MCX555A-ECAT Mellanox Network Card ConnectX-5 VPI Adapter EDR / 100GbE

NVIDIA ConnectX-5 MCX555A-Ecat InfiniBand Network Adapter Card

The NVIDIA ConnectX-5 InfiniBand network card delivers breakthrough performance with dual-port 100Gb/s InfiniBand and Ethernet connectivity. Designed for high-performance computing, cloud, and storage environments, this intelligent adapter features advanced offloads, low latency, and high message rates—making it an ideal choice for data-intensive applications.

MCX555A-Ecat Key Selling Points

• Dual-port 100Gb/s InfiniBand and Ethernet support
• Hardware offload for NVMe over Fabrics, MPI, and RDMA
• PCIe Gen4 and Gen3 compatibility with embedded switch
• Support for Multi-Host and Socket Direct configurations
• RoHS compliant and energy-efficient design

MCX555A-Ecat Characteristics

• High throughput: Up to 100Gb/s per port
• Low latency and CPU utilization
• Hardware-based congestion control
• Support for jumbo frames (up to 9.6KB)
• Enhanced virtualization with SR-IOV and ASAP²

MCX555A-Ecat Technology

The ConnectX-5 nic card leverages cutting-edge technologies including RDMA, RoCE, NVMe-oF offload, and adaptive routing. It supports a wide range of standards such as IEEE 802.3, InfiniBand 1.3, and PCIe Gen4. Advanced features include dynamic connected transport (DCT), hardware-based tag matching, and burst buffer offload for checkpointing.

Working Principle

The network card operates by offloading network processing tasks from the CPU directly to the hardware. It uses RDMA to enable direct memory access between systems, reducing latency and improving throughput. The embedded PCIe switch allows efficient I/O consolidation, while hardware accelerators handle encapsulation, decapsulation, and protocol processing.

Applications

• High-Performance Computing (HPC) clusters
• Cloud and hyperscale data centers
• NVMe over Fabrics storage systems
• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning platforms
• Virtualized and software-defined infrastructures

Specification Table

Advantages

• Superior performance with PCIe Gen4 support and embedded switch
• Advanced offloads reduce CPU overhead and improve efficiency
• Flexible form factors: HHHL, OCP 2.0, and Socket Direct
• Multi-Host technology enables shared adapter access
• Industry-leading interoperability and compliance

Service & Support

We offer comprehensive technical support, 24/7 customer service, and worldwide shipping. All products come with a standard warranty. Customized solutions and bulk pricing available.

FAQ

Q: What operating systems are supported?
A: RHEL/CentOS, Windows, FreeBSD, VMware, and more.

Q: Does this NIC support Ethernet?
A: Yes, it supports up to 100GbE and lower speeds.

Q: Can I use this card in a Gen3 PCIe slot?
A: Yes, it is backward compatible with PCIe Gen3, Gen2, and Gen1.

Q: Is RoCE supported?
A: Yes, RDMA over Converged Ethernet is fully supported.

Precautions

• Ensure proper cooling and airflow in the server chassis.
• Verify compatibility with existing switches and cables.
• Use supported drivers and firmware for full feature access.
• Follow ESD safety procedures during installation.

Company Introduction