Broadcom 5720 Dell 430-4418 Quad Port Network Daughter Card

Overview of Dell 430-4418 Broadcom 5720 Quad Port Ethernet 1GbE Rack Network Daughter Card

The Dell 430-4418 Broadcom 5720 Quad Port Ethernet 1GbE Rack Network Daughter Card is a high-performance network interface card (NIC) designed to deliver reliable and efficient connectivity for demanding enterprise environments. Featuring Broadcom’s 5720 chipset, this daughter card provides four Gigabit Ethernet ports, enabling seamless data transfer, scalability, and robust network performance. The card is specifically engineered for use in Dell server systems and is ideal for those requiring optimized network performance in high-throughput data centers and other mission-critical applications.

Key Features

• Quad Port Configuration: With four Ethernet ports, the Dell 430-4418 allows for efficient data distribution, minimizing network bottlenecks and optimizing traffic flow.
• 1GbE Speeds: Offers reliable 1Gbps speeds, ensuring consistent network connectivity and reduced latency.
• High Compatibility: Compatible with a variety of Dell server models, ensuring versatility and integration flexibility.
• Advanced Offloading Capabilities: The card supports advanced offloading features such as TCP/IP offload, reducing CPU utilization and enhancing overall system performance.
• Energy Efficiency: Designed to operate at high efficiency, helping organizations reduce energy consumption and lower operational costs.

Application and Use Cases

Enterprise Networking

The Dell 430-4418 Broadcom 5720 Quad Port Ethernet card is an ideal solution for large enterprises requiring fast, reliable network connections for data center and office environments. With its quad-port configuration, this card allows businesses to easily set up high-speed, multi-link connections, improving data flow and reducing network congestion. Whether used for server-to-server communications or handling heavy traffic loads, it ensures smooth operations.

Data Centers and Virtualized Environments

In data center environments, efficient network performance is crucial to maintaining uptime and ensuring optimal resource distribution. The Dell 430-4418 card enhances performance in virtualized environments by allowing multiple virtual machines (VMs) to access the network simultaneously without introducing delays or performance degradation. The advanced features like offloading and checksum offloading further boost server performance while reducing the strain on processors.

Network Redundancy and High Availability

For businesses that require network redundancy and high availability, the Dell 430-4418 card offers the flexibility to configure multiple network paths. By leveraging link aggregation and failover techniques, users can ensure continuous uptime even if one network link fails. This level of redundancy is critical for mission-critical applications where downtime can result in financial loss or service disruption.

Performance and Efficiency Enhancements

Offloading Technology

One of the standout features of the Dell 430-4418 Broadcom 5720 Quad Port Ethernet card is its support for offloading technology. Offloading refers to transferring network tasks from the CPU to the network card, which allows the system’s processor to handle other critical tasks, ultimately improving the overall performance of the server or workstation. The Broadcom chipset supports TCP/IP offload, checksum offload, and other data handling functions, significantly reducing CPU load and increasing throughput.

Low Power Consumption

Designed with energy efficiency in mind, the Dell 430-4418 card operates at low power while maintaining excellent network throughput. It consumes approximately 12 watts of power, making it an ideal choice for businesses focused on reducing their energy footprint. Its energy-efficient design also contributes to longer hardware lifespans, reducing the need for frequent hardware replacements and lowering total cost of ownership (TCO).

Jumbo Frame Support

The Dell 430-4418 card supports jumbo frames, which allows it to handle larger packets of data compared to standard Ethernet frames. Jumbo frames help to reduce overhead in network traffic by minimizing the number of packets transmitted, which can be particularly useful in high-bandwidth applications such as file transfers, video streaming, and database replication. By supporting jumbo frames, the Dell 430-4418 card ensures that large-scale data operations run smoothly and efficiently.

Supported Operating Systems

The Dell 430-4418 card is compatible with a wide range of operating systems, making it highly versatile for different network environments. Supported OS include:

• Microsoft Windows Server (2008, 2012, 2016, 2019, and 2022)
• Linux (Red Hat, CentOS, Ubuntu, and other distributions)
• VMware ESXi (6.5, 6.7, and 7.0)
• Other Unix-based systems

This broad compatibility ensures seamless integration into existing network infrastructures and allows businesses to take full advantage of the card’s features, regardless of their preferred operating system.

How to Install and Configure the Dell 430-4418

Step-by-Step Installation

Installing the Dell 430-4418 Broadcom 5720 Quad Port Ethernet card into a compatible server or workstation is a straightforward process. Follow these steps:

1. Power off the system and unplug any cables.
2. Open the server chassis to access the PCIe slots.
3. Insert the Dell 430-4418 card into an available PCIe slot and secure it with screws.
4. Reconnect the system and power it on.
5. Install the necessary drivers for your operating system (usually available on Dell's official website or the included installation CD).
6. Configure the network settings in your system’s BIOS or operating system settings.
7. Test the network connectivity and ensure the system is functioning properly.

Driver Installation

After installing the Dell 430-4418 network card, the appropriate drivers must be installed to ensure full functionality. These drivers can be downloaded directly from Dell’s support website or installed via the included installation media. It is important to ensure that you are using the latest driver versions to avoid compatibility issues and achieve optimal performance.

Compatibility with Dell Servers

Ideal for Dell PowerEdge Series

The Dell 430-4418 Broadcom 5720 card is designed for use with Dell's PowerEdge series of servers. These servers are known for their high reliability, performance, and scalability, making them perfect for enterprises of all sizes. When paired with the Dell 430-4418 card, PowerEdge servers gain enhanced network capabilities, helping businesses achieve their performance and connectivity goals more effectively.

Wide Range of Server Support

The Dell 430-4418 card is compatible with a variety of Dell rack servers, including:

• Dell PowerEdge R230
• Dell PowerEdge R330
• Dell PowerEdge R440
• Dell PowerEdge R740
• Dell PowerEdge R740xd

This broad compatibility ensures that organizations can upgrade their network infrastructure seamlessly, regardless of which specific Dell server model they are using.