NVIDIA Mellanox MCX413A-BCAT ConnectX-4 EN 40/56GbE Single-Port QSFP28 Network Interface Card, PCIe 3.0 x8: This is a single-port Ethernet network adapter (NIC) built on the NVIDIA Mellanox ConnectX-4 EN ASIC. The QSFP28 cage runs 40GbE or 56GbE (Mellanox proprietary) and the card connects to the host over a PCIe 3.0 x8 slot. This is a server adapter card, not a switch and not a transceiver. Tall (full-height) PCIe bracket. This is a brand-new factory-sealed unit.
Engineering Context
The MCX413A-BCAT is the single-port, PCIe 3.0 x8 ConnectX-4 EN variant. The QSFP28 cage natively supports 40GbE (4x10Gb/s) and 56GbE (Mellanox 4x14Gb/s FDR-style signaling between ConnectX-4 endpoints and SwitchX-2/SX1036 era switches), and auto-negotiates down to 10/25GbE on supported peers. The PCIe 3.0 x8 host interface (~63 Gb/s usable) is appropriately sized for a single 40/56GbE port. The ASIC implements stateless TCP/UDP/IP offloads, RoCE v1/v2, VXLAN, NVGRE, and Geneve encapsulation/decapsulation, and SR-IOV.
Deployment & Use Cases
40GbE upgrades for compute nodes connecting to existing SX1036 or SN2700 switches. 56GbE Mellanox-only fabrics for legacy storage clusters. NVMe-oF over RoCE on 40GbE backbones. OpenStack and VMware ESXi virtualized hosts where 40GbE is the standard server uplink. Refresh of older 10/40GbE NICs in HPC clusters running MLNX_OFED.
Technical Specifications
OEM: NVIDIA Mellanox
Part Number (MPN): MCX413A-BCAT
Controller / ASIC: ConnectX-4 EN
Ports: 1 x QSFP28 (also accepts QSFP+ / QSFP optics and DACs)
Maximum Data Rate: 40GbE or 56GbE (Mellanox proprietary)
Host Interface: PCI Express 3.0 x8 (8 GT/s)
Bracket: Tall (full-height)
RDMA / Offloads: RoCE v1/v2, VXLAN, NVGRE, Geneve, stateless TCP/UDP offloads
SR-IOV: Supported (up to 256 VFs)
Form Factor: Standard low-profile PCIe card with tall bracket installed
Protocol: Ethernet only (EN — no InfiniBand)
Condition: New — Factory-sealed
Compatibility & Hard Constraints
56GbE operation is a Mellanox proprietary mode and requires a Mellanox switch (SX1036, SX1024, SN2700 in 56GbE mode, etc.) on the other end. Standard 40GbE operation is fully IEEE 802.3ba compliant and interoperates with any vendor's QSFP+ 40GbE switch. Requires a PCIe 3.0 x8 (or larger) slot. Not compatible with InfiniBand fabrics — this is an Ethernet-only part. SFP/SFP+ optics need a QSA adapter to fit the QSFP28 cage. Driver support: MLNX_OFED on Linux, WinOF-2 on Windows, ESXi 6.5+.
Why Choose T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS supplies factory-new ConnectX-4 NICs with original packaging, and provides expert consultation on 40/56GbE Ethernet fabric design, global shipping, and a 1–3 day handling time. Visit tes-itsolutions.com for the full catalog.
Frequently Asked Questions
What part number (mpn) does the MCX413A-BCAT have?
The MCX413A-BCAT part number (mpn) is MCX413A-BCAT, as listed in the specifications for MCX413A-BCAT.
What is the MCX413A-BCAT NOT compatible with?
This is a server adapter card, not a switch and not a transceiver. Confirm fitment against your platform before ordering MCX413A-BCAT.
What condition is the MCX413A-BCAT supplied in, and who sells it?
The MCX413A-BCAT is supplied in New 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-mcx413a-bcat-ethernet-card-40-56gbe-single-port-qsfp28-pcie3-0-x8.