Intel X540-T2 X540T2 User Manual

Product codes
X540T2
Page of 5
Intel® Ethernet Converged Network 
Adapter X540
10GBASE-T converged network adapter simplifies migration to 10 GbE, provides iSCSI, FCoE, Virtualization, and Flexible 
Port Partitioning.
10 Gigabit for the Broad Market
The Intel® Ethernet Converged Network 
Adapter X540 is the latest innovation 
in Intel’s leadership to drive 10 Gigabit 
Ethernet into the broader server market. 
This adapter hosts Intel’s latest Ether-
net silicon, the Intel® Ethernet Controller 
X540, which is used by many OEMs as a 
single chip solution for LAN on Mother-
board (LOM) to deliver 10 Gigabit Ethernet 
(10 GbE) on the latest server platforms. 
10GBASE-T Simplifies the  
Transition to 10 GbE
The Intel X540 family of products works 
with existing networks today. It works 
with legacy Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) 
switches and Cat 6A cabling. Install the 
Intel X540 adapter into a server and the 
auto-negotiation between 1 GbE and 10 
GbE provides the necessary backwards 
compatibility that most customers require 
for a smooth transition and easy migration 
to 10 GbE. When time and budget allows, 
10GBASE-T switches can be added any 
time to experience the full benefits of 10 
GbE. 
10GBASE-T uses the copper twisted pair 
cables that are very familiar to IT profes-
sionals today. It is everything you know 
and love about 1000BASE-T. The knowl-
edge, training and investment in BASE-T 
are preserved. 10GBASE-T is the easiest 
and most versatile 10 GbE and you can 
deploy it anywhere in your data center. Its 
flexible reach from 1 meter to 100 meters 
supports the latest network architectures 
including Top of Rack (ToR), Middle of Row 
(MoR), and End of Row (EoR).
10G Performance at Low Cost  
and Low Power
The new Intel® Ethernet Converged 
Network Adapter X540 is the lowest cost 
way to deploy 10 GbE in your data center 
today. The Intel X540 uses low cost, Cat 
6 and Cat 6A cabling. Chances are this 
cabling already exists in the data center. 
A way for Intel to reduce cost and power 
is to integrate components into a single-
chip solution. Of course, integration is 
what Intel does best. With the new Intel 
X540 Controller, the MAC and the PHY are 
integrated into a single-chip solution.
So, why is integration important? First, 
integration translates to lower power. 
A single-chip solution simply uses less 
power than two separate components. 
This means no more active heat sink and 
reduces the per-port power consumption. 
Second, integration also means lower cost 
per port. Manufacturing a single part costs 
less than two. When cabling is accounted 
for, cost efficiencies realized from a single 
part mean 10GBASE-T is the lowest cost 
media to deploy.
With lower cost and power, 10GBASE-T is 
ready for broad deployment. 10GBASE-T is 
an option for every rack and tower server 
in the data center.  The wait for a low cost 
10 GbE copper solution to broadly deploy 
10 GbE to all corners of the data center 
is over. The new Intel X540 adapter 
provides bandwidth-intensive applications 
with highly affordable 10 GbE network 
performance and cost-effective RJ-45 con-
nectivity for distances up to 100 meters.
Key Features
• Low Cost, Low Power, 10 Gigabit 
Ethernet (10GbE) Performance for the 
Entire Datacenter
• Standard CAT-6a Cabling with RJ45 
Connectors
• Backward Compatibility with Existing 
1000BASE-T Networks Simplifies the 
Transition to 10GbE 
• Flexible I/O virtualization for port 
partitioning and quality of service (QoS) 
of up to 64 virtual ports
• Unified Networking Delivering LAN, iSCSI, 
and FCoE in One Low Cost CNA
• Industry First Dual-Port 10GBASE-T 
Adapter with Single-Chip Solution with 
Integrated MAC + PHY
• Reliable and proven 10 Gigabit Ethernet 
technology from Intel Corporation
ProduCT BriEF
intel® Ethernet Converged Network Adapter X540
Network Connectivity