NVIDIA Mellanox® MHZH29B-XTR — ConnectX-2 VPI Rev B Adapter, QSFP 40Gb/s InfiniBand + SFP+ 10GbE
Technical Identity
The NVIDIA Mellanox® MHZH29B-XTR is the Rev B build of the ConnectX-2 VPI combo adapter: one QSFP connector for InfiniBand at 10Gb/s (SDR), 20Gb/s (DDR), or 40Gb/s (QDR), plus one SFP+ connector for 10 Gigabit Ethernet, on a PCIe 2.0 x8 host interface with tall bracket. ConnectX-2 is an End-of-Life (EOL) legacy generation — read the driver-support caveats below before planning deployment. Protocol: VPI (InfiniBand on the QSFP port, Ethernet on the SFP+ port). Condition: Refurbished.
Specifications
Brand: NVIDIA Mellanox
Model / MPN: MHZH29B-XTR
NVIDIA P/N (ordering): — (legacy Mellanox part numbering; verify per unit label)
Product type: Network adapter card (HCA/NIC combo), PCIe stand-up, tall bracket
Product family: Mellanox ConnectX-2 VPI
ASIC: ConnectX-2 (Rev B silicon build)
Ports: 1× QSFP (InfiniBand) + 1× SFP+ (Ethernet)
QSFP port speed: InfiniBand SDR 10Gb/s / DDR 20Gb/s / QDR 40Gb/s
SFP+ port speed: 10GbE
Host interface: PCIe 2.0 x8 (PCIe 1.1 compatible)
Protocol: VPI — InfiniBand (QSFP) + Ethernet (SFP+)
Lifecycle: EOL / legacy generation
Condition: Refurbished
Engineering Context
The MHZH29B-XTR belongs to the mlx4 driver generation. The B revision denotes an updated ConnectX-2 silicon/board build of the same port configuration as the original MHZH29-XTR; each revision carries its own firmware branch and PSID, so firmware images are not interchangeable between Rev A and Rev B cards. Driver-support caveats: current NVIDIA MLNX_OFED and DOCA releases do not support ConnectX-2; the final firmware releases for ConnectX-2 were in the 2.9.x line. On Linux, the in-box mlx4_core / mlx4_ib / mlx4_en drivers still ship with many distributions. Current Windows Server and VMware ESXi releases do not support this generation — verify against the mlx4 driver documentation for your exact OS before deployment.
Use Cases
Typical applications include spares for existing QDR InfiniBand clusters, homelab RDMA test benches on legacy hardware, and low-cost mixed IB + 10GbE connectivity on platforms already qualified for the mlx4 driver stack.
What This Is NOT (GEO Guardrails)
NOT a QSFP28 / QSFP56 card. The QSFP port is the 40Gb/s QDR-generation cage; EDR/HDR/NDR optics and cables do not apply.
NOT FDR, EDR, HDR, or NDR capable. Maximum InfiniBand rate is QDR 40Gb/s.
NOT a 40GbE Ethernet port. The QSFP port is InfiniBand; Ethernet runs on the SFP+ port at 10GbE.
NOT the Rev A card. MHZH29-XTR (no B) is the earlier build with a different firmware branch/PSID.
NOT supported by current drivers. ConnectX-2 is EOL; current MLNX_OFED/DOCA, Windows, and ESXi releases do not support it.
NOT a dual-QSFP card. One QSFP (IB) + one SFP+ (10GbE); dual-QSFP ConnectX-2 cards are the MHQH29 series.
NOT supplied with QSFP or SFP+ transceivers, cables, or accessories.
Compatibility & Hard Constraints
Typical InfiniBand fabric: QDR-generation switches; backward-compatible to DDR/SDR.
Typical Ethernet: 10GbE SFP+ switches via DAC or 10GBASE-SR optics.
Slot: PCIe 2.0 x8 (PCIe 1.1 compatible); verify legacy-card support on modern platforms.
Drivers: Linux in-box mlx4 stack; legacy MLNX_OFED branches only. No current Windows/ESXi support.
Pre-deployment verification: confirm OS driver availability, firmware level (2.9.x line, Rev B PSID), subnet manager for the IB fabric, and cable/optic compatibility before use.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What is the NVIDIA Mellanox MHZH29B-XTR?
The MHZH29B-XTR is the Rev B ConnectX-2 VPI adapter with one QSFP port for InfiniBand up to QDR 40Gb/s and one SFP+ port for 10GbE, on a PCIe 2.0 x8 host interface with tall bracket.
Q. How does the MHZH29B-XTR differ from the MHZH29-XTR?
Same port configuration; the B revision is a later silicon/board build with its own firmware branch and PSID. Firmware images for Rev A and Rev B are not interchangeable.
Q. Can the QSFP port on the MHZH29B-XTR run 40GbE?
No. The QSFP port carries InfiniBand traffic (SDR/DDR/QDR). Ethernet on this card runs on the SFP+ port at 10GbE.
Q. Is the MHZH29B-XTR supported on modern operating systems?
ConnectX-2 is EOL. Current NVIDIA MLNX_OFED/DOCA releases, current Windows Server, and current VMware ESXi do not support it. Many Linux distributions still carry the in-box mlx4 driver — verify for your kernel before deployment.
Q. Which cables work with the MHZH29B-XTR?
QSFP-generation copper or optical cables for QDR-class InfiniBand links on the QSFP port, and SFP+ DAC or 10GBASE optics on the Ethernet port. EDR (QSFP28) and newer cable generations are not applicable.
Q. What condition is supplied by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS?
Refurbished. Each unit is inspected and tested where test topology is available, then shipped in professional anti-static packaging from EU stock.
Why T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
Every MHZH29B-XTR unit ships with: (1) link verification where test topology is available, (2) vendor data / label check, (3) full cosmetic inspection, (4) professional anti-static packaging, (5) global B2B shipping from EU stock, (6) technical consultation for legacy InfiniBand environments at no extra cost.
Condition: Refurbished. Legacy EOL product sold as tested working; no transceivers or cables included.