{"product_id":"100gbe-nic-card-for-mellanox-mcx556a-edat-highperformance-pcie-4-0","title":"100GbE NIC Card for Mellanox MCX556A-EDAT - HighPerformance PCIe 4.0","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this review the Vogzone 100GbE NIC Card for Mellanox MCX556A-EDAT is evaluated as a purpose-built network adapter for data centers and latencysensitive applications. The bottom line: it is best for system builders and IT teams who need dual QSFP28 ports, RDMA support and PCIe 4.0 bandwidth to drive high throughput and low latency. Performance highlights such as submicrosecond latency and DPDKtested packet rates make the card compelling where raw network performance and virtualization features matter most.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMellanox connectX5 Ex controller:\u003c\/strong\u003e delivers low latency and high throughput suitable for demanding server and HPC networking workloads.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDual QSFP28 ports:\u003c\/strong\u003e supports 10GbE through 100GbE interface speeds so it adapts to different link requirements in data centers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePCIe 4.0 x16 interface:\u003c\/strong\u003e provides the bandwidth headroom required to saturate 100Gb links when paired with compatible systems.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRDMA and RoCE support:\u003c\/strong\u003e reduces CPU overhead and accelerates data movement for distributed storage and clustered applications.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eI\/O virtualization (SRIOV):\u003c\/strong\u003e enables efficient allocation of NIC resources across multiple VMs for denser virtualization deployments.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWide software support:\u003c\/strong\u003e compatible with mainstream server operating systems and stacks such as DPDK, iSCSI, UEFI, and various Linux distributions.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis card is aimed at network engineers, system integrators, and data center operators who need reliable 100GbE connectivity with advanced offload features like RDMA and SRIOV. Anyone running high throughput software such as DPDK, virtualization hosts, or distributed storage will benefit from the low latency and high messages per second performance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is less suitable for casual desktop users or small office setups that do not already have compatible QSFP28 cabling or switches; those buyers should consider simpler 10Gb or 25Gb solutions. Also, full PCIe 4.0 benefits require a server platform with PCIe Gen4 support.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIndustrygrade connectX5 Ex ASIC provides excellent packet rate and low 750ns latency for demanding workloads.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFlexible dual QSFP28 interfaces cover a wide range of link speeds from 10GbE to 100GbE for deployment flexibility.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStrong software ecosystem and offload features including DPDK, RoCE v1\/v2, and SRIOV improve application performance and virtualization density.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncludes a lowprofile bracket for compatibility with rack servers and smaller chassis.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRequires compatible QSFP28 optics or breakout cables and appropriate switch ports to utilize full speeds.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTo reach PCIe 4.0 performance the host must support Gen4; in older Gen3 slots throughput can be limited.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eController\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMellanox connectX5 Ex (MCX556AEDAT)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eInterface\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePCIe v4.0 x16 (compatible with 3.0\/2.0\/1.1)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePorts\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDual QSFP28 (10\/25\/40\/50\/100GbE)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLatency\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eApproximately 750ns\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePacket rate\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eUp to 200Mpps (197Mpps reported with DPDK)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSoftware features\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDPDK, RDMA RoCE v1\/v2, SRIOV, iSCSI, IPsec, IEEE1588\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eIncluded\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNetwork card and lowprofile bracket\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Vogzone 100GbE NIC Card is a strong choice for professionals who need a reliable, high performance adapter with advanced offloads and virtualization features. It offers excellent value where infrastructure already supports QSFP28 and PCIe Gen4, delivering low latency and high packet rates for DPDK, RDMA, and VMdense deployments.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes this card support RDMA?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes, the adapter supports RDMA including RoCE v1 and RoCE v2 for low CPU overhead networking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhich operating systems are supported?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt supports a wide range including Windows, Windows Server, mainstream Linux distributions, VMware ESXi, Citrix, FreeBSD and various enterprise Linux variants.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs PCIe 4.0 required to reach full performance?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePCIe 4.0 x16 provides the best throughput for 100Gb links, but the card is compatible with PCIe 3.0 and earlier with reduced bandwidth.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Vogzone","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48189559144667,"sku":"B0D2WCS151","price":329.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/719nI0XwiGL._AC_SL1500.jpg?v=1769620793","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/100gbe-nic-card-for-mellanox-mcx556a-edat-highperformance-pcie-4-0","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}