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PCIe Gen5 x16 to 4x MCIOx8 NVMe Switch Adapter
Key Features:
4x MCIO 8i (SFF-1016) Ports (dedicated x8 lanes per port)
No. of Devices: Up to 8 Direct, Up to 32 via backplane
Bus Interface: PCIe 5.0 x16
Switch Adapter: Robust, Plug & Play NVMe Storage Expansion solution
Natively supported by Mainstream Operating systems
Supports x86 Intel/AMD & ARM Platforms
Enterprise & Datacenter Class: U.2, U.3, E3.S & E1.S NVMe SSDs
Product Model | Rocket 1628A (R1628A) |
Hardware Features | |
Bus Interface | PCIe 5.0 x16 |
Number of Channel / Port | 8x Device Channels / 4x MCIO Ports (Dedicated PCIe 5.0 x8 per MCIO) |
Connector Type | MCIO (SFF-1016 8x) |
Connector Pinout Definition | SFF-9402 Compliant |
Number of devices | 8 (direct) / Up to 32 (via backplane) |
Data Port Reconfiguration (Downstream Configuration: 1x16 /2x8 /4x4 /8x2 /16x1 ) | Yes |
SSD Form Factor | U.2, U.3, E3.S (via cabling accessories) |
SRIS and REFCLK Support | TBA; please contact Sales for more information |
Downstream port containment | Yes |
Read tracking | Yes |
Synthetic Hierarchy | Yes |
LED Indication | Intelligent, Self-Diagnostic LEDs |
FRU Support | Yes |
SSD Hot-Plug/Hot-Swap Support | Yes |
OOB Management | Yes (BMC and MCTP over PCIe) |
Storage Security Suite | |
Hardware Secure Boot | Yes |
Mechanical Specifications | |
Form Factor | LP-MD2 |
Card Dimensions | 155mm x 68.9mm with primary component 14.1mm |
Card Weight | 0.75 lbs. |
PCIe Bracket | Full-Height Ventilated Bracket |
Cooling Solution | Advanced PCIe Gen5 Cooling Solution |
• Full-Length Aluminum Heatsink (Passive)
• Copper piping
• Compliant with PCIe Specifications | |
Supported Systems | |
OS | Compatible with all operating systems that have native NVMe driver support |
Secure Boot | Yes |
Operating Environment | |
Working Temp. | 0°C ~ + 55°C |
Storage Temp. | -20°C ~ +80°C |
Operating Voltage | PCIe: 12V(+/- 8%), 3.3V (+/- 8%) |
Power | 16.26W |
MTBF (Mean Time Before Failure) | > 5,000,000 hours at 40° C |
Kit Contents | |
Kit Contents | Rocket 1628A NVMe Switch Adapter |
Low-Profile Ventilated Bracket | |
QIG | |
Optional Accessories | |
Cabling | CIO8-8639-110 |
CIO8-CIO8-110 | |
CIO8-1002-110 | |
8654-CIO8-110 | |
PCle Expansion | MCIO-PCIEX16-G5 |
Robust, High-Density PCIe Gen4 NVMe Storage Expansion Solution for Server & Datacenter Applications
HighPoint's Rocket 1628A PCIe Gen5 x16 NVMe Switch Adapter delivers class-leading NVMe storage connectivity expansion capability for Enterprise and Edge computing environments.
The compact LP-MD2 form-factor is fully compliant with industry standard Server and Workstation specifications, and can directly host up to eight U.2, U.3, E3.S and E1.S SSDs, or as many as 32 devices via four MCIO 8i (SFF-1016) ports and cable connections to UBM and VPP compliant storage backplanes.
Armed with state of the art Broadcom PEX89048 Switch ICs, unmatched storage scalability and expansion capabilities, and enterprise reliability serviceability, the Rocket 1628A is an ideal solution for performance-hungry, data-intensive AI/ML, Big Data analytics, and Cloud Computing workloads.
