Solarflare SFN8522 $20 shipped

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BeTeP

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Mar 23, 2019
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@Markess brought my attention to this ebay seller who had a few "Solarflare SF-109042" cards listed at $25 shipped. By the time I saw that auction - it had been sold out. But then I checked the seller's other auctions and I found this Solarflare SF-109041 lot and I ordered 1 card to check it out. Well I received it and it turned out to be the same SFN8522 but with a half height bracket.

Also SF-109041 and SF-109042 are Solarflare part numbers just for the brackets. The internal (manufacturing) part number (silk screened on the PCB) is SF10-050020.
 
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zack$

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Aug 16, 2018
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This is an amazing price

Product brief lists two models:

• SFN8522M
• SFN8522-G

Any idea which this is? Only -G supports MCTP over SMBus.
 

Markess

Well-Known Member
May 19, 2018
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@Markess brought my attention this this ebay seller who had a few "Solarflare SF-109042" cards listed at $25 shipped. By the time I saw that auction - it had been sold out. But then I checked the seller's other auctions and I found this Solarflare SF-109041 lot and I ordered 1 card to check it out. Well I received it and it turned out to be the same SFN8522 but with a half height bracket.

Also SF-109041 and SF-109042 are Solarflare part numbers just for the brackets. The internal (manufacturing) part number (silk screened on the PCB) is SF10-050020.
I completely forgot about the half height bracket models! I went back to post the full height bracket ones here, but they were sold out. Earlier, I'd actually figured out the SF-10941 was one with half height bracket, and bought the SF-10942 on a guess it was full height. I guessed right that it was full height, but as we determined in the other thread though, I had no idea which model it actually was. I guess that it was a good price?

I wonder, is it worth it to pick up more of these to replace the SFN7122 and Mellanox Connectx-2s in my other equipment? Is the SFN8522 that much better?

This is an amazing price

Product brief lists two models:

• SFN8522M
• SFN8522-G

Any idea which this is? Only -G supports MCTP over SMBus.
I'm not sure about which it was, but the card I got (SF-10942) didn't support any licensing (using SF utilities, SFKEY reported that it didn't support licensing). If MCTP over SMBus is a license feature, like Onload is, then mine at least didn't support it.
 

BeTeP

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2019
653
429
63
This is an amazing price

Product brief lists two models:

• SFN8522M
• SFN8522-G

Any idea which this is? Only -G supports MCTP over SMBus.
You got it backwards. The SFN8522M supports MCTP over SMBus hence the M. The SFN8522 does not.
The card I received is a regular SFN8522.

What's the significance of MCTP over SMBus for you? My understanding is that you will need a BMC support for the specific card anyway.


All 24 cards have been sold today after I posted this. One person grabbed 15 - haggled for 5 then realized it was a steal anyway and bought 10 more out right. Who was that? Raise your hand :D
 
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Markess

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May 19, 2018
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Northern California
All 24 cards have been sold today after I posted this. One person grabbed 15 - haggled for 5 then realized it was a steal anyway and bought 10 more out right. Who was that? Raise your hand :D
Well it wasn't me. Guess I shouldn't have dithered over whether or not to get more!

For anyone reading this, I've bought from this Ebay vendor (Dedicated Networks) multiple times. Quite often, they don't post pictures, so you really have to know what you're buying or take a chance. Prices are all over the place, you're just as likely to see something grossly overpriced as you are to see a value. But, they always seem to be willing to take a highly discounted Best Offer. I've never paid even close to asking for anything from them.
 
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zack$

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Aug 16, 2018
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You got it backwards. The SFN8522M supports MCTP over SMBus hence the M. The SFN8522 does not.
The card I received is a regular SFN8522.

What's the significance of MCTP over SMBus for you? My understanding is that you will need a BMC support for the specific card anyway.


All 24 cards have been sold today after I posted this. One person grabbed 15 - haggled for 5 then realized it was a steal anyway and bought 10 more out right. Who was that? Raise your hand :D
I got the last one...and only one.

Yea, the IPMI thing was my interest. I know there are some inventec boards which do IPMI over a 10G interface that also do regular networking.

Anyone have more info on how the MCTP over SMBus would work, specifically IPMI function on cards like this??
 

mimino

Active Member
Nov 2, 2018
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How's freebsd support for these? Latest drivers on solarflare site seem to be from 2017. Did they drop BSD completely?

@BeTeP could you provide a picture of the card you've received? Especially where any numbers are printed so it can be identified.
 
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Fritz

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Apr 6, 2015
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$20 seems to be too good to be true compared to others on eBay. I ordered 2, hope I get them.
 

Markess

Well-Known Member
May 19, 2018
1,146
761
113
Northern California
$20 seems to be too good to be true compared to others on eBay. I ordered 2, hope I get them.
I got my full height bracket model just fine, and I'd offered a BO for $5 less than asking. I've bought from them before and haven't had a problem. Most recently a batch of 10G SFP+ Transceivers for about $3 ea. shipped, and they're all working fine too. Their pricing policy defies description.
 
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gregsachs

Active Member
Aug 14, 2018
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Well it wasn't me. Guess I shouldn't have dithered over whether or not to get more!

For anyone reading this, I've bought from this Ebay vendor (Dedicated Networks) multiple times. Quite often, they don't post pictures, so you really have to know what you're buying or take a chance. Prices are all over the place, you're just as likely to see something grossly overpriced as you are to see a value. But, they always seem to be willing to take a highly discounted Best Offer. I've never paid even close to asking for anything from them.
50% discount? more? define highly...
 

Markess

Well-Known Member
May 19, 2018
1,146
761
113
Northern California
50% discount? more? define highly...
Yes, I suppose "highly" is different for everyone. The times I tried 20%, I've gotten auto-accepted. I did 20% on this Solarflare NIC and got auto-accepted. Last couple purchases before that I did 40% off and got accepted almost immediately. I haven't tried more.
 

Fritz

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Apr 6, 2015
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My 2 arrived. Awesome deal.

Anybody know where I can pick up 1 full height bracket?
 
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