StarTech OR41GI-NETWORK-CARD 4-Port Gigabit OCP 3.0 Server Network Card

Overview

The StarTech OR41GI-NETWORK-CARD is a four-port Gigabit Ethernet OCP 3.0 mezzanine network adapter built around the Intel I350-AM4 controller — a proven, enterprise-grade silicon choice found in high-density server environments worldwide. If your datacenter or edge server platform specifies an OCP 3.0 Small Form Factor (SFF-TA-1002) slot, this is the card that fills it cleanly: four independent GbE links from a single 168-pin 4C+ host connector, drawing a measured 4.65W average. That power efficiency matters in high-density blade and OCP server chassis where thermal budgets are tight. The OR41GI-NETWORK-CARD (often searched as OR41GI NETWORK CARD) targets IT architects and server integrators who need multi-port, standards-compliant GbE connectivity without the overhead of 10GbE infrastructure.

Key Features

• Intel I350-AM4 Controller: The I350 has deep driver support across Linux, Windows Server, and VMware ESXi ecosystems. Choosing a card built on proven Intel silicon means you're not hunting for out-of-tree drivers or dealing with compatibility surprises at 2 AM during a deployment window.
• OCP 3.0 / SFF-TA-1002 Interface: The OCP 3.0 standard (168-pin 4C+ connector) integrates directly into OCP-compatible server motherboards — no PCIe slot consumed, no riser card required. This preserves full-length PCIe slots for storage or GPU cards in space-constrained 1U/2U OCP platforms.
• Four Independent GbE Ports: Four RJ45 ports running at 1Gbps each give you 4Gbps of aggregate bandwidth potential from a single mezzanine footprint. In surveillance recording servers handling multiple camera streams, network segmentation (management, camera, storage) becomes straightforward without adding a separate switch or consuming external ports.
• 9K Jumbo Frame Support: Jumbo frames (up to 9,000 bytes) reduce CPU overhead on high-throughput transfers — useful when moving large video files between nodes or running iSCSI storage traffic across the same fabric. Enable this in tandem on the connected switch for any real benefit.
• IEEE 802.3az Energy-Efficient Ethernet: EEE compliance means the adapter drops into a low-power idle state during link quiet periods. Combined with a 4.65W average draw (5.2W maximum), this card is well-suited for always-on server environments where power and cooling costs accumulate over years.
• IEEE 802.1Q VLAN and 802.1p QoS: Native VLAN tagging and traffic prioritization at the NIC level lets you segment camera, management, and iSCSI traffic on the same physical ports without a managed switch performing all the heavy lifting. Useful in converged infrastructure builds.
• IEEE 802.1X Port Authentication: 802.1X support means this adapter can participate in network access control (NAC) environments — relevant in enterprise deployments where every device on the network must authenticate before being granted access.
• IEEE 802.1AX Link Aggregation: LACP-capable aggregation lets you bond two or more ports for increased throughput or redundancy to a compatible switch, providing a straightforward path to sub-link-failure resilience without complex configuration.
• Compact Physical Footprint: At 5.2 x 3.3 x 0.6 inches and 3.5 oz, the card fits the OCP SFF mezzanine form factor without mechanical interference issues. Verify your server chassis specifies OCP 3.0 SFF-TA-1002 (4C+) before ordering — OCP 2.0 and non-SFF OCP 3.0 connectors are physically incompatible.
• Operating Temperature 5°C–50°C: Rated for standard datacenter and server room environments. Not rated for industrial edge deployments below freezing — factor this in if the server will be deployed in an unheated facility or outdoor-rated enclosure.

