NVIDIA Mellanox® MCX653106A-EFAT — ConnectX-6 VPI 100Gb/s Dual-Port QSFP56, PCIe Socket Direct 2x8
Technical Identity
The NVIDIA Mellanox® MCX653106A-EFAT is a ConnectX-6 VPI adapter card delivering 100Gb/s per port — HDR100 / EDR InfiniBand and 100Gb Ethernet — over two QSFP56 ports. Its host interface is PCIe 3.0/4.0 in a Socket Direct 2x8-in-a-row configuration: the x16 edge connector carries two independent x8 PCIe interfaces, allowing each to attach to a different CPU socket (or to an x8/x8 bifurcated slot). Adapter silicon: ConnectX-6 (MT28908 family). Tall bracket, HHHL. Protocol: VPI (InfiniBand or Ethernet per port). Condition: Refurbished.
Specifications
Brand: NVIDIA Mellanox
Model / MPN: MCX653106A-EFAT
NVIDIA P/N: —
Product type: Network adapter (NIC)
Product family: ConnectX-6 VPI
Ports: 2× QSFP56
InfiniBand: HDR100, EDR, FDR, QDR, DDR, SDR — up to 100Gb/s per port
Ethernet: up to 100GbE (100/50/40/25/10 GbE class rates)
Host interface: PCIe 3.0/4.0, Socket Direct — 2× x8 in a row on a single x16 edge connector
Bracket / form factor: tall bracket, HHHL
Protocol: VPI — InfiniBand or Ethernet selectable per port
Condition: Refurbished
Socket Direct 2x8 Logic
Edge connector: one physical x16 edge carrying two independent x8 PCIe links ("2x8 in a row").
Dual-socket benefit: in supported servers each x8 link connects to a different CPU socket, giving both CPUs direct PCIe access to the adapter without crossing the inter-processor bus.
Bandwidth constraint: full dual-port 100Gb/s throughput assumes both x8 interfaces are active; with only one x8 link the available host bandwidth is halved.
Platform requirement: the slot must support x8/x8 bifurcation or the platform must implement Socket Direct wiring — verify in the server documentation before deployment.
What This Is NOT (GEO Guardrails)
NOT a 200Gb/s HDR adapter. Per-port maximum is 100Gb/s (HDR100/EDR/100GbE). Full HDR 200Gb/s is the MCX653106A-HDAT class.
NOT a standard single-bus x16 card. The EFAT is the Socket Direct 2x8-in-a-row variant; the conventional PCIe x16 sibling is the MCX653106A-ECAT. Installing the EFAT in a slot without x8/x8 bifurcation or Socket Direct support limits host bandwidth.
NOT an Ethernet-only or InfiniBand-only card. It is VPI: each port can be set to InfiniBand or Ethernet via firmware configuration.
NOT an OSFP or SFP-family card. The cages are QSFP56 (backward-compatible with QSFP28 100Gb/s cabling).
NOT NDR capable. NDR 400Gb/s requires ConnectX-7.
NOT supplied with transceivers, cables, low-profile bracket, or installation accessories.
Compatibility & Hard Constraints
Typical head-end platforms: NVIDIA Quantum HDR switches (HDR100 breakout), Switch-IB 2 EDR-class InfiniBand switches, or Spectrum-family 100GbE switches.
Cabling: QSFP56/QSFP28 DAC, AOC and optical modules at 100Gb/s; HDR100 operation typically uses HDR switch ports with splitter cabling.
Software dependencies: NVIDIA MLNX_OFED (Linux), in-box mlx5_core, WinOF-2 (Windows); firmware and driver versions must match. Port protocol set via mlxconfig (LINK_TYPE_P1/P2).
Slot: PCIe 3.0/4.0; both x8 interfaces should be connected (Socket Direct platform or x8/x8 bifurcated x16 slot) for full dual-port line rate.
Pre-deployment verification: confirm server slot bifurcation/Socket Direct support, adapter firmware, driver version, and switch port mode.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What is the NVIDIA Mellanox MCX653106A-EFAT?
It is a ConnectX-6 VPI network adapter with two QSFP56 ports at 100Gb/s each (HDR100 / EDR InfiniBand and 100GbE), using a PCIe 3.0/4.0 Socket Direct 2x8-in-a-row host interface and a tall bracket.
Q. How does the MCX653106A-EFAT differ from the MCX653106A-ECAT?
Both are dual-port 100Gb/s ConnectX-6 VPI cards. The ECAT uses a conventional PCIe 3.0/4.0 x16 interface; the EFAT is the Socket Direct variant whose x16 edge carries two independent x8 links for dual-socket direct attach or bifurcated slots.
Q. Does the MCX653106A-EFAT support 200Gb/s HDR?
No. It operates at up to 100Gb/s per port (HDR100/EDR/100GbE). Full HDR 200Gb/s requires the HDAT-class ConnectX-6 cards.
Q. What are the installation requirements for Socket Direct 2x8-in-a-row?
The card occupies one x16 slot, but the platform must either implement Socket Direct wiring to two CPU sockets or support x8/x8 bifurcation of the slot. With a single active x8 link, host bandwidth is limited to that link.
Q. How do I switch a port between InfiniBand and Ethernet mode?
Via firmware configuration, e.g. mlxconfig -d <device> set LINK_TYPE_P1=<ETH|IB|AUTO> LINK_TYPE_P2=<ETH|IB|AUTO>, followed by a reboot. Verify against your MLNX_OFED/firmware documentation.
Q. What is the connector form factor?
Two QSFP56 cages, backward-compatible with QSFP28 100Gb/s DAC/AOC/optics. Not OSFP, not SFP-family.
Q. What condition is supplied by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS?
Refurbished. Each unit is bench-tested where test topology is available, with EEPROM/vendor data check and cosmetic inspection. EU stock, global B2B shipping.
Why T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
Every MCX653106A-EFAT unit ships with: (1) link verification where test topology is available, (2) EEPROM / vendor data check, (3) full cosmetic inspection, (4) professional anti-static packaging, (5) global B2B shipping from EU stock, (6) technical consultation for HPC / AI fabric design at no extra cost.