and drivers are validated by HPE for ProLiant platforms.
60-second spec box (P26256-B21)
Adapter type Ethernet network adapter
Ports 2 × SFP+
Speed 10GbE
Form factor OCP 3.0
Controller Broadcom BCM 57412
Supported media SFP+ DAC cables or optical transceivers
Platform HPE ProLiant servers with OCP 3.0 support
Use case Virtualization, storage traffic, enterprise networking, and cloud workloads.
Where it fits (and when to choose something else)
Perfect for:
ProLiant servers with OCP 3.0 slots
Virtualized and HCI environments
Storage networking (iSCSI, NFS, vSAN)
Reliable 10Gb server uplinks
Choose something else if:
You need 25Gb or higher → choose SFP28 adapters
You need copper Ethernet → choose RJ-45 NICs
You need more ports → quad-port adapters
TL;DR
P26256-B21 is HPE’s dual-port 10GbE SFP+ OCP3 adapter based on Broadcom 57412: a ProLiant-validated, high-performance networking solution that preserves PCIe slots while delivering reliable enterprise 10Gb connectivity.
HPE ProLiant Gen10 Plus and Gen11 servers that support OCP 3.0
Power Consumption
11.6 Watts (Typical Operational)
Features and benefits
High-performance networking:The dual 10Gb SFP+ ports deliver high throughput for applications that demand significant bandwidth.
Optimized for virtualization:Features like Single Root I/O Virtualization (SR-IOV) and Network Partitioning (NPAR) improve efficiency and performance in virtualized environments.
Reduced CPU load:Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) capabilities offload network processing from the server's CPU, freeing up resources for other tasks.
Enhanced security:The adapter's firmware is authenticated using a hardware root-of-trust, helping to protect against unauthorized modifications.
OCP 3.0 form factor:The standardized OCP 3.0 design allows for streamlined installation and maintenance in compatible HPE server models.
