P26256-B21: HPE Broadcom BCM57412 Ethernet 10Gb 2-port SFP+ OCP3 Adapter

Also listed as: P26256-001, P10109-001, BCM957412 · made by Broadcom

The HPE P26256-B21 is an enterprise 10-Gigabit dual-port SFP+ network interface adapter in an Open Compute Project (OCP) 3.0 form factor powered by Broadcom BCM57412 silicon. Designed for HPE ProLiant Gen10 Plus and Gen11 servers, it offloads virtualized network encapsulation protocols like VXLAN and NVGRE while freeing standard PCIe riser slots. When purchasing pre-owned cards, inspect the SFP+ optical cages for debris or bent internal ground springs and verify pull-latch release mechanism integrity.

Specifications

About the P26256-B21

P26256-B21 is HPE's Broadcom BCM57412 Ethernet 10Gb 2-port SFP+ network adapter built in the Open Compute Project (OCP) 3.0 small form factor. Utilizing Broadcom's NetXtreme-E controller architecture over PCIe 3.0 x8, it provides dual 10Gbps SFP+ connectivity for enterprise virtualization, network function virtualization (NFV), and corporate LAN consolidation across ProLiant Gen10 Plus and Gen11 platforms. It offloads network packet processing including VXLAN, NVGRE, and Geneve tunnel encapsulation to preserve host CPU cycles.

Compatibility

This network card installs directly into the rear OCP 3.0 mezzanine slot in HPE ProLiant Gen10 Plus and Gen11 rack servers, such as the DL360 Gen10 Plus, DL380 Gen10 Plus, DL360 Gen11, DL380 Gen11, DL385 Gen11, and DL325 Gen11. Both SFP+ ports support standard 10G optical transceivers, 10G active and passive direct-attach copper (DAC) cables, and can backward-negotiate with 1GbE SFP optics. It does not fit older Gen10 or Gen9 servers which used the proprietary FlexibleLOM slot. The ordering SKU is P26256-B21, with spare numbers P26256-001 and P10109-001.

How to identify a genuine unit

An authentic P26256-B21 features an HPE product label with part number P26256-B21, spare number P26256-001, and MAC address barcodes on the PCB, alongside the Broadcom BCM57412 controller chip under an aluminum heatsink. In iLO (iLO 5 or iLO 6) under Network Information, it is identified as the HPE Ethernet 10Gb 2-port BCM57412 OCP3 Adapter, supporting Secure Boot firmware attestation and automated firmware flashing via HPE SPP.

Buying used

When acquiring used OCP 3.0 network cards, inspect the dual SFP+ cages for internal pin damage, dust contamination, or broken EMI grounding springs. Check the card edge contacts for scratched gold plating, and confirm that the mechanical pull-tab latch mechanism functions smoothly. Request verification that both ports link and pass traffic at full 10Gbps line rate and report valid MAC addresses in iLO.

Reference prices (last 12 months, updated 2026-10-27)

Prices seen on public listings on the dates shown, before tax and shipping. Not an offer.

Fits these models

• HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10 Plus
• HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen11
• HPE ProLiant DL360 Gen10 Plus
• HPE ProLiant DL360 Gen11
• HPE ProLiant DL385 Gen10 Plus v2
• HPE ProLiant DL385 Gen11
• HPE ProLiant DL325 Gen10 Plus v2
• HPE ProLiant DL325 Gen11

Equivalent part numbers

• Broadcom BCM57412 NetXtreme-E 10G dual-port Ethernet controller

FAQ

Sources

• HPE Broadcom Ethernet Adapters QuickSpecs, checked 2026-10-27