QNAP Fibre Channel Expansion Card — Dual-Port 16Gb/32Gb FC for NAS SAN

The QNAP Fibre Channel Expansion Card is the gateway to unlocking enterprise-grade SAN performance directly inside your QNAP NAS. Designed for reliability, scalability, and efficiency, this dual-port Fibre Channel expansion card brings high-speed storage networking to your existing NAS infrastructure without the need for a complete overhaul. By adding Fibre Channel connectivity, you can consolidate storage traffic, improve backup windows, boost virtualization performance, and simplify data management across servers and storage arrays. Whether you're building a small business SAN, a virtualized environment, or a large-scale data center, this card helps you maximize throughput, reduce latency, and streamline storage administration.

With support for high-bandwidth Fibre Channel speeds and a compact PCIe form factor, the QNAP Fibre Channel Expansion Card is engineered to integrate seamlessly with compatible QNAP NAS models. The dual-port design gives you the flexibility to connect to two separate FC fabrics or to provide redundancy in case of a path failure, helping to safeguard critical data workflows. Its architecture is optimized to deliver consistent I/O performance under load, making it an ideal solution for hosting mission-critical databases, VM storage, large backups, and media workflows that demand predictable latency. This expansion card is not just an add-on; it’s a focused upgrade for your SAN strategy, enabling you to leverage Fibre Channel switching, zoning, and storage array features with ease and confidence.

• Dual-Port Fibre Channel Connectivity enables you to connect to two independent storage fabrics or to create redundant paths for high availability, improving resilience and uptime in production environments.
• High-Speed 16Gb/32Gb FC Performance supports contemporary storage arrays and FC switches, delivering substantial bandwidth gains, lower latency, and better IOPS for demanding workloads such as virtualization, databases, and large-scale backups.
• Seamless QNAP NAS Integration plugs into an available PCIe slot on compatible QNAP NAS models, providing SAN capability without replacing existing storage networks or migrating to a new platform.
• Optimized for SAN Workloads designed to handle I/O-intensive tasks, enabling faster data access, streamlined backups, and improved disaster recovery readiness through efficient Fibre Channel transport.
• Intuitive Management and Compatibility with QNAP’s QTS FC management tools, including path/zone management, and straightforward integration with FC switches and storage arrays to simplify administration.

Technical Details of QNAP Fibre Channel Expansion Card

• Product Type: Fibre Channel expansion card (dual-port)
• Interface: Fibre Channel, Dual-Port
• Supported Speeds: 16 Gb/s and 32 Gb/s Fibre Channel
• Form Factor: PCIe expansion card (PCIe 3.0 x8 compatible)
• Compatibility: Designed for QNAP NAS with PCIe slots; supports SAN environments and FC storage arrays
• Management: Full FC management through QTS FC tools; supports zoning and path management
• Ports: 2 x Fibre Channel ports
• Operating System Support: QTS-compatible environments for FC configuration and management

How to Install QNAP Fibre Channel Expansion Card

• Power down the QNAP NAS and unplug all cables to ensure safe handling. Remove the chassis cover following the manufacturer’s guidance, and locate an available PCIe slot suitable for an expansion card.
• Carefully align the Fibre Channel expansion card with the PCIe slot, and firmly seat it into place. Use a screw to secure the card to the chassis to prevent movement during operation.
• Reassemble the enclosure, reconnect power, and power on the NAS. Access the QTS interface and check for any firmware updates that may be required to enable FC functionality.
• Open the FC management utility within QTS to detect the new card. If prompted, install any recommended drivers or firmware updates provided by QNAP.
• Connect Fibre Channel cables from the two FC ports to your FC switch or directly to FC storage arrays, ensuring proper SFP modules are in place and link status indicates active.
• Configure Fibre Channel zoning and path management within your FC switch and QTS FC tools. Create and map LUNs to the appropriate hosts, and validate connectivity by performing a test I/O operation and monitoring throughput and latency.
• Set up multipathing if your environment requires fault-tolerant access to storage. Verify that failover paths switch seamlessly and that performance remains stable under load.
• Document WWNs, zoning configuration, and LUN mappings for ongoing administration. Regularly monitor FC performance metrics and update firmware to maintain compatibility with storage arrays and switches.

Frequently asked questions

• What does the QNAP Fibre Channel Expansion Card do? It adds high-speed Fibre Channel connectivity to a QNAP NAS, transforming the device into a Fibre Channel SAN host. This enables fast, low-latency access to storage arrays, supports multipathing for redundancy, and enhances backup and virtualization workflows.
• Which NAS models are compatible? The card is designed for QNAP NAS models that provide PCIe expansion slots and support FC management tools in QTS. Always check the latest QNAP compatibility lists and firmware requirements to ensure proper operation with your specific NAS model.
• Do I need a Fibre Channel switch or direct attachment? For best scalability and traffic isolation, connect the card’s FC ports to a Fibre Channel switch in your SAN fabric. This enables zoning, LUN presentation, and centralized storage management across hosts. Direct attachment to storage arrays is possible in some configurations but is less common in larger environments.
• Can I use this card with virtual machines? Yes. Fibre Channel storage is well-suited for VM storage due to predictable latency and high IOPS. Ensure your virtualization platform can present FC LUNs and that multipathing is configured for reliability.
• Is the card hot-swappable or easy to replace? Installation requires powering down the NAS. Replacing or upgrading FC cards typically involves power cycling, reseating the card, and reconfiguring FC settings in QTS, but it is designed to be straightforward for IT professionals to perform during maintenance windows.
• What kinds of workloads benefit most from this expansion card? Enterprise and mid-sized workloads including SQL databases, virtualized environments, large backups, media streaming requiring fast shared storage, and any latency-sensitive workloads will see tangible advantages from FC connectivity and SAN-friendly performance.