Chelsio T580-LP-CR: 2-Port 40GbE Low-Profile UWire PCIe x8 Gen 3 Adapter with QSFP Connector

Step into a new standard of data-center networking with Chelsio’s T580-LP-CR, a dual-port 40 Gigabit Ethernet Unified Wire adapter engineered for modern cloud, virtualization, HPC, and storage environments. Built on Chelsio’s fifth-generation T5 technology, this low-profile, high-performance NIC delivers exceptional throughput, ultra-low latency, and robust CPU offloads that maximize server efficiency and application performance. Its compact form factor fits dense racks and compact server platforms, enabling data centers to scale without compromising reliability or manageability. Whether you’re deploying large virtualized workloads, high-speed storage networks, or accelerating data movement in compute-intensive clusters, the T580-LP-CR is designed to meet the demanding demands of today’s data centers while simplifying deployment and operations.

• High-performance 40GbE dual-port adapter: Delivers full-duplex 40 Gigabit Ethernet with advanced data-path acceleration to sustain high throughput and low latency for cloud services, virtualization hosts, storage networks, and HPC workloads.
• Low-profile PCIe 3.0 x8 design: A half-height, compact card that fits standard server chassis and dense compute nodes, enabling greater density and flexibility in data centers and edge deployments.
• Fifth-generation T5 Unified Wire technology: Provides comprehensive offloads including TCP/IP, RDMA (RoCE), iSCSI, NFS/SMB, and virtualization acceleration, reducing CPU overhead and freeing host resources for application processing.
• QSFP connectors for flexible, scalable connectivity: Uses QSFP+/QSFP28-compatible interfaces to support high-speed DAC cables and optical fiber links, enabling easy integration into existing 40GbE fabrics and future-proof scaling.
• Optimized for core data-center workloads: Engineered to excel in cloud platforms, virtualization environments, storage networking, and high-performance computing, with broad interoperability across leading hypervisors, switches, and data-center fabrics.

Technical Details of Chelsio T580-LP-CR

• Product name: Chelsio T580-LP-CR Dual-Port 40GbE UWire Adapter
• Ports: 2 x 40 GbE QSFP+ ports
• Host interface: PCI Express 3.0 x8
• Form factor: Low-profile PCIe half-height card
• Technology: Fifth-generation T5 Unified Wire architecture with hardware offloads for networking, virtualization, and storage workloads
• Connector type: QSFP
• Ideal workloads: Cloud computing, virtualization (VMware, Hyper-V, KVM), HPC, storage networking, and data center applications

How to install Chelsio T580-LP-CR

Prepare for installation by powering down the server, disconnecting power, and grounding yourself to prevent static discharge. Locate an available PCI Express x8 slot and remove the chassis slot cover if needed. Insert the T580-LP-CR card firmly into the x8 slot, ensuring the edge connector is fully seated. Secure the bracket with the appropriate screw to ensure stability. Connect the desired network cabling to the QSFP connectors—use DAC cables for short, direct connections or multimode/SMF fiber optics for longer runs as required by your fabric. Reattach the server cover, power up the system, and proceed to install or update the Chelsio drivers in your operating system. After driver installation, verify that the two 40GbE interfaces are detected, assign IP addresses or configure bonding/teaming as needed, and test connectivity with standard network utilities. For virtualization environments, configure vSwitches or VM networks to leverage the hardware offloads and ensure optimum VM networking performance.

Frequently asked questions

• What speeds does this adapter support? It is a dual-port 40GbE Unified Wire adapter designed for high-throughput data-center networks and accelerated workloads. Depending on your cabling and fabric, it can be deployed in traditional 40GbE configurations.
• What is the form factor? It is a low-profile PCIe half-height card, ideal for dense server racks and systems with restricted space.
• What connectors does it use? QSFP connectors, enabling high-speed 40GbE links and compatibility with DAC cables or optical fiber as part of your network fabric.
• Which host interface does it utilize? PCI Express 3.0 with an x8 lane interface, delivering ample bandwidth between the CPU and the NIC for demanding workloads.
• Is it suitable for virtualization and storage workloads? Yes. The T580-LP-CR leverages Chelsio’s T5 Unified Wire offloads to accelerate virtualization, storage networking, and cloud workloads while improving CPU efficiency and overall system throughput.