Intel 10g NIC Recomendation

[MorfiusX]

I'm expanding my VMware lab build. After following the info here (thanks!), I think I want to buy two (relatively) cheap 10g NICs for the iSCSI/NFS connection between my FreeNAS machine and my ESXi machine (crossover cable). I have heard mention of ~$100 Intel 10g NICs on Ebay, but there is a pretty wide variety.

Can anyone make a recommendation as to which model single port Intel 10g NIC works well? Bonus points if it's on the ESXi HCL!

PS: I am working towards the following build:

• SuperMicro MBD-X9SCL-F-O (Purchased)
• Intel Xeon E3-1230V2 (Purchased)
• 4 x Samsung M391B1G73BH0-CK0 (32gb) (Purchased)
• Rosewill RSV-L4411 (Purchased)
• 1 x IBM M1505 (Purchased)
• 6 x WD Red 2TB (RAID Z2) (Purchased) (Will expand to 12 and may swap the 2tb ones with 4tb)
• 2 x Crucial M500 120gb SSD (SLOG) (Over provisioned at 12gb)
• 1 x ??? Intel 10g

 

[Rand]

I guess all Intel models will work well:)
Get what you can afford, either Intel or rebranded (eg Dell), if you want 10 inside VMs then maybe SRV-IO might be a good thing to have...
I am happy with a Dell XR997 but it's limited to datastore nic to freenas since its not supporting SRV-IO.

 

[MorfiusX]

Don't really need 10g inside the VMs. It will only be used for storage connectivity.