Intel ETHERNET X710T4BLK SERVER

Intel ETHERNET X710T4BLK SERVER

The Intel ETHERNET X710T4BLK SERVER is a high‑performance, low‑profile network adapter designed for demanding server environments. It delivers four independent 10 Gbps Ethernet ports through a single PCI Express 3.0 x8 interface, making it an ideal choice for data centers, virtualization platforms, and enterprise networking solutions.

Key Design Features

• Form Factor: Plug‑in low‑profile card that fits easily into standard server chassis.
• Bus Interface: PCI Express 3.0 x8, providing ample bandwidth for simultaneous traffic on all four ports.
Connection Type: Cable‑connected (RJ‑45) with 10 GbE support.

Port Configuration and Performance

• Ports: Four 10 Gb Ethernet RJ‑45 connectors, each capable of full duplex operation at 10 Gbps.
• Data Link Protocols: Supports 100 Mb LAN, GigE, and 10 GigE, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of network infrastructures.
• Maximum Data Transfer Rate: 10 Gbps per port, totaling up to 40 Gbps aggregate throughput.

Advanced Networking Capabilities

• Flow Control: Hardware flow control prevents packet loss during congestion.
• VLAN Support: IEEE 802.1Q and 802.1p tagging for traffic segmentation and prioritization.
• Quality of Service (QoS): Traffic shaping and priority queuing to guarantee performance for critical applications.
• Large Send Offload (LSO) & Giant Send Offload (GSO): Offloads large packet assembly from CPU, improving efficiency.
• TCP/IP Offloading: Includes TCP Segmentation Offload (TSO), UDP/IP Offload, and checksum offload for reduced CPU load.
• Receive Side Scaling (RSS): Distributes incoming traffic across multiple CPU cores to enhance parallel processing.
• Virtual Machine Device Queues (VMDq): Enables efficient isolation of virtual machine traffic on shared physical NICs.
• Single Root I/O Virtualization (SR‑IOV): Allows direct device assignment to virtual machines, reducing overhead.
• Data Center Bridging (DCB) & Adaptive Load Balancing (ALB): Provides enhanced reliability and load distribution in converged networks.
• iSCSI Boot Support: Enables booting servers directly from iSCSI storage devices.
• PXE Support: Facilitates network-based operating system installation.
• Watch‑Dog Timer (WDT): Monitors device health and initiates recovery actions if necessary.

Supported Operating Systems and Virtualization Platforms

The adapter is certified for a broad spectrum of operating systems and hypervisors, ensuring seamless integration into existing infrastructures:

• Linux Kernels: 2.6, 3.x, 4.x (including Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.8/7.3, SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4/12 SP1)
• Microsoft Windows Servers: 2008 R2 (64‑bit), 2012 (64‑bit), 2012 R2 (64‑bit), 2016 (64‑bit)
• VMware ESXi: 5.5, 6.0
• FreeBSD: 11
• Other Platforms: Any system supporting the listed operating systems and virtualization environments.

Network Protocols and Standards Compliance

• Protocols: TCP/IP, UDP/IP, iSCSI, SMB, NFS, SNMP, RMON.
• Standards: IEEE 802.3 (10 GbE), 802.1Q/VLAN, 802.1p/priority, 802.3ad (LACP), 802.1as (time‑synchronization), 802.1Qbg (bridging).
• Certification: FCC Class B, UL, VCCI, C‑Tick, BSMI, RoHS, KCC, Directive 2011/65/EU, MSA SFF‑8431.

System Indicators and Management Features

• Status LEDs: Display link/activity and transmission speed for each port.
• Remote Management: SNMP and RMON support allows centralized monitoring and configuration.

Installation and Physical Characteristics

The Intel ETHERNET X710T4BLK SERVER is a plug‑in low‑profile card that requires no additional power connectors. It fits into standard server slots, making it straightforward to deploy in existing racks.

Intended Use and Deployment Scenarios

• High‑Density Server Farms: Four 10 Gb ports on a single card reduce cable clutter and power consumption.
• Virtualization Platforms: VMDq and SR‑IOV support enable efficient traffic isolation for virtual machines.
• Storage Area Networks (SAN): iSCSI boot and LSO/GSO features provide reliable, high‑throughput storage access.
• Enterprise Data Centers: VLAN, QoS, and DCB capabilities ensure robust segmentation and traffic prioritization.

Reliability and Support

The adapter comes with a limited lifetime warranty in Germany, adhering to statutory consumer protection regulations. Its extensive certification portfolio guarantees compliance with global safety and environmental standards.

Conclusion

The Intel ETHERNET X710T4BLK SERVER combines exceptional throughput, advanced offloading features, and broad platform support into a compact, low‑profile design. It is engineered to meet the rigorous demands of modern data centers, providing reliable, high‑performance networking for virtualization, storage, and enterprise applications.