Intel X520-DA2 (low-profile bracket) - $100 ($60 BO)

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Lance Joseph

Member
Oct 5, 2014
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Found this:
Intel/Dell 10Gb Dual Port NETWORK ADAPTER CARD X520-DA2 (E69818)

$100 each. Seller came down to $60 each (for two) on a Best offer.
If these are genuine, then this has to be a pretty sweet deal.
The bracket/PCI-E bender can be removed / discarded.
More than 10 available as of this posting.

A few of these in a pfsense appliance could make for a nice, cheap 10Gbe SFP+ switch.
Speaking of which, I've started building my own pfsense 10Gbe bridge.
If anyone is interested in instructions, I can post a write up.
 
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RTM

Well-Known Member
Jan 26, 2014
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Have anyone else been able to get it down to 60$?
The closest I got was 80$, anyone have better luck/skills?
 

Marsh

Moderator
May 12, 2013
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[QUOTE=" I've started building my own pfsense 10Gbe bridge.
If anyone is interested in instructions, I can post a write up.[/QUOTE]

Please, I love to see the write up of building a 10gb switch using pFsense
 
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briandm81

Active Member
Aug 31, 2014
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And i can just use an sfp+ twinax to connect two servers directly with a pair of these?
 

PithyChats

Active Member
Feb 3, 2015
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And i can just use an sfp+ twinax to connect two servers directly with a pair of these?
That is correct. This still uses the ethernet standard, and the twinax acts like a patch cable. The difference is the twinax has build in sfp+ connectors. Thus you can connect them directly and just assign IP addresses to each and away you go.
 

RTM

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Jan 26, 2014
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I managed to snag two at 60$ each from the second batch, anyone know if I can use Brocade active sfp+ DAC cables with these NICs? (I want to replace my Brocade 1020s, but would prefer to keep the 1m cables I already have)

In any case, what are good optics for these NICs?
Preferably something that might be found on eBay or inside Europe, Fiberstore is not really a great option due to import fees.
 

Kristian

Active Member
Jun 1, 2013
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The active cables I bought for my brocades 1020's (I think they are cisco and a noname brand) are working without a problem.
As optics I reused the fibrestore optics I bought for the brocades (import fees to eurpoe were still lower than buying anything else) and original intels I snatches with a card from a ebay deal out of the uk I think forgiventhrumercy auf eBay.
He has those lamps every once in a while.
 
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RTM

Well-Known Member
Jan 26, 2014
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Wow, someone picked up that last deal for $35!! That's less than $18 per port!
My Dell branded X520-DA2's just arrived today and are in good working condition.

There's a boot image updater on Dell's website:
http://downloads.dell.com/FOLDER02861870M/2/Network_Firmware_6FD9P_WN64_16.5.20_A00.EXE
Wow that is cheap o_O

If you want to use PXE booting, you could probably use the official Intel images instead (I think there's a good chance that it is more recent):
Download Intel® Ethernet Connections Boot Utility, Preboot images, and EFI Drivers

In the past I have updated some of my other Intel based NICs (a couple of i350's and a 1000 pro ET) with the Intel image (they provide a Linux version of the bootutil tool, unlike what I have seen from Fujitsu and others).
 

Naeblis

Active Member
Oct 22, 2015
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Folsom, CA
I managed to snag two at 60$ each from the second batch, anyone know if I can use Brocade active sfp+ DAC cables with these NICs? (I want to replace my Brocade 1020s, but would prefer to keep the 1m cables I already have)

In any case, what are good optics for these NICs?
Preferably something that might be found on eBay or inside Europe, Fiberstore is not really a great option due to import fees.

the brocade cables work, and I have found compatible optics on eBay for about 25 each
 

Lance Joseph

Member
Oct 5, 2014
82
40
18
My 10G pfSense switch is up and running!
Bridging them was a little bit of a challenge.
Now I wish I had more than two PCI-E slots!