IBTA Unveils XDR InfiniBand Specification to Enable the Next Generation of AI and Scientific Computing

XDR InfiniBand Will Provide Unprecedented 800Gb/s Server and Storage Connectivity, Elevating AI and HPC Infrastructure CapabilitiesBEAVERTON, Ore.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The InfiniBand® Trade Association (IBTA), a global organization dedicated to developing and furthering the adoption of RDMA technologies, today announced the immediate availability of the IBTA Specification Volume 1 Release 1.7 and Volume 2 release 1.5. The Volume 1 Release 1.7 includes initial specifications for XDR and lays the foundation for the next speed generation in the IBTA roadmap, providing 2x increased bandwidth over the previous generation to meet the rapid performance and scalability demands of AI and HPC data centers. With SerDes support of 200Gb/s per lane, XDR-capable adapters and switches will provide unprecedented 800Gb/s speeds per port, and support for XDR switch-to-switch connections at 1.6Tb/s.
Additional features in the Volume 1 Release 1.7 and Volume 2 Release 1.5 specifications include improved support for large radix switches, mechanisms to improve congestion control in InfiniBand and RoCE-based fabrics using network probes, as well as the final physical specifications for NDR 400Gb/s InfiniBand.
“High bandwidth, low latency and power-efficient interconnections are critical for AI and HPC applications that involve large-scale data processing and analysis, such as scientific simulations, deep learning, and training neural networks on vast datasets,” said Alan Benner, senior technical staff member at IBM, and Chair of the ElectroMechanical Working Group at IBTA. “XDR InfiniBand sets the stage for the next generation of AI and scientific computing with unprecedented 800Gb/s speeds, empowering AI applications and furthering the frontiers of knowledge and discovery.”
Volume 1 of the InfiniBand specification suite comprises the core of the InfiniBand Architecture, specifying requirements for InfiniBand switches, routers, and adapters. It also specifies a complete architecture for managing an InfiniBand fabric. Its companion, Volume 2, specifies the physical aspects of the architecture.
Resources:

Download IBTA Specification Volume 1 Release 1.7

Download IBTA Specification Volume 2 Release 1.5

View IBTA Specification Volume 1 Release 1.7 Overview

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About the InfiniBand® Trade Association
The InfiniBand® Trade Association was founded in 1999 and is chartered with maintaining and furthering the InfiniBand and the RoCE specifications. The IBTA is led by a distinguished steering committee that includes HPE, IBM, Intel Corporation, Marvell Technology Group and NVIDIA. Other members of the IBTA represent leading enterprise IT vendors who are actively contributing to the advancement of the InfiniBand and RoCE specifications. The IBTA markets and promotes InfiniBand and RoCE from an industry perspective through online, marketing and public relations engagements, and unites the industry through IBTA-sponsored technical events and resources. For more information on the IBTA, visit www.infinibandta.org.
InfiniBand (TM/SM) and RoCE are trademark and service marks of the IBTA. Other names and brands are the property of their respective owners. Contacts
Denise Jarrett-Weeks
IBTA Administrator
InfiniBand Trade Association
Phone: 503.619.0565
administration@infinibandta.org