Lenovo 4XC7A93809 NV BF-3 1PX400G DPU B3140H

Lenovo 4XC7A93809 NV BF-3 1PX400G DPU B3140H

Overview

The Lenovo 4XC7A93809 is a Lenovo-qualified option card carrying the NVIDIA BlueField-3 (BF-3) Data Processing Unit with a 1x 400GbE port configuration — a purpose-built SmartNIC/DPU intended for ThinkSystem server platforms where offloading networking, storage, and security workloads from the host CPU is the design objective. The DPU form factor means packet processing, encryption, and infrastructure tasks run on the BF-3 Arm cores rather than consuming host CPU cycles, which matters in dense compute environments where every core counts. As a Lenovo-branded server option (part number 4XC7A93809), it is validated for ThinkSystem compatibility, eliminating the firmware and driver guesswork that comes with third-party adapters.

Manufactured in Mexico (country of origin: MX) and classified under UNSPSC 43211600 (network interface cards and adapters), the 4XC7A93809 ships at approximately 10 lb — consistent with a retail/option-kit package including the card, retention hardware, and documentation. This product is sourced factory-new and genuine; no grey-market, no parallel imports.

DPU-based architectures are most relevant in hyperconverged infrastructure, NVMe-oF storage fabrics, zero-trust network segmentation deployments, and AI/ML clusters where the host CPU offload ratio directly affects throughput scalability. If your workload is standard 10/25GbE switching without acceleration requirements, a conventional Lenovo NIC option at lower cost is likely the correct pick. The BF-3 platform targets environments where the networking layer itself needs programmable, dedicated processing capacity.

Consult your ThinkSystem platform's compatibility matrix and the Lenovo ServerProven database to confirm socket and firmware support before ordering. Integration with Lenovo's XClarity Administrator allows unified management of the DPU alongside the host server.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Which Lenovo server platforms is the 4XC7A93809 compatible with?

A: The 4XC7A93809 is a Lenovo ThinkSystem option. Confirm compatibility for your specific server model and generation via the Lenovo ServerProven compatibility tool before ordering — supported platforms vary by chassis and firmware level.

Q: What does the '1PX400G' designation mean?

A: Based on the product name, '1PX400G' indicates a single-port 400 Gigabit Ethernet configuration on the NVIDIA BlueField-3 DPU. Verify with the Lenovo product page or your account team for full port and speed specifications.

Q: Is the 4XC7A93809 a standard NIC or a DPU?

A: The BF-3 designation identifies this as a Data Processing Unit (DPU) — a SmartNIC with onboard Arm processing cores that can offload networking, security, and storage tasks from the host CPU, unlike a conventional passthrough NIC.

Q: What is the shipping weight of the 4XC7A93809?

A: The product ships at approximately 10 lb, which reflects the full option kit package weight.

Q: Where is the 4XC7A93809 manufactured?

A: Country of origin is Mexico (MX).

James Everett

The 4XC7A93809 sits in a specific corner of the Lenovo ThinkSystem option catalog — the NVIDIA BlueField-3 DPU class — and the decision to spec it is driven by architecture, not throughput alone. A 400GbE port is the interface; the programmable Arm cores on the BF-3 are why you're actually here.

Technical Highlights:

• DPU offload architecture: Unlike a conventional NIC, the BF-3 runs its own OS and processing pipeline — network virtualization, IPsec, and storage fabric tasks execute on the DPU's Arm cores, returning host CPU cycles to your workload. In dense AI or HCI deployments, that offload ratio translates directly to usable compute headroom.
• 400GbE single-port: A single 400G interface simplifies cabling in spine-leaf fabrics while delivering the bandwidth needed for NVMe-oF or RDMA-heavy storage workloads — one port, one cable run, full fabric speed.
• Lenovo-qualified option (10 lb kit weight): Factory-validated for ThinkSystem platforms means firmware, driver, and XClarity management support are handled through the standard Lenovo update path — no manual driver hunting or compatibility uncertainty at deployment time.

Deployment Considerations:

• Verify ServerProven compatibility against your exact ThinkSystem model and firmware revision before procurement — BF-3 support is not universal across all ThinkSystem generations.
• The 10 lb package weight is the option kit; the installed card weight is significantly less — plan rack and airflow around the host platform specifications, not the shipping weight.

This option is the right call for ThinkSystem deployments building zero-trust network microsegmentation, NVMe-oF storage fabrics, or GPU cluster interconnects where offloading infrastructure processing from host CPUs is a hard architectural requirement — not a speculative future need.