Key Features:
4x MCIO 8i (SFF-1016) Ports (dedicated x8 lanes per port)
Supports Enterprise and Datacenter Class U.2, U.3, E3.S & E1.S NVMe media
Leverages Broadcom's 48-Lane PEX89048 PCIe Switch IC
• Ensures the fastest, densest downstream connectivity possible
• Optimizes signal integrity & stability, and minimizes latency
Natively supported by Mainstream Operating systems; delivers driverless deployment experience
Robust, flexible & scalable; Tailor speed & capacity for the deployment & infrastructure requirements of each Application/Workflow
Customizable Firmware Solution for diverse array of storage infrastructure requirements
Proven, Comprehensive cabling solutions designed for direct-to-device and industry standard backplane connectivity
Designed to maximize performance & connectivity density per PCIe 5.0 x16 Slot:
Achieves up to 60GB/s with support for 32 devices
Hot-Swap/Hot-Plug device Support
Supports Multi-Adapter Configurations: 2 or more Adapters can coexist in a single workstation or server environment
Supports x86 Intel/AMD & ARM Platforms
Powered by Industry Proven PCIe Switching Technology
HighPoint NVMe Switch Adapters are engineered to maximize the potential of each available PCIe x16 slot to deliver peak performance and superior storage connectivity. Each solution leverages Broadcom’s industry-leading x48-Lane PCIe Switch ICs to optimize signal integrity, minimize latency and provide the fastest, densest downstream port connectivity possible in a single-slot device. Learn More...
Tailored for Scalable Storage Infrastructures
The Rocket 1628A's flexible, configurable firmware packages enable the adapter to support a broad range of storage and device configurations designed for integration into data-intensive edge computing and enterprise hardware environments.
Configurable PCIe Lane Counts enable customers to optimize data flow and/or transfer performance to facilitate seamless integration of NVMe media into various storage architectures and workloads.
Compliant with Industry Backplane Specifications: Support UBM (Universal Backplane Management), VPP (Virtual Pin Port) and real-time storage health and connectivity monitoring to ensure full compliance with industry standard backplane specifications for superior reliability.
Comprehensive Storage Communication Interfaces: Support for SMBus, I2C, and advanced Out-of-Band protocols like MCTP and SMC enables the Rocket 1628A to enhance and optimize storage administration across a diverse range of hardware environments.
HighPoint’s flexible, highly-scalable approach to NVMe storage expansion enables enterprise customers to dynamically tailor storage configurations to satisfy evolving requirements of data center and edge computing workloads.
Convert an MCIO 8i port into a Full-Sized PCIe 5.0 x16 Slot
The MCIO-PCIEX16-G5 Expansion bridge card can transform industry standard MCIO ports into PCIe Gen5 x16 slots. Each card can accept up to two MCIO connections and provide up to x16 lanes to the hosted PCIe device. This capability significantly boosts system connectivity, effectively overcoming the PCIe limitations of conventional motherboard design.
Rocket 1628A
Native, Driverless Mainstream OS Support delivers Seamless Deployment Experience
The Rocket 1628A is natively supported by all modern Linux and Windows based operating systems, and utilizes Broadcom’s embedded MPT driver, and the OS’s native NVMe drivers. Administrators need only physically install the Adapter PCIe card – no software installation or unique management suite is required.
HighPoint NVMe Switch storage solutions are universally compatible with all modern operating systems, including Microsoft Windows/Windows Server, Azure and Hyper-V, and Linux distributions such as RHEL, Debian, Ubuntu, & Rocky Linux.
2.5" NVMe media hosted by the Adapter will be automatically recognized by these platforms as ordinary physical disks, and can be formatted and partitioned using the default storage interface or SDS (software defined storage) application of choice.
In addition, native OS compatibility significantly streamlines service and maintenance sessions as support for the hardware is already embedded directly into each OS.
Advanced Field Service Feature Suite
Intelligent Self-Diagnostic LEDs & Alarms: The Rocket 1628A features Built-In Early Warning LED Indicators and Audible Alarms. Simple color coding and light/sound patterns enable administrators to instantly assess the status of hosted NVMe media, the strength of the PCIe connection, and temperature of the PCIe switch hardware.
FRU (Field Replicable Unit) Support: The Rocket 1628A is a field replaceable unit (FRU); the VPD stored on each adapter enables customers and service providers to easily procure replacements with the correct firmware/driver combination.
HighPoint MPT Utility: HighPoint’s MPT Utility offers advanced real-time monitoring and diagnostic services for each Switch Adapter.
Integrated NVMe Hot-Plug & Hot-Swap Capability: Enables administrators to add or remove SSDs while the host platform remains online.
Advanced Cooling Solution
The Rocket 1628A's Advanced PCIe Gen5 NVMe Hardware Cooling Solution is comprised of full-Length Aluminum heat exchanger equipped with an innovative copper piping system designed to rapidly whisk waste heat away from the PEX 89048 switch IC and controller componentry to promote longevity of the adapter hardware.
Versatile Cabling Solutions
The Rocket 1628A is capable of interfacing with a variety of industry standard storage chassis, including internal 2.5” drive bays, Mobile Racks, and storage backplanes via a selection of certified cabling solutions.
These include direct to SSD connections such SFF-8639 (U.2/U.3 SSDs), and SFF-TA-1002 (E1.S/E3.S SSDs).
