NVIDIA QM87-Series InfiniBand HDR Switches Comparison

In today's rapidly evolving world of technology, the demand for high-performance computing has become more critical than ever before. To meet this demand, the performance and functionality of network switches have become crucial. In this regard, the NVIDIA QM87-series HDR switches have emerged as the preferred solution in many industries. This article will provide a detailed comparison of the NVIDIA/Mellanox QM87-series InfiniBand HDR switches, with a focus on the system specifications and management approaches of the QM8700 and QM8790 switches.

Overview of NVIDIA QM87-Series InfiniBand HDR Switches

HDR switches are high-performance networking devices used for high-speed data transmission and low-latency connections. The NVIDIA QM87-series HDR switches, in compact 1U rack size, offer non-blocking bandwidth of up to 16Tb/s and port-to-port latency of less than 130 nanoseconds. This means they can transfer data at extremely high speeds while maintaining very low latency, meeting the requirements of modern high-performance computing.

Comparison Between QM8700 and QM8790 InfiniBand HDR Switches

The following will mainly compare the M8700 and QM8790 series HDR switches in terms of system specifications and management differences.

Comparison of System Specifications

Here are the specification details for the four QM87-series HDR switch models:

Models	MQM8700-HS2F	MQM8700-HS2R	MOM8790-HS2F	MQM8790-HS2R
Ports Speed	40x 200Gb/s or 80x 100Gb/s	40x 200Gb/s or 80x 100Gb/s	40x 200Gb/s or 80x 100Gb/s	40x 200Gb/s or 80x 100Gb/s
Port Types	QSFP56	QSFP56	QSFP56	QSFP56
Power Supply (hot-pluggable)	1+1 redundancy (AC)	1+1 redundancy (AC)	1+1 redundancy (AC)	1+1 redundancy (AC)
Fans (hot- pluggable)	5+1 redundancy	5+1 redundancy	5+1 redundancy	5+1 redundancy
Airflow	Rear-to-front(P2C)	Front-to-rear(C2P)	Rear-to-front(P2C)	Front-to-rear(C2P)
Rack Height	1U	1U	1U	1U
Management	Internally managed/managed		Externally managed/unmanaged

Note: In the table, P in P2C and C2P means power, C means cable (line interface), P2C (Power to Cable), C2P (Cable to Power). The reference system here is that the cable line interface side is the front, and the power side is the back.

Each QM8700 and QM8790 switch has two models, in which HS2F and H2SR differ in the airflow direction. QM8700 and QM8790 have similar hardware configurations in terms of mechanical and environmental specifications, as well as switching performance. The port configurations of the QM8700 and QM8790 are both 40 200Gb/s HDR QSFP56, which can be split into up to 80 HDR 100G for interconnecting 100G HDR network cards. Besides, they also support direct connection with 40x 100G EDR via port speed reduction. Both the QM8700 and QM8790 switches can link to HDR and EDR network interface cards (NICs).

QM8700/8790	Feature	Value
Mechanical Specification	Input Power	100-127VAC 50/60Hz 4.5A; 200-240 50/60Hz 4.4A
	Rackmount	19"
	Weight	1 PSU: 11.4 kg; 2 PSUS: 12.488 kg
	Size	1.7"x16.85"x23.2 (43.6x433.2x590.6mm)
Environmental Specification	Operating Temperature	32°F to 104°F (0ºC to 40ºC)
	Storage Temperature	-40°F to 158°F (-40ºC to 70ºC)
	Humidity	Operating: 10%-85% non-condensing Non-operating: 10%-90% non-condensing
	Noise level	71.9 dB(A)
Performance	Throughput	16Tb/s
	Forwarding Rate (64B)	390mpps
	Port Forwarding Latency	130ns

Comparison of Management Approaches

Apart from system specifications, QM8700 and QM8790 differ in terms of management approaches. Let's compare them.

Model	USB	MGT	I2C	Console
QM8700	Front (micro USB)	Front (1 port)	NA	Front
QM8790	NA	NA	Front (micro USB)	NA

QM8700 is a fully managed Mellanox HDR switch (internally managed), with x86 dual-core processing power and the option to set up and control the switch via a web interface, command-line interface (CLI), or API. This switch offers IT managers entire control over the network, allowing them to monitor and regulate the flow of data and traffic, ensuring optimal efficiency and network availability.

QM8790 is an unmanaged Mellanox HDR switch (externally unmanaged), hence it lacks the same level of control and configuration choices as QM8700. However, it continues to provide the high-speed connectivity and low-latency performance required by modern data centers. It makes use of the powerful NVIDIA Unified Fabric Manager (UFM) platform to help data center operators quickly provision, monitor, manage, troubleshoot, and maintain data center networks.

The Mellanox QM8700 and QM8790 HDR switches have standard depth and a rail kit for easy installation and integration into existing data center infrastructures.

Conclusion

The demand for high-performance computing continues to grow, and selecting the right network switch is crucial for successfully achieving high-performance computing. The NVIDIA QM87-series InfiniBand HDR switches have emerged as industry leaders, offering excellent performance, low latency, and rich management features. By comparing the technical details of QM8700 and QM8790, you can make informed choices based on your specific requirements.