Definition: InfiniBand

A high-speed interface used to connect storage networks to computers and interconnect clusters of computers together. Introduced in 1999, InfiniBand was designed for high-performance computing using switched, point-to-point channels. InfiniBand was designed for switching fabric architectures that interconnect devices in local networks and cloud datacenters. Because of its high speed, it is widely used for AI (see AI datacenter). See SAN.

A Technology Merger
Supporting both copper wire and optical fibers and originally known as "System I/O," InfiniBand is a combination of Intel's NGIO (Next Generation I/O) and Future I/O from IBM, HP and Compaq. See RDMA, PCI Express, NGIO and Future I/O.

   INFINIBAND SIGNALING SPEEDS
   IN EACH DIRECTION
   Data transfer rate is
   80% of signaling speed.

                    Number of
                  Bonded Channels
                 1x   4x   8x   12x
  Type          (gigabits per second)

  Single (SDR)   2.5   10   20   30

  Double (DDR)     5   20   40   60

  Quad (QDR)      10   40   80  120

  14 (FDR)        14   56  112  168

  Enhanced (EDR)  26  104  208  312

  DR = "data rate"