MCX546A-CDAN Mellanox ConnectX-5 EX OCP2.0 100GbE 2-Ports QSFP28 PCIe 4.0 x16 NIC

Mellanox MCX546A-CDAN 100GbE Dual-Port Interface Card

Product Overview

The Mellanox MCX546A-CDAN ConnectX-5 Ex Network Interface Card (NIC) is a high-performance enterprise networking solution designed to deliver exceptional bandwidth, ultra-low latency, and reliable connectivity for modern data centers, cloud computing environments, virtualization platforms, and high-performance computing (HPC) workloads. Featuring dual 100 Gigabit Ethernet QSFP28 ports and a PCI Express 4.0 x16 interface, this advanced network adapter enables organizations to maximize network efficiency while supporting demanding applications that require high-speed data transmission.

General Specifications of Mellanox MCX546A-CDAN

• Manufacturer: Mellanox
• Model Number: MCX546A-CDAN
• Series: ConnectX-5 Ex
• Product Category: Network Interface Card (NIC)
• Form Factor: Plug-in Card

Technical Specifications

Interface Specifications

• Host Interface: PCI Express 4.0 x16
• Network Ports: 2 × QSFP28
• Ethernet Speed: Up to 100 Gigabit Ethernet per port
• Maximum Data Transfer Rate: 100 Gbps

Benefits of Dual QSFP28 Ports

• High-speed 100 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity
• Improved network redundancy
• Enhanced bandwidth aggregation
• Reduced network congestion
• Support for scalable enterprise architectures
• Reliable data transmission across demanding workloads

Advantages of PCIe Gen4 Technology

• Higher overall data throughput
• Reduced communication latency
• Improved server responsiveness
• Better support for intensive networking workloads
• Enhanced scalability for future infrastructure upgrades

Ideal Deployment Scenarios

• Enterprise data centers
• Cloud computing infrastructure
• Virtualized server environments
• Software-defined networking (SDN)
• Network-attached storage (NAS)
• Storage Area Networks (SAN)
• Artificial Intelligence workloads
• Machine learning clusters
• High-performance computing (HPC)

Supported Operating Systems

• FreeBSD
• Microsoft Windows
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
• CentOS
• VMware ESX

Key Performance Benefits

• Ultra-fast data transmission
• Reduced network latency
• Efficient server communication
• Higher application responsiveness
• Improved workload consolidation

Key Features at a Glance

• ConnectX-5 Ex enterprise Ethernet controller
• Dual-port 100GbE QSFP28 connectivity
• PCI Express Gen4 x16 host interface
• OCP 2.0 management support
• Plug-in card form factor
• High-bandwidth enterprise networking
• Designed for cloud, virtualization, storage, and HPC deployments
• Excellent operating system compatibility
• Reliable performance for mission-critical workloads

Applications

• Enterprise networking
• Cloud data centers
• Virtual machine infrastructure
• Hyper-converged systems
• Storage networking
• Artificial intelligence platforms
• Machine learning environments
• Big data analytics
• Scientific computing
• High-performance enterprise servers

Product Highlights

• Original Mellanox MCX546A-CDAN Network Interface Card
• Powered by the advanced ConnectX-5 Ex controller
• Dual-port 100GbE QSFP28 connectivity
• PCI Express 4.0 x16 host interface for maximum throughput
• OCP 2.0 management support for enterprise servers
• Designed for cloud, virtualization, AI, storage, and HPC infrastructures
• Low-latency, high-bandwidth networking performance
• Compatible with multiple enterprise operating systems

Mellanox MCX546A-CDAN 100GbE 2-Port Network Interface Card

The Mellanox MCX546A-CDAN ConnectX-5 EX OCP2.0 Management 100GbE 2-Port QSFP28 PCIe 4.0 x16 Network Interface Card is engineered to deliver exceptional networking performance for modern enterprise environments, cloud infrastructures, hyperscale data centers, and high-performance computing platforms. Built on the proven ConnectX-5 Ex architecture, this advanced Ethernet adapter combines intelligent hardware acceleration, ultra-low latency, outstanding throughput, and comprehensive virtualization support to meet the ever-growing networking demands of today's digital businesses.

