NVIDIA Mellanox MCX354A-FCAT ConnectX-3 Pro VPI Dual-Port QSFP Adapter, FDR InfiniBand and 40/56GbE: This is a dual-port Virtual Protocol Interconnect (VPI) host adapter that supports InfiniBand FDR (56 Gb/s) or Ethernet (40/56GbE) per QSFP port, with the protocol selectable in the driver. This is a standard PCIe 3.0 x8 add-in card, not an OCP mezzanine variant. This is a refurbished unit, tested in working order.
Engineering Context
The MCX354A-FCAT is built on the ConnectX-3 Pro silicon, which adds NVGRE and VXLAN hardware offloads on top of the original ConnectX-3 feature set. Each QSFP port operates independently, so one port can run InfiniBand while the other runs Ethernet. The card uses a PCIe 3.0 x8 8 GT/s host interface and supports RDMA and RoCE on the Ethernet side. Bus throughput at PCIe Gen3 x8 is approximately 64 Gb/s in one direction, so dual 56 Gb/s ports are most useful when traffic is split or one port is held in standby.
Deployment & Use Cases
HPC compute nodes connecting to FDR InfiniBand fabrics for MPI workloads. Storage servers fronting Ceph, Lustre, or ZFS over RDMA (NFS-RDMA, iSER, NVMe-oF over RoCE). VMware ESXi or KVM hypervisor hosts that need SR-IOV and overlay offloads (VXLAN, NVGRE). General data center hosts where a single card must bridge InfiniBand and Ethernet workloads.
Technical Specifications
OEM: NVIDIA Mellanox
Part Number: MCX354A-FCAT
ASIC: ConnectX-3 Pro
Ports: 2 x QSFP (VPI)
InfiniBand Speed: Up to FDR 56 Gb/s per port
Ethernet Speed: 10/40/56GbE per port
Host Bus: PCIe 3.0 x8 (8 GT/s)
Form Factor: Standard PCIe (low-profile and full-height brackets)
Offloads: RDMA, RoCE, NVGRE, VXLAN, SR-IOV
Compliance: RoHS R6
Condition: Refurbished — Tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
Compatibility & Hard Constraints
Works with QSFP+ FDR InfiniBand and QSFP+ 40/56GbE switches such as Mellanox SX6036, SX6512, SX1036, and SX1710 series, and with MLNX_OFED drivers within the ConnectX-3 Pro support lifecycle. 56GbE is a Mellanox proprietary rate and requires Mellanox at both ends; against third-party 40GbE switches the link will train at 40GbE. Not compatible with EDR (100 Gb/s) or HDR (200 Gb/s) InfiniBand fabrics — this card tops out at FDR. A PCIe 3.0 x8 host slot is required for full bandwidth; the card will negotiate down in narrower slots.
Why Choose T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
Each MCX354A-FCAT is bench-tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS for link-up on both QSFP ports, RDMA function, and PCIe link training before shipment. We offer expert consultation on InfiniBand and RoCE deployments, global shipping, and 1–3 day handling time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What host bus does the MCX354A-FCAT have?
The MCX354A-FCAT host bus is PCIe 3.0 x8 (8 GT/s), as listed in the specifications for MCX354A-FCAT.
What is the MCX354A-FCAT NOT compatible with?
This is a standard PCIe 3.0 x8 add-in card, not an OCP mezzanine variant. Confirm fitment against your platform before ordering MCX354A-FCAT.
What condition is the MCX354A-FCAT supplied in, and who sells it?
The MCX354A-FCAT 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-mcx354a-fcat-connectx-3-pro-vpi-adapter-card-dual-port-qsfp-40-56gbe.