If you plan to set up a clustered server configuration by using InfiniBand switches to network your servers, you need to understand the components that are required for the network. The requirements are based on the type of host channel adapter (HCA) that is used to connect to the InfiniBand fabric.
This table shows the required components and supported adapters for setting
up your InfiniBand network.
| InfiniBand component | PCI adapter | GX adapter |
|---|---|---|
| Adapter | GX Dual-port 4x HCA | GX Dual-port 4x HCA orGX Dual-port 12x HCA |
| Systems | IBM® System p5®, low-end | IBM System p5, mid-range and high-end |
| Switches | Topspin 120 Server Switch (7048-120), Topspin 270 Server Switch (7048-270) | |
| Cables | IBM certified cables | |
| Fabric Management | Topspin Web user interface and Element Manager | IBM Network Manager |
| AIX® version | AIX 5L™ version 5.3 with the 5300-03 Recommended Maintenance package | |
| Linux® version | SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 SP2 with Topspin Enterprise Commercial Stack | SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 SP2 with IBM IB GX HCA driver and OpenIB Gen2 Stack |
Note: For the most recent information about cluster
offerings, see the Facts and Features Web site, at http://www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/clusters/hardware/factsfeatures.html.
This figure shows servers that are working in a cluster with InfiniBand switch
networks.
Figure 1. Servers configured in an InfiniBand network