Organizations deploying bandwidth-intensive applications require reliable network adapters capable of handling massive data transfers while maintaining consistent performance. The Mellanox MCX546A-CDAN fulfills these requirements by integrating dual 100GbE QSFP28 interfaces with PCI Express 4.0 x16 connectivity, allowing servers to achieve significantly higher data transfer rates while reducing CPU overhead through advanced offloading technologies. This combination enables storage systems, virtualization clusters, AI workloads, financial trading platforms, media production environments, and cloud computing infrastructures to operate at maximum efficiency.

Designed for Open Compute Project OCP 2.0 compatible servers, this network interface card simplifies deployment within modern server architectures while supporting integrated management capabilities that improve remote administration and infrastructure monitoring. Its enterprise-grade reliability, intelligent packet processing, and compatibility with leading operating systems make it an ideal solution for organizations seeking scalable and future-ready networking hardware.

Advanced ConnectX-5 Ex Architecture for Modern Networking

The ConnectX-5 Ex controller represents a major advancement in intelligent Ethernet networking technology. Unlike conventional network adapters that primarily focus on raw bandwidth, the ConnectX-5 Ex architecture incorporates specialized hardware engines that accelerate packet processing, security functions, virtualization, and storage networking without placing additional burden on server processors.

By offloading numerous networking operations directly to dedicated hardware, the adapter significantly improves application responsiveness while reducing latency. This architecture enables servers to dedicate more CPU resources to mission-critical applications instead of routine networking tasks, resulting in greater operational efficiency throughout enterprise environments.

Intelligent Hardware Offloading Technologies

Hardware acceleration plays a central role in the performance capabilities of the Mellanox MCX546A-CDAN. Various networking operations that would normally consume processor cycles are handled directly by the network controller, allowing servers to process larger workloads with improved efficiency.

Advanced checksum calculations, segmentation offloads, receive-side scaling, packet classification, traffic steering, and virtualization acceleration are all processed in hardware. These capabilities reduce system overhead while ensuring high-speed communication between servers, storage systems, and network infrastructure.

Optimized Packet Processing

The network interface card utilizes intelligent packet scheduling and traffic optimization mechanisms to ensure efficient data transmission under varying workloads. Applications experiencing heavy network utilization continue to maintain consistent performance because packet processing remains balanced across available hardware resources.

This optimization is especially valuable within virtualized environments where numerous virtual machines simultaneously compete for available network bandwidth.

Dual-Port 100GbE QSFP28 Connectivity

Equipped with two high-speed QSFP28 ports, the Mellanox MCX546A-CDAN enables simultaneous high-bandwidth network connections suitable for demanding enterprise infrastructures. Each interface supports data transfer speeds up to 100 Gigabit Ethernet, delivering outstanding aggregate bandwidth for large-scale deployments.

Dual-port connectivity provides administrators with greater flexibility when designing redundant network topologies, high-availability clusters, storage networks, and software-defined infrastructures. Organizations can configure separate network paths for production traffic, storage communication, backup operations, or failover scenarios.

Benefits of QSFP28 Interfaces

QSFP28 technology has become the preferred connectivity standard for modern data centers because it delivers extremely high bandwidth while maintaining compact physical dimensions. These interfaces support a wide variety of transceivers and direct attach cables, allowing network architects to select appropriate media for both short-distance and long-distance deployments.

Flexible Optical Deployment

The QSFP28 interfaces are compatible with multiple optical transceiver options, enabling deployment across enterprise campuses, metropolitan networks, storage fabrics, and hyperscale cloud environments. Organizations can adapt network designs according to operational requirements without replacing the underlying network adapter.

