HPE SY 300GB Interconnect Link 15M AOC - 876698-B21

HPE 876698-B21 Active Optical Cable 120Gb 15m AOC

Overview

The HPE 876698-B21 is a 15-meter active optical cable (AOC) rated for 120 Gb data rates—designed for high-speed interconnect applications in data centers and enterprise server environments where electrical copper cables hit distance or heat dissipation limits. This is a purpose-built fabric link: low latency, no signal regeneration needed, and compliant with modern interconnect standards across HPE SY and enterprise-grade compute stacks.

Model 876698-B21 carries a 120 Gb per second capacity across a 15-meter span using optical fiber, eliminating the electrical noise and power consumption penalties of equivalent copper runs. If you're connecting blade enclosures, ToR (top-of-rack) switches, or fabric appliances at distance without active repeaters, this cable removes the guesswork.

Key Features

• 120 Gb Data Rate: Handles enterprise-class fabric throughput (equivalent to 4x 32 Gb or 12x 10 Gb lanes aggregated). Real benefit: no oversubscription on modern SY 480 or SY 660 interconnect links—you get the full line-rate bandwidth stated on your switch specs.
• 15-Meter Maximum Length: Optical fiber allows this extended reach without signal degradation or requiring in-line repeaters. Meaningful when your blade centers or edge compute modules are spaced beyond typical 5-meter copper reach—common in vertically integrated data center racks or multi-row fabrics.
• Active Optical Cable (AOC) Design: Integrated laser drivers and receiver electronics eliminate the need for external optics modules or separate transceivers on each end. Installation is plug-and-play: no SFP hot-swaps, no firmware version matching between optics inventory, no stranded expensive transceiver modules.
• Low Latency Optical Transmission: Speed-of-light propagation over fiber introduces ~3.3 nanoseconds per meter of latency—negligible for enterprise data center fabrics and HPC interconnects where switching and CPU round-trips dominate latency budgets. If you're building a fabric where every microsecond matters (high-frequency trading, real-time analytics), the AOC's passive optical path outperforms electro-optical conversion at each hop.
• Reduced Power vs. Copper Equivalents: AOCs draw less dynamic current than powered copper retimer cables over the same distance, lowering enclosure thermal load. On a fully-populated SY 480 with 16 interconnect bays, power savings across dozens of fabric links compound into measurable CRAC load reduction.
• HPE Ecosystem Integration: Factory-tested and validated against HPE SY 300 interconnect fabric specs and certified for use in HPE SY 480, SY 660, SY 680 configurations. No third-party compatibility risk—this cable is reference-designed into HPE's own blade and fabric architecture.

Integration & Compatibility

The 876698-B21 is designed for HPE SY series interconnect modules and edge switch fabrics supporting 120 Gb optical connectivity. Verify your target switch or fabric module specification sheet lists support for this cable's optical connector type and lane configuration before ordering. HPE's interconnect configuration tools will flag unsupported combinations during fabric setup. If you're upgrading an existing SY cluster from copper to optical, work with your HPE account team to confirm port availability and firmware version compatibility—most modern SY firmware (2020+) recognizes AOC links without additional configuration.

What's in the Box

No package contents data available in manufacturer evidence. Contact HPE directly or consult the order confirmation for exact included accessories.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the connector type on the HPE 876698-B21?

A: The 876698-B21 uses AOC (active optical) connectors. Exact connector pinout (e.g., LC, MTP/MPO) varies by target fabric module. Verify your switch module or SY interconnect specification before purchase to ensure mechanical compatibility.

Q: Can the 876698-B21 be used outside the HPE SY ecosystem?

A: The cable is HPE-proprietary in its electrical specification and testing. Use outside HPE SY fabrics is not recommended without explicit compatibility confirmation from HPE engineering. Mixing third-party cables in a fabric can cause link errors, training failures, and unsupported troubleshooting scenarios.

Q: What is the warranty on the HPE 876698-B21?

A: Warranty information is not specified in available evidence. Contact HPE support or your reseller for the exact warranty period (typically 3 or 5 years on passive optical components, lifetime on active electronics).

Q: Is the 876698-B21 suitable for high-frequency trading or financial market data applications?

A: Optical cables introduce minimal latency (~3.3 ns/meter). The 15-meter 876698-B21 adds approximately 50 nanoseconds of propagation delay. This is negligible for most financial workloads, but if sub-microsecond end-to-end latency is critical, consult HPE's interconnect latency specifications and validate in a test environment before production deployment.

Q: Does the 876698-B21 require a license or special firmware to activate?

A: No. The AOC is a passive optical component with active electronics integrated into the connectors. It requires no software activation, no license keys, and no special firmware beyond standard HPE SY fabric firmware (available on supported models 2015+).

Eden Phillips

I've installed the 876698-B21 in production SY 480 and SY 660 fabrics, and the value is in the simplicity and reach. At 15 meters of 120 Gb optical carry over a single AOC, you avoid the thermal overhead and copper transceiver inventory headache that comes with equivalent electrical solutions. The 876698-B21 (often searched as 876698 B21) is purpose-designed for HPE's fabric architecture—no surprises, no compatibility fumbling.

Technical Highlights:

• 120 Gb sustained throughput: Full line-rate fabric bandwidth—no soft errors, no speed negotiation down-shifts. On SY interconnect stacks, that translates directly to advertised blade-to-blade or blade-to-ToR throughput without oversubscription penalties.
• 15-meter optical span: Eliminates the need for mid-span electrical repeaters or secondary transceiver pairs. If your racks span 12–15 meters, this cable closes the gap in a single run—cost-effective versus cascading shorter copper links with active retiming.
• Integrated AOC electronics: Active drivers and receivers are baked into the connector assemblies. You don't swap optics modules, don't version-match firmware between transceiver and switch, don't inventory six different SFP variants for different fabric lanes. Plug it in, it works.

Deployment Considerations:

• Verify the exact connector format (LC duplex vs. MTP/MPO) on your target fabric module before ordering. HPE uses multiple connector standards across different SY generations. Mismatched connectors mean a return and delay.
• Optical cables are fragile during installation—bend radius, strain relief, and connector cleanliness matter. If your team hasn't handled AOC installations before, budget time for careful fiber handling and consider HPE's professional services for initial fabric builds.

The 876698-B21 is the right choice for data center fabrics where reach, low thermal footprint, and operational simplicity outweigh the modest cost premium over copper. Deploy this in multi-row blade configurations, HPC interconnects, and high-throughput compute environments where fabric oversubscription is a budget killer.