Lenovo Mellanox ConnectX-6 Lx 25Gigabit Ethernet Card

Overview

The Lenovo 4XC7A62580 is a dual-port 10 or 25 Gigabit Ethernet adapter designed for high-performance server environments. It features two SFP28 ports and a PCIe 4.0 x8 host interface, delivering consistent throughput and efficient CPU utilization through advanced hardware offloads. This card supports RDMA over Converged Ethernet (RoCE v2) and NVMe over Fabrics, accelerating storage and data movement in data centers that require fast east-west traffic.

Its compatibility with virtualization technologies like SR-IOV and Open vSwitch, along with support for network overlays such as VXLAN, NVGRE, and GENEVE, makes it well suited for cloud deployments and multi-tenant networks. The included low-profile and full-height brackets ensure easy installation across various server chassis, while PXE boot capability simplifies bare-metal provisioning.

Key features

• Dual-port 10 or 25 GbE connectivity using standard SFP28 optics or DACs for flexible network upgrades
• PCIe 4.0 x8 interface that maximizes data transfer rates and reduces bottlenecks in modern servers
• Hardware offloads for TCP/IP and UDP/IP protocols to reduce CPU load and improve overall system efficiency
• Support for RDMA over Converged Ethernet (RoCE v2) and NVMe over Fabrics to accelerate storage and data traffic
• Virtualization support with SR-IOV and Open vSwitch, enabling predictable performance in multi-VM environments
• Overlay protocol compatibility with VXLAN, NVGRE, and GENEVE for flexible network segmentation and cloud deployments
• PXE boot functionality that streamlines automated provisioning and bare-metal workflows
• Includes both low-profile and full-height brackets to fit a wide range of server chassis
• Low power consumption of 11.53 watts, aiding in power and thermal management in dense rack setups

Key specs

• Ports: 2 x SFP28 (10/25 Gigabit Ethernet)
• Host interface: PCIe 4.0 x8
• Supported protocols: RoCE v2, NVMe over Fabrics, TCP/IP, UDP/IP
• Virtualization: SR-IOV, Open vSwitch
• Overlay protocols: VXLAN, NVGRE, GENEVE
• Power consumption: 11.53 watts
• Brackets included: Low-profile and full-height

Connectivity and compatibility

This adapter integrates seamlessly into existing data center networks using standard SFP28 modules or direct attach cables, providing flexible options for upgrading to 25GbE speeds. Its support for multiple overlay protocols and virtualization features ensures compatibility with cloud infrastructures and multi-tenant environments. The PCIe 4.0 x8 interface guarantees high bandwidth for demanding server workloads.

Ideal uses and environments

The Lenovo 4XC7A62580 is a strong choice for virtualization clusters requiring consistent network performance per virtual machine, storage nodes leveraging NVMe over Fabrics for fast data access, and application servers benefiting from RoCE v2 in converged network setups. Its efficient power usage and flexible installation options make it suitable for dense rack deployments in enterprise data centers and cloud service providers.