High Availability Networking

Dual ports simplify redundant network configurations that minimize downtime. Organizations implementing active-active or active-passive networking architectures benefit from continuous connectivity even during maintenance activities or unexpected hardware failures.

PCI Express 4.0 x16 High-Speed Interface

The PCI Express 4.0 x16 host interface provides exceptional bandwidth between the server and the network adapter, ensuring that the dual 100GbE ports can operate efficiently without interface bottlenecks. Compared to earlier PCIe generations, PCIe Gen4 significantly increases throughput, making it suitable for next-generation networking workloads.

This high-speed interface is particularly beneficial for servers processing artificial intelligence applications, distributed databases, cloud-native workloads, virtualization clusters, software-defined storage, and machine learning environments that continuously exchange massive volumes of information.

Reduced Data Transfer Bottlenecks

Higher PCIe bandwidth minimizes communication delays between system memory, processors, and network interfaces. Applications requiring continuous high-speed communication experience lower latency and greater consistency under heavy workloads.

Improved Server Utilization

Efficient PCIe communication allows organizations to maximize server utilization by ensuring networking performance scales alongside processor and storage capabilities. This balanced architecture improves overall infrastructure efficiency.

OCP 2.0 Form Factor Advantages

The Open Compute Project OCP 2.0 form factor has become increasingly popular among hyperscale cloud providers and enterprise data centers because it standardizes hardware deployment while improving airflow, serviceability, and infrastructure scalability.

The Mellanox MCX546A-CDAN is specifically designed for OCP 2.0 compatible server platforms, enabling simplified installation and streamlined maintenance procedures. Organizations deploying standardized hardware benefit from consistent networking performance across large server fleets.

Optimized Data Center Deployment

OCP-compatible hardware reduces complexity during infrastructure expansion. Standardized mechanical dimensions simplify inventory management while ensuring predictable installation procedures for enterprise IT teams.

Improved Cooling Efficiency

The adapter integrates effectively within server airflow designs, contributing to improved thermal performance across dense computing environments. Efficient cooling supports consistent operation during prolonged high-performance workloads.

Integrated Host Management Features

One distinguishing feature of the Mellanox MCX546A-CDAN is its integrated host management functionality. Remote management capabilities allow administrators to monitor hardware status, diagnose operational conditions, and simplify server lifecycle management without interrupting production workloads.

These management features contribute to improved infrastructure reliability while reducing administrative overhead across enterprise deployments.

Remote Infrastructure Monitoring

Administrators gain enhanced visibility into network hardware health through integrated management capabilities. Early identification of operational issues supports proactive maintenance strategies that minimize service disruptions.

Enterprise Management Integration

The adapter integrates with modern infrastructure management platforms, enabling centralized administration across extensive server deployments. This simplifies operational workflows while improving infrastructure consistency.

Virtualization Performance Optimization

Virtualized infrastructures require network adapters capable of efficiently supporting hundreds or even thousands of virtual machines simultaneously. The ConnectX-5 Ex architecture incorporates advanced virtualization acceleration technologies specifically designed for these demanding environments.

Hardware-assisted virtualization minimizes latency while improving bandwidth allocation across multiple virtual machines. This allows cloud providers and enterprise IT departments to maximize server consolidation without sacrificing networking performance.

Support for Virtual Machine Scalability

As organizations expand virtualization clusters, network infrastructure must accommodate increasing traffic volumes without creating bottlenecks. The Mellanox MCX546A-CDAN supports highly scalable virtual networking environments through intelligent hardware acceleration.

Efficient Resource Allocation

Virtual machines receive optimized network access through advanced traffic distribution mechanisms that improve fairness, responsiveness, and predictable application performance.

Storage Networking Capabilities

Enterprise storage infrastructures increasingly rely on ultra-fast Ethernet networking to support large-scale data movement. The Mellanox MCX546A-CDAN provides exceptional connectivity for network-attached storage, distributed storage clusters, hyper-converged infrastructure, and software-defined storage platforms.

