NQ6321

The NQ6321 is Intel's 6321ESB I/O Controller Hub, the server southbridge that pairs with the 5000-series Memory Controller Hubs over the ESI link. It is a multi-function device that combines an I/O controller, a PCI-X bridge, a Gigabit Ethernet controller, and an integrated Baseboard Management Controller in one package. That integration consolidates storage, connectivity, and remote management onto a single component for dual-processor Intel Xeon server and workstation platforms.

Key Features

• Six-port Serial ATA - an integrated SATA host controller drives six ports at up to 3.0 Gb/s with independent DMA and AHCI operation.
• Software RAID - RAID 0, 1, and 5 across the SATA ports for demanding storage and data-protection needs.
• USB 2.0 and PCI Express - up to six USB 2.0 ports and four PCI Express root ports configurable as four x1 or one x4, plus downstream x4/x8 links.
• PCI-X bridge - a flexible PCI/PCI-X segment running at 33 or 66 MHz PCI, or 66, 100, or 133 MHz PCI-X, with standard hot-plug support.
• Dual Gigabit Ethernet - an integrated dual-GbE MAC with SERDES and Kumeran interfaces to external 10/100/1000 PHYs.
• Integrated BMC - a full Baseboard Management Controller with 256 KB SRAM, RMCP+, Serial-over-LAN, and a cryptographic module for secure remote management.
• IDE and legacy I/O - an integrated Ultra ATA/100/66/33 IDE controller plus conventional PCI, LPC, and SMBus round out the I/O set.
• Downstream PCIe fan-out - additional downstream links configurable as two x4 or one x8 extend connectivity beyond the root ports.

Typical Applications

• Dual-processor servers - Xeon 5000-series servers that need integrated storage, networking, and lights-out management.
• Managed workstations - high-end workstations relying on SATA RAID and remote administration.
• Platform maintenance - repair and sustaining supply for installed 6321ESB-based boards.

Unique Advantages

• Four functions in one - folding I/O, PCI-X bridging, dual GbE, and a BMC into a single device reduces board complexity and component count.
• Built-in manageability - the on-chip BMC brings IPMI-class remote management without a separate controller.
• Storage flexibility - six 3.0 Gb/s SATA ports with hardware-assisted RAID cover a wide range of server storage configurations.

Why Choose NQ6321?

The NQ6321 is the companion I/O hub for 5000-series Xeon platforms that want storage, networking, and management integrated rather than spread across discrete parts. Its six-port SATA with RAID, dual Gigabit Ethernet, PCI-X bridging, and integrated BMC make it a complete server southbridge, and keeping it in supply is essential for servicing deployed systems built around it. Folding IDE, USB, conventional PCI, and LPC into the same device means a single southbridge covers nearly all of a server board's I/O.

Reach out for current pricing, stock, and lead time on the NQ6321, and tell us your platform so we can confirm the correct stepping.