920-9B110-00FE-0M3 Mellanox InfiniBand 2Based 36Ports QSFP28 EDR 1U Managed Switch.

Mellanox InfiniBand Switches for High-Performance Networking

Mellanox InfiniBand switches such as the 920-9B110-00FE-0M3 are engineered to deliver ultra-low latency, high throughput, and scalable switching for enterprise data centers, research labs, and high-performance computing (HPC) clusters. These switches, specifically utilizing the EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) standard over QSFP28 connectors, represent the cutting edge in network backbone technology.

920-9B110-00FE-0M3: Category Overview

The 920-9B110-00FE-0M3 belongs to the class of managed 1U InfiniBand switches that offer a compact form factor with powerful switching capabilities. With 36 QSFP28 ports supporting EDR speeds up to 100Gb/s per port, this unit enables seamless data transmission with minimized latency and jitter. This category of switches is ideal for environments requiring high bandwidth, such as AI training workloads, deep learning clusters, financial trading systems, and technical computing environments.

Key Specifications of the 920-9B110-00FE-0M3

• 36 QSFP28 ports supporting 100Gb/s EDR
• Rackmount 1U form factor
• Fully managed for secure network administration
• High scalability with support for fat-tree topologies
• Low power consumption and efficient thermal design
• Redundant power supply support for fault tolerance

InfiniBand Technology and EDR Performance

InfiniBand is a high-speed, low-latency interconnect technology commonly used in environments where network performance is a critical factor. EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) InfiniBand provides up to 100Gb/s per port, making it suitable for demanding applications including real-time analytics, simulation environments, and GPU-based computing.

QSFP28 in EDR Connectivity

The QSFP28 (Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable 28) port design supports four lanes of 25Gb/s each, effectively enabling 100Gb/s per port. This makes the 920-9B110-00FE-0M3 Mellanox switch an ideal central switching node in bandwidth-intensive networks. It supports both passive copper cables for short distances and active optical cables for extended reach.

EDR Benefits for Data-Centric Workloads

• Drastically reduced data movement latency
• Significant bandwidth per node for distributed computing
• Improved CPU and GPU utilization with faster interconnects
• Lower congestion with advanced adaptive routing algorithms

Applications and Deployment Scenarios

The Mellanox 920-9B110-00FE-0M3 InfiniBand switch finds applications in diverse sectors that demand unparalleled network efficiency and speed. These switches are especially prevalent in the following environments:

High-Performance Computing (HPC) Clusters

In HPC setups, low-latency, high-bandwidth communication between nodes is essential. The 36-port Mellanox EDR switch provides a backbone infrastructure that supports efficient parallel computing, message passing (MPI), and real-time simulations. Organizations running computational chemistry, weather prediction models, or seismic processing benefit immensely from InfiniBand EDR connectivity.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Deep Learning

AI workloads often require the aggregation of large datasets and rapid inter-node communication across GPU clusters. Mellanox EDR switches like the 920-9B110-00FE-0M3 allow GPUs across different servers to communicate with minimal latency, ensuring timely data synchronization and faster model training.

Data Centers and Enterprise Networks

Modern data centers leverage InfiniBand switches to accelerate data movement between servers, storage, and other networking devices. The 1U form factor of the 920-9B110-00FE-0M3 saves valuable rack space while providing massive switching capability in a dense footprint. Managed capabilities also allow IT teams to deploy and monitor network health efficiently.

Managed Switch Capabilities and Network Control

Being a fully managed switch, the 920-9B110-00FE-0M3 includes tools for advanced monitoring, security, and configuration. It supports features like SNMP, REST APIs, CLI, and GUI-based management interfaces, giving administrators fine-grained control over network traffic, topology, and performance.

Security Features

Advanced security protocols such as secure boot, hardware-based authentication, and network-level access control ensure data integrity and protect against unauthorized access. In multi-tenant data center environments, such security becomes crucial for compliance and operational continuity.

Telemetry and Monitoring

The switch supports real-time telemetry, allowing operators to monitor link-level performance, detect anomalies, and optimize network traffic dynamically. Support for in-band diagnostics and performance counters enhances operational visibility.

Scalability and Topology Integration

One of the strengths of the Mellanox InfiniBand EDR switch category is its scalability. The 36-port configuration can be scaled in fat-tree or leaf-spine topologies to support thousands of nodes with minimal blocking and congestion.

Fat-Tree Topology

Fat-tree architectures are commonly deployed in HPC networks due to their equal-cost multipath routing and non-blocking design. The 920-9B110-00FE-0M3 facilitates easy deployment in such topologies with built-in support for adaptive routing and congestion control.

