X485V Dell Network Adapter Single Port 400gb/s Ndr Ib Osfp Pcie 5.0 X16 Secure Boot

Dell X485V Single Port Network Adapter: Redefining High-Speed Data Connectivity

The Dell X485V Single Port Network Adapter with Nvidia’s ConnectX-7 technology delivers a groundbreaking 400Gb/s of throughput, offering unmatched performance for next-generation data centers and HPC environments. Designed for the PCIe 5.0 x16 interface and featuring OSFP (Octal Small Form-Factor Pluggable) support, this adapter is optimized for ultra-low latency and peak bandwidth utilization. With no crypto and secure boot features disabled, this variant targets applications that prioritize raw speed, efficient packet handling, and scalable network architectures.

PCIe 5.0 x16 Architecture for Ultimate Bandwidth

Leveraging PCIe Gen 5.0 with a x16 lane configuration, the Dell X485V offers twice the bandwidth of its PCIe 4.0 predecessors. This interface supports up to 63 GB/s of total bandwidth, ensuring that the network interface card (NIC) is never a bottleneck in high-throughput systems. For enterprise data centers deploying high-speed applications such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and large-scale storage systems, the performance gains from PCIe 5.0 provide the necessary edge.

Forward and Backward Compatibility

While optimized for PCIe 5.0, the Dell X485V maintains compatibility with PCIe 4.0 slots, allowing integration into existing infrastructure while offering future-proofing for upcoming server generations. Backward compatibility ensures continued use across hybrid environments, streamlining deployment and reducing upgrade complexity.

Benefits of PCIe 5.0 in Network Adapters

• Improved data throughput and lower latency
• Ideal for 400Gb/s and higher network applications
• Enhanced error detection and data integrity mechanisms
• Seamless support for high IOPS workloads in NVMe and SAN environments

400Gb/s NDR InfiniBand: Setting the Speed Benchmark

The Nvidia ConnectX-7 platform integrated into the Dell X485V supports 400Gb/s NDR (Next Data Rate) InfiniBand, making it one of the fastest interconnects available. Designed for ultra-scale computing and high-performance data exchange, NDR IB opens doors to next-generation networking.

NDR: What It Means for Enterprise Networks

NDR (400Gb/s) allows for extremely high-speed connections across nodes, reducing application runtime and enhancing cluster efficiency. For supercomputing, genomics, weather simulation, financial modeling, and large-scale AI workloads, the acceleration from NDR is transformative. Compared to HDR (200Gb/s), NDR doubles the effective data rate per port.

Use Cases for NDR-Enabled Adapters

• AI model training and distributed machine learning
• Large-scale scientific computations and simulations
• Hyper-converged infrastructure and data analytics
• Enterprise virtualization and data center fabric optimization

OSFP (Octal Small Form-Factor Pluggable): High-Density Optical I/O

The OSFP form factor on the Dell X485V supports a single port capable of handling extremely high optical throughput. Compared to QSFP-DD, OSFP enables superior thermal management and power handling, which are critical for 400Gb/s operations. The mechanical design also allows for tighter rack spacing, ideal for large-scale deployments.

Thermal Efficiency and Cooling Considerations

Thanks to its optimized form factor, OSFP modules can dissipate higher thermal loads, allowing reliable operation in high-density racks. For data centers pushing toward exascale performance, such efficiency is vital in managing operational stability and lowering cooling costs.

Key Features of OSFP in the X485V Adapter

• Supports 8 x 50Gb/s electrical lanes
• Superior heat dissipation compared to QSFP-DD
• Compact size with advanced EMI shielding
• Pluggable transceivers for easy maintenance

No Crypto and Secure Boot: Streamlined for Raw Performance

This specific model of the Dell X485V network adapter is built without crypto support and has secure boot features disabled. These design decisions reduce latency and increase data throughput by eliminating the cryptographic overhead, making it ideal for internal enterprise deployments where encryption is managed at other layers.

Applications That Benefit from No-Crypto Designs

Environments that do not require hardware-level encryption or secure boot—such as closed-loop HPC clusters, air-gapped research facilities, or internal sandbox networks—can achieve marginal gains in packet handling speeds and lower power consumption by using NICs like the X485V.

Considerations for Deploying Non-Encrypted Adapters

• Suitable for trusted internal environments
• Best for high-speed performance-critical workflows
• May require external security solutions if used in mixed environments
• Ideal for labs, simulations, and low-latency applications

Inside the Nvidia ConnectX-7 Architecture

The Nvidia ConnectX-7 controller lies at the heart of the X485V network adapter. As the seventh generation of Nvidia’s Mellanox ConnectX series, it provides advanced data acceleration, improved packet processing, and enhanced telemetry. Key technologies include RDMA, RoCE, SR-IOV, GPUDirect, and NVMe-over-Fabrics support.

