Description
Meet the Chelsio 2-port 40/50/100GbE Low Profile Server Offload Adapter, a high-density, PCI-E Gen 3 solution designed to accelerate modern data centers. Built around the T62100-SO-CR, this compact, low-profile card delivers flexible 40/50/100 GbE connectivity through QSFP28 ports, dramatically reducing CPU overhead and delivering predictable, scalable performance for storage, cloud computing, virtualization, HPC, and other demanding workloads. Engineered for dense server blades, racks, and hyperscale deployments, it combines robust offload capabilities with a proven software ecosystem that helps operators extract maximum throughput with minimal latency.
- Two high-speed ports support 40GbE, 50GbE, or 100GbE per link via QSFP28 connectors, enabling flexible, future-ready network tiering and expansive uplink/downlink configurations in a single controller.
- PCI Express 3.0 x16 host interface delivers abundant bandwidth to the host, minimizing PCIe bottlenecks and enabling full utilization of the 40/50/100GbE speeds for virtualized workloads, storage traffic, and cloud services.
- Low-profile, space-saving design is optimized for dense data centers, blade servers, and compact enclosures, helping you maximize rack density without compromising performance.
- Advanced offload capabilities offload core networking tasks from the CPU, accelerating storage I/O, virtualization, databases, and HPC workloads while reducing host system latency and CPU wake-ups.
- Mature software ecosystem and compatibility leverages Chelsio’s established driver and management suite, with support that extends the host software of its predecessor, the T5, ensuring a familiar, reliable deployment path across Linux, Windows, and hypervisors for seamless integration.
Technical Details of Chelsio 2-Port 40/50/100GbE Low Profile Server Offload Adapter
- Model: T62100-SO-CR
- Ports: 2 x 40/50/100 GbE ports (QSFP28 connectors)
- Host interface: PCIe 3.0 x16
- Form factor: Low-profile/half-height PCIe card, suitable for dense chassis and blade servers
- Data speeds: Supports 40 GbE, 50 GbE, and 100 GbE per port, configurable to match data center topology
- Connector type: QSFP28, enabling scalable, duplex high-speed connections
- Offload engine: Hardware-assisted processing to accelerate networking tasks, reduce host CPU load, and improve IOPS for storage and virtualization workloads
- Software compatibility: Chelsio driver suite and host software compatible with the T5 ecosystem, providing a mature, battle-tested management experience
- Target workloads: Optimized for storage traffic, cloud platforms, HPC environments, virtualization, and data center networking
How to install Chelsio 2-Port 40/50/100GbE Low Profile Server Offload Adapter
- Preparation: Power down the server, unplug from power, and ground yourself to prevent static charge. Remove the server cover or access panel as required by your chassis.
- Slot installation: Identify a compatible PCIe 3.0 x16 slot with an available expansion depth for a low-profile card. Remove the slot spacer as needed and firmly insert the Chelsio T62100-SO-CR into the slot until it is fully seated. Secure the card bracket to the chassis to prevent movement.
- Cable connectivity: Attach QSFP28 cables or QSFP28 DACs to the two network ports, routing cables to your switches or storage fabric. Ensure cables are properly seated and terminated according to your topology’s distance requirements.
- Power and boot: Reassemble the chassis cover, reconnect power, and boot the system. Enter the operating system to confirm hardware recognition.
- Software installation: Install the Chelsio driver package and management tools provided by Chelsio. Depending on your OS, follow the official installation guides to load the correct kernel modules and user-space utilities. After installation, verify link status, speeds, and offload capabilities through the Chelsio utilities and your hypervisor or OS networking configuration.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What makes the Chelsio T62100-SO-CR suitable for modern data centers?
Answer: The T62100-SO-CR is purpose-built for dense, high-throughput environments. With two QSFP28 ports supporting 40/50/100 GbE and a PCIe 3.0 x16 host interface, it delivers scalable network performance while offloading CPU-intensive tasks from the host. This combination reduces latency, boosts IOPS, improves virtualization efficiency, and supports demanding workloads in storage, cloud, HPC, and virtualization deployments. Its low-profile form factor makes it ideal for blade servers and tight racks, enabling greater density without compromising performance.
Q: Which speeds and configurations does this adapter support?
Answer: Each of the two ports supports 40 GbE, 50 GbE, or 100 GbE speeds via QSFP28. Administrators can configure the ports to match the network topology, enabling a flexible mix of uplinks and downlinks. This flexibility is particularly valuable in data centers that migrate gradually from 40G to 100G or implement dual-rail designs for redundancy and higher fault tolerance.
Q: Is this card compatible with common operating systems and hypervisors?
Answer: Yes. Chelsio provides a mature driver and management ecosystem designed to work across popular Linux distributions, Windows Server, and virtualization platforms such as VMware ESXi. Because the T62100-SO-CR runs the host software lineage of its predecessor (the T5), deployments benefit from a well-established set of drivers, utilities, and compatible configurations, simplifying integration into existing environments.
Q: What are the typical use cases for this adapter?
Answer: The card excels in data-intensive scenarios such as high-performance storage networks (iSCSI/NVMe over fabric), clustered storage, virtualization hosts with dense VMs, containerized workloads in cloud environments, HPC clusters requiring fast interconnects, and general data center fabrics that demand low latency and high throughput. Its hardware offload capabilities help minimize CPU overhead, freeing resources for application workloads.
Q: How do you size and plan for cables and topology with QSFP28?
Answer: QSFP28 interfaces are compatible with DAC (direct attach copper) cables for short reach and with active optical cables or optical transceivers for longer distances. When planning topology, consider the required aggregate bandwidth, cable length, and switch capabilities (e.g., 100G SR4 or 100G LR4 or CWDM4). Designing with dual-port, dual-rail headers provides redundancy and improved fault tolerance in mission-critical deployments.
In summary, the Chelsio 2-port 40/50/100GbE Low Profile Server Offload Adapter (T62100-SO-CR) is a versatile, density-friendly solution for modern data centers. Its dual QSFP28 ports offer flexible 40/50/100 GbE connectivity, while the PCIe Gen3 x16 interface ensures the host system can push data at peak speeds with reduced CPU overhead. The low-profile form factor enables deployment in compact chassis and blade servers, making it a compelling choice for storage-heavy, virtualization-driven, and compute-intensive environments. The mature Chelsio software stack provides reliable drivers, management utilities, and a familiar ecosystem, simplifying deployment and ongoing maintenance.
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