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Broadcom NetXtreme E2100

Overview

The Broadcom NetXtreme E2100 is a high-performance 10 Gigabit Ethernet network interface card (NIC) designed for servers, workstations, and enterprise networks. It delivers low latency, high throughput, and enterprise-grade reliability for modern networking environments.

Key Specifications

  • Type: Network Interface Card (NIC)
  • Ports: 1 × 10GbE or 2 × 10GbE (depending on model)
  • Interface: PCIe 3.0 or PCIe 4.0 (model dependent)
  • Chipset: Broadcom NetXtreme E2100
  • Throughput: Up to 20 Gbps aggregate
  • OS Support: Windows, Linux, VMware ESXi
  • Features: TCP/UDP checksum offload, Large Send/Receive Offload, VLAN tagging, Jumbo Frames, SR-IOV

Features

  • High-Speed Connectivity: 10GbE ports for fast server networking.
  • Advanced Offloads: Supports checksum offload, Large Send/Receive Offload, and VLAN tagging to reduce CPU load.
  • Jumbo Frames: Up to 9KB frame size for improved network efficiency.
  • Virtualization Ready: SR-IOV support for efficient VM networking.
  • Enterprise Reliability: Built for 24/7 operation in data centers and high-demand environments.

Use Cases

  • Enterprise Servers: Ideal for database servers, application servers, and SAN/NAS integration.
  • Virtualized Environments: Efficiently supports multiple virtual machines with offload features.
  • High-Performance Computing (HPC): Low-latency networking for clusters and compute nodes.
  • Cloud Infrastructure: Reliable NIC for high-bandwidth cloud and storage applications.

Pros & Cons

Pros
✔ 10GbE connectivity with high throughput
✔ Offload features reduce CPU usage
✔ SR-IOV support for virtualization
✔ Enterprise-grade reliability for 24/7 operation

Cons
✖ PCIe 3.0 interface may limit peak throughput compared to newer PCIe 4.0 models
✖ More expensive than standard 1GbE NICs
✖ Configuration and driver updates may be required for optimal performance

Conclusion

The Broadcom NetXtreme E2100 is a robust and reliable 10GbE NIC suitable for servers, virtualized environments, and enterprise networks. With advanced offloads, SR-IOV support, and low-latency performance, it provides a solid networking solution for modern data centers and HPC workloads.