OCP NIC 3.0

OCP NIC 3.0 is the Open Compute Project specification for network interface cards in a small form factor that mounts differently from a standard PCIe add-in card. NVIDIA's ConnectX-7 OCP 3.0 cards need a host PCIe x16 slot built for OCP spec 3.0. The spec defines SFF (small form factor), TSFF (tall small form factor), LFF and DSFF (dual small form factor) card sizes. OCP's wiki lists the mechanical drawings for each.

OCP lists the OCP NIC 3.0 Specification 1.6.0 as released March 31, 2025, after 1.5.0 on September 20, 2024. NVIDIA's ConnectX-7 OCP 3.0 manual gives an SFF card as 115 mm by 76 mm and 15.1 mm high, and a TSFF card as the same footprint and 17.8 mm high, both on PCIe 5.0 x16. The dual-port QSFP112 MCX753436MC-HEAB is SFF. The single-port OSFP MCX75343AMC-NEAC is TSFF. Brackets are thumbscrew pull-tab or internal-lock.

Quote the form factor by name, SFF or TSFF, and the bracket type. A bay built for a 15.1 mm card may not take a 17.8 mm one. Confirm the server's OCP 3.0 slot width, x16 for these cards, and the airflow direction, since NVIDIA offers both heatsink-to-port and port-to-heatsink airflow.

Sources

Last verified October 30, 2026.