Chelsio 2-port 10/40GbE Half Size Uwire, Enhanced TOE & iSCSI, PCI-E x8 Gen 3, QSFP connector

Unleash the full potential of your data center with Chelsio’s high-performance adapters. The Chelsio T580-CR dual-port 40 Gigabit Ethernet Unified Wire adapter is engineered for cloud infrastructure, virtualization, storage systems, HPC clusters, and latency-sensitive workloads. Built on Chelsio’s fifth-generation T5 technology, this half-size, low-profile PCIe x8 Gen 3 card delivers unmatched throughput, exceptional offloads, and network intelligence that dramatically reduce CPU overhead while improving application response times. With Enhanced TOE and iSCSI offloads, you gain superior I/O efficiency, fewer interrupts, and simpler management across large-scale deployments. Whether you’re consolidating servers, enabling AI workloads, or accelerating storage networking, this adapter is designed to scale with your data center needs.

• Unified Wire architecture with Enhanced TOE & iSCSI offload: Experience streamlined data paths that offload TCP/IP processing and storage traffic from the host CPU. The Unified Wire approach consolidates data paths, minimizing CPU usage while maximizing throughput and reducing latency for both compute and storage traffic.
• Two 40GbE ports on a half-height PCIe x8 Gen 3 card with QSFP connectors: This compact design fits easily into dense data center racks. The dual QSFP connectors support flexible connectivity including direct-attach copper (DAC) cables and fiber transceivers, enabling simplified cabling for 40GbE deployments without sacrificing performance.
• Optimized for cloud, virtualization, storage, and HPC: Designed to handle multi-tenant cloud environments, virtualized servers, and high-throughput storage networks. The adapter reduces host CPU load during virtualization workloads, accelerates storage traffic, and delivers predictable, low-latency networking essential for modern data centers.
• Advanced offloads and virtualization readiness: Beyond TOE and iSCSI offloads, the T580-CR supports advanced virtualization features and select offload capabilities that improve VM density and network efficiency. This makes it ideal for NVMe-oF, hyper-converged infrastructure, and scale-out storage architectures.
• Robust management, interoperability, and reliability: Chelsio’s drivers and management utilities provide broad operating system support (Linux and Windows) with easy driver installation, firmware updates, and compatibility with NIC teaming, VLANs, and SR-IOV. The low-profile form factor and reliable components are built for 24/7 data center operation.

Technical Details of Chelsio 2-Port 10/40GbE Half Size Uwire

• Product family: Chelsio 2-Port 10/40GbE Unified Wire adapter
• Model: T580-CR
• ASIC/ technology: Fifth-generation Chelsio T5 technology (T580-CR) designed for high-throughput 40GbE and advanced offloads
• Form factor: Half-height, low-profile PCI Express card
• PCIe interface: PCIe Gen 3, x8
• Ports/connectors: 2 x QSFP connectors for 40GbE (Unified Wire); supports DAC or fiber transceivers via QSFP modules
• Networking speed: 40GbE unified wire on both ports; optimized for sustained, low-latency throughput
• Offload features: Enhanced TOE (TCP Offload Engine) and iSCSI offload to offload CPU work from data-path processing
• Virtualization support: NIC virtualization capabilities (e.g., SR-IOV-ready with driver support) and compatibility with virtualization ecosystems
• Driver and software: Comprehensive Linux and Windows driver support with management tools and firmware update mechanisms
• Power and cooling: Designed for data center environments with efficient power use and reliable operation
• interoperability: Works with standard 40GbE cabling and ROHS-compliant components; supports standard network management practices

how to install Chelsio 2-Port 10/40GbE Half Size Uwire

• Power down the server and unplug from the power source to prevent static damage.
• Open the chassis and locate an available PCIe x8 slot that matches the half-height card’s profile.
• Remove the slot cover and align the Chelsio Uwire card with the slot. Carefully insert the card until it is firmly seated in the motherboard connector.
• Secure the card to the chassis with the appropriate screw to stabilize the card in place.
• Connect QSFP cables or QSFP transceivers and DAC cables as needed. Use DAC cables for short, direct connections or install QSFP+ transceivers and fiber cables for longer reach.
• Power up the server and install the appropriate drivers. Obtain the latest Chelsio drivers from the official source or your OS’s package repository. Run the installer and follow on-screen prompts to complete the driver installation.
• Configure network interfaces as you would with any NIC: create bond or NIC team if desired, assign VLANs, and enable SR-IOV if your environment requires per-VM network isolation.
• Verify the link status and performance. Use the operating system’s network utilities and Chelsio management tools to confirm 40GbE links are up and offloads are active. Test with representative workloads to ensure stability and throughput.

Frequently asked questions

• Q: What operating systems are supported? A: The Chelsio T580-CR provides drivers for major Linux distributions and Windows. Check the latest driver package for compatibility with your kernel version and Windows release to ensure full TOE and iSCSI offload features are enabled.
• Q: How many ports and what speeds does this card offer? A: The card features two ports, each providing 40GbE unified wire connectivity via QSFP connectors. The Unified Wire approach consolidates network and storage traffic with offloads to maximize performance and reduce CPU load.
• Q: What type of cabling is required? A: Use QSFP+ transceivers for fiber links or direct-attach copper (DAC) cables for shorter connections. The exact cabling depends on your data center topology and distance requirements.
• Q: Can I use this card in a virtualized server environment? A: Yes. The T580-CR supports virtualization features, including SR-IOV-ready capabilities and NIC teaming, enabling efficient VM networking while preserving high throughput and low latency.
• Q: Is firmware update important? A: Keeping firmware and drivers up to date is recommended to maintain peak performance, improve stability, and ensure compatibility with newer hypervisors and software stacks.
• Q: Why choose Chelsio Unified Wire over competing NICs? A: The Chelsio Unified Wire approach combines high-throughput 40GbE with enhanced offloads (TOE and iSCSI), lower CPU utilization, and robust virtualization support. It’s designed to simplify data center networking while delivering consistent performance in cloud, storage, and HPC workloads.