Dell Intel X710 Quad Port 10Gb Direct Attach SFP+ Converged Network Adapter

The Dell 540-BBIW is a plug-in PCIe network adapter that gives a server or storage system four independent 10-gigabit SFP+ Ethernet connections. By delivering this bandwidth on a single card, it helps consolidate cabling, lower port counts on top-of-rack switches, and free up valuable PCIe slots for other workloads.

This adapter was built with virtualized environments in mind. Features such as Virtual Machine Device Queues and Single Root I/O Virtualization allow each virtual machine to handle traffic directly, which reduces CPU overhead and keeps latency consistent even when the host is under load. If you run VMware, Hyper-V, or KVM on Dell PowerEdge or PowerVault platforms, these capabilities translate to smoother live migrations, faster backups, and more predictable performance for end users.

The card connects through an available PCIe slot and uses SFP+ direct attach copper or fiber modules, so it fits easily into existing 10-gigabit switch infrastructures. Data center teams can aggregate the four ports for up to 40 Gbps of throughput, or isolate them for traffic separation between front-end applications, storage replication, and management networks.

Administrators who handle workloads such as high-volume database replication, real-time analytics, or VM-dense private clouds will appreciate the consistent throughput this adapter offers. It is also a straightforward upgrade path for organizations moving from one-gigabit links to a network fabric that supports software-defined storage, hyperconverged nodes, or container clusters.

Because Dell qualifies the 540-BBIW across a broad list of PowerEdge and PowerVault models, installation is usually as simple as seating the card, applying the latest driver from Dell support, and connecting the SFP+ cables. Firmware updates and diagnostics can be managed through familiar tools such as iDRAC and Dell OpenManage, which keeps maintenance routines aligned with the rest of your server fleet.

Whether you are planning a fresh deployment or expanding an existing rack, the Dell Intel X710-based adapter offers a practical balance of speed, virtual machine awareness, and Dell ecosystem compatibility. It helps future-proof your server investment and gives your network room to grow without a major redesign.

• Four independent 10 Gb SFP+ Ethernet ports on a single PCIe card
• Virtual Machine Device Queues and SR-IOV for efficient traffic handling in virtualized hosts
• Works with a wide range of Dell PowerEdge servers and PowerVault storage systems
• Supports direct attach copper or fiber SFP+ modules for flexible cabling
• Ideal for high-throughput workloads such as database replication, VM clusters, and real-time analytics