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Ushering a New Era of HPC with NVIDIA InfiniBand

High-Performance Computing (HPC) systems require robust networking solutions to efficiently manage vast amounts of data and complex computations. InfiniBand technology has emerged as a leading solution in this field, offering unparalleled performance in terms of bandwidth and latency. This article explores the use of InfiniBand in HPC, highlighting its benefits, solution and prospects.

What Is InfiniBand Network ?

InfiniBand is a high-speed communication protocol designed to provide low-latency and high-throughput data transfers. It supports RDMA, allowing direct memory access between computers without involving the CPU, which significantly reduces latency. Unlike traditional Ethernet, InfiniBand is optimized for HPC environments, ensuring that data is transferred quickly and efficiently across the network.

InfiniBand network bandwidth currently supports speeds such as FDR 56Gbps, EDR 100Gbps, HDR 200Gbps, and even NDR 400Gbps/800Gbps (when connected via a 4x link width for data transfer rates). InfiniBand networks are primarily used in HPC scenarios, where they connect multiple servers into a high-performance computing cluster. The performance of the cluster is effectively a linear aggregation of the performance of individual servers. It is the InfiniBand technology that has made the creation of supercomputing high-performance clusters possible.

How Does InfiniBand Work?

InfiniBand is a unified interconnect architecture capable of handling storage I/O, network I/O, and inter-process communication (IPC). It can interconnect RAID, SANs, LANs, servers, and clustered servers, as well as connect to external networks (such as WAN, VPN, and the Internet). InfiniBand is primarily designed for enterprise data centres, whether large or small. Its main objectives are to achieve high reliability, availability, scalability, and performance. InfiniBand provides high bandwidth and low latency transmission over relatively short distances, and supports redundant I/O channels within single or multiple interconnected networks, ensuring that the data centre remains operational in the event of localised failures.

What are the Benefits of InfiniBand in HPC?

In HPC, where tasks such as scientific simulations, and large-scale data analytics are common, the need for rapid data processing is critical. InfiniBand addresses this need by providing the low-latency and high-bandwidth connections necessary to maintain the performance of these demanding applications. Its ability to handle vast amounts of data quickly makes it an essential component of modern HPC systems.

FS NVIDIA InfiniBand Solutions Accelerate HPC

As a partner of NVIDIA®, FS offers original InfiniBand switches and adaptors, cutting costs by 30% with its extensive product ecosystem.

  • High Performance: Utilises NVIDIA® H100 GPU and InfiniBand switches for ultra-low latency and high bandwidth.
  • Cost Efficiency: Provides cost-effective, high-quality InfiniBand modules and cables, supporting up to 400G/800G speeds.
  • Reliability: Ensures lossless data transmission with traffic control and CRC redundancy checks.
  • Scalability: Supports 400Gb/s interconnects with the NVIDIA® Quantum-2 MQM9790 InfiniBand switch, enhancing data centre network performance.

Compliance: Features Broadcom DSP technology, low power consumption, and adherence to industry standards like OSFP MSA.

Credit : https://community.fs.com/article/ushering-a-new-era-of-hpc-with-nvidia-infiniband.html

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