X1KR4 Dell 57504 Broadcom SFP28 Quad Port 10/25GBE OCP NIC 3.0 Network Daughter Card

Dell 57504 Broadcom SFP28 10/25GBE Adapter 

The Dell X1KR4 57504 Broadcom SFP28 Quad Port 10/25GbE OCP NIC 3.0 Network Daughter Card is a high-performance networking solution designed for enterprise servers requiring fast, reliable, and efficient data communication. This Dell network adapter delivers advanced wired connectivity with multi-speed Ethernet support, making it ideal for data centers, cloud environments, virtualization platforms, and demanding server applications.

General Information

• Manufacturer: Dell
• Part Number: X1KR4
• Device Type: Network Adapter

Technical Specifications

• Network Speed: 10Gbps / 25Gbps
• Connectivity Technology: Wired
• Form Factor: Plug-in Card
• Interface Type: PCI Express
• Network Port: Quad Port SFP28

Networking Performance

• Improves server networking efficiency
• Supports high-bandwidth applications and workloads
• Designed for enterprise-grade reliability
• Enables flexible network speed configurations
• Provides enhanced connectivity for data center environments
• Offers easy integration with compatible Dell servers

Compatibility

• Dell PowerEdge C6520
• Dell PowerEdge C6525
• Dell PowerEdge C6620
• Dell PowerEdge HS5610
• Dell PowerEdge HS5620
• Dell PowerEdge R650
• Dell PowerEdge R650xs
• Dell PowerEdge R6525
• Dell PowerEdge R660
• Dell PowerEdge R660xs
• Dell PowerEdge R6615
• Dell PowerEdge R6625
• Dell PowerEdge R750
• Dell PowerEdge R750xa
• Dell PowerEdge R750xs
• Dell PowerEdge R7525
• Dell PowerEdge R760
• Dell PowerEdge R760xa
• Dell PowerEdge R760xd2
• Dell PowerEdge R760xs
• Dell PowerEdge R7615
• Dell PowerEdge R7625
• Dell PowerEdge R860
• Dell PowerEdge R960
• Dell PowerEdge XE8640
• Dell PowerEdge XE9680
• Dell PowerEdge XR5610
• Dell PowerEdge XR7620

Dell X1KR4 57504 Quad Port Network Adapter Overview

The Dell X1KR4 57504 Broadcom SFP28 Quad Port 10/25GBE OCP NIC 3.0 Network Daughter Card is an advanced server networking solution designed to deliver high-speed connectivity, flexible deployment options, and reliable data communication for modern enterprise environments. This category of network daughter cards represents a new generation of integrated server networking hardware created to meet the increasing demand for faster data transfer, virtualization performance, cloud computing infrastructure, and data center scalability. Built around Broadcom networking technology and supporting SFP28 connectivity, this OCP NIC 3.0 adapter provides organizations with a powerful platform for upgrading server network capabilities without requiring traditional PCIe expansion cards.

Designed for compatible Dell PowerEdge server platforms, the Dell X1KR4 57504 Broadcom SFP28 Quad Port 10/25GBE OCP NIC 3.0 Network Daughter Card provides four high-performance network ports capable of supporting both 10GbE and 25GbE Ethernet speeds. This flexibility allows IT administrators to balance performance requirements, infrastructure budgets, and future expansion plans. The ability to operate at multiple network speeds makes this adapter suitable for a wide variety of applications, from general enterprise workloads to demanding cloud, virtualization, storage, and high-performance computing environments.

The OCP NIC 3.0 form factor offers a modern approach to server networking by separating network connectivity from traditional motherboard designs. This approach enables easier upgrades, improved serviceability, and greater hardware flexibility. Instead of replacing an entire server system or installing a dedicated expansion card, organizations can integrate a network daughter card directly into supported server architectures. This design philosophy helps reduce maintenance complexity while providing a clean and efficient networking solution.

