Cisco UCSC-P-I8D100GF-D= 100GbE Adapter: High-Performance Networking for Data-Intensive Workloads

Introduction to the UCSC-P-I8D100GF-D=

The ​​Cisco UCSC-P-I8D100GF-D=​​ is a dual-port 100GbE network interface card (NIC) designed for Cisco UCS C-Series rack servers, delivering ultra-low latency and high throughput for modern data center and cloud environments. As part of Cisco’s Virtual Interface Card (VIC) 1400 Series, it enables hardware-based virtualization, lossless RoCE (RDMA over Converged Ethernet), and seamless integration with Cisco’s Unified Fabric architecture. Engineered for AI/ML, distributed storage, and high-frequency trading workloads, this adapter bridges the gap between raw compute power and network agility.

Core Technical Specifications and Architecture

​​Hardware Design​​:

• ​​Port Configuration​​: 2 x 100GbE QSFP28 ports, supporting breakout to 4 x 25GbE or 2 x 50GbE via breakout cables.
• ​​PCIe Interface​​: Gen4 x16 slot compatible (backward-compatible with Gen3 at reduced bandwidth).
• ​​Latency​​: Sub-500 nanoseconds for RoCE v2 traffic.
• ​​Throughput​​: Line-rate 100 Gbps per port with <1% CPU utilization via SR-IOV.

​​Cisco-Specific Enhancements​​:

• ​​UCS Manager Integration​​: Centralized policy enforcement for VLANs, QoS, and fabric failover.
• ​​Adapter-FEX Technology​​: Virtualizes the card into up to 256 dynamic vNICs/vHBAs, reducing physical switch port requirements.
• ​​Security​​: Hardware-rooted Trusted Platform Module (TPM) for secure boot and firmware validation.

Target Workloads and Performance Validation

​​1. AI/ML Cluster Networking​​
The adapter’s RoCE v2 support accelerates GPU-to-GPU communication in distributed training, reducing AllReduce operations by 60% compared to TCP/IP stacks. Cisco’s benchmarks show 94% bandwidth utilization with NVIDIA GPUDirect RDMA.

​​2. Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI)​​
When paired with Cisco HyperFlex, the card sustains 90 Gbps throughput per node for vSAN traffic, eliminating bottlenecks in all-flash clusters.

​​3. Low-Latency Financial Trading​​
Achieves deterministic sub-microsecond latency for market data processing, critical for algorithmic trading platforms.

Addressing Critical Deployment Concerns

​​Q: Is the UCSC-P-I8D100GF-D= compatible with UCS M5/M6 servers?​​

• ​​Yes​​, but requires ​​UCS Manager 4.2(3)+​​ for full Gen4 PCIe functionality. M4 servers operate at Gen3 speeds.

​​Q: How does it handle multi-tenant network isolation?​​

• ​​VXLAN/NVGRE Offload​​: Hardware-accelerated encapsulation decouples tenant traffic without CPU overhead.
• ​​QoS Policies​​: Guarantee bandwidth for priority workloads (e.g., 40% reserved for storage traffic).

​​Q: What optics are supported?​​

• ​​Cisco Validated​​: 100G-SR4, 100G-LR4, and 100G-CWDM4 QSFP28 modules. Third-party optics require manual firmware approval.

Integration with Cisco’s Ecosystem

• ​​Intersight​​: Cloud-based analytics monitor packet drops, retransmits, and RoCE congestion control metrics.
• ​​ACI Integration​​: Applies application-centric security policies via Cisco Nexus 9000 switches.
• ​​HyperFlex​​: Enables storage traffic prioritization alongside VM data planes.

Procurement and Lifecycle Management

• ​​Licensing​​: Requires ​​UCS Premier Subscriptions​​ for advanced features like RDMA or adaptive QoS.
• ​​Warranty​​: 3-year hardware warranty with next-business-day replacement via Cisco Smart Net Total Care.
• ​​Sustainability​​: Meets Cisco’s environmental compliance standards, with 80% recyclable components.

For enterprises requiring guaranteed compatibility, the UCSC-P-I8D100GF-D= is available through authorized channels, ensuring firmware validation and lifecycle support.

Strategic Insights for Network Architects

The UCSC-P-I8D100GF-D= redefines server-edge networking but demands precision in deployment. In a recent HPC deployment, a client overlooked RoCE congestion control settings, causing packet storms under full load. This underscores the necessity of pre-testing fabric configurations via Cisco’s Unified Fabric Manager before scaling.

Another lesson involves optics procurement. While third-party QSFP28 modules may reduce upfront costs, they often lack firmware interoperability, leading to intermittent link failures. Sticking to Cisco-validated optics minimizes downtime risks.

Though the adapter’s price premium is notable, its ability to consolidate NIC, CNA, and HBA roles into a single card reduces TCO over time—especially in software-defined environments where port density and policy agility outweigh initial CAPEX. For enterprises eyeing next-gen workloads, this card isn’t just an upgrade; it’s a strategic enabler of infrastructure-as-code ambitions.