NVIDIA Mellanox® MHQH29-XTC — ConnectX-2 Dual-Port QDR InfiniBand Adapter (QSFP, PCIe 2.0 x8)
Technical Identity
The NVIDIA Mellanox® MHQH29-XTC is a dual-port QDR InfiniBand Host Channel Adapter (HCA) built on the ConnectX-2 ASIC. Each port runs 4× QDR (40 Gb/s per port) over QSFP copper or active-optical cabling, with a PCIe 2.0 x8 host bus and a tall (full-height) bracket. This is a single-protocol InfiniBand-only HCA — not a VPI dual-protocol card and not an Ethernet adapter. Condition: Refurbished Grade A, bench-tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS.
Specifications
Brand: NVIDIA Mellanox
Model / MPN: MHQH29-XTC
Product type: InfiniBand Host Channel Adapter (HCA) / PCIe Card
ASIC / Family: ConnectX-2
Protocol: InfiniBand only (4× QDR, 40 Gb/s per port)
Ports: Dual-Port
Connectors: 2× QSFP (passive copper, active copper, or QSFP AOC)
Host bus: PCIe 2.0 x8 (5.0 GT/s)
Bracket: Tall (full-height) — no low-profile bracket included
RoHS: R6 compliant
Condition: Refurbished Grade A — bench-tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
What This Is NOT
NOT a VPI dual-protocol card. MHQH29 is the IB-only QDR SKU; the VPI ConnectX-2 dual-port equivalents are the MHRH/MHZH series.
NOT an Ethernet adapter. Cannot be configured for 10GbE — InfiniBand transport only.
NOT a ConnectX-3, -4, -5, -6 or -7 card. ConnectX-2 generation; uses the legacy mlx4_core driver path, not mlx5_core.
NOT a switch. Host-side PCIe HCA — requires a server PCIe 2.0/3.0 x8 slot.
NOT QSFP+, QSFP28, or QSFP56. Connectors are first-generation QSFP at QDR signalling rates.
NOT bundled with cables, transceivers, or a low-profile bracket.
Compatibility & Constraints
Drivers: Mellanox mlx4_core / mlx4_ib kernel modules. Last fully-supported MLNX_OFED stack for ConnectX-2 is the LTS 4.9-x.x.x.x branch (Linux), with WinOF (not WinOF-2) for Windows. In-box mlx4 drivers ship with upstream Linux and VMware ESXi (legacy support).
Compatible switches: InfiniScale IV QDR switches (Mellanox IS5023/IS5025/IS5030/IS5035) and SwitchX / SwitchX-2 platforms (SX6005, SX6012, SX6025, SX6036) auto-negotiating down to QDR. Newer Quantum-1/-2 HDR/NDR switches are generally not validated against ConnectX-2 — verify firmware before deploying.
Compatible cables: Mellanox MCC4N / MC2207 QSFP passive copper QDR DAC, MC22030xx QSFP active optical assemblies, or MFM1T02A-SR optical modules with multimode fiber for longer reach.
Host bus: PCIe 2.0 x8 (5.0 GT/s) — operates correctly in a PCIe 3.0/4.0 x8 slot at the negotiated Gen2 rate.
Bracket: Tall (full-height) only — confirm chassis profile before ordering.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What is the NVIDIA Mellanox MHQH29-XTC?
The MHQH29-XTC is a ConnectX-2 dual-port QDR InfiniBand Host Channel Adapter with 2× QSFP ports running at 40 Gb/s per port, on a PCIe 2.0 x8 bus with a tall bracket. It is InfiniBand-only and does not support Ethernet.
Q. Is the MHQH29-XTC a VPI card with Ethernet support?
No. MHQH29 is the IB-only QDR SKU. The VPI ConnectX-2 dual-port adapters (IB + 10GbE) carry the MHRH or MHZH prefixes. If you need Ethernet, this is not the correct part.
Q. Which drivers does the MHQH29-XTC require?
ConnectX-2 uses the legacy mlx4 driver family: mlx4_core and mlx4_ib in Linux. On supported releases use MLNX_OFED LTS 4.9 for Linux, WinOF (not WinOF-2) for Windows, and the in-box mlx4 driver on VMware ESXi legacy builds.
Q. Which switches and cables pair with this adapter?
Mellanox InfiniScale IV QDR switches (IS5025/IS5030/IS5035) and SwitchX/SwitchX-2 (SX6036 etc.) auto-negotiating to QDR. Use Mellanox QSFP QDR passive copper DAC or QSFP AOC cables; QSFP+ FDR cables typically interoperate at the QDR rate.
Q. What condition is supplied by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS?
Refurbished Grade A. Each unit is bench-tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS: PCIe enumeration, both-port link validation against a QDR switch, EEPROM/vendor data verification, and cosmetic inspection. Anti-static packaging and EU-stock B2B shipping worldwide.
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. Every adapter is identified by MPN, NVIDIA P/N, and ASIC generation before it ships, and every customer gets 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.