NVIDIA Mellanox® MBF2H516A-EEEOT — BlueField-2 DPU
Technical Identity
The NVIDIA Mellanox® MBF2H516A-EEEOT is a dual-port BlueField-2 Data Processing Unit (DPU) supporting 100GbE Ethernet and InfiniBand HDR100 in a VPI dual-protocol architecture. It pairs a ConnectX-6 Dx-class network engine with 8× ARM Cortex-A72 cores, 16 GB of onboard DDR4 memory, crypto acceleration, and a full hardware offload pipeline — all on a standard PCIe 4.0 x16 card. New, factory-sealed.
Specifications
Brand: NVIDIA Mellanox
Model / MPN: MBF2H516A-EEEOT
Product family: BlueField-2 DPU
Protocol: VPI dual-protocol — Ethernet 100GbE / InfiniBand HDR100
Ports: Dual-port QSFP56
Host interface: PCIe Gen 4.0 x16
ARM SoC: 8× ARM Cortex-A72 (BlueField-2)
Onboard memory: 16 GB DDR4
Crypto: Crypto-enabled (IPsec, TLS, AES-XTS, public-key acceleration)
Form factor: Standard PCIe HHHL, tall bracket
Software stack: NVIDIA DOCA SDK + BlueField OS image
Condition: New, factory-sealed
What This Is NOT
NOT a plain NIC. Unlike a ConnectX adapter, the BlueField-2 runs its own ARM-based OS independently from the host, enabling full isolation of network, security, and storage functions from host CPU.
NOT a switch. This is a server-side PCIe DPU that terminates one node, not a fabric element.
NOT plug-and-play. Full DPU offload requires the NVIDIA DOCA SDK and the BlueField OS image; basic NIC mode is available via MLNX_OFED only.
NOT bundled with QSFP56 cables, transceivers, brackets, or accessories — sold standalone.
Compatibility & Constraints
Host slot: PCIe 4.0 x16 recommended (operates in PCIe 3.0 x16 with reduced bandwidth).
Cables / transceivers (Ethernet 100GbE): QSFP56 100G DAC (MCP1650-H series), QSFP56 100G AOC (MFA1A00-H series), or QSFP56 100G optical transceivers (MMA1B00 series at 100GbE).
Cables / transceivers (InfiniBand HDR100): QSFP56 HDR100 DAC/AOC (MCP1650-H / MFA1A00-H), or HDR splitter cables from an HDR switch (MCP7H50 / MFS1S50-H).
Switch pairing — Ethernet: NVIDIA Spectrum / Spectrum-2 / Spectrum-3 100GbE switches (SN2700, SN3700, SN4600 series).
Switch pairing — InfiniBand: NVIDIA Quantum HDR switches (QM8700 / QM8790) operating in HDR100 split mode.
Drivers / firmware: MLNX_OFED 5.x+ on host; DOCA 1.x / 2.x on the DPU; firmware version must match the DOCA build manifest.
Verify before deploying: port-mode (Ethernet vs. InfiniBand), firmware build, DOCA release, and switch FEC settings must align end-to-end.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What is the NVIDIA Mellanox MBF2H516A-EEEOT?
The MBF2H516A-EEEOT is a BlueField-2 Data Processing Unit (DPU) with dual-port QSFP56, supporting 100GbE Ethernet and InfiniBand HDR100 (VPI dual-protocol). It has a PCIe 4.0 x16 host interface, 8 ARM Cortex-A72 cores, 16 GB onboard DDR4, and crypto acceleration.
Q. Does this DPU support both Ethernet and InfiniBand?
Yes. The H in MBF2H denotes a VPI dual-protocol part. Each port can be configured for 100GbE Ethernet or InfiniBand HDR100 via port-mode firmware setting.
Q. What software stack is required to use this BlueField-2 DPU?
Full DPU offload requires the NVIDIA DOCA SDK and the BlueField OS image running on the DPU's ARM complex. Basic NIC operation is available through MLNX_OFED only.
Q. What switches and cables pair with the MBF2H516A-EEEOT?
Ethernet pairing: NVIDIA Spectrum / Spectrum-2 / Spectrum-3 100GbE switches (SN2700, SN3700, SN4600 series). InfiniBand pairing: NVIDIA Quantum HDR (QM8700 / QM8790) in HDR100 mode. Cables: QSFP56 100G DAC/AOC such as MCP1650-H or MFA1A00-H series, or QSFP56 optical transceivers.
Q. What condition is supplied by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS?
New, factory-sealed in original NVIDIA packaging. Each unit is bench-tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS prior to shipment: PCIe link validation, port LED verification, and full cosmetic inspection.
Why buy from T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS is a Europe-based NVIDIA Mellanox specialist serving HPC, AI, and enterprise data-center procurement teams since 2007. We focus on a single brand so every unit is identified by MPN, NVIDIA P/N, and ASIC generation before it ships, and every customer gets free pre-sale compatibility advice for switch, adapter, and cable pairing. Multi-currency B2B invoicing, EU stock with worldwide express options, and direct technical contact with our engineering team — not a call-center.