Understanding the Broadcom SFP28 Quad Port 10/25GbE Architecture

The Broadcom SFP28 Quad Port 10/25GbE architecture behind the Dell X1KR4 57504 network adapter is engineered for environments where network speed and reliability are essential. SFP28 technology represents a significant improvement over older networking interfaces by enabling 25Gb Ethernet connections while maintaining a compact and efficient physical design. Compared with previous generations of network adapters, SFP28 provides increased bandwidth capability while helping organizations maximize rack space and reduce infrastructure limitations.

Each of the four SFP28 ports on this network daughter card can support high-speed Ethernet connectivity, allowing servers to handle large volumes of network traffic. Multiple ports enable advanced network configurations such as redundancy, load balancing, traffic separation, and dedicated communication channels for different workloads. In enterprise data centers, these capabilities help improve application responsiveness and ensure that critical services receive consistent network performance.

High-Speed 10GbE and 25GbE Connectivity

The ability to support both 10GbE and 25GbE connectivity makes this Dell network daughter card highly adaptable. Many organizations continue to operate mixed-generation networking environments, where some systems require traditional 10GbE speeds while newer infrastructure demands higher bandwidth. This adapter helps bridge that transition by providing compatibility with existing network designs while allowing future upgrades to faster 25GbE environments.

25Gb Ethernet has become increasingly popular in modern data centers because it provides a strong balance between performance and efficiency. It offers significantly improved bandwidth compared with 10GbE while avoiding some of the cost and complexity associated with higher-speed networking technologies. The Dell X1KR4 57504 Broadcom adapter allows servers to take advantage of this performance improvement, supporting faster application processing, quicker data movement, and improved workload distribution.

OCP NIC 3.0 Network Daughter Card Technology

OCP NIC 3.0 technology is a major advancement in server networking design. Developed to create a more standardized and flexible method of integrating network adapters into servers, the OCP NIC 3.0 specification provides improved mechanical design, better electrical connectivity, and enhanced serviceability compared with older proprietary solutions. This standardization allows hardware manufacturers and data center operators to adopt networking components that can be easily replaced or upgraded.

The Dell X1KR4 network daughter card benefits from the OCP NIC 3.0 approach by providing a dedicated networking module that integrates with supported Dell server platforms. The modular nature of this design allows administrators to customize server networking based on workload requirements. Whether a server is used for virtualization, database hosting, cloud services, or storage applications, the network interface can be selected and configured according to operational needs.

Improved Server Flexibility and Serviceability

Traditional network interface cards installed in PCIe slots can consume valuable expansion space inside a server chassis. The OCP NIC 3.0 design helps overcome this challenge by providing a dedicated network interface location. This leaves PCIe slots available for additional accelerators, storage controllers, graphics processing solutions, or other expansion devices.

For data center operators managing large server deployments, serviceability is an important consideration. Network daughter cards can often be replaced or upgraded more efficiently than traditional expansion cards. This reduces downtime during hardware maintenance and allows organizations to keep server platforms updated as networking requirements evolve.

Enterprise Applications of Dell X1KR4 57504 Network Adapter

The Dell X1KR4 57504 Broadcom SFP28 Quad Port 10/25GBE OCP NIC 3.0 Network Daughter Card is designed for enterprise environments where reliable and high-speed communication between systems is essential. Modern businesses depend on network infrastructure for nearly every critical operation, including cloud services, remote collaboration, analytics, storage access, and application delivery. A high-performance network adapter helps ensure that servers can communicate efficiently under demanding workloads.

Data Center and Cloud Infrastructure

Data centers require networking hardware capable of handling massive amounts of traffic generated by applications, virtual machines, and distributed systems. The four-port 10/25GbE capability of this adapter provides the bandwidth needed for modern data center architectures. It supports efficient communication between servers, storage systems, network switches, and management platforms.

Cloud service providers and private cloud environments often rely on dense server deployments where network performance directly affects user experience. Faster network connectivity reduces bottlenecks and improves resource utilization. The Dell X1KR4 adapter helps cloud infrastructure maintain stable performance by providing multiple high-speed Ethernet connections within each compatible server.

