I’m currently running an old Intel X520 card for 10G networking, and while it works well, the requirement of an active fan on the card keeps me from doing certain things with my layout. If I don’t keep a fan on it, it overheats rather quickly and disconnects. Too much of that kills the card entirely. So, I’ve been playing with the idea of buying a new, smaller, more power efficient card.
I’ve found that Aquantia makes an older AQC100 chip that uses an SFP+ connector that could be a direct replacement for my X520, as well as their now well known AQN107 chip for Nbase-T (2.5/5/10G). If I go for the AQN107, it opens up future connectivity, but for now I’d have to spend an extra $45 for a SFP+ to 10Gbase-T module for my switch. The AQC100 card is $20 more expensive, but with the SFP figured in there, it comes out cheaper.
I’m wondering if you guys have used any Aquantia cards or cards with Aquantia chips for 10G, and how well the drivers work. Are there any bugs or issues I need to be aware of? Is the performance good on these?