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. 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"