540-BDOL Dell Intel E810-CQDA2T Ethernet PCIE 3.0 X16/PCIE 4.0 X16 QSFP28 X 2 Adapter

Dell Intel E810-CQDA2T Ethernet Adapter Overview

The 540-BDOL Dell Intel E810-CQDA2T Ethernet PCIe Adapter is a high-performance, dual-port network interface card (NIC) that integrates advanced Ethernet capabilities into Dell server environments. Supporting PCIe 3.0 x16 and PCIe 4.0 x16 interfaces, it features two QSFP28 ports, each capable of delivering up to 100Gbps throughput. Designed with scalability, low latency, and maximum reliability in mind, this adapter is essential for data centers, enterprise-level virtualization, cloud computing environments, and network-intensive applications.

Key Features of the 540-BDOL Dell Intel E810-CQDA2T Adapter

• Dual-port QSFP28 supporting up to 200Gbps aggregate throughput
• Support for PCIe Gen 3.0 x16 and Gen 4.0 x16 interface options
• Intel Ethernet Controller E810-CQ for next-gen networking performance
• Support for advanced network virtualization technologies
• Extensive compatibility with Dell PowerEdge server platforms
• High throughput with low CPU utilization
• Hardware-level packet filtering and network traffic prioritization

Performance-Driven Networking Capabilities

This Ethernet adapter supports line-rate performance on both ports simultaneously, providing optimal bandwidth for I/O intensive applications such as large-scale virtual environments, big data processing, or distributed computing infrastructures. With support for up to 100Gbps per port, the Intel E810-CQDA2T card delivers low-latency and high-throughput capabilities required for next-generation data centers.

Enhanced Virtualization Support

With native support for SR-IOV (Single Root I/O Virtualization), VMDq (Virtual Machine Device Queues), and Intel’s VT-c technologies, the 540-BDOL adapter ensures efficient and secure networking in virtualized server environments. These features enable direct VM-to-VM communication with minimal hypervisor overhead, significantly boosting virtual machine density and performance on a host server.

Interface Options: PCIe 3.0 and PCIe 4.0

The dual compatibility with PCIe Gen 3.0 x16 and PCIe Gen 4.0 x16 interfaces offers superior flexibility. PCIe 4.0 support ensures future-proof integration with the latest Dell server platforms, maximizing data throughput and minimizing latency. Backward compatibility with PCIe 3.0 provides broader support across existing infrastructure.

QSFP28 Port Details

The dual QSFP28 (Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable 28) ports support a wide range of Ethernet speeds including 25GbE, 50GbE, and 100GbE configurations. The use of QSFP28 allows deployment in scalable fabrics and high-speed topologies, with compatibility for DAC, AOC, and transceiver modules.

Port Aggregation and Link Redundancy

The 540-BDOL adapter supports link aggregation (LAG) and failover redundancy, providing network stability in high-availability environments. With these features, IT administrators can ensure continuous connectivity and load balancing for mission-critical applications.

Compatibility with Dell PowerEdge Servers

The 540-BDOL Ethernet adapter is fully validated and certified for use with Dell PowerEdge servers, including the R740, R750, R650, and other enterprise-grade systems. Optimized firmware and driver packages are available through Dell support channels to guarantee seamless installation, BIOS recognition, and ongoing maintenance compatibility.

Integration

This Dell-branded Intel adapter integrates effortlessly with Dell Lifecycle Controller and iDRAC tools, allowing streamlined deployment and remote management from the initial server provisioning stage to routine maintenance and firmware updates.

Support for Dell’s OpenManage Ecosystem

With support for Dell’s OpenManage software suite, the adapter can be monitored and configured alongside other server components, enabling comprehensive system management through a centralized console. IT administrators can perform remote diagnostics, update firmware, and manage power consumption without manual intervention.

Advanced Networking Technologies

The Intel E810-CQDA2T Ethernet controller incorporates a wide array of networking enhancements for optimal system performance and efficiency. From precise traffic shaping and quality of service (QoS) enforcement to hardware-based packet filtering and congestion control mechanisms, the 540-BDOL delivers unmatched reliability and intelligence.

