Highpoint Rocket 1624A PCI-Express 5.0 x16 NVMe Switch Adapter

PCIe Expansion Solution for Server & Edge Environments

The Rocket 1624A is a high-performance PCIe Gen5 x16 NVMe Switch Adapter engineered for enterprise and edge computing workloads. Dual MCIO (SFF-TA-1016) ports provide dedicated PCIe Gen5 x8 links, supporting up to 16 U.2, U.3, or E3.S NVMe SSDs, or two PCIe devices such as GPUs and NICs. Configurable downstream port layouts—from 1x16 to 16x1 lanes—enable administrators to tailor bandwidth and device connectivity per workload. The adapter supports x86 Intel/AMD and ARM platforms, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of server and workstation hardware.

Powered by Industry Proven PCIe Switching Technology

HighPoint’s solution leverages Broadcom’s 48-lane PEX89048 PCIe Switch IC, providing dense downstream connectivity while minimizing latency and optimizing signal integrity. Native NVMe driver support allows plug-and-play deployment across Linux and Windows platforms, while MCIO-PCIEX16-G5 expansion bridges enable each port to host full PCIe Gen5 x16 devices. This proven switching architecture ensures high-speed, reliable storage and device connectivity for demanding applications including AI/ML, cloud computing, and big data analytics.

Scalable Storage Infrastructures

The Rocket 1624A supports flexible, configurable firmware packages that allow administrators to adapt storage and device configurations to evolving infrastructure requirements. Compliant with industry backplane standards such as UBM and VPP, the adapter supports real-time monitoring of storage health, connectivity, and device status. Advanced out-of-band management interfaces, including SMBus, I2C, MCTP, and SMC, provide control over diverse storage environments, making it ideal for enterprise data centers and edge servers.

Convert an MCIO 8i Port into a Full-Sized PCIe 5.0 x16 Slot

Using the MCIO-PCIEX16-G5 expansion bridge, each MCIO 8i port can be converted into a full PCIe Gen5 x16 slot, supporting up to two Gen5 x8/x16 PCIe devices. This capability significantly enhances system connectivity and overcomes the PCIe limitations of conventional motherboard designs, allowing administrators to deploy GPUs, NICs, or additional NVMe storage directly through the adapter.

Dual PCIe Slot Expansion Solution

By connecting both MCIO ports to the MCIO-PCIEX16-G5 bridge, administrators can add two independent PCIe Gen5 x8/x16 slots to the host system. This dual-slot expansion maximizes platform flexibility, enabling simultaneous deployment of NVMe storage and PCIe devices while maintaining peak throughput and low latency.

Seamless Deployment Across Operating Systems

The Rocket 1624A is natively supported by all modern Linux and Windows operating systems, including RHEL, Debian, Ubuntu, Rocky Linux, Windows Server, Azure, and Hyper-V. 2.5” NVMe media is automatically recognized as standard physical disks, and drivers are embedded in the OS, eliminating the need for additional software. This ensures a truly driverless deployment experience and simplifies service and maintenance workflows.

Advanced Field Service Feature Suite

The adapter includes intelligent self-diagnostic LEDs, audible alarms, and FRU (Field Replaceable Unit) support. Built-in early warning indicators allow administrators to assess SSD status, PCIe connection quality, and device temperature at a glance. FRU support ensures rapid replacement of adapters with the correct firmware and driver combination, minimizing downtime and enhancing system reliability.

Advanced Cooling Solution

A full-length aluminum heatsink combined with an innovative copper piping system rapidly dissipates heat from the PEX89048 switch IC and controller components. This passive cooling design maintains operational stability across temperatures of 0 °C to 55 °C, with storage tolerances of –20 °C to 80 °C. Rated at over 5 million hours MTBF at 40 °C, the Rocket 1624A provides consistent performance with minimal thermal stress.

Versatile Cabling Solutions

The Rocket 1624A supports a wide range of certified cabling solutions for direct-to-device and backplane connectivity. Options include SFF-8639 (U.2/U.3), SFF-TA-1002 (E1.S/E3.S), SFF-8654, SFF-8643, and MCIO interfaces. These options enable deployment in internal 2.5” drive bays, mobile racks, and enterprise storage backplanes, providing maximum flexibility for diverse storage architectures.

Flexible Multi-Adapter Configurations

Up to four Rocket 1624A adapters can coexist within a single system, each recognized independently by the operating system. Multi-adapter deployments allow administrators to scale NVMe storage and PCIe device connectivity while maintaining independent operation, bandwidth management, and hot-plug/hot-swap support.

Applications & Use Cases

The Rocket 1624A supports enterprise servers, edge computing platforms, cloud services, AI/ML workflows, and big data analytics. It accelerates data loading and model training, delivers high-throughput NVMe access, and simplifies system maintenance. Native OS support and multi-adapter scalability make it ideal for virtual machine hosting, real-time analytics, neural network training, and industrial edge deployments.

• Dual MCIO (SFF-TA-1016) ports provide dedicated PCIe Gen5 x8 lanes for high-speed NVMe and PCIe device connectivity.
• Supports up to 16 NVMe SSDs or two PCIe devices, including GPUs and NICs, per adapter.
• MCIO-PCIEX16-G5 expansion bridge converts each MCIO port into a full PCIe Gen5 x16 slot.
• Dual-port expansion allows two independent PCIe Gen5 x8/x16 slots for additional devices.
• Configurable downstream port layouts from 1x16 to 16x1 lanes for flexible data allocation.
• Hot-plug and hot-swap NVMe support allows drive replacement while the system remains online.
• Intelligent self-diagnostic LEDs and audible alarms provide early warning of device, connectivity, or temperature issues.
• FRU (Field Replaceable Unit) support enables rapid replacement with correct firmware and drivers.
• Advanced cooling solution with full-length aluminum heatsink and copper piping dissipates heat from the switch IC and controller.
• Certified cabling options for direct NVMe and backplane connectivity, including SFF-8639, SFF-TA-1002, SFF-8654, SFF-8643, and MCIO.
• Multi-adapter deployment supports up to four adapters in a single system, each recognized independently.
• Native driver support on Linux and Windows platforms ensures plug-and-play deployment across Intel/AMD x86 and ARM systems.

Bus Interface: PCIe Gen5 x16
MCIO Ports: 2 × MCIO 8i (SFF-TA-1016) dedicated x8 lanes each
Downstream Port Reconfiguration: 1x16 / 2x8 / 4x4 / 8x2 / 16x1 (contact Sales for details)
Supported SSD Form Factors: U.2, U.3, E3.S (via cabling accessories)
Maximum NVMe Devices: 16 via UBM backplane
Maximum PCIe Devices: 2 per adapter
Cooling Solution: Full-length aluminum heatsink with copper piping, passive design
Operating Temperature: 0°C to 55°C
Storage Temperature: –20°C to 80°C
Operating Voltage: PCIe 12V ±8%, 3.3V ±8%
Power Consumption: 16.26W
MTBF: >5,000,000 hours at 40°C
Form Factor: LP-MD2, 155mm × 68.9mm, 340g
Bracket Support: Full-height and low-profile ventilated
OS Support: Any OS with native NVMe driver support (Windows, Windows Server, Azure, Hyper-V, RHEL, Debian, Ubuntu, Rocky Linux)
Secure Boot: Yes
Backplane Support: UBM, VPP
FRU Support: Yes
NVMe Hot-Plug / Hot-Swap: Yes
LEDs / Diagnostics: Intelligent self-diagnostic LEDs with audible alarms
Multi-Adapter Support: Up to 4 adapters per system, independently recognised