QLogic's InfiniBand switching arsenal consists of the SilverStorm 9000 series and the new QLogic 12000 series of fabric directors and switches, each offered in smaller fixed configuration flavors for workgroups or edge switch deployments or modular, mix-n-match models targeted to HPC environments.

For the SilverStorm 9000 series, the fixed configuration entries are the 9024 models, both 1U and including 24 SDR or DDR (10 or 20 Gb/sec) InfiniBand ports. The 9024 is offered in both a fixed-power configuration (single power supply, non-pluggable) or a configurable power configuration (single power supply standard, with optional second power supply).

The modular SilverStorm entries are represented by the 9020, 9040, 9080, 9120, and 9240 models; ranging in size from 2 to 14U. Each of these models accepts a number of standard spine (internal fabric) or leaf switching modules for the expansion of InfiniBand ports (each leaf adds 12 ports of either SDR or DDR InfiniBand), as well as the vendor's VIC (Virtual I/O Controller) modules, which enable transparent FC or 10G Ethernet connectivity from within the InfiniBand fabric (i.e., hosts within the InfiniBand fabric can access FC or Ethernet networks transparently). Each FC VIC includes 10 InfiniBand and 8 FC ports (1/2/4 Gb/sec) and supports up to 128 virtual ports; while each 10G Ethernet VIC includes 10 InfiniBand ports and a pair of 10G Ethernet ports. The total number of leaf slots available in each model ranges from 2 leafs in the 9020 (no spines) to 24 leafs and up to 6 spines in the 9240; a maximum InfiniBand port count of 288 ports. All of the chassis support the same leaf and spine modules.

The new entries in the QLogic InfiniBand Switching family are the 12000 series switches; initially offered in the fixed-configuration 12200 models and the modular 12800 models. Both camps boast QDR (40 Gb/sec) InfiniBand ports and high-density deployment options.

The 12200 is expected to be served with either 18 (8x) or 36 (4x) ports; while the modular 12800 will be offered in 5 chassis configurations ranging from 5 to 29U and supporting from 4 to 36 leaf modules. The InfiniBand leaf modules, in particular, will ship in performance (18 4x QDR ports) or high-density (24 4x QDR ports) configurations; and both FC (8 Gb/sec) and Ethernet virtualization modules are also listed (each virtualization module also includes 14 InfiniBand ports).

The SilverStorm series is available now; with the QLogic 12000 series expected in 1Q/2009.

Visit the QLogic Web site for further information.

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