AMD’s new Solarflare X4 Ethernet Adapters aim to cut network latency and boost performance for high-speed trading and analytics systems.
AMD has introduced its Solarflare X4 Ethernet Adapters, designed to meet the growing performance demands of latency-sensitive sectors such as high-frequency trading and real-time analytics. Building on more than 15 years of use in global financial systems, the Solarflare line is already a core component in many of the world’s largest stock exchanges. The new X4 series represents a significant upgrade, offering enhanced speed and reliability for high-throughput environments, such as financial trading systems, where even minor delays can have a substantial impact on outcomes.
AMD Solarflare X4542 and X4522 Features
The X4 lineup includes two models, the X4542 and X4522, both designed in a half-height, half-length (HHHL) form factor. Each model supports a range of Ethernet speeds and port options to accommodate diverse deployment needs:
- X4542-PLUS (Dual QSFP):
- 2x 40/50/100 GbE
- 4x 1/10/25 GbE
- X4522-PLUS (Dual SFP):
- 2x 1/10/25/50 GbE
These cards are built around a custom low-latency ASIC that supports PCIe Gen5 x8 and provides up to 53G PAM4 support. Key features include passive cooling under 25W, support for both Forward Error Correction (FEC) and non-FEC interfaces, programmable packet processing, and precise time synchronization using PTP.
According to AMD, the X4 adapters deliver up to 40% lower latency compared to previous generations, specifically the X2 series. Performance improvements include:
- Over 320ns latency reduction versus X2
- Up to 12% lower latency compared to competitor solutions when paired with AMD’s EPYC 4005 Series CPUs
- Enhanced packet ingestion and 200% higher system performance than the X2 series
Such performance gains are particularly relevant in latency-sensitive environments, where microseconds can impact trading outcomes. The adapters offer backward compatibility, enabling firms to upgrade without having to overhaul their existing network infrastructure.
Dual Data Path Architecture
To meet diverse operational needs, the X4 adapters also feature two distinct data paths:
- Enterprise Data Path: A full-featured, low-latency path with support for multicast packet replication, jumbo frames, and both stateless and stateful offloads.
- Express Data Path: The Express Data Path is optimized for minimal latency and includes Contention-Free Transmit Path IO (CTPIO), allowing up to 128 active CTPIO senders. It supports out-of-order delivery without falling back on Direct Memory Access (DMA).
This flexibility enables organizations to customize the adapter’s behavior to suit various application profiles, ranging from deterministic, low-latency messaging to high-throughput analytics.
Integrated Software Support with Onload
The X4 series works hand-in-hand with AMD’s Onload software suite, which includes OpenOnload and EnterpriseOnload. This software combination further enhances performance by minimizing CPU overhead and enabling predictable response times.
In fast-paced trading environments, Onload is especially useful for handling large volumes of small data packets without system bottlenecks. By efficiently offloading network operations, the software enables CPUs to focus on tasks such as trade decision-making and analytics.
Designed for Mission-Critical Financial Systems
Beyond pure performance metrics, AMD emphasizes consistency, security, and integration. The X4 adapters include sideband NIC management, time synchronization capabilities, and secure networking features essential for compliance in regulated markets.
Although initially developed for capital markets, the adapters are suitable for any scenario that demands consistent, deterministic networking performance.
Further technical specifications are available on AMD’s official Solarflare X4 product page.
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