Lenovo 25Gigabit Ethernet Card

Experience transformative networking performance with the Lenovo 25Gigabit Ethernet Card, a purpose-built PCI Express 3.0 x16 adapter engineered for servers, workstations, and high-demand storage ecosystems. Built around the reliable Broadcom 57454 chipset, this four-port SFP28 card delivers up to 25G per port, enabling you to scale data center bandwidth without sacrificing latency or reliability. Ideal for data-intensive workloads such as virtualization, large-scale databases, AI-assisted analytics, and fast-backed storage replication, this adapter brings enterprise-grade reliability to Lenovo hardware and compatible platforms. The optical fiber option ensures long-reach, interference-free connectivity across racks and data centers, while the low-profile bracket height allows seamless installation in dense chassis where space is at a premium. Whether you’re consolidating virtual machines, performing live migrations, or accelerating backups, the Lenovo 25Gigabit Ethernet Card provides the headroom and efficiency you need to keep applications responsive and users productive.

• Quad-port 25G connectivity with SFP28 optical interfaces delivers high-bandwidth, low-latency networking across four independent ports, enabling link aggregation, multi-pathing, and flexible network topologies to suit virtualization, storage fabrics, and cluster interconnects.
• Broadcom 57454 chipset delivers mature drivers, robust performance, and broad OS compatibility, ensuring reliable operation across Windows, Linux, and hypervisor environments while simplifying firmware and security updates.
• 3.0 x16 PCIe host interface provides abundant bandwidth headroom for intensive workloads, allowing virtualization hosts, databases, and high-performance clusters to saturate the network without contending for I/O on other devices.
• 25GBASE-X over SFP28 optics delivers efficient, scalable fiber connectivity with excellent reach and signal integrity, reducing cable clutter and enabling longer fiber runs between servers, switches, and storage arrays.
• Low-profile bracket height enables installation in dense data-center chassis and blade servers where space is tight while maintaining solid airflow and cooling for sustained performance over time.

Technical Details of Lenovo 25Gigabit Ethernet Card

• Interface: PCI Express 3.0 x16
• Form Factor: Low-profile PCIe plug-in card
• Ports: 4 x SFP28 25GBASE-X optical fiber interfaces
• Data Transfer Rate: Up to 3.13 GB/s per port (theoretical)
• Chipset: Broadcom 57454
• Media: Optical fiber (SFP28 transceivers required for fiber links)
• Bracket: Low-profile height suitable for dense racks and compact chassis
• Standards: 25GBASE-X, PCIe 3.0 x16 compatible
• Plug-in Card: Hot-plug capable in compatible systems with appropriate drivers and firmware

How to install Lenovo 25Gigabit Ethernet Card

• Power down the system, unplug from power, and ground yourself to prevent static discharge. Open the chassis and locate an available PCIe slot that supports PCIe 3.0 x16 or higher.
• Remove the slot cover corresponding to the target PCIe slot and ensure there is enough clearance for the card’s length and the low-profile bracket in your enclosure.
• Insert the Lenovo 25Gigabit Ethernet Card firmly into the PCIe x16 slot, making sure the connector seats evenly and the card is parallel to the motherboard. Secure the card with the appropriate screw in the slot bracket.
• Attach the SFP28 transceiver modules and fiber cables to the four optical ports. Use the correct fiber type (single-mode or multi-mode) and confirm the fiber connections are clean and properly seated to avoid signal loss.
• Power on the system and enter the BIOS/UEFI to verify that the PCIe slot is enabled and configured for the appropriate speed (preferably Gen 3/x16) to ensure maximum throughput.
• Install or update the network drivers in the operating system. For Windows, install the Broadcom 57454 drivers; for Linux, load the appropriate kernel module and firmware updates. After installation, configure each of the four NICs as needed (IP addressing, bonding/teaming, VLANs, and routing).

Frequently asked questions

• What is 25GBASE-X? 25GBASE-X is a 25 Gbps Ethernet standard that uses SFP28 optical interfaces for high-speed networking. It provides scalable bandwidth with low latency, ideal for data centers, virtualization hosts, and storage networks requiring fast uplinks or inter-server connectivity.
• How many ports does this card include? The Lenovo 25Gigabit Ethernet Card features four independent SFP28 ports, enabling multiple 25G links on a single PCIe card for flexible network design, aggregation, and fault tolerance.
• Which operating systems are supported? The card is designed to work with a broad range of operating systems, including Windows and Linux distributions, with drivers provided for the Broadcom 57454 chipset. Always verify driver availability for your specific OS version and kernel.
• Do I need separate transceivers or optics? Yes. The SFP28 ports require compatible 25G SFP28 transceivers and fiber cables to establish physical links. Choose single-mode or multi-mode transceivers based on your fiber infrastructure and distance requirements.
• Can I use this card in a dense Lenovo server or blade enclosure? Absolutely. The low-profile bracket height is designed for dense deployments, providing reliable performance in space-constrained chassis while leaving adequate airflow for cooling.
• Is port aggregation supported? Yes. With four independent 25G ports, you can configure link aggregation, NIC teaming, or virtualization fabric interconnects to maximize throughput, reduce latency, and improve redundancy across your data plane.
• What kind of applications benefit most from this card? Applications requiring high-throughput network access such as virtualized server clusters, real-time analytics, high-performance databases, AI/ML data pipelines, and fast backup/replication systems benefit most from 25G connectivity and multi-port versatility.
• Is this card compatible with Lenovo servers? The card is designed to integrate with Lenovo servers and workstations, offering optimal compatibility, firmware support, and driver availability for Lenovo environments and validated configurations.