Lenovo 00YK364 10 Gogabit VPI Adapter Mellanox Connectx-3 New

In the world of computer networking, there are numerous hardware components that enable data transmission and connectivity. One such crucial component is the Mellanox ConnectX-3 Pro ML2 FDR 2-Port Quad Small Form-Factor Pluggable (QSFP) VPI Adapter, known by its product code "00YK364." This device plays a vital role in enhancing network performance, providing flexibility, and ensuring high-speed data communication.

In this description, we will delve into the features, functionality, and benefits of the Mellanox ConnectX-3 Pro ML2 FDR Adapter, breaking down the technical jargon into simple English for easy understanding. We will explore its applications, advantages, and how it can be a valuable addition to your network infrastructure. So, let's begin.

Before we delve into the specifics of the 00YK364, let's start by understanding what network adapters are and why they are essential in modern computing.

A network adapter, also known as a network interface card (NIC) or a network card, is a hardware component that enables computers and other devices to connect to a network. It acts as a bridge between a device and the network, allowing data to be transmitted and received. Network adapters are essential for both wired and wireless connections, and they come in various types to suit different network technologies.

Network adapters come in several forms, each designed for specific purposes. Here are some common types:

Ethernet Adapters

These are widely used for wired connections and come in various speeds, such as 1 Gigabit Ethernet (1GbE) and 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE).

Wireless Adapters

These enable Wi-Fi connectivity and are commonly found in laptops, smartphones, and other wireless devices.

Fiber Channel Adapters

Used in storage area networks (SANs) to connect servers to storage devices through high-speed fiber-optic connections.

InfiniBand Adapters

Primarily used in high-performance computing (HPC) and data center environments to provide ultra-fast data transfer rates.

In this guide, we will focus on a specific type of network adapter, the Mellanox ConnectX-3 Pro ML2 FDR 2-Port Quad Small Form-Factor Pluggable (QSFP) Virtual Path Identifier (VPI) Adapter.

let's explore the 00YK364 Mellanox ConnectX-3 Pro ML2 FDR Adapter in details

Before diving into the specifics of the ConnectX-3 Pro ML2 FDR Adapter, it's essential to understand the company behind it. Mellanox Technologies is a leading provider of high-performance networking and interconnect solutions. They specialize in technologies like InfiniBand and Ethernet, delivering products that power data centers, cloud computing, and various high-performance applications.

Mellanox is known for its innovative approach to networking, and the ConnectX series of adapters is a testament to its commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions.

The Mellanox ConnectX-3 Pro ML2 FDR Adapter, designated by the product code "00YK364," is a network adapter designed for high-speed data transmission and connectivity. Let's break down its name and features to better understand its capabilities:

This part of the name indicates that it belongs to the ConnectX-3 Pro series of network adapters. This series is well-regarded for its advanced features and performance.

The "ML2" denotes that it is a mezzanine card, which is a type of expansion card that can be used in various types of server and networking hardware.

FDR stands for Fourteen Data Rate, referring to the InfiniBand technology's data rate. InfiniBand is a high-speed interconnect technology often used in data centers and HPC environments.

This adapter has two ports, allowing it to connect to two separate network channels simultaneously.

QSFP is a type of connector that allows for high-speed data transfer commonly used in data center environments.

VPI is a feature that provides flexibility in configuring and managing different network protocols and topologies.

In summary, the Mellanox ConnectX-3 Pro ML2 FDR Adapter is a high-performance network adapter with two ports, QSFP support, and VPI functionality, making it suitable for a wide range of networking applications.

Now that we understand the basics of the Mellanox ConnectX-3 Pro ML2 FDR Adapter, let's explore its key features in more detail.

One of the standout features of this adapter is its high-speed connectivity. It is designed to handle data at blazing speeds, making it ideal for applications that demand rapid data transfer. The FDR (Fourteen Data Rate) InfiniBand technology it supports provides data rates of up to 56 Gbps (gigabits per second). This high bandwidth ensures that data can move quickly and efficiently, reducing latency and improving overall network performance.

Whether you're working in a data center, a cloud computing environment, or a high-performance computing cluster, having a network adapter capable of such high speeds can make a significant difference in the performance of your applications and services.

The inclusion of Quad Small Form-Factor Pluggable (QSFP) connectors is another noteworthy feature. QSFP connectors are designed to accommodate four separate channels for data transmission. This design allows for increased data throughput while using a compact and space-efficient form factor. QSFP connectors are commonly used in data centers and high-performance computing environments where space is at a premium.

