Mellanox ConnectX-5 EN MCX512A-ACAT 25GbE SFP28 RDMA Smart NIC PCIe 3.0 x8
Price:
Negotiate
MOQ:
1pcs
Delivery Time:
Based on inventory
Brand:
Mellanox
Product Description
Mellanox ConnectX-5 EN MCX512A-ACAT 25GbE SFP28 RDMA Smart NIC
Dual-Port 25GbE SFP28 | PCIe 3.0 x8 | Low-Profile | RDMA & RoCE | Smart NIC for Cloud, Storage & Telco
Product Overview
The Mellanox ConnectX-5 EN MCX512A-ACAT is a dual-port 25GbE Ethernet adapter card engineered for Web 2.0, cloud data centers, software-defined storage, and telecommunication infrastructure. Built on the intelligent ConnectX-5 core, this PCIe 3.0 x8 low-profile card delivers high throughput (up to 100Gb/s aggregate), sub-microsecond latency, and advanced hardware offload capabilities that minimize CPU overhead while accelerating virtual switching, NVMe over Fabric, and overlay network processing.
As part of the ConnectX-5 EN series, the MCX512A-ACAT supports SFP28 interfaces, backward compatibility with 10GbE and 1GbE, and enables RoCE (RDMA over Converged Ethernet) for efficient remote direct memory access. With ASAP² (Accelerated Switching and Packet Processing) technology, it offloads Open vSwitch (OvS) data-plane tasks, freeing server resources for application workloads.
Key Features
- High Performance: Up to 25GbE per port, 200 million messages per second, 750ns latency, hardware-based reliable transport
- Smart Offloads: OvS/vRouter offload (ASAP²), NVMe-oF target offload, T10-DIF Signature Handover, RoCE for overlay networks
- I/O & Virtualization: SR-IOV (up to 512 VFs), embedded PCIe switch with up to 8 bifurcations
- Overlay & Tunneling: Hardware encapsulation/decapsulation for VXLAN, NVGRE, GENEVE, MPLS, NSH
- Form Factor & Management: Low-profile PCIe 3.0 x8, NC-SI over MCTP, PLDM monitoring & firmware update, UEFI/PXE remote boot
Performance Statistics
25GbE
per port bandwidth
750ns
ultra-low latency
200M
messages per second
Technical Specifications
| Product Model | MCX512A-ACAT |
|---|---|
| Product Series | Mellanox ConnectX-5 EN |
| Port Speed & Type | 2x 25GbE SFP28 (also supports 10GbE, 1GbE) |
| Host Interface | PCIe 3.0 x8 (compatible with x16 slots) |
| Form Factor | Low-profile PCIe stand-up (bracket included) |
| Latency | 750ns (typical) |
| Message Rate | Up to 200 million messages per second (Mpps) |
| RDMA Support | RoCE, RoCE for overlay networks, XRC, DCT, out-of-order RDMA |
| Storage Offloads | NVMe-oF target offload, T10-DIF (Signature Handover), SRP, iSER, NFS RDMA |
| Virtualization | SR-IOV: up to 512 VFs, 8 PFs per host, address translation, QoS per VM |
Compatibility Matrix
| Category | Supported Options |
|---|---|
| CPU Architecture | x86, ARM, IBM POWER |
| Hypervisor | VMware ESXi, KVM, Hyper-V, Citrix Xen |
| Storage over Fabric | NVMe-oF (target offload), iSER, SRP, SMB Direct, NFS RDMA |
| DPDK & OvS | DPDK 18.11+, OvS with DPDK, ASAP² Offload |
Buyer Checklist
- Confirm server has an available PCIe 3.0 x8 or x16 slot (physical)
- Verify OS/driver support (OFED or inbox driver)
- Check SFP28 transceiver compatibility
- Plan for airflow: low-profile card fits 1U/2U servers
- For NVMe-oF target offload, review target mode driver support with your OS version
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does MCX512A-ACAT support RoCE and RDMA?
A: Yes. Full RoCE (RDMA over Converged Ethernet) support, including RoCE for overlay networks, XRC, Dynamically Connected Transport (DCT).
A: Yes. Full RoCE (RDMA over Converged Ethernet) support, including RoCE for overlay networks, XRC, Dynamically Connected Transport (DCT).
Q: Can I use this card with 10GbE optics?
A: Yes, SFP28 ports auto-negotiate down to 10GbE and 1GbE using appropriate transceivers or DAC cables.
A: Yes, SFP28 ports auto-negotiate down to 10GbE and 1GbE using appropriate transceivers or DAC cables.
Q: Is SR-IOV supported and how many VFs?
A: Yes, up to 512 Virtual Functions per port, with hardware isolation and QoS.
A: Yes, up to 512 Virtual Functions per port, with hardware isolation and QoS.
About Hong Kong Starsurge Group
Founded in 2008, Hong Kong Starsurge Group Co., Limited is a technology-driven provider of network hardware, IT services, and system integration solutions. Serving global clients in government, healthcare, manufacturing, education, finance, and enterprise, Starsurge supplies network switches, NICs, wireless access points, controllers, cables, and IoT solutions.
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Company
Hong Kong Starsurge Group Co., Limited
Location
FLAT 2304, 23/F HO KING, COMMERCIAL CENTRE, 2-16 FAYUEN STREET, MONG KOK KOWLOON HONG KONG
Contact Person
Echo