NVIDIA Mellanox MCX654105A-HCAT ConnectX-6 VPI, Single-Port HDR 200Gb/s / 200GbE QSFP56, Socket Direct 2x PCIe 3.0/4.0 x16: This is a single-port VPI (Virtual Protocol Interconnect) network adapter card based on the ConnectX-6 ASIC, supporting 200Gb/s HDR InfiniBand or 200GbE Ethernet selectable per fabric. This adapter uses the Socket Direct topology with two PCIe x16 connections, one to each CPU socket in a dual-socket server. This is NOT a single-PCIe-slot card; it requires the auxiliary connection to the second socket. This is a refurbished unit, fully tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS.
Engineering Context
The MCX654105A-HCAT carries OEM part number 900-9X6B4-0018-DT2. The single QSFP56 port supports 200Gb/s using 4x50Gb/s PAM4 lanes (HDR InfiniBand) or 200GbE Ethernet. Socket Direct technology routes one PCIe Gen3/Gen4 x16 link to each CPU socket via a separate auxiliary card and ribbon cable, eliminating the QPI/UPI bottleneck for the second-socket CPU and reducing latency for NUMA-aware workloads. The card uses the ConnectX-6 ASIC, which delivers full RDMA, GPUDirect, and SHARP collective offload for HPC fabrics.
Deployment & Use Cases
HDR InfiniBand fabrics for AI training clusters, large-scale HPC simulation, and tightly-coupled MPI workloads. Dual-socket GPU servers where NUMA-locality matters — each socket gets a direct PCIe path to the NIC. CFD, weather, genomics, and other latency-sensitive HPC applications. SHARP-accelerated collective operations on Quantum HDR fabrics. Storage clusters using NVMe-oF over RoCEv2 at 200GbE.
Technical Specifications
- OEM: NVIDIA Mellanox
- Part Number: MCX654105A-HCAT (900-9X6B4-0018-DT2)
- Controller: ConnectX-6 (VPI)
- Ports: 1x QSFP56
- Data Rate: 200Gb/s HDR InfiniBand or 200GbE Ethernet
- Host Interface: Socket Direct — 2x PCIe Gen3/Gen4 x16 (one per CPU socket)
- Form Factor: Tall (full-height) bracket; main card + auxiliary card
- Protocol Modes: InfiniBand (HDR/HDR100/EDR/FDR), Ethernet (200/100/50/40/25/10GbE)
- Offloads: RDMA, RoCEv2, NVMe-oF, GPUDirect RDMA, SHARP, SR-IOV
- Topology: Socket Direct (eliminates inter-socket QPI/UPI hops for second-socket traffic)
- Condition: Refurbished — tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
Compatibility & Constraints
Requires a dual-socket server with two available PCIe x16 slots, one per CPU — cannot operate at full Socket Direct performance in a single-socket system. Compatible with NVIDIA Quantum HDR InfiniBand switches (e.g., QM8700, QM8790) and NVIDIA Spectrum 200GbE Ethernet switches when configured for Ethernet mode. Mode selection (IB vs Ethernet) is per-port via firmware/driver configuration. Auxiliary card and ribbon cable must be installed; do not omit the second-socket connection. Use NVIDIA-approved 200G QSFP56 transceivers, DACs, or AOCs.
Why TES
T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS tests every ConnectX-6 VPI Socket Direct adapter on both PCIe links and at full HDR line rate. Every refurbished unit ships with current stable firmware and the auxiliary card included. Visit tes-itsolutions.com for compatibility consultation. Handling time: 1-3 business days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What data rate does the MCX654105A-HCAT have?
The MCX654105A-HCAT data rate is 200Gb/s HDR InfiniBand or 200GbE Ethernet, as listed in the specifications for MCX654105A-HCAT.
What is the MCX654105A-HCAT NOT compatible with?
This is NOT a single-PCIe-slot card;. Confirm fitment against your platform before ordering MCX654105A-HCAT.
What condition is the MCX654105A-HCAT supplied in, and who sells it?
The MCX654105A-HCAT 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-mcx654105a-hcat-hdr-200gb-s-single-qsfp56-pcie-4-0-x16.