Its combination of high bandwidth and low latency enables faster backup operations, accelerated database synchronization, improved storage replication, and reduced recovery times for mission-critical applications.

Accelerating Distributed Storage Systems

Distributed storage environments continuously exchange information among storage nodes. High-speed networking significantly improves storage consistency while reducing synchronization delays across clusters.

Supporting Data Protection Operations

Backup, replication, disaster recovery, and business continuity solutions benefit from the adapter's ability to transfer large datasets rapidly while maintaining dependable network performance.

Low Latency for Mission-Critical Applications

Applications such as financial trading, scientific computing, telecommunications, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and real-time analytics depend on extremely low network latency. The ConnectX-5 Ex controller minimizes communication delays through optimized hardware processing and intelligent packet forwarding.

Reduced latency directly contributes to faster application response times, improved transaction processing, and greater computational efficiency across distributed computing environments.

Real-Time Data Processing

Organizations processing continuous streams of information benefit from rapid packet delivery that minimizes delays between distributed servers, databases, and storage resources.

Consistent Network Performance

Predictable latency enables applications requiring synchronized communication to operate reliably under fluctuating workloads while maintaining consistent service quality.

Comprehensive Security Features

Modern enterprise networks require security capabilities integrated directly into networking hardware. The Mellanox MCX546A-CDAN incorporates advanced security technologies that strengthen infrastructure protection while maintaining high-speed communication.

Hardware-assisted security mechanisms reduce reliance on software processing, enabling organizations to improve protection without negatively affecting application performance.

Secure Infrastructure Communications

Built-in security capabilities help safeguard data transfers across enterprise environments by supporting secure communication mechanisms and intelligent packet validation processes.

Protection for Cloud Deployments

Multi-tenant cloud infrastructures benefit from hardware-based isolation technologies that improve workload separation while maintaining efficient resource utilization.

Compatibility with Enterprise Operating Systems

The Mellanox MCX546A-CDAN supports a broad range of enterprise operating systems, virtualization platforms, cloud frameworks, and software-defined networking environments. Extensive driver availability ensures reliable deployment across Linux distributions, Windows Server environments, virtualization hypervisors, and cloud orchestration platforms.

Wide compatibility simplifies infrastructure modernization projects while protecting existing technology investments.

Cloud Platform Integration

The adapter supports deployment within private cloud, hybrid cloud, and public cloud infrastructures by providing consistent networking performance across multiple virtualization technologies and orchestration frameworks.

Enterprise Application Support

Business-critical databases, analytics platforms, artificial intelligence environments, virtualization clusters, and distributed applications all benefit from the adapter's reliable high-speed connectivity.

Ideal Deployment Scenarios

Hyperscale Data Centers

Large cloud providers require networking hardware capable of supporting enormous traffic volumes while minimizing operational costs. The Mellanox MCX546A-CDAN provides the bandwidth, scalability, and efficiency necessary for hyperscale deployments.

High-Performance Computing Clusters

Scientific simulations, engineering analysis, weather forecasting, pharmaceutical research, and computational modeling all require high-bandwidth networking capable of supporting distributed processing across numerous compute nodes.

Enterprise Virtualization

Organizations operating large virtual machine environments benefit from hardware acceleration that improves network efficiency while reducing processor utilization and enhancing application responsiveness.

Scalability for Future Infrastructure Growth

As enterprise workloads continue expanding, networking infrastructure must support increasing bandwidth requirements without requiring frequent hardware replacement. The Mellanox MCX546A-CDAN offers an ideal balance of performance, efficiency, intelligent acceleration, and enterprise reliability that enables organizations to scale confidently into future computing environments.

Its combination of ConnectX-5 Ex technology, dual 100GbE QSFP28 connectivity, PCI Express 4.0 x16 bandwidth, OCP 2.0 compatibility, integrated management functionality, virtualization acceleration, low-latency packet processing, and enterprise-class reliability makes this network interface card an outstanding solution for organizations seeking next-generation Ethernet connectivity across modern data center infrastructures.