INDUSTRY

InfiniCon Systems, the premier provider of clustering and I/O virtualization solutions for next-generation server networks, today introduced the InfinIO 5000 – the industry’s only entry-level InfiniBand switch to simultaneously support full bisectional clustering bandwidth from up to 12 InfiniBand-attached servers to existing SAN and WAN/LAN networks. Priced at $9,995, the InfinIO 5000 is designed to satisfy the growing market need for server clusters that support smaller, commercial high-performance computing applications and distributed database applications such as Oracle Database 10g. In its base configuration, the InfinIO 5000 enables customers to build fully managed 12-node, 10Gbps clusters. Two multi-port gateway modules that provide clustered servers with shared, transparent access to fibre channel storage and/or Ethernet network resources can be added to expansion slots in the streamline 1U InfinIO 5000 chassis. Leveraging the bandwidth-rich InfiniBand architecture, the InfinIO 5000 provides a resilient, low-latency infrastructure that yields superior application and database throughput and performance, even as clusters scale. Its shared I/O gateways simplify server deployments and significantly reduce cabling requirements – making it a strong technology complement to enterprise applications such as Oracle Database 10g, the first database designed for grid computing. "As clusters penetrate into both the HPC and the commercial markets, we find that smaller scale, departmental and divisional clusters are increasing in importance as a solution in the enterprise," said John Humphreys, Research Manager in IDC's Technical Computing group. "While the average node count of these clusters is relatively modest, the applications that run on these clusters demand high levels of performance which in turn requires them to have low latency, high speed interconnects. Going forward, IDC believes that standard high speed interconnects are poised to capture an increasing share of this growing market." InfinIO: The Most Complete Family of InfiniBand Offerings InfiniCon offers the industry’s most complete family of InfiniBand clustering and I/O virtualization solutions, from the 12-port InfinIO 5000 that targets entry-level deployments to the newest members of the InfinIO 9000 Switch Series – ultra high-end platforms that let users build massive 10Gbps-30Gbps InfiniBand fabrics comprised of hundreds to thousands of nodes. The InfinIO 5000 is the follow-on to InfiniCon’s award-winning InfinIO 7000, the first commercially available system to provide InfiniBand switching and virtual I/O functionality for enhanced server-to-server communication and scale out. The InfinIO 5000 leverages the same management software and field-proven I/O gateways used by the InfinIO 7000, providing customers with proven technology and investment protection. “InfiniBand is taking center-stage in addressing the scalability and complexity problems inherent in embracing grid computing,” stated Charles Foley, executive vice president for InfiniCon Systems. “Through our InfinIO architecture, we deliver the performance and seamless integration necessary to virtualize servers across the physical infrastructure, thereby making enterprise grids a reality not only for applications such as Oracle Database 10g, but for commercial compute-intensive applications such as LS-Dyna that require access to huge compute and storage farms simultaneously.” Complementary Technology for Bladed and Embedded Offerings With availability later this summer, the InfinIO 5000 enters the market just as significant computing trends that can truly leverage its superior bandwidth and I/O virtualization benefits are taking shape across a variety of commercial applications and through new server deployment options. Server blades – independent servers containing processors, memory, and network/storage I/O mounted on single boards – represent one such trend. Blades plug vertically into a rack-mount chassis and share common components such as power supplies, fans, and disk storage. As software tools emerge that can tie blades together into a cooperative whole, IT managers will be able to scale and allocate server resources dynamically to match demand. InfiniBand fabrics like the InfinIO 5000 that also support I/O virtualization add significant performance and management benefits to blade deployments. The embedded computer systems market is another emerging opportunity for InfiniBand and the InfinIO 5000, which can be integrated into multi-computer system solutions to deliver unmatched levels of bandwidth and processing power to a broad set of commercial and industrial applications. Leveraging the breakthrough advances of the InfiniBand architecture, InfiniCon Systems offers a complete systems solution for enabling data centers to migrate to a fabric/grid model of computing. Our award-winning InfinIO product family provides the dynamic infrastructure required for designing and managing highly scalable, highly available clustered server environments that integrate seamlessly into today’s Fibre Channel and Ethernet networks. For additional information, visit www.infinicon.com, or contact us at info@infinicon.com.