NVIDIA

NVIDIA ConnectX-5 Ex EN 25GbE Dual-Port SFP28 NIC

Name: 900-9X5AZ-0053-ST5 - NVIDIA ConnectX-5 Ex EN 25GbE Dual-Port SFP28 NIC
Brand: NVIDIA
SKU: 900-9X5AZ-0053-ST5
Price: 418 USD
Availability: InStock

MPN: 900-9X5AZ-0053-ST5·By: NVIDIA

Part #:900-9X5AZ-0053-ST5RefurbishedIn stock

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900-9X5AZ-0053-ST5 - NVIDIA ConnectX-5 Ex EN 25GbE Dual-Port SFP28 NIC-

$418.00

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Product overview

The NVIDIA ConnectX-5 Ex EN (900-9X5AZ-0053-ST5) is an enterprise-grade network interface card engineered for high-performance data center environments. This dual-port 25GbE adapter features SFP28 connectors and supports both PCIe Gen 3.0 and Gen 4.0 x8 configurations, delivering flexible deployment options for existing and next-generation server platforms. The tall bracket form factor (2.71 in. x 5.6 in.) accommodates standard rack-mount server designs. Key capabilities include IEEE 802.3 standards compliance (1GbE through 25GbE), jumbo frame support up to 9.6KB, and advanced link negotiation supporting x16, x8, x4, x2, or x1 lane configurations. The adapter includes 128Mbit SPI Quad Flash memory for firmware updates and FRU EEPROM for parameter storage. RoHS compliant with IC Part Number MT28808A0-FCCF-EV, this card is ideal for cloud infrastructure, virtualized environments, and high-speed interconnect applications requiring reliable, low-latency Ethernet connectivity.

Dual-port 25GbE SFP28 connectivity for high-speed data center networking.
PCIe Gen 3.0/4.0 x8 support with auto-negotiation to x16, x4, x2, x1.
Jumbo frame support up to 9.6KB for optimized large-packet throughput.
IEEE 802.3 standards compliance from 1GbE through 25GbE Ethernet.
128Mbit SPI Quad Flash and FRU EEPROM for firmware and configuration storage.
RoHS compliant tall bracket design fits standard enterprise server form factors.

Expedited and overnight shipping options are available at checkout, priced by destination and service.
Purchase orders accepted from qualified institutions.
Refunds within 14 days and replacements within 30 days of delivery with an RMA (25% restocking fee on customer-initiated returns), and every part carries our Standard 30-Day Warranty - see our return policy or contact US IT Hardware.

Featuring

Manufacturer part #	900-9X5AZ-0053-ST5
Brand	NVIDIA
Condition	Refurbished
SKU	900-9X5AZ-0053-ST5
Category	Networking
Model Name	ConnectX-5 Ex EN
Device Type	Plug-in Card (PCIe Adapter)
Product Line	ConnectX-5 Ethernet Adapter Cards
Product Type	Network Interface Card (NIC)
RDMA Support	RoCE (RDMA over Converged Ethernet), iSER (iSCSI Extensions for RDMA)
Driver Support	MLNX_OFED (OpenFabrics Enterprise Distribution), vendor-specific drivers (Dell, HPE, Lenovo, Cisco)
ESD Protection	Special circuits to protect from ESD shocks during installation/removal
IC Part Number	MT28808A0-FCCF-EV
LED Indicators	One bi-color (yellow/green) I/O LED per port for link status indication
RoHS Compliance	RoHS Compliant
Firmware Version	ConnectX-5 Firmware v16.35.4030 LTS (current as of March 2026)
FCC Certification	FCC certified under IC Part Number MT28808A0-FCCF-EV
Interrupt Mechanisms	MSI/MSI-X support
Firmware Update Method	128Mbit SPI Quad Flash storage; firmware updates via MLNX_OFED or vendor tools
Precision Time Protocol	IEEE 1588v2 PTP support for sub-microsecond clock synchronization
Supported Operating Systems	Linux (RHEL, Ubuntu), Windows Server (2016, 2019, 2022), FreeBSD, VMware ESXi, Hyper-V

Storage

Memory	128Mbit SPI Quad Flash (W25Q128FVSIG by ST Microelectronics) + FRU EEPROM

Network & Communication

Ethernet Data Rate	1GbE, 10GbE, 25GbE (per port)
Maximum Throughput	50Gbps aggregate (dual 25GbE ports at line rate)

Power Consumption

Power Consumption	Approximately 25W typical (powered from PCIe slot; no external power connectors required)

Physical Characteristics

Form Factor	2.71 in. × 5.6 in. (68.90mm × 142.24mm) tall bracket
Bracket Type	Tall bracket for standard 1U/2U server form factors
Cable Management	Dual SFP28 ports positioned for easy cable routing in high-density rack environments

Environmental

Operating Temperature	0°C to 40°C ambient (typical data center range)

Interface/Ports

Network Ports	Dual-port SFP28
Connector Type	SFP28 (Small Form-factor Pluggable 28Gbps)
PCIe Interface	PCIe Gen 3.0/4.0 x8 (auto-negotiates to x16, x8, x4, x2, x1)
SerDes Link Rates	2.5GT/s, 5.0GT/s, 8.0GT/s (Gen 3.0); 2.5GT/s, 5.0GT/s, 8.0GT/s, 16.0GT/s (Gen 4.0)
PCIe Specification	PCIe 4.0 with backward compatibility to PCIe 3.0
Jumbo Frame Support	Up to 9.6KB maximum frame size
IEEE Standards Compliance	IEEE 802.3 (1GbE), 802.3an (10GbE), 802.3bj (25GbE)

Compatible systems

The ConnectX-5 Ex EN is compatible with all major enterprise server platforms (Dell PowerEdge, HPE ProLiant, Lenovo ThinkSystem, Cisco UCS) from 2016 onward. It supports Linux, Windows Server, FreeBSD, VMware ESXi, and Hyper-V operating systems with native drivers. The adapter requires a PCIe Gen 3.0 or Gen 4.0 x8 slot and SFP28 transceivers or DAC cables for network connectivity. No additional power connectors or special cooling are required.