With QSFP support, the ConnectX-3 Pro ML2 FDR Adapter can efficiently handle multiple data streams simultaneously, making it a valuable component for scenarios where high-density connectivity is essential.

Virtual Path Identifier (VPI) is a critical feature that sets the ConnectX-3 Pro ML2 FDR Adapter apart. VPI enables the adapter to operate in various modes, making it highly versatile and adaptable to different network environments. This adaptability is particularly useful for organizations that may need to switch between InfiniBand and Ethernet or have complex network setups that require different configurations.

In essence, VPI allows the adapter to be configured as either an InfiniBand adapter or an Ethernet adapter, making it suitable for a wide range of use cases. This flexibility simplifies network management and hardware procurement since you can use the same adapter for different purposes.

The ConnectX-3 Pro ML2 FDR Adapter features two ports, which can be a game-changer in terms of network redundancy and load balancing. In a dual-port configuration, you can connect your server or device to two separate networks or channels. This redundancy ensures that if one network path fails, the other can seamlessly take over, minimizing downtime and disruptions.

Furthermore, you can use both ports for load balancing, distributing network traffic across multiple paths to optimize performance and prevent bottlenecks. Dual-port configurations are especially useful in mission-critical applications where network reliability is of paramount importance.

Compatibility is always a concern when integrating new hardware into an existing network infrastructure. The ConnectX-3 Pro ML2 FDR Adapter is designed to work seamlessly with a wide range of operating systems and platforms, including various Linux distributions, Windows, and VMware. This broad compatibility ensures that you can integrate the adapter into your existing setup without major compatibility issues.

Additionally, it supports the PCI Express 3.0 interface, which is a widely adopted standard for connecting expansion cards to a computer's motherboard. This means that it can be used with a wide array of server and computing hardware that supports the PCI Express standard.

Data offloading is a technique that allows the network adapter to handle specific networking tasks, such as protocol processing and data encapsulation, without involving the host server's CPU. The ConnectX-3 Pro ML2 FDR Adapter is equipped with advanced data offload capabilities, which means that it can efficiently process and manage networking tasks, reducing the CPU load and improving overall system performance.

Data offloading is particularly valuable in high-performance computing environments where every bit of processing power counts. By offloading these tasks to the adapter, the server's CPU can focus on running applications and other critical tasks, resulting in improved efficiency.

Now that we've explored the key features of the ConnectX-3 Pro ML2 FDR Adapter, let's discuss the benefits of using this adapter in your network infrastructure.

The primary benefit of using the Mellanox ConnectX-3 Pro ML2 FDR Adapter is the significant enhancement it brings to network performance. With its high-speed connectivity, dual-port configuration, and advanced data offload capabilities, this adapter can handle data at lightning-fast speeds while reducing the load on the server's CPU.

In data-intensive environments, such as data centers and high-performance computing clusters, the ability to transmit and receive data quickly is crucial. Whether you're transferring large datasets, running complex simulations, or serving content to a large user base, the ConnectX-3 Pro Adapter ensures that your network performs optimally.

The inclusion of Virtual Path Identifier (VPI) functionality provides a high degree of versatility and flexibility. Organizations that need to support different network protocols or adapt to changing network requirements will find this feature invaluable.

For example, if you need to switch between InfiniBand and Ethernet networks, you can configure the ConnectX-3 Pro Adapter accordingly without having to replace the hardware. This adaptability simplifies network management and hardware procurement while ensuring that your network can evolve with your needs.

Latency, or the delay in data transmission, can significantly impact the responsiveness and performance of networked applications. The ConnectX-3 Pro Adapter's high-speed connectivity and data offload capabilities contribute to reduced latency, ensuring that data can be processed and transmitted with minimal delay.

Low latency is essential in applications where real-time data processing is critical, such as financial trading platforms, online gaming, and video conferencing. By reducing latency, the adapter enhances the user experience and the efficiency of these applications.

While high-performance network adapters like the ConnectX-3 Pro may come with a relatively higher upfront cost, they can be cost-effective in the long run. The adapter's advanced data offload capabilities not only improve network performance but also reduce the server's CPU load. This means you can achieve more with your existing hardware, potentially delaying the need for costly server upgrades.

