C2N4H Dell Broadcom 57414 Dual Port 25Gb 3.0 SFP28 OCP

Dell C2N4H Broadcom 57414 Dual Port 25Gb 3.0 SFP28 OCP Network Adapter

The Dell C2N4H Broadcom 57414 Dual Port 25Gb 3.0 SFP28 OCP network adapter is an enterprise-class solution engineered for modern data centers requiring high-throughput, low-latency connectivity. Designed for Open Compute Project (OCP) 3.0 compliant systems, this adapter delivers robust performance in high-density server environments, virtualized infrastructures, and cloud-scale deployments.

High-Speed Connectivity with Dual 25Gb SFP28 Ports

Equipped with two 25Gbps SFP28 ports, the Broadcom 57414 chipset provides a significant performance leap over traditional 10GbE adapters. The increased bandwidth supports intensive workloads, including large-scale virtualization, cloud-native applications, hyper-converged infrastructures (HCI), and advanced storage networking solutions.

Support for Modern Data Workloads

With rising demands for real-time analytics, software-defined networking (SDN), and containerized environments, the 25GbE dual-port configuration enables seamless data transfer across server clusters and storage nodes. The C2N4H adapter ensures that application throughput is no longer constrained by legacy network bandwidth limitations.

Flexible SFP28 Optical and DAC Compatibility

The Dell C2N4H supports both SFP28 direct attach copper (DAC) and optical transceivers, offering flexible deployment options across varying distance and budget requirements. Whether used in top-of-rack (ToR) or end-of-row (EoR) configurations, this card ensures optimal connectivity in any high-speed network topology.

OCP 3.0 Form Factor for Scalable Infrastructure

This card conforms to the Open Compute Project (OCP) 3.0 standard, designed to meet the evolving needs of scalable and modular infrastructure. The OCP 3.0 form factor allows for improved thermal efficiency, tool-less installation, and easier maintenance in dense server architectures.

Optimized for Hyperscale and Modular Environments

Large-scale data centers benefit from OCP’s emphasis on interoperability and serviceability. The Dell C2N4H, with its OCP 3.0 interface, integrates seamlessly into next-generation server chassis, such as Dell PowerEdge systems with OCP NIC 3.0 slots, ensuring a unified and modular deployment strategy.

Enhanced Mechanical and Thermal Design

The OCP 3.0 design includes improved airflow characteristics and mechanical stability, ensuring efficient cooling in high-density server racks. This is especially critical for 25Gbps transceivers that can generate more heat than standard Ethernet links.

Powered by Broadcom 57414 Controller

At the heart of the Dell C2N4H adapter is the Broadcom 57414 Ethernet controller, a high-performance and feature-rich chipset optimized for modern enterprise networking needs. The Broadcom 57414 offers high throughput, intelligent offloads, and advanced virtualization support.

Intelligent Offload Features

The 57414 supports a range of offloads including TCP/UDP checksum, Receive Side Scaling (RSS), Large Receive Offload (LRO), Generic Segmentation Offload (GSO), and Generic Receive Offload (GRO). These features reduce CPU overhead and improve system efficiency in network-heavy applications.

SR-IOV and Network Virtualization

Single Root I/O Virtualization (SR-IOV) enables multiple virtual functions on a single physical port, allowing virtual machines (VMs) to directly access the adapter hardware. This results in improved network performance and lower latency in virtualized environments.

Use Cases Across Enterprise and Cloud Infrastructure

The Dell C2N4H is suited for a wide array of networking scenarios across enterprise and service provider environments. From enabling high-throughput links in private cloud environments to interconnecting high-performance compute nodes in HPC clusters, this adapter delivers reliability, speed, and efficiency.

• Cloud and Virtualization: Supports high VM density and real-time data exchange in cloud-native platforms.
• High-Performance Computing: Reduces data transfer bottlenecks between compute and storage nodes.
• Edge and Core Networking: Provides low-latency connectivity for latency-sensitive workloads.
• Hyper-Converged Infrastructure: Enhances I/O performance for HCI platforms running vSAN, Nutanix, or similar technologies.
• AI and Machine Learning: Accelerates training models and inference pipelines by ensuring high-speed data exchange.

Advanced Network Management and Reliability

Designed for enterprise reliability, the C2N4H includes multiple features to ensure consistent operation and easy manageability. Network administrators can use standard management frameworks to configure, monitor, and maintain network performance.

Stateless Offload and Traffic Steering

With support for stateless offloads and network interface traffic steering, this adapter ensures optimal traffic distribution and enhanced quality of service (QoS). It supports network overlays such as VXLAN and NVGRE, which are essential in modern virtualized and cloud environments.

Enterprise-Class Reliability and Error Handling

Features such as ECC-protected internal buffers, advanced error handling, and watchdog timers contribute to the robustness of the C2N4H adapter. It is ideal for mission-critical applications where downtime is not an option.

Operating System and Virtualization Platform Support

The Broadcom 57414 chipset includes drivers and support across multiple operating systems and virtualization platforms, ensuring deployment flexibility and long-term compatibility.

• Microsoft Windows Server
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
• CentOS and Rocky Linux
• VMware ESXi and vSphere
• Ubuntu and Debian
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES)

Seamless Integration into Heterogeneous Environments

Whether managing a Windows-centric data center or a Linux-based HPC deployment, the Dell C2N4H ensures seamless operation and integration through certified driver support and platform validation.

VMware vSphere Optimization

For virtualized infrastructure running VMware, the adapter supports advanced features such as NetQueue, VMDirectPath, and VMware NSX for optimized networking in vSphere environments.

Security and Compliance Features

As threats to data center infrastructure continue to evolve, the Dell C2N4H offers several hardware-level features that enhance security and ensure data integrity across the network stack.

Secure Boot and Firmware Integrity

The Broadcom chipset supports secure boot functionality to verify firmware integrity during startup. This prevents tampering or malicious code injection that could compromise the host system.

Hardware Root of Trust and Secure Firmware Updates

With cryptographically signed firmware and secure update mechanisms, administrators can safely deploy firmware patches without risk of unauthorized modifications.

Technical Specifications

• Model: Dell C2N4H Broadcom 57414
• Ports: Dual SFP28 25Gb Ethernet
• Form Factor: OCP 3.0
• Interface: PCIe 3.0 x8 (via OCP slot)
• Controller: Broadcom BCM57414
• Connector Type: SFP28
• Data Rate: 25Gbps per port
• Supported Standards: IEEE 802.3by, 802.3ae, 802.1q VLAN tagging
• Compliance: RoHS, CE, FCC Class A
• OS Compatibility: Windows, Linux, VMware
• Security: Secure Boot, Firmware Signing
• Virtualization: SR-IOV, VXLAN/NVGRE Offload

Environmentally Efficient and Scalable

The Dell C2N4H not only excels in performance but also in energy efficiency. Built with low-power silicon and thermal-optimized design, it helps data centers meet sustainability goals without compromising networking capabilities.

Reduced Energy Footprint

By utilizing Broadcom's advanced fabrication and power management technologies, the 57414 controller maintains high efficiency during both idle and peak operation. This translates into lower overall data center energy usage and TCO.

Scalable Across Future Infrastructure

As organizations continue transitioning to 25GbE and beyond, the Dell C2N4H is future-ready and scalable, supporting multi-speed operation and backward compatibility with 10GbE SFP+ networks.

Enterprise-Class Warranty and Support

Backed by Dell’s global support infrastructure and enterprise warranty options, the C2N4H gives peace of mind with predictable lifecycle support, timely updates, and expert assistance.