Detailed Specifications
HPE AK859A StorageWorks 8Gb 32-Port SAN Director Blade Switch
Overview
The HPE AK859A is a SAN director-blade switch module intended for enterprise storage fabric environments where port density and reliability are critical. It offers 32 active SFP ports, each rated at 8 Gbps Fibre Channel, and installs into compatible director-class chassis shared power and cooling infrastructure. This allows rack space savings and seamless integration into existing SAN architectures. The module is typically deployed in data-centre SAN backbone racks, replication hubs, or storage fabric aggregation nodes, where multiple high-speed connections are required in a compact form. It integrates with management and zoning tools of the storage ecosystem to provide visibility, fabric optimisation and diagnostics within the broader director environment. Its design supports high-availability storage traffic, making it suitable for virtualised storage systems, enterprise arrays and mission-critical SAN fabrics.
Key Features
32 × SFP ports at 8 Gbps Fibre Channel
Director-blade form-factor plug-in module
Compatible with HPE StorageWorks director-class chassis
Consolidates high-density SAN ports in one slot
Supports enterprise storage fabric management and zoning
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|
| Brand | HPE |
| Part Number | AK859A |
| Product Type | SAN Director Blade Switch - 8 Gb FC |
| Fibre Channel Ports | 32 × SFP ports at 8 Gbps |
| Supported Speeds | 8 Gbps Fibre Channel |
| Form Factor | Director-blade module |
| Compatible Chassis | HPE StorageWorks SAN director chassis |
| Slot Format | 1 module slot in compatible chassis |
| Mounting Style | Installed as blade in chassis |
| Typical Module Weight | ~6 lbs (approximate listing) |
| Auto-Negotiation | Not applicable (FC port fixed 8 Gbps) |
| Supported Protocols | Fibre Channel with zoning/trunking |
| Management Integration | Via chassis management platform |
| Use Case | SAN backbone, storage array interconnect |
| Warranty | Standard HPE hardware warranty |
| Environment | Data-centre grade (rack-mount) |
