VM3VD Dell ConnectX-5 25GBE 2-Port SFP28 PCIE 3.0 x16 EN Network Adapter

Dell 25GBE 2-Port SFP28 PCIE Adapter

The Dell VM3VD ConnectX-5 25GBE 2-Port SFP28 PCIe 3.0 x16 EN Network Adapter is engineered for high-speed connectivity, offering reliable performance for enterprise-level networking solutions.

General Information

• Manufacturer: Dell
• Part Number: VM3VD
• Device Type: Network Interface Card

Technical Specifications

• Plug-in card design
• Low-profile structure for compact systems
• PCI Express 3.0 x16 slot
• Compliant with PCIe 3.0 revision standards

Port Configuration

• Dual 25 Gigabit SFP28 ports
• Supports scalable bandwidth for modern data centers

Physical Dimensions

• Width: 5.6 inches
• Depth: 2.7 inches
• Height: Compact low-profile design

Performance Details

• Gigabit Ethernet
• 10 Gigabit Ethernet
• 25 Gigabit LAN

Network and Transport Protocols

• TCP/IP
• UDP/IP
• iSCSI

Compatibility

Ethernet Standards

• IEEE 802.1q (VLAN tagging)
• IEEE 802.1p (QoS prioritization)
• IEEE 802.3ad (Link Aggregation Control Protocol)
• IEEE 802.3ae (10 Gigabit Ethernet)
• IEEE 802.3ap (Backplane Ethernet)
• IEEE 802.3az (Energy Efficient Ethernet)
• IEEE 802.3by (25 Gigabit Ethernet)

Advanced Standards

• IEEE 802.1ax (Link Aggregation)
• IEEE 802.1qbb (Priority Flow Control)
• IEEE 802.1qaz (Enhanced Transmission Selection)
• IEEE 802.1qau (Congestion Notification)
• IEEE 802.1qbg (Edge Virtual Bridging)
• IEEE 1588v2 (Precision Time Protocol)

Dell VM3VD ConnectX-5 25GBE Network Adapter Overview

The Dell VM3VD ConnectX-5 25GBE 2-Port SFP28 PCIe 3.0 x16 Ethernet Network Adapter represents a powerful networking solution designed for modern enterprise data centers, cloud infrastructures, virtualization environments, and high-performance computing applications. As organizations continue to demand higher throughput, lower latency, and increased scalability, 25 Gigabit Ethernet technology has emerged as a preferred networking standard that bridges the gap between traditional 10GbE and more expensive 40GbE deployments. The Dell VM3VD adapter leverages advanced ConnectX-5 architecture to deliver exceptional network performance, enhanced efficiency, and reliable connectivity for mission-critical workloads.

Built to support demanding enterprise environments, this network adapter provides dual SFP28 ports capable of delivering 25 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity per port. The combination of high bandwidth and low latency makes it suitable for data-intensive applications such as virtualization, cloud computing, software-defined storage, database clustering, machine learning workloads, and large-scale data analytics. Enterprises seeking improved network responsiveness and optimized server performance can benefit significantly from deploying this advanced network interface card.

Understanding ConnectX-5 Network Adapter Technology

ConnectX-5 technology is recognized throughout the enterprise networking industry for its advanced capabilities and exceptional performance characteristics. Designed to address the growing requirements of modern IT infrastructures, ConnectX-5 adapters incorporate intelligent acceleration features that reduce CPU utilization while improving overall network throughput.

The architecture supports advanced packet processing, network virtualization, and hardware offloading capabilities that help optimize server efficiency. By offloading networking tasks from the CPU, organizations can allocate more computing resources to business-critical applications, resulting in improved workload performance and enhanced infrastructure utilization.

The Dell VM3VD model incorporates these technologies into a reliable enterprise-grade solution that integrates seamlessly with modern server platforms. Its design emphasizes scalability, efficiency, and compatibility with current networking standards, making it a valuable component within data center ecosystems.

Advanced Ethernet Performance Capabilities

The dual-port configuration enables simultaneous high-speed connectivity, allowing servers to communicate efficiently across enterprise networks. Each SFP28 port supports 25 Gigabit Ethernet speeds, creating substantial aggregate bandwidth that can handle demanding workloads without introducing bottlenecks.

Organizations deploying virtualization clusters, hyper-converged infrastructures, or storage area networking environments benefit from the increased throughput and reduced congestion provided by 25GbE connectivity. This performance enhancement helps maintain consistent application responsiveness even during peak traffic conditions.

Enhanced Data Center Efficiency

Modern data centers prioritize operational efficiency and resource optimization. The Dell VM3VD ConnectX-5 adapter contributes to these goals by enabling higher network bandwidth with fewer physical connections compared to older networking technologies. This approach simplifies cable management, reduces infrastructure complexity, and improves overall operational effectiveness.

The increased bandwidth density allows organizations to support growing workloads without extensive network redesigns, helping protect infrastructure investments while accommodating future expansion requirements.

Dual-Port SFP28 Connectivity Advantages

The inclusion of two SFP28 ports provides flexibility and redundancy that are essential in enterprise environments. Network administrators can configure the ports for failover protection, link aggregation, traffic segmentation, or workload balancing depending on organizational requirements.

SFP28 technology offers improved signal integrity and efficient high-speed data transmission, making it well-suited for both short-range and longer-distance network deployments. The modular nature of SFP28 transceivers also allows organizations to select connectivity options that best match their infrastructure architecture.

