Reprinted from Giovanni Dominoni's blog | Original link: https://www.giovannidominoni.it/minisforum-ms-a2-enpba/
If you're looking to push your Minisforum MS-A2 or compatible system beyond standard networking and storage limits, the Minisforum ENPBA expansion card offers a compelling upgrade path. It adds dual 25GbE SFP28 ports and dual M.2 NVMe slots in a single PCIe add-in card — transforming a compact MiniPC into a serious hyperconverged node.
Product Overview
The ENPBA (PCIe To 25G + 2NVMe Card) is Minisforum's own-brand expansion card, designed primarily for the MS-A2 but compatible with a wide range of systems using a standard PCIe interface.
Key Specifications
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Network Controller | Intel E810 XXVAM2 (25GbE) |
| Network Ports | 2× SFP28 (1G / 10G / 25G multi-rate) |
| Storage Slots | 2× M.2 NVMe (PCIe) |
| PCIe Interface | Compatible with x1 / x4 / x8 / x16 |
| Platform Support | AMD & Intel platforms |
| Compatibility | MS-A2 and standard PCIe slots |
| Price (MSRP) | €239,00 / on sale at €189,00 |
Why 25GbE Matters for MiniPC Homelabs
Traditional 1GbE becomes a bottleneck when running vSAN or other storage-heavy workloads across multiple nodes. 25GbE provides enough headroom for vSAN witness traffic, management, vMotion, and VM networks to run simultaneously without saturating a single link. The Intel E810 controller also enables advanced features like RSS, DPDK, and SR-IOV.
Compatibility & BIOS Requirements
The ENPBA's two M.2 NVMe slots require PCIe bifurcation support (x8/x4/x4 mode) on the host system. Without proper bifurcation, only the dual 25GbE network ports will function.
Based on internal testing, here is the compatibility status for Minisforum systems:
| Support Status | Model / Motherboard | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ✅ 25GbE + M.2 Both Work | BD990M/980M, BD795M, AR900I | Requires BIOS: set PCIe bifurcation to x8/x4/x4, speed to Gen4 |
| ⚠️ 25GbE Only (M.2 Not Available) | MS-A2, MS-R1-8180, N5 Pro NAS, MS-S1 MAX | BIOS does not support PCIe bifurcation |
Note for MS-A2 users: The ENPBA's dual 25GbE ports work perfectly. However, the two M.2 NVMe slots cannot be used because the MS-A2's PCIe slot has only x8 bandwidth and its BIOS does not support the required x8/x4/x4 bifurcation.
Hardware Installation
What You'll Need
- Minisforum MS-A2 or compatible system
- Minisforum ENPBA card
- 2× NVMe SSDs (optional — for storage or tiering, on compatible systems)
- SFP28 DAC cables or optical transceivers + fiber
- Small Phillips-head screwdriver (PH0 or PH1)
Step-by-Step Installation
- Power down the system completely and unplug all cables. Wait 30 seconds.
- Remove the bottom panel (MS-A2) or open the chassis according to your system's manual.
- If using NVMe drives on a compatible system, install them into the ENPBA's M.2 slots and secure with screws.
- Align the ENPBA's PCIe edge connector with the slot and press down firmly until it clicks into place.
- Ensure the SFP28 ports align with the rear I/O opening for clean cable management.
- Replace the bottom panel and secure screws.
- Reconnect power and cables, then power on.
ESXi Configuration & Driver Setup
The Intel E810 controller has native support in VMware ESXi. Starting with ESXi 7.0 Update 3 and fully matured in ESXi 8.x, the ice driver supports the E810 family out of the box.
After powering on with the ENPBA installed, ESXi should detect the NIC automatically. You can verify with:
esxcli network nic list
Example output showing E810 interfaces:
| Name | PCI Device | Driver | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| vmnic4 | 0000:07:00.0 | icen | Intel(R) Ethernet Controller E810-XXV for SFP |
| vmnic5 | 0000:07:00.1 | icen | Intel(R) Ethernet Controller E810-XXV for SFP |
On systems with proper PCIe bifurcation support (such as MS-02U, BD795M), the two NVMe drives will appear as standard PCIe NVMe devices in ESXi and can be used for datastores or vSAN disk groups.
Current Support Status Summary
| Feature | On MS-A2 | On Bifurcation-Supported Systems |
|---|---|---|
| Dual 25GbE SFP28 | ✅ Fully functional | ✅ Fully functional |
| Dual M.2 NVMe | ❌ Not available (BIOS limitation) | ✅ Functional (requires x8/x4/x4 BIOS setting) |
Purchase Information
The Minisforum ENPBA is available directly from Minisforum. Current pricing: €239,00 ,on sale at €189,00.
Pair it with the MS-A2: The ENPBA is the perfect companion for the Minisforum MS-A2, transforming this already capable mini PC into a powerful hyperconverged node with dual 25GbE networking. The MS-A2 is currently in stock and ready to ship — no waiting, no backorders.
Summary
The Minisforum ENPBA is a powerful expansion card that brings enterprise-grade 25GbE networking and additional NVMe storage to compatible MiniPCs.
- Intel E810 controller provides native ESXi support and low-latency high-bandwidth networking
- Dual SFP28 ports support 1/10/25GbE multi-rate for flexible infrastructure upgrades
- Dual M.2 slots add storage capacity on systems with PCIe bifurcation support
For MS-A2 users, the ENPBA delivers dual 25GbE networking that works immediately — a significant upgrade for vSAN, vMotion, and VM traffic. The M.2 slots are not available on MS-A2 due to BIOS limitations, but the card unlocks its full potential on compatible platforms like BD795M with proper BIOS configuration.
If you're building or expanding a compact, high-performance homelab cluster, the ENPBA is a worthwhile investment.
This article is republished from: Giovanni Dominoni's blog