MCX556A-EDAT ConnectX-5 Ex 100GbE Dual-Port QSFP28 NIC
MCX556A-EDAT ConnectX-5 Ex 100GbE Dual-Port QSFP28 NIC is a high-performance NVIDIA Mellanox VPI network adapter designed for AI servers, GPU clusters, high-performance computing, enterprise storage, and modern data center infrastructure.
Based on the ConnectX-5 Ex architecture, the adapter features dual QSFP28 ports and supports both 100GbE Ethernet and EDR InfiniBand 100Gb/s connectivity. The MCX556A-EDAT ConnectX-5 Ex 100GbE Dual-Port QSFP28 NIC uses a PCIe 4.0 x16 host interface, providing increased host bandwidth for demanding server and cluster networking applications.
Key Features
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NVIDIA Mellanox ConnectX-5 Ex VPI architecture
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Part Number: MCX556A-EDAT
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Dual-port QSFP28 connectivity
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Up to 100GbE Ethernet
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EDR InfiniBand up to 100Gb/s
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Ethernet and InfiniBand VPI support
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PCIe 4.0 x16 host interface
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Suitable for AI and GPU server clusters
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Designed for HPC and enterprise data centers
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High-bandwidth server and storage networking
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Tested hardware and bulk procurement support
The MCX556A-EDAT ConnectX-5 Ex 100GbE Dual-Port QSFP28 NIC is particularly suitable for infrastructure that requires flexible Ethernet and InfiniBand connectivity combined with higher PCIe host bandwidth.
Product Specifications
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Brand | NVIDIA Mellanox |
| Model | MCX556A-EDAT |
| Series | ConnectX-5 Ex VPI |
| Product Type | InfiniBand / Ethernet Network Adapter |
| Ethernet Speed | Up to 100GbE |
| InfiniBand Speed | Up to EDR 100Gb/s |
| Number of Ports | 2 |
| Port Type | Dual QSFP28 |
| Host Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 |
| Bracket | Tall Bracket |
| Network Technology | Ethernet / InfiniBand VPI |
| Application | AI Server, GPU Server, HPC, Data Center |
| Typical Use | AI Clusters, Storage Networks, Cloud, HPC |
AI Server and HPC Applications
The MCX556A-EDAT ConnectX-5 Ex 100GbE Dual-Port QSFP28 NIC is designed for bandwidth-intensive environments such as AI training clusters, GPU computing platforms, HPC systems, enterprise storage networks, and cloud data centers.
Support for both 100GbE Ethernet and EDR InfiniBand enables the adapter to serve different network architectures. Ethernet can be used for general data center and storage connectivity, while InfiniBand is widely used for low-latency, high-throughput communication between compute nodes.
The PCIe 4.0 x16 interface also provides higher host-side bandwidth than PCIe 3.0-based ConnectX-5 variants, making MCX556A-EDAT suitable for demanding multi-port networking environments.
Typical Applications
MCX556A-EDAT is suitable for AI training servers, GPU clusters, HPC computing nodes, enterprise virtualization, cloud infrastructure, distributed storage, high-speed server interconnects, and data center network upgrades.
For AI infrastructure projects, the MCX556A-EDAT ConnectX-5 Ex 100GbE Dual-Port QSFP28 NIC can provide high-bandwidth communication between GPU servers, compute nodes, and storage systems where large datasets must be transferred efficiently.
MCX556A-EDAT vs MCX556A-ECAT
Both adapters provide dual QSFP28 ports and support 100GbE Ethernet and EDR InfiniBand. The major difference is the host interface and ConnectX-5 generation.
| Model | Series | Network | Ports | Host Interface |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCX556A-ECAT | ConnectX-5 VPI | 100GbE / EDR IB | Dual QSFP28 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |
| MCX556A-EDAT | ConnectX-5 Ex VPI | 100GbE / EDR IB | Dual QSFP28 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |
For servers supporting PCIe 4.0, MCX556A-EDAT provides greater host-interface bandwidth and is better suited to workloads that place heavy traffic demands on both network ports.
About Us
Why Choose MCX556A-EDAT?
The MCX556A-EDAT ConnectX-5 Ex 100GbE Dual-Port QSFP28 NIC combines dual-port 100GbE networking, EDR InfiniBand, VPI flexibility, and a PCIe 4.0 x16 interface.
It is especially suitable for AI and HPC deployments that require high network throughput, low-latency communication, flexible Ethernet and InfiniBand connectivity, and enterprise-grade server networking.
FAQ
Q: What is MCX556A-EDAT?
A: MCX556A-EDAT is an NVIDIA Mellanox ConnectX-5 Ex VPI network adapter with dual QSFP28 ports, supporting 100GbE Ethernet and EDR InfiniBand 100Gb/s.
Q: Does MCX556A-EDAT support InfiniBand?
A: Yes. It supports EDR InfiniBand networking up to 100Gb/s.
Q: Does MCX556A-EDAT support 100GbE?
A: Yes. The adapter supports high-speed 100GbE Ethernet networking.
Q: How many ports does MCX556A-EDAT have?
A: It features two QSFP28 network ports.
Q: What PCIe interface does MCX556A-EDAT use?
A: MCX556A-EDAT uses PCIe 4.0 x16, which is one of the key differences compared with the PCIe 3.0 x16 MCX556A-ECAT.
Q: Is MCX556A-EDAT suitable for AI servers?
A: Yes. It is suitable for AI servers, GPU clusters, HPC systems, storage networks, and high-performance data center environments.
Q: Can CubeCore supply MCX556A-EDAT in bulk?
A: Yes. CubeCore supports tested hardware supply, bulk orders, configuration verification, project-based procurement, and global delivery.
