7ZT7A00549 Lenovo Thinksystem 10GB 4-Port Base-T LOM Network Adapter

Highlights of Lenovo 10GB 4-Port Adapter 

The Lenovo 7ZT7A00549 ThinkSystem 10GB 4-Port Base-T LOM Adapter is a powerful networking solution designed to deliver high-speed connectivity, reliability, and scalability for enterprise servers.

General Specifications

• Manufacturer: Lenovo
• Model Number: 7ZT7A00549
• Product Type: Network Adapter

Technical Specifications

Form Factor

• Plug-in Card for easy installation

Interface Type

• LAN-on-Motherboard (LOM) compatibility

Port Configuration

• Four 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports
• Supports GigE and 10 GigE protocols
• Data transfer speed up to 10 Gbps

Cabling Type

• Ethernet 10GBASE-T

Performance Capacity

• Virtual Functions: 128
• Processor: 1 x X557-AT4 Intel chipset

Compliance Standards

• IEEE 802.1q
• IEEE 802.1p
• IEEE 802.3x
• IEEE 802.3ad (LACP)
• IEEE 802.1as
• IEEE 802.1qbg

Compatibility and Supported Systems

Designed For

• ThinkSystem SR630
• ThinkSystem SR650
• ThinkSystem SR850
• ThinkSystem SR860
• ThinkSystem SR950

Operating System Requirements

Microsoft Platforms

• Windows Server 2012 R2
• Windows Server 2016

Linux Distributions

• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.9
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.3

Virtualization Platforms

• VMware ESXi 6.0 Update 3
• VMware ESXi 6.5

Overview of Lenovo 7ZT7A00549 10GB 4-Port Network Adapter

The Lenovo 7ZT7A00549 ThinkSystem 10GB 4-Port Base-T LOM Adapter represents a high-performance networking solution engineered for modern enterprise server environments that demand consistent throughput, reliability, and scalability. Designed specifically for integration with Lenovo ThinkSystem servers, this LAN on Motherboard (LOM) adapter delivers advanced connectivity features that support virtualization, cloud computing, and data-intensive workloads. With its 10 Gigabit Ethernet capability across four independent ports, this adapter enables enhanced bandwidth aggregation and efficient traffic management in high-demand IT infrastructures.

The integration of Base-T technology ensures compatibility with standard copper cabling, making it a cost-effective and flexible networking option for organizations that want to upgrade their existing infrastructure without transitioning to fiber optics. The adapter is particularly suited for enterprise data centers, virtualization clusters, and high-performance computing environments where network speed and low latency are critical factors.

Enterprise Networking Performance and Throughput

The Lenovo 7ZT7A00549 adapter delivers consistent and reliable 10GbE performance across all four ports, allowing organizations to achieve significantly higher throughput compared to traditional Gigabit Ethernet solutions. Each port is capable of delivering full-duplex communication, enabling simultaneous data transmission and reception at high speeds. This results in improved application performance, faster data transfers, and reduced network congestion.

The adapter leverages advanced offloading technologies to reduce CPU overhead, ensuring that server resources are utilized efficiently. This is particularly beneficial in environments where multiple applications and virtual machines operate concurrently, as it allows the CPU to focus on core processing tasks rather than network management.

Optimized Data Flow for High-Density Workloads

Modern enterprise workloads such as big data analytics, artificial intelligence, and real-time processing require robust networking solutions that can handle large volumes of data with minimal latency. The 10GB 4-Port Base-T LOM Adapter is designed to meet these requirements by providing consistent bandwidth and intelligent traffic prioritization. This ensures that mission-critical applications receive the necessary network resources without interruption.

The adapter also supports advanced queuing mechanisms and traffic shaping capabilities, which allow administrators to optimize data flow based on application requirements. This level of control enhances overall network efficiency and ensures predictable performance across various workloads.

Scalable Bandwidth Aggregation Capabilities

Bandwidth aggregation is a key feature of the Lenovo 7ZT7A00549 adapter, enabling multiple ports to be combined into a single logical connection. This not only increases overall bandwidth but also provides redundancy in case of link failure. Link aggregation protocols ensure seamless traffic distribution across multiple ports, enhancing both performance and reliability.

In large-scale deployments, this scalability allows organizations to expand their network capacity without significant hardware changes. The ability to scale bandwidth efficiently makes this adapter an ideal choice for growing businesses and evolving IT infrastructures.

Compatibility with Lenovo ThinkSystem Servers

The Lenovo 7ZT7A00549 adapter is specifically designed for seamless integration with ThinkSystem servers, ensuring optimal compatibility and performance. Its LOM design allows it to be directly integrated into the server motherboard, eliminating the need for additional PCIe slots and preserving valuable expansion capacity for other components.