Options for backplane/mobile rack connectivity include MCIO, SFF-8654, and SFF-8643.
Flexible Multi-Adapter Configurations
Provided there are two or more free PCIe x16 slots, as many as four NVMe Switch Adapters can coexist within a single platform. Operating systems will recognize each Adapter will be recognized as a distinct device, and is capable of operating independently. Configurable in single or multi-AIC/Adapter deployments, HighPoint NVMe Switch solutions offer unmatched flexibility in design and performance optimization.
Applications & Use Cases
HighPoint's The Rocket 1628A is capable of supporting up to 32 NVMe devices via a selection of certified cabling solutions and a single PCIe x16 connection. The compact LP-MD2 adapter is fully compliant with industry-standard storage backplane specifications and communication interfaces, and can be seamlessly integrated into a diverse array of storage infrastructure. Built-in status monitoring and diagnostic capabilities enhance reliability and streamline service workflows, while Native hardware support simplifies the deployment process, ensuring full compatibility with all major operating systems platforms.
The Rocket 1628A's Robust connectivity, Enterprise reliability and serviceability, plug-and-play installation and flexible approach to storage expansion provides an ideal storage platform for a diverse range of applications including Big data analytics, AI/ML workflows, and Cloud Services for Enterprise and Edge server/datacenter environments.
Virtualization & Cloud Computing
Use Cases: Cloud Computing & Virtual Machine hosting
Benefits: Speeds up to 12 million IOPS, 4 to 8 independent M.2 Ports, and Native Linux & Windows support are ideal for VM platforms and Cloud Storage Services.
Enterprise Servers & Datacenters
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Use Cases: Data Centers & Servers
Benefits: Support for 2.5" NVMe media and Native hardware support simplifies service & upgrade workflows, and low-profile form-factor is ideal for datacenters and rackmount storage.
AI & ML Workflows
Use Cases: Neural Networks training, running AI algorithms, & real-time data analytics
Benefits: Accelerates data loading and model training times, supporting high-throughput data processing.
Big-Data Analytics
Use Cases: Applications that process large volumes of data such as real-time analytics and business intelligence applications
Benefits: Rapid access to large datasets, which results in faster analytics and insights generation.
Edge Computing
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Use Cases: Industrial Platforms, Edge Server & Workstations
Benefits: Native hardware support simplifies service & upgrade workflows, and the low-profile form-factor is ideal for compact rack-mount chassis.
PCIe Gen5 Solutions
Product | PCIe | Ports | # of Devices | Cabling | SSD FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rocket 1624A | PCIe 5.0 x16 | 2x MCIO 8x | Up to 16 | Yes | Direct Connect U.2/U.3; Backplane Connection: ESDFF devices such as U.2/U.3/E1.S |
Rocket 1628A | PCIe 5.0 x16 | 4x MCIO 8x | Up to 32 | Yes | Direct Connect U.2/U.3/E3.S;
Backplane Connection: ESDFF devices such as U.2/U.3/E1.S/E3.S |
PCIe Gen4 (2nd-Gen) Solutions
Product | PCle | Ports | # of Devices | Cabling | SSD FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rocket 1528D | PCIe 4.0 x16 | 4x SlimSAS (SFF-8654 8x） | Up to 32 | Yes | Direct Connect U.2/U.3;
Backplane Connection: ESDFF devices such as U.2/U.3/E1.S |
PCIe Gen3 Solutions
Product | PCle | Ports | # of Devices | Cabling | SSD FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rocket 1180 | PCIe 3.0 x16 | 8x MiniSAS | Up to 8 | N/A | Direct Connect U.2/U.3;
Backplane Connection: U.2/U.3 |
Rocket 1120 | PCIe 3.0 x16 | 4x MiniSAS | Up to 4 | N/A | Direct Connect U.2/U.3;
Backplane Connection: U.2/U.3 |
NOTE: Please email to GeneralSales@highpoint-tech.com for more information about upgrading to latest software and documents.
HighPoint NVMe Switch Adapters and Systems from our Partners
Accessory | Image | Description |
|---|---|---|
CIO8-CI08-110 | 1 Meter MCIO 8i to MCIO 8i cable | |
8654-CIO8-110 | 1 Meter MCIO 8i to SFF-8654 cable | |
CIO8-1002-110 | 1 Meter MCIO 8i host to SFF-TA-1002 Device Cable | |
CIO8-8639-110 | 1 Meter MCIO 8i host to SFF-8639 Device Cable | |
MCIO-PCIEX16-G5 | 2x MCIO to PCIe 5.0 x16 Expansion Bridge Card |