Leaf-Spine Design Efficiency

In data center designs, using the switch as a leaf or spine node enhances bandwidth efficiency and reduces east-west traffic bottlenecks. It integrates easily into existing network infrastructures with standard InfiniBand cabling and QSFP28-compatible transceivers.

Mellanox Advantages in InfiniBand Switching

Mellanox, now part of Mellanox, has been a global leader in InfiniBand technology. Their switches offer unmatched performance and are widely adopted in the Top500 list of supercomputers globally. The reliability, innovation, and ecosystem support around Mellanox devices make them a favored choice in high-stakes environments.

Hardware Reliability and Redundancy

Designed for enterprise reliability, the 920-9B110-00FE-0M3 includes dual hot-swappable power supplies and fans, offering redundancy and minimizing downtime. Its robust build ensures continuous operation under demanding workloads.

Software Integration and Ecosystem Support

Mellanox switches are compatible with a variety of management suites including UFM (Unified Fabric Manager), Mellanox Bright Cluster Manager, and open-source tools. These allow seamless automation, orchestration, and monitoring across large-scale infrastructures.

Energy Efficiency and Environmental Considerations

Despite its performance, the 920-9B110-00FE-0M3 is built with energy efficiency in mind. The switch uses intelligent power allocation mechanisms, efficient cooling, and component-level optimization to reduce energy usage without compromising speed.

Thermal Design Innovations

The switch's front-to-back airflow and adaptive fan speed algorithms contribute to reduced power draw and better heat dissipation. It is also NEBS Level 3 compliant, making it suitable for harsh environmental deployments.

Power-to-Performance Ratio

One of the best-in-class features of this switch category is its excellent power-to-performance ratio. The high port density coupled with efficient EDR signaling means organizations can achieve high throughput while keeping power costs manageable.

Comparing EDR InfiniBand to Ethernet-Based Solutions

While Ethernet remains a popular choice in many enterprise applications, EDR InfiniBand significantly outperforms 100Gb Ethernet in latency and message rate. In applications where data exchange happens at microsecond scales, such as distributed databases or GPU-based ML, InfiniBand is often preferred.

Latency Comparison

EDR InfiniBand can achieve sub-microsecond latency, often outperforming Ethernet by 2-3x depending on the workload. The switch's architecture is specifically designed to minimize hop-by-hop delays.

Bandwidth Efficiency

EDR also provides better wire efficiency and packet forwarding compared to Ethernet with TCP/IP overhead. For applications using RDMA (Remote Direct Memory Access), this allows direct memory communication between nodes, reducing CPU overhead.

Compliance, Certification, and Standards

The 920-9B110-00FE-0M3 complies with the latest IBTA (InfiniBand Trade Association) standards. It also holds certifications for RoHS, FCC, CE, and NEBS Level 3. These standards assure integrators of quality, durability, and compatibility.

Interoperability with Other Devices

Mellanox EDR switches are interoperable with a wide range of adapters and cables, including Mellanox ConnectX series and other QSFP28-based NICs. This ensures flexibility in building a customized network topology suited to organizational needs.

Vendor Ecosystem and Support

Mellanox is supported by an extensive network of certified system integrators, resellers, and support channels. Firmware updates, documentation, and software toolkits are frequently updated to ensure secure, optimized deployments.

Use Cases by Industry

The 920-9B110-00FE-0M3 serves a diverse range of industries where network throughput and low latency are critical to business performance.

Scientific Research and Academia

Universities and research labs deploy InfiniBand switches to power simulations, genomic sequencing, and climate modeling, where massive datasets must be moved quickly and analyzed in real time.

Financial Services and FinTech

Trading firms utilize Mellanox switches to reduce trade execution times. InfiniBand’s microsecond latency translates to faster decision-making and better algorithmic trading results.

Media Rendering and VFX

Post-production studios and VFX houses use EDR switches for rendering farms where dozens of render nodes process scenes simultaneously. The high throughput accelerates frame delivery and collaboration across workstations.

Life Sciences and Healthcare

AI-based diagnostics and imaging analysis benefit from Mellanox’s high-bandwidth infrastructure, enabling faster time to insight in genomics, radiology, and pathology.

Deployment Recommendations

When deploying the 920-9B110-00FE-0M3, organizations should consider structured cabling design, cooling requirements, and power availability. A well-ventilated rack with dual power feeds and appropriate QSFP28 cabling ensures optimal operation.

Firmware and Feature Updates

Staying up to date with the latest firmware versions enhances performance and security. Mellanox regularly releases updates that unlock new capabilities or improve existing protocols.