Which of the following expansion cards should be installed in a server to allow the server to connect to a SAN via a fiber channel?

To enable a server to connect to a Storage Area Network (SAN) via a fiber channel, the installation of a Host Bus Adapter (HBA) is essential. The HBA is specifically designed to manage the communication between the server and storage devices over a network. It acts as an interface that connects the server's motherboard to the SAN, facilitating data transfer over the fiber channel.

In this context, the other options do not fulfill the requirement for a fiber channel connection. SATA (Serial ATA) is primarily used for connecting hard drives and is not suitable for SAN environments. iSCSI (Internet Small Computer Systems Interface) operates over regular Ethernet networks and does not utilize fiber channel technology, which is distinct from fiber-SAN requirements. SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) refers to a set of standards for connecting and transferring data between computers and peripheral devices, but it doesn’t specifically address the requirements of fiber channel SAN connectivity.

Thus, the selection of the Host Bus Adapter is correct because it is designed specifically to support the high-speed connections needed for fiber channel SANs, ensuring efficient data transfer between the server and storage resources.