Data Plane Development Kit (DPDK) Support

Full support for Intel’s DPDK allows this adapter to achieve high-performance packet processing in user space. By bypassing the traditional networking stack, DPDK significantly increases packet throughput while reducing CPU cycles, making it an ideal solution for custom networking appliances and software-defined infrastructure.

RDMA and NVMe-oF Optimization

The E810 chipset includes support for RDMA over Converged Ethernet (RoCE v2) and iWARP, allowing low-latency, high-throughput data transfers directly between memory and network endpoints. This is especially beneficial in environments deploying NVMe over Fabrics (NVMe-oF), enabling fast access to remote NVMe storage over Ethernet.

Security and Reliability

Built with security in mind, the Dell 540-BDOL includes hardware root-of-trust, secure boot, and secure firmware update mechanisms. The adapter also supports MACSec (Media Access Control Security), providing end-to-end data encryption between trusted endpoints in Layer 2 networks.

Telemetry and Analytics

Telemetry capabilities integrated into the Intel E810 chipset provide granular data on packet flows, performance statistics, and network anomalies. These insights can be utilized by enterprise analytics platforms to identify bottlenecks, detect unusual activity, and optimize network performance.

Error Recovery and Redundancy

The adapter features advanced error correction mechanisms, watchdog timers, and automatic failover systems to ensure continuous data flow in the event of hardware or link failures. These features are crucial for environments where uptime is paramount.

Energy Efficiency and Thermal Design

The 540-BDOL adapter is engineered for power efficiency without compromising performance. It supports Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) standards, dynamically adjusting power consumption based on network load. The design also features an optimized thermal profile, allowing the card to operate efficiently in high-density server enclosures.

Low-Power Idle and Autonomous Power States

With support for low-power idle states and power management protocols such as PCIe Active State Power Management (ASPM), the adapter contributes to reducing the overall energy footprint of the data center. Adaptive power scaling ensures optimal energy use under varying workloads.

Use Cases and Industry Applications

The 540-BDOL Dell Intel E810-CQDA2T adapter is widely adopted across industries requiring robust, high-throughput networking. These include cloud service providers, financial institutions, research and education sectors, and high-performance computing clusters.

Data Center Networking

In data centers, the adapter supports leaf-spine topologies, hyper-converged infrastructure, and software-defined networking (SDN) environments. Its scalability and support for network overlays (VXLAN, NVGRE) enable flexible architecture and dynamic resource allocation.

High-Frequency Trading (HFT)

The ultra-low-latency characteristics of the E810 chipset make this adapter suitable for financial services that rely on microsecond-level response times. Combined with kernel bypass technologies, it enables faster market data access and order execution.

Cloud and Virtualized Infrastructure

With support for virtual networking overlays, network function virtualization (NFV), and automated provisioning, the adapter is ideal for public and private cloud platforms. Its ability to isolate traffic per VM ensures secure multi-tenancy and predictable performance.

Firmware and Driver Support

Dell provides updated firmware and drivers for the 540-BDOL Ethernet adapter across a variety of operating systems including Windows Server, Linux distributions, and VMware ESXi. These drivers are optimized for performance, stability, and security.

Operating System Compatibility

The adapter includes support for the latest kernel versions and OS builds, ensuring forward compatibility with updated server platforms. Regular updates and support for open-source drivers ensure that users can deploy the adapter in both proprietary and community-supported environments.

Management Tools and CLI Utilities

The Intel E810 series supports command-line utilities such as ethtool and lspci, along with GUI-based monitoring tools for Windows and Linux platforms. These tools offer insight into link status, driver versions, port statistics, and configuration changes.

Scalability and Future-Proofing

As server workloads grow and demand higher throughput and lower latency, the 540-BDOL Dell Intel adapter ensures infrastructure readiness for future networking demands. With 100GbE capabilities and PCIe 4.0 readiness, this card supports emerging technologies and application workloads.

Flexible Deployment Options

Whether used in top-of-rack (ToR), end-of-row (EoR), or middle-of-row (MoR) configurations, the adapter provides flexible integration into both legacy and modern network architectures. Support for various QSFP28 modules ensures compatibility with fiber or copper media.