Dell PowerEdge
Model: R640, R650, R660, R750, R760
Form factor: 1U, 2U
Generation: 14G, 15G, 16G
Compatible with PCIe Gen 3.0 and Gen 4.0 slots; tall bracket fits standard slot spacing.
HPE ProLiant
Model: DL360, DL380, DL560, DL580
Form factor: 1U, 2U
Generation: Gen10, Gen10 Plus, Gen11
Supports both PCIe Gen 3.0 and Gen 4.0 configurations with auto-negotiation.
Lenovo ThinkSystem
Model: SR630, SR650, SR670, SR750, SR850
Form factor: 1U, 2U
Generation: 2nd Gen, 3rd Gen
Compatible with standard PCIe x8 and x16 slots; firmware updates available through Lenovo support.
Cisco UCS
Model: C240 M5, C240 M6, C480 M5, C480 M6
Form factor: 1U, 2U
Generation: 5th Gen, 6th Gen
Requires Cisco-validated firmware; compatible with UCS Manager and Intersight management.

Best for

Data Center Networking
Top-of-rack (ToR) and leaf-spine deployments requiring 25GbE port density with low-latency east-west traffic forwarding in virtualized environments.
Cloud Infrastructure
Multi-tenant cloud platforms and OpenStack/Kubernetes clusters leveraging dual-port 25GbE for VM-to-VM and VM-to-storage traffic optimization.
High-Performance Computing
HPC clusters and scientific computing environments requiring deterministic, low-latency interconnect with support for RDMA and advanced congestion control.
Storage Area Networks
SAN environments with NVMe-over-Fabrics (NVMeoF) and iSER protocols, delivering 25GbE throughput for high-speed block storage access.
Enterprise Virtualization
VMware vSphere and Hyper-V deployments requiring dual-port 25GbE for vMotion, storage replication, and inter-VM communication at scale.
Financial Services Networks
Low-latency trading and financial data processing environments where 25GbE deterministic performance and IEEE 1588v2 PTP support are critical.

Frequently asked questions

What are the maximum throughput specifications for the ConnectX-5 Ex EN 900-9X5AZ-0053-ST5?

The adapter delivers dual 25GbE ports, providing up to 50Gbps aggregate throughput when both ports operate simultaneously at full line rate. Each port supports 1GbE, 10GbE, and 25GbE speeds with auto-negotiation. The PCIe Gen 3.0 x8 interface provides 64Gbps bandwidth (8.0GT/s × 8 lanes), while PCIe Gen 4.0 x8 doubles this to 128Gbps, ensuring no bottleneck between NIC and host system.

Is this NIC compatible with PCIe Gen 4.0 servers, and what are the backward compatibility considerations?

Yes, the ConnectX-5 Ex EN fully supports both PCIe Gen 3.0 and Gen 4.0 x8 configurations with automatic link rate negotiation (2.5, 5.0, 8.0, or 16.0GT/s). It maintains backward compatibility with PCIe Gen 3.0 x16 slots and can negotiate down to x4, x2, or x1 lanes if necessary. This flexibility allows deployment in mixed-generation data center environments without requiring separate SKUs.

What firmware and driver support is available for this adapter?

NVIDIA provides official firmware updates through the ConnectX-5 Firmware v16.35.4030 LTS release cycle. The adapter includes 128Mbit SPI Quad Flash memory (W25Q128FVSIG by ST Microelectronics) for firmware storage and supports MSI/MSI-X interrupt mechanisms. Drivers are available for Linux, Windows, and FreeBSD operating systems through NVIDIA's MLNX_OFED (OpenFabrics Enterprise Distribution) and vendor-specific driver packages.

Does this NIC support RDMA and advanced networking protocols?

Yes, the ConnectX-5 Ex EN supports Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) over Converged Ethernet (RoCE) and iSER (iSCSI Extensions for RDMA) protocols. It includes IEEE 1588v2 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) support for sub-microsecond clock synchronization in latency-sensitive applications. These capabilities make it suitable for HPC clusters, financial trading systems, and storage area networks requiring deterministic performance.

What is the physical form factor and bracket configuration?

The adapter measures 2.71 inches × 5.6 inches (68.90mm × 142.24mm) and ships with a tall bracket for standard enterprise server designs. The dual SFP28 ports are positioned for easy cable management in high-density rack environments. The tall bracket accommodates both 1U and 2U server chassis with standard PCIe slot spacing, making it compatible with Dell, HPE, Lenovo, and other major OEM platforms.

What environmental and compliance certifications does this product carry?

The ConnectX-5 Ex EN is RoHS Compliant (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) and carries FCC certification under IC Part Number MT28808A0-FCCF-EV. It includes ESD protection circuits on the adapter card to safeguard against electrostatic discharge during installation and removal. The product meets enterprise-grade reliability standards for data center deployments with redundant firmware storage and comprehensive firmware update mechanisms.