Intel X520 and X540 Dual Port 10 GbE Adapters for
System x and ThinkServer
Product Guide
The Intel X520 and X540 Dual Port 10 GbE adapters for System x are powered by reliable and proven 10
Gb Ethernet technology. These adapters offer full line-rate 10 Gbps performance for high-IO intensive
applications, and showcase the next generation in 10 GbE networking features for the enterprise network
and data center. For ThinkServer, the X520 and X540 adapters also include FCoE and iSCSI Converged
Ethernet support.
The Intel X520 adapter provides SFP+ based connectivity options (fiber or DAC cabling). The Intel X540
adapter offers 10GBASE-T connectivity with RJ-45 ports, with compatibility with the existing 1000BASE-T
network, simplifying the transition to the 10 Gb Ethernet technology. Both the X520 and X540 are available
in either standard PCIe low-profile card form factor or mezzanine card form factor.
Figure 1. Intel X540-T2 Dual Port 10GBaseT Adapter for System x
Did you know?
In a multicore platform, the Intel X520 and X540 adapters support Intel I/O Virtualization Technology
(IOVT), which helps accelerate data across the platform, therefore improving application response times.
For virtualized environments, Intel Ethernet adapters offer advanced features with VMDq that lower
processor utilization and increase I/O performance.
The X520 and X540 adapters are available in special mezzanine form factors for supported System x and
ThinkServer systems. This form factor allows you to use the server's standard PCIe slots for other
technologies.
Intel X520 and X540 Dual Port 10 GbE Adapters for System x and ThinkServer
1
