Mezzanine Network Cards

Mezzanine cards: Compact network cards for modular server solutions

Many people are familiar with the concept of a network card. But what is a mezzanine card? It is the counterpart to the ‘standard’ PCIe expansion card and was developed specifically for blade servers or modular server systems (e.g. nodes). In modern data centres, space savings and compactness are often worth their weight in gold. Ultra-dense server systems in narrow chassis therefore require special components, and this is where mezzanine adapters come into play.

These special expansion cards are plugged directly into the mainboard or a dedicated expansion slot and can thus provide additional functions (e.g. expansion interfaces, communication protocols, network connection, etc.).

The term ‘mezzanine expansion card’ or the suffix ‘mezzanine’ originally comes from architecture. Mezzanine, or more precisely the Italian word ‘mezzanino’, derived from “mezzo” = ‘middle’, refers to a mezzanine floor in a building, which is located between the main floors. This is actually similar to mezzanine cards for servers: they are also mounted parallel to the mainboard – like a kind of ‘mezzanine floor’ – and lie flat on the carrier card.

Buy used mezzanine cards for blades at low prices

Just like with standard network cards, there are many advantages to buying used mezzanine cards. Those who opt for used mezzanine network cards for blade servers benefit from significant cost savings – refurbished hardware is up to 70% cheaper than comparable new products. Refurbished mezzanine adapters are therefore ideal for SMEs and budget-conscious companies and institutions.

However, make sure you only purchase mezzanine cards from reputable suppliers and professional IT refurbishers such as us. We offer you tested quality, technically and visually flawless hardware, many years of expertise in the used market and a large selection of different components. In our hardware shop, you will find a wide selection of HPE, DELL or Fujitsu mezzanine cards for various blade models and generations.

In addition to our large selection with many special models such as FlexFabric, FibreChannel NICs and HBAs, we also offer fast shipping if you urgently need a spare part or upgrade. Almost all of our items are in stock and available immediately – you can find the exact delivery time in the respective product description. Our customer service is also available via email, telephone or chat and offers quick help with questions about products or compatibility.

Typical areas of application for mezzanine adapters

Similar to how network cards differ in terms of connections and protocols (RJ-45 NICs, SFP+ NICs or InfiniBand NICs), mezzanine adapters also differ depending on their area of application or purpose. This allows additional functions such as network, storage or fibre channel connectivity to be provided. The advantage of mezzanine plug-in cards is that they are particularly space-saving and enable modular expansion – even if no conventional PCIe slots are available.

Mezzanine blade adapters are typically used in high-availability environments, e.g. in server blades, nodes, virtualised data centres and memory-intensive applications such as database servers or backup systems. Before purchasing a new adapter, it is important to know exactly which system (model & generation) you need it for.

This is because the various manufacturers of blade systems have their own compatibility requirements, which can also vary between different models and generations. Unlike normal PCIe adapters, where a plug-in card can fit into several systems, it is necessary to check carefully whether the desired adapter is compatible with the existing system. You can find this information either in our product description or in the respective manufacturer's data sheet. If you have any questions about compatibility, please contact us using our contact form and provide us with the part number of your server and the desired adapter.

Manufacturers & standards: Designs and connection types of mezzanine cards

What functions do mezzanine cards offer? These compact adapters can be used, for example, for network applications (Ethernet, Fibre Channel, InfiniBand), storage (RAID, SAS) or remote management connectivity (e.g. iDRAC, iLO).

The exact design and connection type depend heavily on the respective manufacturer:

• HPE mezzanine cards
  HPE offers a wide range of mezzanine cards for ProLiant blades and Synergy blades. Some of these are branded Emulex or QLogic mezzanine adapters that have been specially manufactured for HP blade servers. Typical modules include HPE mezzanine network adapters, adapters for management applications and HPE FLB (FlexibleLOM). Well-known models include the NC542m Flex-10 Ethernet card, the QHM2672 Fibre Channel adapter, the HPE FlexFabric 650FLB 20G adapter, the HPE LPE1605 FC HBA, and 10G mezzanine cards such as the NC553M NIC.

• DELL mezzanine cards
  iDRAC expansion modules, management mezzanine NICs, and fabric adapters are also available specifically for the DELL PowerEdge Blade series, i.e. the M series and MX series. DELL also works with manufacturers such as QLogic in this area. Well-known models include the QME2662 Fibre Channel HBA, the DELL X710-K QuadPort 10G Ethernet mezzanine card and the DELL FastLinQ 41262 Dual 10G/25G Converged Ethernet NIC.

• Fujitsu mezzanine cards
  Fujitsu also uses mezzanine adapters in its Primergy BX blades and cooperates with Intel, among others. Well-known examples include the D3025-A11 10GbE mezzanine card and modular RAID controllers such as the Fujitsu PRAID EM400i and PRAID CM400i.

• Cisco mezzanine cards
  For Cisco's UCS Blade Server series, there are mezzanine cards for RAID, network and fibre channel, among other things. These are called, for example, UCS Fabric Extenders (FEX modules for network integration) or have special model numbers such as Cisco UCSB-VIC-M83-8P (VIC 1380 mezzanine adapter).

• IBM mezzanine cards
  Systems such as the IBM BladeCenter H (HS22, HS23, HS23E), LS22 / LS42, HX5 or JS23 / JS43 also support mezzanine cards. Well-known models include the IBM Dual Port 10GbE Virtual Fabric Adapter, IBM QLogic QME2572 FC HBA, IBM Emulex LPe1205 FC HBA and the Intel X520-DA2 Dual Port 10G SFP+ Ethernet Mezzanine NIC Module.

These slots are usually not standardised, meaning that mezzanine cards are not universally compatible. Particularly noteworthy are the blade adapters from QLogic and Emulex, which have established themselves as host bus adapters (HBAs) for Fibre Channel, for example. QLogic offers powerful 8Gb and 16Gb adapters with the QMH2562 and QME2662, which are optimised for high IOPS and virtualisation functions. Emulex, on the other hand, scores with models such as the LPe1205 or LPe1605, which impress with their high energy efficiency, virtual fabric support and centralised management.

Mezzanine adapters vs. PCIe cards – what are the differences?

What is the difference between mezzanine cards and classic PCIe adapters? While PCIe cards are externally accessible and installed via the PCIe slot, mezzanine cards are installed internally and often have proprietary slots (manufacturer-specific compatibility). While the PCIe card is inserted horizontally into the PCIe slot, the mezzanine card is mounted directly on the mainboard to save space – the former are therefore more likely to be used in rack and tower servers, while mezzanine adapters are used in blade or node systems.

Especially with compact chassis form factors, it is important to be able to expand performance and functions in the most space-saving way possible. The advantage of mezzanine network cards over classic PCIe cards is that they require less space and offer more room for air circulation and other components in the smallest of spaces. Thanks to their direct connection, they communicate quickly with the system as they are connected close to the processor or chipset.

This allows you to expand your server system in a modular and cost-effective manner – especially if you opt for refurbished hardware when purchasing.