This tight integration also enhances system reliability and simplifies deployment, as the adapter is recognized and configured automatically by supported server models. Firmware and driver updates are optimized for Lenovo systems, ensuring consistent performance and long-term stability.

Streamlined Deployment and Management

One of the key advantages of the LOM architecture is its ease of deployment. The adapter is pre-integrated into the server platform, reducing installation complexity and minimizing the time required to bring systems online. This is particularly beneficial for data centers where rapid deployment and scalability are essential.

Management tools provided by Lenovo allow administrators to monitor and configure the adapter efficiently. These tools provide insights into network performance, link status, and error diagnostics, enabling proactive maintenance and minimizing downtime.

Firmware Integration and Lifecycle Support

The adapter benefits from Lenovo’s comprehensive firmware ecosystem, which ensures compatibility with server BIOS and management controllers. Regular updates enhance performance, address security vulnerabilities, and introduce new features. This lifecycle support ensures that the adapter remains relevant and effective throughout its operational lifespan.

Base-T Technology and Infrastructure Flexibility

Base-T technology enables the use of standard twisted-pair copper cables, such as Cat6a or Cat7, for 10 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity. This eliminates the need for expensive fiber optic infrastructure, making it a practical choice for organizations seeking high-speed networking without significant capital investment.

The flexibility offered by Base-T technology allows for longer cable runs compared to other 10GbE solutions, providing greater freedom in data center layout and design. This is particularly advantageous in large facilities where equipment is distributed across multiple racks and rooms.

Enhanced Signal Integrity and Reliability

The adapter incorporates advanced signal processing technologies to ensure reliable data transmission over copper cables. Features such as error correction and adaptive equalization help maintain signal integrity, even in challenging environments with electromagnetic interference.

Virtualization and Cloud Computing Optimization

The Lenovo 7ZT7A00549 adapter is designed to support modern virtualization platforms and cloud computing environments. Its advanced networking features enable efficient communication between virtual machines, storage systems, and external networks. This is essential for maintaining performance and reliability in virtualized infrastructures.

Support for technologies such as SR-IOV (Single Root I/O Virtualization) allows virtual machines to access network resources directly, reducing latency and improving throughput. This enhances the performance of virtualized applications and ensures a seamless user experience.

Network Virtualization Acceleration

Network virtualization is a critical component of modern IT environments, enabling the creation of virtual networks that operate independently of physical hardware. The adapter’s hardware acceleration capabilities support these virtual networks, ensuring efficient data processing and reduced overhead.

This allows organizations to deploy complex network architectures with greater flexibility and scalability, supporting dynamic workloads and changing business requirements.

Cloud Infrastructure Integration

In cloud computing environments, network performance plays a crucial role in overall system efficiency. The Lenovo 7ZT7A00549 adapter provides the bandwidth and reliability needed to support cloud-based applications, ensuring seamless data transfer between servers and storage systems.

Its compatibility with leading cloud platforms and virtualization technologies makes it a versatile solution for hybrid and multi-cloud deployments.

Advanced Security and Data Protection Features

Security is a critical consideration in enterprise networking, and the Lenovo 7ZT7A00549 adapter incorporates several features to protect data integrity and prevent unauthorized access. These include hardware-based security mechanisms that ensure secure data transmission and protect against network-based threats.

The adapter supports secure boot and firmware validation, ensuring that only trusted software is executed. This helps prevent malicious code from compromising the system and enhances overall network security.

Data Integrity and Error Handling

Maintaining data integrity is essential in high-speed networking environments. The adapter includes advanced error detection and correction mechanisms that ensure accurate data transmission. This reduces the risk of data corruption and enhances overall system reliability.

Network Isolation and Traffic Segmentation

The ability to segment network traffic is crucial for maintaining security and performance. The adapter supports VLAN tagging and other segmentation techniques, allowing administrators to isolate different types of traffic and prevent unauthorized access.

Data Center Networking

In data center environments, the adapter provides the high-speed connectivity needed to support large-scale operations. Its multiple ports enable efficient traffic distribution and redundancy, ensuring reliable performance even under heavy loads.

Virtualized Server Environments

For virtualized environments, the adapter’s support for advanced networking features ensures seamless communication between virtual machines and external networks. This enhances performance and simplifies management.

High-Performance Computing Applications

High-performance computing workloads require fast and reliable data transfer. The adapter’s 10GbE capability ensures that these requirements are met, enabling efficient processing of large datasets and complex computations.