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The Emulex LightPulse Gen5 LPe16000B and LPe16002B are older 16Gb Fibre Channel host bus adapters for connecting a server to a Fibre Channel SAN. Broadcom’s specifications list 16/8/4Gb link negotiation, PCIe 3.0 x8, and shortwave LC optics. Their main drawback today is software lifecycle: Broadcom says the LPe16000 series is unsupported on ESXi 8.x. That makes compatibility with your exact server and software stack more important than the headline throughput claim.
What are the LPe16000B and LPe16002B?
These are Gen 5 Fibre Channel HBAs: add-in cards that provide a server with a connection to a Fibre Channel storage area network (SAN). Broadcom’s 2016 data sheet identifies the LPe16000B as a single-port card and the LPe16002B as a dual-port card. The dual-port model can operate two 16Gb Fibre Channel links; the single-port model has one.
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Emulex LPE16004-M6 LIGHTPULSE GEN 5 (16GB) FIBRE CHANNEL HOST BUS ADAPTER-QUAD-PORT | $1,995.00 | Buy on Amazon |
Broadcom lists automatic negotiation at 16, 8, or 4Gb Fibre Channel. Both models use an eight-lane PCIe 3.0 interface and are backward-compatible with PCIe 2.0. These link rates describe the HBA’s Fibre Channel connections, not a guarantee of application-level storage throughput.
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| Specification | Published value | Practical consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | LPe16000B: one; LPe16002B: two (Broadcom, 2016) | Choose based on the number of links and the SAN design. Two ports can support separate paths or fabrics only when the rest of the configuration is designed for that redundancy. |
| Fibre Channel rates | 16/8/4Gb, automatic negotiation (Broadcom, 2016) | Confirm the switch port and the SAN’s intended speed; a connection operates within the capabilities of the participating equipment. |
| Host interface | PCIe 3.0 x8, backward-compatible with PCIe 2.0 (Broadcom, 2016) | Check that the server has a suitable available slot and that its vendor supports the exact card SKU. |
| Form factor | Short, low-profile MD2 card; standard bracket and low-profile bracket options (Broadcom, 2016) | Verify the bracket supplied with the specific OEM card and whether it fits the chassis. |
| Optics and connector | Shortwave optics; LC connector (Broadcom, 2016) | Check the installed optics, switch-side optics, fibre type, and link distance before deployment. |
Fibre type and distance
Broadcom’s 2016 data sheet lists these maximum 16Gb Fibre Channel multimode distances by fibre grade: OM1, 15 metres; OM2, 35 metres; OM3, 100 metres; and OM4, 125 metres. Treat these as the manufacturer’s stated limits for the listed configuration, not as a substitute for checking the optics and cabling at both ends of your actual link.
Performance claim
Broadcom’s 2016 data sheet claims up to 1.2 million IOPS for a single port. This is a vendor specification, not an independent benchmark or a prediction for a particular SAN, server, or workload. The data sheet also describes features including NPIV, T10 PI data-integrity offload, and Dynamic Multi-core Architecture; these are vendor-described capabilities, not evidence of measured performance in a specific deployment.
Which model should you choose?
Choose the LPe16000B when one port is enough
The single-port LPe16000B is the simpler fit when the server requires one Fibre Channel link and the design does not call for a second HBA port. It does not provide a second physical port for an additional path.
Choose the LPe16002B when you need two ports
The dual-port LPe16002B provides two links in one card. Whether those links deliver useful path redundancy depends on the wider setup: for example, which switches, fabrics, storage ports, multipathing software, and failure domains they connect to. Two ports alone do not establish end-to-end redundancy.
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No. Broadcom’s lifecycle information says the LPe16000 series is not supported on ESXi 8.x and identifies the series as end-of-life. It lists LPe31000-series 16Gb, LPe32000-series 32Gb, or newer Emulex Fibre Channel HBAs as upgrade directions. These are suggestions, not a compatibility guarantee for every server, switch, or storage array. See Broadcom’s support knowledge base and confirm the exact hardware combination in the applicable compatibility lists.
Support for other operating systems and hypervisor releases is also version- and channel-specific. Broadcom’s driver information says support for LPe16000 is limited with newer 14.0.x.x drivers. An older platform label or the fact that a system once detected the card does not establish support for a newer OS, driver, or firmware combination. Check Broadcom’s driver and download information alongside the server, switch, and array vendors’ compatibility documentation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to check before installing or keeping one
- Identify the exact card. Confirm whether it is an LPe16000B or LPe16002B, and record the OEM part number. OEM versions may differ in supplied bracket or optics.
- Check the server. Confirm a suitable PCIe slot is available, the card’s height and bracket fit the chassis, and the server vendor supports that exact SKU.
- Check the SAN link. Verify switch-port speed, shortwave optics at both ends, LC connectivity, multimode fibre grade, and cable distance.
- Check software support before upgrading. Match the HBA, server model, OS or hypervisor release, driver, and firmware against current compatibility information. For ESXi 8.x, Broadcom’s stated position is that this series is unsupported.
- Check the full storage path. Confirm interoperability with the Fibre Channel switches and storage array, as well as any required boot and multipathing support, in the relevant vendors’ documentation.
Verdict
The LPe16000B and LPe16002B offer a clear choice between one and two 16Gb Fibre Channel ports, with PCIe 3.0 x8 connectivity and backward compatibility with PCIe 2.0. They may suit an existing, supported SAN environment when the card, optics, server, and software versions all match. They are a poor choice for an ESXi 8.x deployment because Broadcom explicitly does not support the series there; in that case, evaluate a supported newer HBA and validate the entire server-to-storage configuration.
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