NVIDIA Mellanox MBE1201A-BC1 BlueField 2U Reference Platform P-Series Crypto

NVIDIA Mellanox® MBE1201A-BC1 — BlueField DPU

Specifications

• OEM: NVIDIA Mellanox
• Part Number (MPN): MBE1201A-BC1
• Category: BlueField DPU
• ASIC / Family: BlueField-2
• Condition: Refurbished Grade A — bench-tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS

Identity

The NVIDIA Mellanox® MBE1201A-BC1 is a BlueField-2 BlueField DPU. Refurbished Grade A — bench-tested in both link and signal-integrity checks by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS.

What This Is NOT

• NOT a standard NIC. BlueField DPU includes integrated ARM cores and runs a separate BlueField OS / DOCA SDK.
• NOT a switch. DPU resides in a server PCIe slot.
• NOT plug-and-play. Requires DOCA SDK installation + driver stack on host.
• NOT bundled with cables or transceivers.

Capabilities & Features

• 16 ARM A72 / A78 cores running BlueField OS for offloaded networking.
• NVIDIA DOCA SDK for application-level offload development.
• Hardware-accelerated NVMe-oF target and initiator (storage acceleration).
• Network virtualization (VXLAN, OVS offload, NAT).
• Embedded security: integrated firewall, IPsec, TLS termination.
• Crypto offload, key management, secure boot.

Compatibility & Constraints

• Software: BlueField OS image + NVIDIA DOCA SDK for full DPU functionality.
• Drivers: MLNX_OFED + DOCA host driver stack.
• Slot: PCIe 4.0 x16 recommended.
• Cabling: QSFP-class cables / transceivers matching the listed speed.

Deployment & Use Cases

• Cloud network offload (VXLAN, NAT, firewall).
• Storage acceleration (NVMe-oF target).
• Edge computing with isolated security domains.
• Zero-trust security with hardware-rooted TLS / IPsec.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. What is the MBE1201A-BC1?
The MBE1201A-BC1 is a BlueField 2U reference platform, P-Series, crypto-enabled - a complete pre-integrated server built around the BlueField DPU for development and reference deployments.

Q. Is this a production server?
It is marketed as a reference platform for DPU development and evaluation, not a general-purpose production server line.

Q. Will T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS confirm the configuration of MBE1201A-BC1 before shipping?
Yes. T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS (tes-itsolutions.com) inspects each unit and verifies vendor markings before dispatch from EU stock.

Why T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS

Every unit is bench-tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS: link establishment, port-by-port traffic validation, and full cosmetic inspection. Professional anti-static packaging, global B2B shipping from EU stock, and technical consultation for HPC / AI cluster deployments.