Mellanox ConnectX-4 Lx EN Network Interface Card - High-Performance Dual-Port Adapter

1. Product Overview

The Mellanox ConnectX-4 Lx EN MCX4121A-XCAT represents a significant advancement in network card technology, delivering exceptional performance for modern data centers. This dual-port NIC card supports 10/25/40/50GbE speeds through SFP28 interfaces, providing hardware-accelerated networking solutions for demanding cloud, big data, and virtualized environments. With its robust feature set and compatibility with various form factors, this adapter card offers a future-proof investment for enterprise infrastructure.

2. Key Features

• Dual-port SFP28 configuration supporting 10/25GbE speeds
• PCI Express 3.0 x8 host interface with backward compatibility
• Hardware offload for RDMA over Converged Ethernet (RoCE)
• Advanced virtualization support with SR-IOV technology
• Tunnel protocol offloading for VXLAN, NVGRE, and GENEVE
• Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) compliance
• Multi-host capability connecting up to 4 independent servers

3. Advanced Technologies

This innovative network card incorporates several groundbreaking technologies including Mellanox Multi-Host® architecture, which allows multiple servers to share a single adapter, significantly reducing infrastructure costs. The card also features hardware-based overlay network encapsulation/decapsulation, GPUDirect® RDMA acceleration, and sophisticated quality of service (QoS) mechanisms. These technologies position this NIC card as a superior solution compared to conventional adapters.

4. Operational Mechanism

The ConnectX-4 Lx EN network card operates by offloading network processing tasks from the host CPU to specialized hardware engines on the adapter itself. This includes TCP/UDP/IP stateless offload, checksum computation, packet segmentation, and interrupt coalescence. For virtualized environments, the card implements Single Root I/O Virtualization (SR-IOV) to provide dedicated adapter resources and guaranteed isolation for virtual machines, significantly improving performance compared to software-based virtualization solutions.

5. Application Scenarios

• Cloud computing infrastructure and hyper-scale data centers
• High-frequency trading and financial services platforms
• Artificial intelligence and machine learning workloads
• Network function virtualization and software-defined networking
• High-performance storage area networks and storage appliances
• Video streaming services and content delivery networks

6. Technical Specifications

7. Competitive Advantages

• 75 million packets per second message rate for high-throughput applications
• Sub-microsecond latency enhances real-time application performance
• Hardware-based isolation ensures security in multi-tenant environments
• Superior price/performance ratio compared to similar NIC card solutions
• Future-proof design supporting emerging network protocols and standards

8. Service and Support

We provide comprehensive technical support, including pre-sales consultation, system integration assistance, and post-sales troubleshooting. All products come with standard warranty coverage, with extended options available. Our global logistics network ensures timely delivery to customers worldwide, and we offer flexible procurement solutions for large-scale deployments.

9. Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the difference between ConnectX-4 and ConnectX-6 series adapters?
A: While the ConnectX-6 series offers higher maximum speeds (up to 200Gb/s) and enhanced security features, the ConnectX-4 Lx provides excellent performance for 10-50GbE applications at a more accessible price point.

Q: Can this network card be used in existing infrastructure?
A: Yes, the card is backward compatible with lower-speed Ethernet standards and can interoperate with existing network switches supporting SFP28 interfaces.

Q: What cables are required for 25GbE operation?
A: You can use SFP28 DAC (Direct Attach Copper) cables or optical transceivers with appropriate fiber cables, depending on distance requirements.

10. Important Considerations

• Ensure adequate airflow around the adapter for proper thermal management
• Verify server BIOS settings for PCIe slot configuration (x8 link width recommended)
• Use manufacturer-recommended drivers and firmware for optimal performance
• Consider switch compatibility and configuration for advanced features like RoCE
• Plan for appropriate cooling solutions in high-density deployments

11. Company Profile

With more than ten years of industry expertise, our company maintains extensive manufacturing capabilities and a skilled technical team. We have developed a substantial customer base across diverse sectors and accumulated deep operational experience, enabling us to deliver products at competitive prices without compromising service quality. Our product portfolio includes leading brands such as Mellanox, Ruckus, Aruba, and Extreme Networks. We specialize in authentic networking equipment including switches, network interface cards, wireless access points, controllers, and cabling solutions. Our inventory management system provides access to over ten million products, ensuring broad selection and reliable supply for volume requirements. We guarantee precise order fulfillment and offer continuous customer service with 24/7 technical consultation capabilities. Our professional sales and engineering teams have established a distinguished reputation in international markets.