Virtualization and Software-Defined Environments

Virtualization platforms depend heavily on network performance because multiple virtual machines share the same physical server resources. Every virtual machine may require access to storage networks, management networks, application networks, and external services. A network adapter with multiple high-speed ports allows administrators to separate traffic types and improve overall system efficiency.

Software-defined data centers also benefit from advanced networking capabilities. Technologies such as network virtualization and distributed storage require consistent bandwidth and low communication delays between nodes. The Dell X1KR4 57504 Broadcom network daughter card provides the connectivity foundation needed for these environments.

Supporting Modern Workload Demands

Enterprise workloads continue to grow in complexity. Artificial intelligence processing, big data analytics, real-time applications, and large-scale databases require faster movement of information between computing resources. Network limitations can significantly affect performance when servers need to exchange large datasets. The high-speed Ethernet capability of this adapter helps reduce network constraints and supports efficient workload execution.

Broadcom Networking Reliability and Performance Features

Broadcom is widely recognized for developing networking technologies used throughout enterprise infrastructure. The Dell X1KR4 adapter incorporates Broadcom networking capabilities designed to provide dependable communication, efficient packet processing, and compatibility with professional server environments. Reliable network hardware is essential for maintaining uptime and ensuring business-critical applications remain available.

Enterprise-grade network adapters must handle continuous operation under demanding conditions. They need to process large traffic volumes while maintaining stable connections and predictable performance. The Broadcom-based design of this adapter supports these requirements through advanced Ethernet functionality and optimized server integration.

Network Optimization and Traffic Management

Modern network adapters provide more than basic connectivity. They include features designed to optimize how data moves through the server environment. Multiple ports allow administrators to create dedicated connections for different purposes, such as application traffic, storage communication, backup operations, or management access.

Traffic management capabilities help organizations maintain better control over network resources. By distributing workloads across multiple interfaces, businesses can reduce congestion and improve reliability. The Dell X1KR4 57504 adapter supports network designs where performance and availability are key priorities.

Energy Efficiency and Data Center Optimization

Power efficiency has become an important factor in modern data center planning. Higher-speed networking solutions must deliver increased performance without creating unnecessary energy consumption. The SFP28 interface helps provide a compact and efficient approach to high-bandwidth networking.

By combining higher bandwidth with a modular server design, the Dell network daughter card can contribute to improved infrastructure efficiency. Organizations can achieve better network capacity while optimizing physical space and power usage within server racks.

Integration with Existing Network Infrastructure

Many organizations operate environments that include a combination of older and newer networking technologies. The dual-speed capability of this adapter provides flexibility during infrastructure transitions. Businesses can gradually move from 10GbE environments toward 25GbE networks while continuing to support existing equipment.

This flexibility is valuable for enterprises that need to modernize infrastructure without replacing all networking components at once. The Dell X1KR4 adapter supports a practical upgrade path by allowing servers to take advantage of newer networking capabilities when available.

Server Expansion and Future Growth

As organizations expand their digital operations, server networking requirements often increase. Applications become more data-intensive, and users expect faster access to services. Choosing a scalable network interface helps ensure that server platforms remain useful as technology requirements change.

The OCP NIC 3.0 design provides a foundation for future networking upgrades. Instead of limiting servers to a fixed onboard network configuration, organizations can select and replace network modules according to changing performance requirements.

High-Speed Ethernet Matters

Network performance directly influences how quickly applications can communicate and how efficiently resources can be shared. Slow connectivity can create bottlenecks that affect productivity, system responsiveness, and service availability. High-speed Ethernet adapters help remove these limitations by providing greater data transfer capacity.

The Dell X1KR4 57504 network daughter card supports the growing needs of modern businesses by combining speed, flexibility, and enterprise-focused design. Its 10GbE and 25GbE support makes it a valuable option for organizations planning long-term infrastructure improvements.