Broadcom BCM5720-2P: The Enterprise Standard for Gigabit Connectivity

Table of Contents

• 1.0 What is the BCM5720-2P? (Overview)
• 1.1 The NetXtreme® Architecture: Reliability First
• 1.2 Key Features at a Glance
• 2.0 Technical Specifications (Datasheet Deep Dive)
• 2.1 Host Interface: PCIe 2.0 x2
• 2.2 Performance Metrics and Hardware Offloads
• 2.3 Power Efficiency (EEE) and Thermal Design
• 3.0 BCM5720-2P vs. Intel I350-T2: A Comparison
• 3.1 Architecture Differences
• 3.2 Which One Should You Choose?
• 4.0 Applications and Virtualization
• 4.1 Virtualization Support (VMDq and SR-IOV)
• 4.2 Management Traffic and NC-SI
• 5.0 Driver Installation and OS Support
• 5.1 Supported Operating Systems
In an era where data centers are migrating to 25GbE and 100GbE fabrics, the humble 1 Gigabit Ethernet (1GbE) adapter remains a critical component of the enterprise infrastructure. It serves as the reliable backbone for management traffic, OS deployment, and legacy network integration. At the forefront of this market is the Broadcom BCM5720-2P.

Found in millions of Dell PowerEdge, HPE ProLiant, and Lenovo ThinkSystem servers, the BCM5720-2P is more than just a commodity part. It is a highly optimized, energy-efficient NetXtreme® I controller designed to deliver line-rate performance without burdening the host CPU.

Whether you are upgrading a legacy server or provisioning a new rack, understanding the capabilities of this specific adapter is essential for maintaining a stable and efficient network. This guide dives deep into the BCM5720-2P, exploring its specs, its advantages over competitors like Intel, and its role in modern virtualization.

1.0 What is the BCM5720-2P? (Overview)

The BCM5720-2P is a dual-port 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet adapter. It is based on the Broadcom BCM5720 controller, which is part of the 13th generation of NetXtreme I Quad/Dual Gigabit Ethernet Controllers.

1.1 The NetXtreme® Architecture: Reliability First

Broadcom's NetXtreme architecture is legendary in the IT world for its focus on "stateless offloads." This means the chip handles routine tasks—like calculating TCP checksums or segmenting large data packets—in hardware. This frees up the server's CPU to run applications rather than managing network traffic, a crucial feature for high-density virtualization.

1.2 Key Features at a Glance

Dual-Port: Two RJ45 copper ports supporting Cat5e/Cat6 cabling.

Interface: PCI Express v2.0 x2 (compatible with x4, x8, x16 slots).

Form Factor: Available as a standard PCIe card or an OCP (Open Compute Project) mezzanine card.

Efficiency: Supports Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) to reduce power consumption during low data activity.

2.0 Technical Specifications (Datasheet Deep Dive)

To understand why this card is a staple in enterprise servers, we need to look at the silicon.

2.1 Host Interface: PCIe 2.0 x2

Unlike many consumer NICs that use a PCIe x1 lane, the BCM5720-2P utilizes a PCIe 2.0 x2 interface.

Bandwidth: Provides 5 GT/s per lane, ensuring that both Gigabit ports can operate at full duplex line rate simultaneously without bottling the bus.

Backward Compatibility: It works seamlessly in PCIe 3.0 and 4.0 slots.

2.2 Performance Metrics and Hardware Offloads

The BCM5720 isn't just a dumb pipe; it's a smart processor.

Feature	Description	Benefit
TCP/UDP Offload	Checksum Offload (CSO)	Reduces CPU overhead
TSO	TCP Segmentation Offload	NIC handles packet splitting
RSS	Receive Side Scaling	Distributes traffic across CPU cores
Jumbo Frames	Up to 9600 bytes	Higher throughput for large transfers

2.3 Power Efficiency (EEE) and Thermal Design

Data centers are power-constrained. The BCM5720-2P supports IEEE 802.3az Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE). When the link is idle, the controller enters a low-power mode, significantly reducing the energy footprint of the server rack over time.

3.0 BCM5720-2P vs. Intel I350-T2: A Comparison

The biggest rival to the Broadcom BCM5720 is the Intel I350-T2. Both are excellent, but they have distinct differences.

3.1 Architecture Differences

Feature	Broadcom BCM5720-2P	Intel I350-T2
PCIe Interface	PCIe 2.0 x2	PCIe 2.0 x4
Virtualization	NetQueue, VMQ	VMDq, SR-IOV (more robust)
Power	Lower	Slightly higher
Market	Dell / HPE OEM	General channel / white-box

3.2 Which One Should You Choose?

Choose Broadcom BCM5720-2P if: You are deploying Dell PowerEdge servers (where it is the native LOM), need a low-power footprint, or require cost-effective reliable connectivity for management/OOB networks.

Choose Intel I350-T2 if: You require extensive SR-IOV support for older virtualization stacks or are building white-box servers where Intel compatibility is preferred.

4.0 Applications and Virtualization

While 1GbE is no longer the data plane for AI or storage clusters, it is vital for virtualization management.

4.1 Virtualization Support (VMDq and SR-IOV)

The BCM5720-2P supports hardware-assisted virtualization features:

NetQueue (VMware): Improves performance in ESXi environments by allowing the NIC to sort packets into separate queues for different VMs.

VMQ (Microsoft): Similar technology for Hyper-V, ensuring that network traffic doesn't overwhelm a single CPU core.

4.2 Management Traffic and NC-SI

One of the most critical roles of this card is supporting NC-SI (Network Controller Sideband Interface). This allows the server's BMC (Baseboard Management Controller)—like iDRAC or iLO—to share the physical network port. This means you can remotely reboot or manage a server even if the operating system is down, using the BCM5720 port.

5.0 Driver Installation and OS Support

5.1 Supported Operating Systems

Broadcom provides robust driver support for:

Microsoft Windows Server: 2012 R2, 2016, 2019, 2022.

Linux: Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), SUSE, Ubuntu (uses the tg3 driver kernel module).

Virtualization: VMware ESXi (native driver support in most ISOs).

Warning: In Linux environments, the BCM5720 typically uses the tg3 driver. Ensure you are not trying to force the bnxt_en driver, which is reserved for newer 10G/25G NetXtreme E-Series cards.

In Conclusion

The Broadcom BCM5720-2P proves that "legacy" speed doesn't mean obsolete utility. In the complex architecture of modern data centers, it provides the reliable, energy-efficient, and manageable connectivity required for the control plane. Whether acting as the primary interface for a small business server or the management link for a massive cloud cluster, the BCM5720-2P remains an industry standard.

If you are looking to source this card or other high-performance networking components, visit AichipLink for competitive pricing and reliable stock.

 

 

 

 

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Written by Jack Elliott from AIChipLink.

 

AIChipLink, one of the fastest-growing global independent electronic   components distributors in the world, offers millions of products from thousands of manufacturers, and many of our in-stock parts is available to ship same day.

 

We mainly source and distribute integrated circuit (IC) products of brands such as Broadcom, Microchip, Texas Instruments, Infineon, NXP, Analog Devices, Qualcomm, Intel, etc., which are widely used in communication & network, telecom, industrial control, new energy and automotive electronics. 

 

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