Supermicro SuperBlade SBM-GEM-X2C+, User Manual

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4-1
Chapter 4
InfiniBand Modules
4-1 Overview
InfiniBand is a switch-based, point-to-point bidirectional serial link network
communications architecture. Supermicro offers three different Infiniband modules:
• 4X DDR (20-Gb/s) switch with 14 internal ports and 10 external CX4 ports
• 4X DDR (20-Gb/s) pass-through with 14 internal ports and 14 external CX4 ports
• 4X QDR (40-Gb/s) switch with up to 20 internal ports and up to 18 external QSFP
ports (4 models).
The main function of the SuperBlade InifiniBand switch modules is to provide
high-speed interconnectivity among the blade modules and with external peripherals.
These are hot-pluggable modules that must be installed in a double-wide or triple-wide
bay at the lower right of the enclosure. Because they occupy one of the bays
alternatively used for the CMM, only one InfiniBand module may normally be installed in
the system. However, the SBM-IBS-Q3616M and SBM-IBS-Q3618M are exceptions to
this since they allow installation of an optional integrated CMM. See
Section 4-4:
SBM-IBS-Q3618M/SBM-IBS-Q3616M 4X QDR InfiniBand Switch Modules on page 4-4
for details.
NOTE: For any blade to access the InfiniBand module, it must first have an
InfiniBand card installed on its mainboard. See Appendix A for details on the
Mezzanine HCA cards that are available for use with the InfiniBand module.