User guide

Chapter 2. InfiniBand products for BladeCenter 19
The Cisco 4X InfiniBand HCA Expansion Card is a High Speed Form Factor (HSFF) card
(see Figure 2-3). It requires that 4X InfiniBand Switch Modules be installed in bay 7 or bay 9
(or both, for redundancy).
Figure 2-3 Cisco 4X InfiniBand HCA Expansion Card
2.3 Cisco VFrame for InfiniBand virtualization software
Cisco VFrame for InfiniBand virtualization software used in conjunction with Cisco InfiniBand
switches and gateways provide server and I/O virtualization capabilities for customers.
VFrame programs and coordinates InfiniBand switches to alter dynamically how a server is
provisioned, by mapping a physical server to a logical server identity stored in the fabric.
There are two major components of the VFrame virtualization solution:
򐂰 Cisco VFrame Server Fabric Virtualization Software 3.1
򐂰 Cisco SFS 3000 Series Multifabric Server Switches (3001/3012) and Cisco SFS Server
Fabric Switches (including the Cisco 4x InfiniBand Switch Modules for IBM BladeCenter H
You can find more details at:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6429
Contact your Cisco sales representative to purchase the VFrame 3.1 solution.
We do not discuss VFrame in this paper.
2.4 QLogic InfiniBand Ethernet Bridge Module
The QLogic InfiniBand to Ethernet Bridge module, part number 39Y9207, can provide
Ethernet connectivity to InfiniBand clients within the BladeCenter H. It can currently be
installed in switch bays 3 and 5 (we recommend both bays for redundancy). Its use requires
the installation of Cisco 4X InfiniBand Switch Module in bays 7 and 9 (again for redundancy),
and the 4X InfiniBand HCA on each blade server that wants to make use of the bridge
module.