Guides · 7 min read
Proxmox server as a VMware alternative: hardware, migration
What Proxmox VE can do, how it differs from VMware, what hardware a Proxmox server needs and how to move your VMs across.
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Network Cards
Network cards for servers bring 10, 25, 40 or 100 Gbit/s per port to your system for fast access to NAS and SAN, live migration, Ceph clusters or backup networks. The range includes PCIe cards from Intel (X520, X540, X710, E810) and Mellanox/NVIDIA ConnectX-4 to ConnectX-6, plus vendor-specific form factors such as Dell rNDC, HPE FlexibleLOM and OCP 3.0. Before buying, check the connector: SFP+ (10G) and SFP28 (25G) need transceivers or DAC cables, while RJ45 cards (10GBASE-T) work with Cat6a copper cabling. At 100 Gbit/s the PCIe link matters; PCIe 3.0 x16 is enough for one fully loaded port. Some cards only accept approved transceivers, as noted in the product description. Drivers are included in Linux, Proxmox, TrueNAS, VMware ESXi and Windows Server. All cards are tested and come with 12 to 36 months warranty.
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Buying a 10GbE network card: SFP+, 25GbE and 40GbE for servers
A 10GbE network card is the sensible starting point for most servers: it gives ten times the throughput of gigabit, and used cards are widely available. Whether you go for 10, 25 or 40 Gbit/s depends on your switch, cabling and workload – backup, live migration and links to storage servers gain the most. Below you'll find the port types, the cabling question and the cards in our range.
SFP+, SFP28 and QSFP+: the ports
- SFP+: 10 Gbit/s over a single lane. The standard for 10GbE in the rack; with suitable modules many ports also run at 1 Gbit/s.
- SFP28: 25 Gbit/s over a single lane, same form factor as SFP+. SFP28 ports generally accept SFP+ modules and cables too, and then run at 10 Gbit/s.
- QSFP+: 40 Gbit/s from four bundled 10G lanes. A QSA adapter turns it into a single SFP+ port for 10 Gbit/s.
- RJ45 (10GBASE-T): 10 Gbit/s over copper patch cables, no modules needed. Handy where Cat6a cabling is already in place.
DAC cables or transceivers?
DAC cables (direct attach copper) are copper cables with fixed connectors, typically 1 to 5 m long. They're the cheapest link within a rack or to the next one, use hardly any power and have the lowest latency. Active optical cables (AOC) cover longer runs, also with fixed ends.
Transceivers with fibre make sense beyond a few metres or between rooms. SR modules for multimode fibre reach about 300 m (OM3) or 400 m (OM4) at 10 Gbit/s, and about 70 or 100 m at 25 Gbit/s. LR modules for single-mode fibre manage 10 km. Either way, watch the coding: some cards only recognise approved modules and cables.
Questions about Network Cards
Answers to the questions we hear most often before a first order.
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