InfiniBand to the edge

InfiniCon Systems is announcing an InfiniBand switch that lets users extend their InfiniBand fabrics to the edge of the network.

The company rolled out the InfinIO 3000, a 32-port, 10G bit/sec InfiniBand appliance in a 1U-high form factor. Each of the ports is non-blocking.

The InfinIO will integrate with the company’s multiprotocol InfinIO 7000 switch. A user could connect servers to the 3000 via InfiniBand and then feed several ports to the 7000, which could be configured with Ethernet and Fibre Channel ports.

The cost per port of InfiniCon’s InfiniBand will be one-fourth the cost of a 10 Gigabit Ethernet port. According to the Dell’Oro Group, 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports are available at $3,500 a port in volume. Because of the price differential, InfiniCon claims that the switch will be able to be used as a core or leaf switch. Servers attach to leaf switches; core switches interconnect other switches.

The InfinIO 3000 will be available in several models that will enable their use as less-expensive leaf switches or more-expensive core switches.

The product will also be available in a ports-on-demand model, which allows users to buy only the number of ports they need. When customers need to expand the size of their InfiniBand network, they can purchase additional ports in increments of four ports. InfiniCon will issue a license key that turns on the additional ports on demand.

The product will ship in September for $28,000, or $875 a port.