Network adapter NVIDIA BlueField-3 E-Series B3220SH PCIe 5.0 x16, 200 Gbps QSFP112 x2

NVIDIA BlueField-3 E-Series B3220SH is a high-performance network adapter with a PCIe 5.0 x16 interface and two QSFP112 ports supporting 200 Gbps each. Built for data center and enterprise environments, this adapter delivers advanced packet processing, hardware offload and accelerated networking functions. It is intended to handle demanding virtualization, storage and security workloads while helping to reduce host CPU utilization and improve overall application latency and throughput.

Advantages

The adapter combines a PCIe 5.0 x16 host interface with dual 200 Gbps QSFP112 ports to provide very high bandwidth and low latency connectivity. Hardware offload capabilities accelerate networking, security and storage tasks, freeing CPU cycles for application processing. The design supports dense, high-throughput server deployments and enables improved responsiveness for virtualized and containerized workloads. Compatibility with common data center networking stacks and support for advanced telemetry and packet steering improve operational efficiency.

Suitable for

• High-performance computing clusters and AI infrastructure requiring fast, low-latency interconnects
• Virtualized server environments and NFV deployments with heavy east-west traffic
• Software-defined storage and distributed file systems with high throughput demands
• Security appliances and inline inspection systems that benefit from hardware offload
• Cloud and enterprise data centers seeking to reduce CPU overhead and increase network efficiency

Key specifications

• Host interface: PCIe 5.0 x16 for maximal bandwidth to the system
• Ports: two QSFP112 physical ports, each supporting 200 Gbps
• Maximum aggregated bandwidth: up to 400 Gbps (bidirectional aggregate)
• Offload features: hardware packet processing, encryption/decryption offload, and programmable acceleration engines
• Form factor: standard full-height, full-length network adapter card suitable for server PCIe slots
• Latency: low-latency architecture targeted at high-performance networking workloads

How to use

Install the network adapter into an available PCIe 5.0 x16 slot following server vendor guidelines and ensure adequate cooling and power availability. Connect optical or direct-attach copper QSFP112 cables to the two 200 Gbps ports depending on the chosen transceivers and cabling. Install and configure vendor-supplied drivers and firmware to enable hardware offload features and management interfaces. Integrate the adapter into your networking stack, configure VLANs, RDMA, and offload settings as required, and validate link speeds and negotiated protocols through operating system tools or management utilities.

Recommendations

For optimal performance, use certified transceivers and high-quality QSFP112 cables, ensure the host BIOS and firmware support PCIe 5.0 operation, and keep drivers and card firmware up to date. Validate thermal and power margins in dense server configurations and tune offload and interrupt settings based on workload profiles to maximize throughput and minimize CPU utilization.