NVIDIA Mellanox MCX512F-ACAT ConnectX-5 EN 25GbE Dual-Port SFP28 PCIe 3.0 x16 Network Adapter: This is a dual-port 25GbE Ethernet Network Interface Card (NIC) based on the ConnectX-5 EN controller, with two SFP28 cages and a PCIe Gen3 x16 host interface. It is shipped with a tall (full-height) bracket. This is an Ethernet-only adapter — it is NOT a VPI adapter and does not run InfiniBand. This is a refurbished unit, tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS.
Engineering Context
The ConnectX-5 controller delivers 25Gb/s per port over SFP28 using NRZ encoding. The PCIe Gen3 x16 host interface provides roughly 128 Gb/s of raw host bandwidth, well above what dual 25GbE requires; the wider lane width is useful in PCIe Gen3-only servers where headroom prevents host-side bottlenecks under heavy small-packet load. The card supports RDMA over Converged Ethernet (RoCE v1/v2), Accelerated Switching and Packet Processing (ASAP²) Direct, NVMe-oF target/initiator offloads, T10-DIF/CRC, and overlay tunnel offloads (VXLAN, NVGRE, Geneve). SR-IOV is supported with multiple virtual functions per port.
Deployment & Use Cases
NVMe-oF storage initiators and targets requiring hardware offload. Hyperconverged clusters (VMware vSAN, Nutanix, Microsoft Azure Stack HCI). KVM and VMware hosts using SR-IOV passthrough. OpenStack overlay networks needing VXLAN encapsulation offload. Edge data centers consolidating compute and storage on 25GbE fabric.
Technical Specifications
- OEM: NVIDIA Mellanox
- Part Number: MCX512F-ACAT
- Controller: ConnectX-5 EN
- Ports: 2 × SFP28
- Data Rate: 25GbE per port (also 1/10GbE)
- Host Interface: PCI Express Gen 3.0 x16
- Protocol: Ethernet only (not VPI)
- Bracket: Tall (Full-Height)
- RDMA: RoCE v1/v2
- Storage Offloads: NVMe-oF, T10-DIF
- Tunnel Offloads: VXLAN, NVGRE, Geneve (incl. ASAP² Direct)
- Condition: Refurbished — Tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
Compatibility & Hard Constraints
Compatible with x86 servers (Dell PowerEdge, HPE ProLiant, Supermicro, Lenovo ThinkSystem) that expose a PCIe 3.0 x16 (or PCIe 4.0 x8 with appropriate negotiation) slot. Inbox drivers are present in current Linux kernels and Windows Server. Requires SFP28 transceivers, DAC, or AOC cables. Does NOT support InfiniBand — VPI capability requires a ConnectX-5 VPI part (e.g., MCX556A-ECAT). Does NOT ship with a low-profile bracket in this configuration.
Why Choose T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
Each adapter is bench-tested for both ports, link training, and PCIe enumeration before shipment. T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS provides 1–3 business day handling and consultation on 25GbE storage and HCI deployments.
Frequently Asked Questions
What data rate does the MCX512F-ACAT have?
The MCX512F-ACAT data rate is 25GbE per port (also 1/10GbE), as listed in the specifications for MCX512F-ACAT.
What is the MCX512F-ACAT NOT compatible with?
This is an Ethernet-only adapter — it is NOT a VPI adapter and does not run InfiniBand. Confirm fitment against your platform before ordering MCX512F-ACAT.
What condition is the MCX512F-ACAT supplied in, and who sells it?
The MCX512F-ACAT is supplied in Refurbished condition by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS from EU stock, with 1-3 business day handling and worldwide B2B shipping. See https://www.tes-itsolutions.com/product-page/mellanox-mcx-512a-acat-ethernet-25gbe-dual-port-sfp28-pcie-gen-3-0-x8.