Broadcom 10 Gb Gen 2 2-port and 4-port Ethernet Expansion Cards (CFFh) for IBM BladeCenter
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Broadcom 10 Gb Gen 2 2-port and 4-port Ethernet
Expansion Cards (CFFh) for IBM BladeCenter
IBM BladeCenter at-a-glance guide
IBM is committed to offering both function and flexibility to our clients through our products. IBM
BladeCenter was the first to offer end-to-end 10 Gb Ethernet in a blade server configuration, and these
expansion cards are part of that offering. IBM offers two new versions of the card, 2-port and 4-port, both
based on the new Broadcom 57711 controller. The existing cards, based on the proven Broadcom 57710
module, will continue to be available to support customers who want to maintain a consistent hardware
configuration.
Figure 1 shows the Broadcom 10 Gb Gen 2 2-port Ethernet Expansion Card (CFFh). The 4-port card has
a second Broadcom module under the heatsink and is almost identical.
Figure 1. Broadcom 10 Gb Gen 2 2-port Ethernet Expansion Card (CFFh)
Did you know?
Installing a Broadcom 10 Gb 4-port Gen 2 Ethernet Expansion Card to every blade server in a
BladeCenter H chassis, plus the addition of four High-Speed I/O Modules, allows up to 40 Gbps of
Ethernet bandwidth to every server in the chassis. This has the potential of meeting even the most
bandwidth-intensive application needs, such as virtualization.
The adapter connects to the midplane directly, without having to use cables or SFP modules. By
eliminating these components for up to 14 servers, the resulting savings alone cover the BladeCenter
chassis investment.
