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NEW RETAIL Mellanox MCX354A-FCBT Infiniband FDR + 40GbE Ethernet 40GbE dual port QSPF+ CONNECTX-3 VPI HCA network card PCI 3.0 format

NEW RETAIL Mellanox MCX354A-FCBT Infiniband FDR + 40GbE Ethernet 40GbE dual port QSPF+ CONNECTX-3 VPI HCA network card PCI 3.0 format

Home-lab and HPC builders wanting affordable dual-port FDR InfiniBand or 40GbE connectivity with VPI flexibility on legacy-supported drivers.

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About this product

Key features

  • 40GbE per port, dual port HCA network card + Infiniband FDR

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Specifications

Type
Dual-port VPI HCA
Model
Mellanox MCX354A-FCBT (ConnectX-3 VPI)
Modes
VPI — InfiniBand or Ethernet per port
Ports
2x QSFP+
Speed
InfiniBand FDR (56G) and 40GbE Ethernet
Bus Interface
PCIe 3.0 x8

Pros

  • ✓VPI flexibility — each port runs InfiniBand FDR or 40GbE
  • ✓Dual QSFP+ ports for high-bandwidth server links
  • ✓Widely used, well-documented in HPC/home-lab communities
  • ✓Affordable used/new entry into FDR InfiniBand

Cons

  • ×ConnectX-3 is an older generation — newer OFED/driver support is limited/legacy
  • ×No QSFP+ cables or optics included
  • ×Higher idle power than modern NICs; firmware tuning sometimes needed

FAQ

Can it do both InfiniBand and Ethernet?

Yes, as a VPI adapter each port can be set to InfiniBand (FDR, 56G) or Ethernet (40GbE) via firmware/driver configuration.

Is it still driver-supported?

ConnectX-3 is legacy; it works with older MLNX_OFED and in-box drivers on many Linux/Windows versions, but newest OFED releases have dropped it — verify your OS.

What slot does it need?

A PCIe 3.0 x8 slot for full dual-port bandwidth.