Lenovo 01GR253 — ThinkSystem Mellanox ConnectX-4 Lx PCIe 25Gb/s 2-Port SFP28 Ethernet Adapter
Technical Identity
The Lenovo 01GR253 is a ThinkSystem-branded NVIDIA Mellanox ConnectX-4 Lx Ethernet network adapter providing dual-port 25GbE SFP28 connectivity over a PCIe 3.0 x8 host interface. Built on the proven ConnectX-4 Lx EN ASIC and Lenovo-qualified for ThinkSystem rack and tower servers, the 01GR253 delivers RoCE v2, NVMe-oF, SR-IOV, and stateless TCP offloads at full 25GbE line rate. A cost-efficient dual-25GbE NIC for cloud, virtualization, hyper-converged, and general-purpose data-center workloads. Condition: Refurbished Grade A.
Specifications

Brand: Lenovo (OEM NVIDIA Mellanox ConnectX-4 Lx)
Lenovo Part Number: 01GR253
Underlying ASIC: NVIDIA Mellanox ConnectX-4 Lx EN
Product type: Ethernet Network Adapter (NIC)
Ports: 2× 25GbE SFP28
Per-port speeds: 25/10/1 GbE
Host interface: PCIe 3.0 x8
Protocol: Ethernet only (Lx ASIC)
Form factor: Low-profile / standard-height bracket
Server qualification: Lenovo ThinkSystem (SR / ST series)
Offloads: RoCE v2, NVMe-oF target/initiator, SR-IOV, stateless TCP/UDP/IP, VXLAN/GENEVE/NVGRE encap/decap
Condition: Refurbished Grade A

What This Is NOT

NOT InfiniBand capable. Ethernet EN only — ConnectX-4 Lx is Ethernet-only silicon. No IB SDR/DDR/QDR/FDR/EDR support.
NOT 50GbE or 100GbE. 25GbE maximum per port. For dual-100GbE Lenovo NICs, see ConnectX-5/ConnectX-6 ThinkSystem variants.
NOT a standard NVIDIA retail card. Lenovo OEM firmware — verify driver/firmware compatibility before deploying outside ThinkSystem chassis.
NOT bundled with SFP28 transceivers, DAC, or AOC cables. Order separately.

Compatibility & Constraints

Primary platform: Lenovo ThinkSystem SR630 / SR650 / SR850 / ST550 and later (verify in Lenovo ServerProven).
Switch side: Any 25GbE SFP28-capable switch — NVIDIA Spectrum (SN2000 family), Cisco Nexus 9300, Arista 7280, etc.
Cabling: 25GbE SFP28 DAC (1–5m), AOC (3–30m), or SFP28 SR/LR optical transceivers.
Software: MLNX_OFED 4.x/5.x or inbox driver (RHEL/SLES/Ubuntu/Windows Server/ESXi). Lenovo XClarity Controller for firmware management on ThinkSystem.
PCIe slot: Requires PCIe 3.0 x8 or wider; works in PCIe 4.0/5.0 slots at Gen3 speeds.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What is the Lenovo 01GR253?
The 01GR253 is a Lenovo ThinkSystem Mellanox ConnectX-4 Lx PCIe 3.0 x8 25Gb/s 2-port SFP28 Ethernet adapter. Lenovo-qualified for ThinkSystem servers with RoCE v2, NVMe-oF, and SR-IOV offloads.
Q. Is 01GR253 InfiniBand capable?
No — Ethernet only (Lx ASIC). ConnectX-4 Lx silicon does not support InfiniBand. For IB, use a ConnectX-4 VPI or ConnectX-5 VPI adapter instead.
Q. Can 01GR253 be used in non-Lenovo servers?
Possibly. The ConnectX-4 Lx ASIC is standard, but Lenovo OEM firmware may restrict features or fail health checks outside ThinkSystem chassis. Cross-flashing to NVIDIA generic firmware is sometimes possible but not guaranteed — verify before deploying.
Q. What offloads does 01GR253 support?
RoCE v2, NVMe-oF target/initiator, SR-IOV hardware virtualization, stateless TCP/UDP/IP, and overlay tunnel offloads (VXLAN, GENEVE, NVGRE).
Q. What condition does T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS supply?
Refurbished Grade A — EEPROM-verified, link-tested where test topology is available, cosmetically inspected, shipped from EU stock in anti-static packaging.
Why buy from T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS is a Europe-based NVIDIA Mellanox and OEM-networking specialist serving HPC, AI, and enterprise data-center procurement teams since 2007. Every unit is MPN-identified, EEPROM-verified, and cosmetically inspected before leaving our EU warehouse. Multi-currency B2B invoicing, worldwide express shipping, and free pre-sale technical consultation — talk directly with our engineers, not a call-center.