HPE AW538A Compatible 8G Fibre Channel SFP+ Extended Long Wave 25 km
HP compatible AW538A - Key Features
- Compatibility: HP
- Media Type: Single-Mode Fiber (SMF)
- Fiber Count: Duplex
- Connector: Double LC/UPC
- Maximum Distance: 20 km
- Average Link Budget: 9 dB
- Tx Wavelength: 1310 nm
- Supported Data Rate: 1.25 Gbps - 11.32 Gbps
- DDM/DOM: Supported
- Temperature Range: Standard 0°-70°C
HP AW538A Price
HP compatible AW538A Specifications
Form Factor | SFP+ |
Media Type | Single-Mode Fiber (SMF) |
Fiber Count | Duplex |
Connector | Double LC/UPC |
Maximum Distance | 20 km |
Average Link Budget | 9 dB |
TX Wavelength | 1310 nm |
RX Wavelength | 1310 nm |
Supported Data Rate | 1.25 Gbps - 11.32 Gbps |
Supported Ethernet Applications | 10G Ethernet (10.31Gbps), Gigabit Ethernet (1.25 Gbps) |
Supported Fiber Channel Applications | 10G Fiber Channel (10.52 Gbps), 1G Fiber Channel (1.0625 Gbps), 2G Fiber Channel (2.125 Gbps), 4G Fiber Channel (4.25 Gbps), 8G Fiber Channel (8.5 Gbps) |
SDH/SONET Standards | STM-64 (9.95Gbps) |
DDM/DOM | Supported |
Tx Wavelength Bandwidth | 100 nm (1260-1360 nm) |
Rx Wavelength Bandwidth | 100 nm (1260-1360 nm) |
Minimum Transmitting Power | -8.2 dBm |
Maximum Transmitting Power | 0.5 dBm |
Receiver Sensitivity | -14.5 dBm |
Receiver Overload | 0 dBm |
Dispersion | 140-160 ps/nm |
Transmitter Type | DFB Laser |
Receiver Type | PIN photodiode |
Temperature Range | Standard 0°-70°C |
Power | +3.3V single power supply |
Compliance | CE,Class 1 FDA and IEC60825-1 Laser Safety Compliant,RoHS,SFF-8431,SFP MSA |
HP compatible AW538A Datasheet
v6Complete technical specifications and product details
HP compatible AW538A Description
EdgeOptic's AW538A compatible is an HPE-coded 8G Fibre Channel extended long wave SFP+ for HPE B-series SAN switches, built on our 10G-SFP-20 platform. The original HPE AW538A is rated for 25 km over G.652 single-mode fiber. The EdgeOptic compatible delivers 20 km reach with a 9 dB optical link budget at 1310 nm. For Fibre Channel links beyond 20 km, verify the loss budget against the OEM AW538A datasheet or contact our sales team.
The transmitter uses a 1310 nm DFB laser paired with a PIN photodiode receiver. The module is tri-rate and auto-negotiates between 2GFC (2.125 Gbps), 4GFC (4.25 Gbps), and 8GFC (8.5 Gbps) based on the host port configuration. The connector interface is duplex LC/UPC over G.652 single-mode fiber. Digital diagnostics per SFF-8472 expose Tx optical power, Rx optical power, temperature, supply voltage, and laser bias current. The module follows FC-PI-4 800-SM-LC-L for 8GFC long-wave signaling and SFF-8431, SFF-8432, and SFP+ MSA for the electrical and mechanical interface. Operating temperature is 0 to 70 °C commercial.
HPE B-series SAN switches are Brocade-OEM hardware running Brocade FabricOS under HPE branding, per the HPE B-series SAN Switches and Directors Model Name Cross Reference. AW538A is HPE's ordering code for 8GFC extended long-wave optics on these platforms and is listed in the HPE SN3000B transceiver compatibility table. SN6000B and SN6500B QuickSpecs state that these switches accept transceivers labeled B-series SFP+; verify the AW538A against the HPE B-series transceiver compatibility matrix for the specific chassis and FabricOS release. EdgeOptic codes the module with HPE-recognized EEPROM so FabricOS identifies it as a supported B-series SFP+. DDM values are accessible from the FabricOS CLI via sfpShow and from SNMP polling. The AW538A is also commonly cross-referenced as 582640-001 and on third-party listings as 5697-0165 and E173874.
The tri-rate 2/4/8 GFC support makes the AW538A useful in SAN fabrics that span phased migrations from 2GFC and 4GFC to 8GFC, with one optic SKU covering all three generations on HPE B-series platforms. HPE B-series 8GFC switch families pair with HPE 3PAR, Primera, and Alletra storage arrays in enterprise SAN deployments. The 20 km EdgeOptic reach covers campus and inter-building FC fabric links within the 9 dB link budget; longer spans should be loss-budgeted against the OEM 25 km specification.
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AW538A Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the EdgeOptic AW538A compatible rated for 20 km when HPE's original is rated for 25 km?
HPE rates the original AW538A for 25 km over G.652 single-mode fiber. The EdgeOptic compatible is built on the 10G-SFP-20 platform, which delivers 20 km reach with a 9 dB optical link budget at 1310 nm. For SAN links up to 20 km, the EdgeOptic compatible is suitable. For Fibre Channel links exceeding 20 km, verify the total fiber attenuation and connector losses against the OEM AW538A datasheet, or contact EdgeOptic sales for a project-specific link budget review.
Does the AW538A compatible support 2GFC, 4GFC, and 8GFC?
Yes. The module is tri-rate and auto-negotiates between 2GFC (2.125 Gbps), 4GFC (4.25 Gbps), and 8GFC (8.5 Gbps) based on the host port configuration. This covers SAN fabrics that mix 2G, 4G, and 8G Fibre Channel generations during phased migrations. FC-PI-4 governs the multi-rate signaling parameters at the 8GFC long-wave reach class.
Are HPE B-series SAN switches and Brocade SAN switches the same hardware?
HPE B-series SAN switches are Brocade-OEM hardware running Brocade FabricOS under HPE branding, per the HPE B-series SAN Switches and Directors Model Name Cross Reference. AW538A is HPE's ordering code for the 8GFC extended long-wave optic that ships on these platforms. An engineer ordering for an HPE SN3000B, SN6000B, or SN6500B may also see Brocade-branded equivalents in the same spec class. The EdgeOptic compatible is coded for HPE B-series recognition; FabricOS identifies it as a supported B-series SFP+ at insertion.
Which HPE B-series SAN switches accept the AW538A?
AW538A is listed in the HPE SN3000B transceiver compatibility table. SN6000B and SN6500B QuickSpecs state that these switches accept transceivers labeled B-series SFP+; verify the AW538A against the HPE B-series transceiver compatibility matrix for the specific chassis and FabricOS release. For other HPE B-series chassis or newer 16Gb FC switches, verify against the HPE B-series transceiver compatibility matrix. EdgeOptic's compatible is coded with HPE-recognized EEPROM, so FabricOS accepts it on supported platforms without unsupported-transceiver warnings.