HPE S1T68A SN8700B 64G 64P 64G SW Sfp-dd Blade

HPE S1T68A SN8700B 64G 64-Port Fibre Channel SFP-DD Blade

The HPE S1T68A is a 64-port, 64Gbps Fibre Channel SFP-DD blade designed for deployment in HPE SN8700B director-class SAN switches. With an SFP-DD interface and 64G FC speed per port, this blade extends fabric capacity in high-density storage area network environments where throughput, port count, and low-latency connectivity between servers and storage arrays are the governing constraints. The S1T68A is sourced factory-new from HPE's distribution channel — no grey-market, no parallel imports.

Overview

Director-class SAN fabrics run the most latency-sensitive workloads in a data center: block storage for databases, virtualization clusters, and backup targets. A blade like the S1T68A slots into the HPE SN8700B chassis to add 64 front-end ports operating at 64Gbps FC — the current generation speed tier that supports NVMe over Fibre Channel (NVMe/FC) alongside legacy SCSI-based traffic. The SFP-DD form factor on each port supports both 64G and back-compatible lower-speed transceivers, giving you flexibility when phasing in new HBAs alongside existing infrastructure. Country of origin is Czech Republic (CZ); UNSPSC commodity code 43222612 (network switching hardware).

Key Features

• 64-Port Density: 64 SFP-DD ports per blade means fewer blades consumed per fabric zone — relevant when chassis slot count is the limiting factor in a scaled-out SAN director.
• 64Gbps FC Interface: The current-generation FC speed tier supports NVMe/FC workloads alongside traditional SCSI targets, so this blade does not require a forklift upgrade when storage protocols evolve.
• SFP-DD Connector: Dual-density SFP format accommodates both 64G and lower-speed transceivers in the same port, protecting transceiver investments when migrating HBAs incrementally.
• Director-Class Platform: Designed specifically for the HPE SN8700B chassis — not a standalone switch. Capacity, redundancy, and non-disruptive operations are inherited from the director platform, not the blade itself.

Integration and Compatibility

The S1T68A is validated for the HPE SN8700B director chassis. Confirm HPE SAN fabric OS version compatibility and blade slot requirements with your HPE SAN design documentation before ordering — blade-to-chassis pairing in director platforms is strict. Verify transceiver compatibility separately; SFP-DD at 64G requires appropriate HPE-qualified optics for each link distance and cable type.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What chassis does the HPE S1T68A install into?

A: The S1T68A is a blade module designed for the HPE SN8700B director-class Fibre Channel switch. It is not a standalone device.

Q: What interface type does the S1T68A use?

A: The S1T68A uses SFP-DD (dual-density SFP) connectors operating at 64Gbps Fibre Channel per port.

Q: How many ports does the S1T68A provide?

A: The S1T68A provides 64 front-end Fibre Channel ports per blade.

Q: Where is the HPE S1T68A manufactured?

A: Country of origin is Czech Republic (CZ), per HPE distribution records.

Jerry Tildsen

The S1T68A's 64-port SFP-DD blade is the density play inside the SN8700B director — 64 ports per blade slot means you can scale fabric capacity without consuming additional chassis real estate, which matters when you are managing a fully populated director in a tight data center row. I want to be direct: published evidence for this SKU is limited to interface type, port count, and speed tier from distribution records, so the notes below reflect what the product name and UNSPSC classification (43222612 — network switching hardware) reliably tell us.

Technical Highlights:

• 64G FC per Port: Current-generation Fibre Channel speed supports NVMe/FC alongside legacy SCSI — relevant if you are phasing in all-flash arrays while keeping existing HBA infrastructure.
• SFP-DD Format: Dual-density SFP accommodates both 64G optics and back-compatible lower-speed transceivers in the same port cage, giving incremental migration flexibility without port waste.
• 64-Port Blade Density: High port count per blade slot is the key reason to specify this blade over lower-density alternatives when chassis slots — not port count — are the scarce resource.

Deployment Considerations:

• Validate HPE SAN OS (FOS) version compatibility for the SN8700B chassis before installing — director blades are firmware-paired to the chassis platform and not interchangeable across generations.
• SFP-DD transceivers at 64G are not universally stocked; confirm optic availability for your target link distances (short-range, long-wave, CWDM) before committing to the blade count in your design.

Best fit for SAN architects expanding an existing HPE SN8700B director fabric for NVMe/FC workloads or high-density virtualization clusters where per-slot port count is the primary constraint.