Dell X540-T2 Converged Dual Port Network Adapter

Overview

The Dell 3DFV8 is a converged dual-port network adapter designed to deliver 10 Gbps Ethernet connectivity through a PCI Express x8 interface. It features two RJ-45 ports that support full 10 Gbps speeds over standard Cat6a or Cat7 copper cabling, enabling high-bandwidth network links without the need for fiber optics. This adapter is well suited for servers and workstations that require fast, reliable network connections for demanding workloads such as virtualization, database management, and large data transfers.

Key features

• Two 10 Gbps RJ-45 ports that use existing copper cabling, reducing infrastructure costs and complexity
• PCI Express x8 interface compatible with a wide range of servers and workstations
• Supports network convergence to carry storage, data, and management traffic over a single physical connection, simplifying cable management and switch port usage
• Enables port teaming for redundancy or link aggregation to combine bandwidth up to 20 Gbps
• Easy installation with plug-and-play detection by the operating system
• Designed to handle heavy network workloads such as virtual machine migrations, database queries, and backup operations

Key specs

• Controller: Intel X540-T2
• Ports: 2 x RJ-45 10 Gbps Ethernet
• Interface: PCI Express x8 (compatible with x8 and x16 slots)
• Cabling: Supports Cat6a and Cat7 copper cables
• Maximum link speed: 10 Gbps per port, 20 Gbps aggregated

Connectivity and compatibility

This adapter fits into any server or workstation with an available PCIe x8 or x16 slot, making it a flexible upgrade option. The use of RJ-45 connectors means it integrates seamlessly with standard Ethernet networks and existing copper cabling infrastructure. It supports common network configurations including link aggregation and port teaming, which enhances both performance and reliability in enterprise environments.

Ideal uses and environments

The Dell 3DFV8 excels in environments where high-speed, low-latency network connections are critical. It is a strong choice for virtualization hosts that require fast data movement between virtual machines, database servers handling large queries, and backup targets needing rapid data transfer. Its support for network convergence also makes it suitable for hyper-converged infrastructure setups where multiple types of traffic share the same physical network link.