Additionally, the dual-port configuration and support for multiple network protocols can reduce the need for additional network adapters, simplifying your network infrastructure and saving on hardware costs.

In the fast-paced world of technology, it's essential to invest in hardware that can adapt to future networking trends and requirements. The ConnectX-3 Pro Adapter, with its support for both InfiniBand and Ethernet and the high-speed connectivity it provides, ensures that your network infrastructure is ready for the challenges of tomorrow.

By future-proofing your network with a versatile and high-performance adapter like this one, you can avoid costly and disruptive hardware upgrades as your network demands evolve.

The versatility and capabilities of the Mellanox ConnectX-3 Pro ML2 FDR Adapter make it suitable for a range of applications. Let's explore some of the key areas where this adapter can be of great benefit.

Data centers are the backbone of modern digital services, and they rely on high-performance networking solutions to handle the vast amounts of data they process. The ConnectX-3 Pro Adapter's high-speed connectivity and advanced features make it an excellent choice for data centers, whether they serve as cloud data centers or host critical business applications.

With dual-port configurations, network redundancy, and low latency, this adapter ensures that data center operations can run smoothly and efficiently. Whether it's virtualization, storage, or content delivery, the ConnectX-3 Pro Adapter provides the network performance needed to keep data centers up and running.

High-performance computing (HPC) clusters are used for tasks that demand immense computational power, such as scientific simulations, weather forecasting, and genetic research. In HPC environments, data needs to be processed and shared quickly to complete complex calculations and simulations.

The ConnectX-3 Pro Adapter's support for InfiniBand and high-speed connectivity is tailored for HPC applications. It allows researchers and scientists to work with massive datasets and conduct simulations efficiently, helping to accelerate discoveries and innovations in various fields.

Cloud computing services rely on robust and high-speed networking to deliver applications and data to users around the world. The ConnectX-3 Pro Adapter's ability to handle data at rapid speeds and its flexibility to support multiple network protocols make it a suitable choice for cloud service providers.

Whether you're running virtual machines, and containers, or managing cloud-based databases, this adapter ensures that your cloud services can scale and provide responsive user experiences. Additionally, its versatility enables cloud providers to accommodate a variety of customer requirements.

Virtualization is the practice of running multiple virtual servers or workloads on a single physical server. It's a key technology in data centers and cloud computing, enabling resource optimization and flexibility. The ConnectX-3 Pro Adapter is well-suited for virtualization environments.

With its dual-port configuration and advanced data offload capabilities, it can efficiently manage the network traffic generated by multiple virtual machines or containers. This not only improves the performance of virtualized workloads but also ensures that the network resources are allocated efficiently, making it an ideal choice for businesses that heavily rely on virtualization.

• Manufacturer: Lenovo
• Model Number or SKU# 00YK364
• Device Type: Network Adapter
• Interface Type: PCIe adapter card

• Product Name: Lenovo 00YK364 10 Gigabit VPI Adapter
• Model: Mellanox ConnectX-3 Pro ML2 FDR
• Port Configuration: 2 ports with QSFP connectors
• Interface Type: Mellanox VPI (Virtual Protocol Interconnect)
• Data Transfer Rate: Supports up to 10 Gbps (Gigabits per second)
• Form Factor: Low profile (ML2) PCIe adapter card
• Protocol Support: InfiniBand and Ethernet
• InfiniBand Support: Mellanox FDR (Fourteen Data Rate) InfiniBand, supporting data rates of up to 56 Gbps
• Virtualization Support: SR-IOV (Single Root I/O Virtualization) for improved virtual machine performance
• Operating System Compatibility: Compatible with a range of operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and VMware ESXi

The Mellanox ConnectX-3 Pro ML2 FDR 2-Port Quad Small Form-Factor Pluggable (QSFP) Virtual Path Identifier (VPI) Adapter is a high-performance network adapter that offers a range of features to enhance network performance, flexibility, and adaptability. Its high-speed connectivity, support for multiple network protocols, and advanced data offload capabilities make it a valuable addition to data centers, high-performance computing environments, and other networking applications.

In summary, the Mellanox ConnectX-3 Pro ML2 FDR 2-Port Quad Small Form-Factor Pluggable (QSFP) Virtual Path Identifier (VPI) Adapter is a reliable and high-performance network adapter that can significantly boost network performance and provide the flexibility needed to meet diverse networking requirements.