Hardware Offloading for Peak Network Efficiency

ConnectX-7 introduces multiple hardware offloads to reduce CPU load, such as checksum offload, large send offload (LSO), large receive offload (LRO), and VLAN tag offload. These features ensure the host CPU is not burdened with unnecessary data handling, allowing better application performance.

Enhanced Packet Steering and Virtualization

Advanced traffic steering capabilities, including flow classification, receive-side scaling (RSS), and programmable match-action tables, improve flow control and data routing. With SR-IOV support, the adapter can provide up to 1,024 virtual functions, making it highly suitable for virtualized environments.

RoCE and GPUDirect Capabilities

• RoCE (RDMA over Converged Ethernet) support for low-latency data exchange
• GPUDirect RDMA support for direct memory access between NIC and GPU
• Enables faster AI/ML data movement across compute nodes
• NVMe-over-Fabrics acceleration for disaggregated storage solutions

Scalability for Hyperscale and AI Data Centers

The Dell X485V is tailored for hyperscale environments, supporting full wire-speed traffic at 400Gb/s. It can scale across multiple racks and thousands of nodes with consistent latency and performance, making it ideal for AI training clusters and exascale computing infrastructures.

Cluster Interconnect Topologies and Fabric Management

The adapter supports fat-tree, torus, and dragonfly+ network topologies, ensuring optimal path redundancy and minimal bottlenecks. Fabric management is supported via UFM (Unified Fabric Manager), providing full visibility and configuration for IB-based networks.

Integration with Dell PowerEdge Servers

• Seamless compatibility with Dell PowerEdge 15th Gen and later
• Validated configurations for edge, core, and cloud workloads
• Ideal match with GPU-dense and storage-rich server nodes

Software Ecosystem and Open Compute Compatibility

The Dell X485V with ConnectX-7 offers support for open-source drivers and a wide range of operating systems, including major Linux distributions (RHEL, Ubuntu, SUSE), VMware ESXi, and Windows Server. Compatibility with DPDK and SPDK further enhances performance in software-defined environments.

Support for Containerized and Cloud-Native Workloads

With Kubernetes and OpenShift compatibility, the adapter can be deployed in microservices architectures. It enables network-aware containers using CNI plugins and SR-IOV support. Its low-latency transport makes it suitable for functions like real-time inference and stream analytics.

Network Function Virtualization (NFV) Readiness

NFV deployments benefit from the adapter’s VxLAN, NVGRE, and Geneve offloads, which simplify encapsulated traffic processing. The X485V is suitable for telecom and service providers building 5G core and edge networks using cloud-native infrastructure.

Telemetry and Monitoring Features

• Real-time packet counters and congestion analytics
• Telemetry hooks for AI-based network optimization
• Integration with OpenTelemetry and Prometheus
• Link health and error monitoring via UFM and vendor APIs

Conclusion-Free Category Extension: Future-Proof Your Network Infrastructure

The Dell X485V Single Port Network Adapter offers more than just bandwidth; it represents a convergence of scalability, efficiency, and high-speed performance. Its use of Nvidia ConnectX-7 technology, PCIe 5.0 support, and 400Gb/s NDR InfiniBand connectivity positions it as a leading choice for organizations looking to push the boundaries of their digital infrastructure. Whether powering AI clusters, managing storage fabrics, or enabling software-defined networking, the Dell X485V is engineered to deliver results across multiple use cases and verticals.

Ideal Deployment Scenarios for the Dell X485V

• Supercomputing centers and exascale clusters
• Next-generation AI and ML platforms
• Private and hybrid cloud environments
• High-performance storage fabrics and SANs
• Virtualized data centers requiring ultra-low latency

Compatible Standards and Protocols

The adapter supports a wide range of industry standards, including InfiniBand Trade Association (IBTA) specifications, IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standards, and PCI-SIG PCIe Gen5 compliance. It is also compliant with RoHS and other energy-efficiency regulations, supporting enterprise sustainability goals.

Key Technical Specifications Recap

• Port: 1 x OSFP
• Speed: 400Gb/s NDR InfiniBand
• Interface: PCIe 5.0 x16
• Chipset: Nvidia ConnectX-7
• Form Factor: Full-height, low-profile bracket options
• Crypto/Secure Boot: Disabled (No-Crypto SKU)
• Compatibility: Dell PowerEdge, Linux, Windows, VMware