Redundancy and High Availability

Business-critical applications demand continuous network availability. The dual-port architecture supports redundancy configurations that help minimize downtime and maintain uninterrupted access to network resources. In the event of a connection issue on one port, traffic can be redirected through the alternate connection, ensuring operational continuity.

This level of resiliency is particularly important for financial systems, healthcare applications, cloud services, and enterprise resource planning environments where network interruptions can have significant operational consequences.

PCIe 3.0 x16 Interface Architecture

The PCIe 3.0 x16 interface serves as a critical component in delivering the high-performance capabilities of the Dell VM3VD network adapter. PCI Express technology provides the bandwidth necessary to support 25GbE networking without creating bottlenecks between the adapter and the host server.

PCIe 3.0 offers significant throughput capabilities that align well with modern server architectures. The x16 lane configuration ensures that data can move efficiently between the network interface and system memory, supporting high-speed packet processing and rapid data transfers.

Bandwidth Scalability

As workloads continue to evolve, network interfaces must provide sufficient scalability to accommodate increasing traffic volumes. The PCIe 3.0 x16 architecture supports substantial data throughput, ensuring that the network adapter can meet current requirements while remaining capable of supporting future growth.

25 Gigabit Ethernet Networking for Modern Enterprises

25 Gigabit Ethernet has become an increasingly popular networking standard due to its balance of performance, cost efficiency, and scalability. Compared to traditional 10GbE solutions, 25GbE delivers significantly greater bandwidth while maintaining a familiar deployment model.

Organizations adopting 25GbE networking often experience improved application responsiveness, faster data transfers, and enhanced infrastructure efficiency. These advantages make the technology particularly attractive for enterprises undergoing digital transformation initiatives and data center modernization projects.

Transition from Legacy Network Infrastructure

Many enterprises continue to operate networks built around older Ethernet standards. The Dell VM3VD ConnectX-5 adapter provides a practical pathway for upgrading infrastructure to higher-performance networking without requiring a complete overhaul of existing systems.

By introducing 25GbE connectivity into server environments, organizations can gradually modernize their networks while maximizing the value of previous infrastructure investments.

Support for Data-Intensive Workloads

Applications such as big data analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, video processing, and enterprise databases generate substantial network traffic. The increased throughput available through 25 Gigabit Ethernet helps ensure these workloads receive the bandwidth necessary for optimal performance.

Virtualization and Cloud Computing Applications

Virtualized environments place unique demands on network infrastructure. Multiple virtual machines often share a single physical server, generating significant east-west traffic within data centers. The Dell VM3VD ConnectX-5 adapter addresses these challenges by providing high-speed connectivity and advanced virtualization support.

Cloud service providers, enterprise private clouds, and hybrid cloud deployments benefit from the adapter's ability to support dense virtualization environments while maintaining low latency and consistent performance.

Improved Virtual Machine Performance

Virtual machines rely heavily on network resources for communication, storage access, and application delivery. High-bandwidth network adapters help reduce contention among virtual workloads, ensuring that performance remains consistent as resource demands increase.

The advanced capabilities of ConnectX-5 technology contribute to efficient virtual machine operation by accelerating networking functions and reducing processing overhead.

Storage Networking and Data Access Optimization

Storage performance plays a critical role in overall application responsiveness. High-speed network adapters help reduce latency between servers and storage resources, enabling faster access to data and improved operational efficiency.

The Dell VM3VD ConnectX-5 adapter supports storage-focused workloads by delivering reliable, high-throughput connectivity that facilitates rapid data movement across enterprise environments.

Support for Modern Storage Architectures

Organizations increasingly deploy distributed storage systems, hyper-converged infrastructure platforms, and software-defined storage solutions. These architectures depend heavily on network performance for synchronization, replication, and data access operations.

With dual-port 25GbE connectivity, the adapter provides the bandwidth necessary to support these demanding storage environments while maintaining consistent performance under heavy workloads.

Reduced Storage Access Latency

Latency can significantly impact application performance, particularly in database and transaction-processing environments. The advanced design of the ConnectX-5 architecture helps minimize latency, enabling faster interactions between compute resources and storage systems.

Security and Reliability Features

Enterprise networking solutions must deliver more than raw performance. Security, reliability, and operational stability are equally important considerations. The Dell VM3VD ConnectX-5 network adapter incorporates enterprise-grade design principles intended to support secure and dependable networking operations.

Organizations operating mission-critical systems require network interfaces capable of maintaining performance while supporting organizational security policies and compliance requirements.

Enterprise-Class Reliability

Built for continuous operation within demanding data center environments, the adapter is engineered to deliver dependable performance over extended periods. Enterprise-grade components and rigorous validation processes contribute to long-term reliability and operational consistency.

This reliability helps reduce maintenance requirements, minimize service disruptions, and support predictable infrastructure performance.

Network Integrity and Performance Stability

Stable network performance is essential for maintaining service quality and application responsiveness. The Dell VM3VD adapter supports consistent throughput and reliable connectivity, helping organizations maintain operational standards across diverse workloads and deployment scenarios.

Data Center Modernization Initiatives

Organizations pursuing data center modernization projects often prioritize network upgrades as a key component of their transformation strategies. The Dell VM3VD adapter provides a practical solution for increasing bandwidth capacity, improving application performance, and supporting next-generation infrastructure technologies.

Its combination of 25GbE connectivity, dual-port architecture, ConnectX-5 intelligence, and PCIe 3.0 x16 integration positions it as a valuable networking component for enterprises seeking scalable, efficient, and future-ready infrastructure solutions.