Integration and Compatibility

The OR41GI-NETWORK-CARD targets servers with an OCP 3.0 Small Form Factor (SFF-TA-1002) mezzanine slot. Confirm your motherboard or server platform explicitly lists OCP 3.0 SFF 4C+ (168-pin) compatibility before procurement — OCP 2.0 and OCP 3.0 Large Form Factor variants use different connectors and are not interchangeable. The Intel I350-AM4 controller is broadly supported in major operating systems and hypervisors, making this card suitable for VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Linux KVM builds. For server network cards deployed in IP surveillance environments, the four independent ports enable dedicated camera ingress, NVR management, and iSCSI or NFS storage traffic on separate VLANs from a single card. Pair with a managed Gigabit switch that supports 802.1Q and 802.3az to take full advantage of the card's VLAN and EEE capabilities. For broader infrastructure planning, review our PoE and network planning guide when sizing your camera network architecture. If your build demands 10GbE uplinks alongside multi-port GbE, consider pairing this card with a compatible SFP module solution on your core switch rather than upgrading the server NIC. Explore the full StarTech networking line for complementary server connectivity options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the OR41GI-NETWORK-CARD compatible with OCP 2.0 server slots?

A: No. The OR41GI-NETWORK-CARD uses the OCP 3.0 SFF-TA-1002 (168-pin 4C+) connector. OCP 2.0 and OCP 3.0 Large Form Factor slots use different physical connectors and are not interchangeable. Verify your server platform specifies OCP 3.0 SFF 4C+ before ordering.

Q: What is the warranty on the OR41GI-NETWORK-CARD?

A: StarTech covers the OR41GI-NETWORK-CARD with a 2-year manufacturer warranty.

Q: Does the OR41GI-NETWORK-CARD support link aggregation (LACP)?

A: Yes. The card supports IEEE 802.1AX link aggregation, allowing you to bond ports for increased throughput or redundancy when connected to an LACP-capable managed switch.

Q: What is the average power draw of the OR41GI-NETWORK-CARD?

A: Average power consumption is 4.65W, with a maximum of 5.2W. Power is supplied through the OCP mezzanine connector — no auxiliary power cable is required.

Q: Does the OR41GI-NETWORK-CARD support jumbo frames?

A: Yes, the card supports jumbo frames up to 9K bytes. For jumbo frames to function correctly, the connected switch ports must also be configured for the same MTU.

Q: What operating temperature range is the OR41GI-NETWORK-CARD rated for?

A: The card is rated for operating temperatures of 5°C to 50°C (41°F to 122°F), which covers standard datacenter and server room environments. It is not rated for sub-freezing or industrial outdoor deployments.

Karl Wilson

The OR41GI-NETWORK-CARD is the kind of component that gets overlooked until someone orders the wrong OCP variant and the server ships without a working NIC. What stands out to me here is the combination of Intel I350-AM4 silicon and OCP 3.0 SFF-TA-1002 form factor — four independent GbE ports from a mezzanine slot that preserves every PCIe lane on the host board for storage or accelerator cards. At 4.65W average draw, this card fits into tight thermal envelopes without special cooling provisions.

Technical Highlights:

• Intel I350-AM4 Controller: Broad driver support across ESXi, Hyper-V, and Linux means no custom driver sourcing — the I350 is a known quantity in enterprise environments and has been for years.
• 9K Jumbo Frame Support: Critical for iSCSI or NFS storage traffic running over the same physical ports as camera ingress — larger frames mean fewer CPU interrupts per byte transferred, which matters on a recording server handling dozens of streams simultaneously.
• 802.1Q VLAN + 802.1X NAC: You can segment camera, management, and storage VLANs at the NIC level and enforce port authentication — both handled in hardware without consuming hypervisor CPU cycles.

Deployment Considerations:

• Confirm your target server explicitly lists OCP 3.0 SFF-TA-1002 (168-pin 4C+) support — some OCP 3.0 platforms implement the Large Form Factor variant, which is physically incompatible. This is the single most common procurement mistake with OCP NICs.
• The 5°C lower operating temperature limit rules this card out for unheated edge enclosures or outdoor server installs without active climate control — plan accordingly for remote site deployments.

For a high-density OCP 3.0 surveillance recording server where PCIe slots are allocated to NVMe storage and the thermal budget is under pressure, the OR41GI-NETWORK-CARD delivers four segmentable GbE ports without touching a single expansion slot — a clean fit for converged 1U OCP platforms running 32–64 camera channels with local NVMe storage.