Intel® X550T2 Dual 10Gb Ethernet Converged Network Adapter Card

The Intel Ethernet Converged Network Adapter X550is the newest innovation in Intel's leadership to dive 10GbE into the broad server market. This adapter hosts Intel's latest Ethernet silicon, the Intel Ethernet Controller X550, a low cost single-chip 10GBASE-T solution to today's server platform.

• Backward compatible with existing 1000BASE-T networks
• Supports NBASE-T technology: 2.5 / 5GbE over CAT5e
• Standard CAT6a cabling with RJ45 connectors
• Low cost, low power, 10GbE performance for the entire data center
• Flexible I/O virtualization for port partitioning and QoS of up to 64 virtual ports
• Single-chip solution with integrated MAC + PHY
• PCIe 3.0 with up to 8.0GT/s

Simplifies Your Transition To 10 GbE Networks

With 10GBASE-T, migration to 10 GbE is dramatically simplified with backward compatibility for your existing GbE network infrastructure. Install an X550 adapter into a server and the autonegotiation between 1 GbE and 10 GbE provides the necessary backwards compatibility that most customers require for a smooth transition and easy migration to 10 GbE. When time and budget allows, 10GBASE-T switches can be added any time to experience the full benefits of 10 GbE.

10GBASE-T uses the copper twisted-pair cables. It is all you know and love about 1000BASE-T. 10GBASE-T is an easy and versatile 10 GbE interface that can be deployed anywhere in your data center. Its flexible reach supports the advanced network architectures including Top of Rack (ToR), Middle of Row (MoR), and End of Row (EoR).

10 GbE Performance At Low Cost And Low Power

The Intel Ethernet Converged Network Adapter X550 is low-cost way to deploy 10 GbE in your data center. The Intel X550 uses low-cost Cat6 and Cat6a cables. This cabling already exists in most data centers. Intel reduced costs and power use via component integrate in this single-chip solution.

Why Is Component Integration Important?

First, integration translates to lower power consumption. This means no active heat sink and reduced the per-port power use.

Second, integration also means a lower cost per port, because two separate components are not needed. When cabling is accounted for, cost efficiencies realized from a single part mean 10GBASE-T is low-cost media to deploy. With lower cost and power, 10GBASE-T is ideal for broad deployment. 10GBASE-T is a solution for every rack and tower server in the data center.

Product Overview

Autonegotiation between 1GbE, 2.5GbE, 5GbE, and 10GbE provides the necessary backwards compatibility required for a smooth transition and easy migration to 10GbE.

The X550 is a low-cost option for deploying 10GbE in your data center because it uses CAT6 and CAT6A cabling - standard cabling for many data centers. Copper cabling’s flexible reach from 1 meter to 100 meters also supports Top of Rack (ToR), Middle of Row (MoR), and End of Row (EoR) network architectures.

This adapter also reduces cost and power through its single-chip solution. The adapter uses the Intel® Ethernet Controller X550, with integrated MAC and PHY. Integration translates to lower power and means no more active heatsink reducing the per-port power consumption.

Integration also equals lower cost per port. When cabling is accounted for, cost efficiencies realized from a single 10GBASE-T adapter means that this is possibly the lowest-cost media to deploy. When time and budget allow, 10GBASE-T switches can be added to experience the full benefits of 10GbE.

Everything You Want And Need In A Dual 10Gbe Port Converged Network Adapter:

Complete Unified Network Solution

Converging data and storage onto one fabric eliminates the need for multiple adapters and cables per server. Furthermore, 10 GbE provides the bandwidth to converge these multiple fabrics into a single wire. A key capability that makes all this possible is traffic class separation provided by Data Center Bridging (DCB).

DCB provides a collection of standards for additional QoS functionality such as lossless delivery, congestion notification, priority-based flow control, and priority groups. This enables the CNA X550 family to provide a one-wire solution with virtual pipes for the different classes of traffic.

Great Choice For Server Virtualization

Virtualization changes server resource deployment and management by running multiple applications and operating systems on a single physical server. With Intel Virtualization Technology for connectivity, the CNA X550 family delivers outstanding I/O performance and QoS in virtualized data centers and cloud environments. I/O virtualization advances network connectivity used in servers to more efficient models by providing FPP, multiple Tx/Rx queues, Tx queue rate-limiting, and on-controller QoS functionality that is useful for both virtual and non-virtual server deployments.

Additional Information:

Download the Manufacturer Product Brief

Visit the Manufacturer Specifications Page

This Intel® X550-T2 Ethernet Converged Network Adapter has Passed Testing and Supports the following Operating Systems:

• 1x Intel® X550-T2 Dual 10Gb RJ45 PCI-E x4 Network Interface Card, P/N: X550T2BLK
• 1x Standard Profile Bracket Adapter (Preinstalled)
• 1x Low Profile Bracket Adapter