Mellanox ConnectX-6 MCX623106AN-CDAT Dual-Port 100GbE Adapter

Overview

The Mellanox ConnectX-6 MCX623106AN-CDAT is a high-performance dual-port 100GbE SmartNIC designed for data centers, cloud computing, and high-performance enterprise networks. With PCIe 4.0 ×16 connectivity, broad Ethernet speed support, and RDMA acceleration, it delivers ultra-low latency, high throughput, and advanced offload capabilities for demanding workloads such as virtualization, HPC, storage, and AI/ML applications.

Key Features & Detailed Analysis

1. Dual-Port 100GbE QSFP56

• Supports 100/50/40/25/10/1 GbE speeds for maximum flexibility
• Two QSFP56 ports provide high-speed, full-duplex connectivity
• Compatible with QSFP28 transceivers, DAC, and AOC cables

2. PCIe 4.0 ×16 Host Interface

• High-bandwidth interface ensures full utilization of dual 100GbE ports
• Supports 16.0 GT/s link rate for ultra-fast data transfer

3. Advanced SmartNIC Capabilities

• Mellanox MT2892 ConnectX-6 Dx controller for high-performance networking
• Supports RDMA (RoCE/iWARP) for low-latency, high-efficiency communication
• Offload features reduce CPU load and accelerate data center workloads

4. Broad Operating System Support

• Compatible with Windows, RHEL/CentOS, VMware, FreeBSD
• Supports OFED and WinOF-2 drivers for RDMA-enabled environments

5. Enterprise Deployment Features

• Ideal for cloud, virtualization, storage, HPC, and AI workloads
• Supports high-density, low-latency, and scalable server architectures
• Warranty: 3 months

Target Use Cases

1. Hyperscale & Enterprise Data Centers

• Provides high-speed 100GbE connectivity for top-of-rack or spine-leaf deployments

2. Virtualization & Cloud Platforms

• RDMA and SmartNIC features optimize VM networking and CPU utilization

3. High-Performance Computing & AI/ML

• Low-latency, high-throughput solution for cluster and GPU workloads

4. Storage & NVMe Fabrics

• Supports iWARP and RoCE for accelerated storage networking

5. Flexible Multi-Speed Environments

• Backward-compatible with 50/40/25/10/1GbE for mixed-speed infrastructures

Summary

Strengths

1. Dual-port 100GbE QSFP56 with broad multi-speed support
2. PCIe 4.0 ×16 interface for high-bandwidth performance
3. RDMA and SmartNIC offload capabilities for low-latency workloads
4. Compatible with QSFP28, DAC, and AOC cables
5. Supports multiple operating systems and driver stacks
6. Suitable for HPC, virtualization, AI, cloud, and storage networks

Considerations

1. Requires PCIe x16 slot for full performance
2. Transceivers or cables not included
3. Enterprise-focused NIC; overkill for standard office networking

Conclusion

The Mellanox ConnectX-6 MCX623106AN-CDAT delivers high-speed, low-latency dual-port 100GbE connectivity with RDMA and SmartNIC acceleration. Its flexible multi-speed support, PCIe 4.0 interface, and advanced offload features make it ideal for modern data centers, HPC clusters, virtualized servers, and AI/ML workloads.