NVIDIA Mellanox MSX6036F-1BFR 36-Port FDR InfiniBand Switch (SwitchX-2, 56Gb/s): This is a managed 1U InfiniBand top-of-rack switch built around the Mellanox SwitchX-2 ASIC, providing 36 QSFP+ ports of non-blocking FDR (56Gb/s) connectivity. The "1BFR" SKU variant ships with a single power supply, short-depth chassis, and reverse airflow (PSU side to connector side, P2C). It is a fully managed switch running MLNX-OS — not an unmanaged or externally-managed (-1ER) variant. This is a refurbished unit, professionally tested.
Engineering Context
The SX6036 is the 36-port FDR member of the SX6000 family and was the workhorse FDR aggregation switch for HPC and storage deployments throughout the FDR generation. SwitchX-2 silicon delivers 4.032 Tb/s aggregate switching capacity and per-port latency in the 200 ns range. The 1BFR variant is short-depth (less than half the depth of a typical leaf switch), which makes it suitable for shallow telco and edge cabinets. As a managed unit it boots MLNX-OS with a captive subnet manager (OpenSM-based UFM-compatible) and exposes CLI, Web UI, and SNMP. The legacy unit shipped here is documented at MLNX-OS release 3.6.8008.
Deployment & Use Cases
Top-of-Rack FDR aggregation for HPC compute clusters running MPI workloads. Storage fabric switching for FDR-attached storage arrays (Lustre, GPFS/Spectrum Scale, BeeGFS). Lab and qualification benches where a managed FDR switch is needed at low cost. Educational and research clusters where FDR is the deployed interconnect generation. Backbone for ConnectX-3 and ConnectX-3 Pro VPI adapters.
Technical Specifications
OEM: NVIDIA Mellanox
Part Number: MSX6036F-1BFR
Switch ASIC: Mellanox SwitchX-2
Switch Family: SX6000
Port Count: 36 x QSFP+
Per-Port Speed: 56Gb/s FDR InfiniBand
Aggregate Switching Capacity: 4.032 Tb/s non-blocking
Form Factor: 1U rack-mount, short depth
Management: Fully managed — MLNX-OS (CLI / Web / SNMP)
Power Supplies: 1 (single PSU variant)
Airflow: P2C — PSU side to Connector side (reverse)
Condition: Refurbished — Professionally tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
Compatibility & Hard Constraints
Compatible with Mellanox FDR-class adapters: ConnectX-3 and ConnectX-3 Pro VPI HCAs operating at FDR (56Gb/s) or below (FDR10, QDR, DDR, SDR auto-negotiation). Compatible with QSFP+ FDR optics and copper DACs (MC2207xxx series). The "1BFR" reverse airflow variant must be matched to a hot-aisle/cold-aisle layout with cold air entering the connector face and exhausting from the PSU face — do not mix airflow directions in the same rack row. This is the FDR generation switch — it is not EDR (100G) and not HDR (200G); EDR/HDR transceivers and cables will not link up. The unit ships with one power supply only — there is no redundant PSU in this SKU. External subnet manager (e.g., UFM) may be substituted for the on-board manager.
Why Choose T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS performs full functional testing on every refurbished switch — port-by-port link verification, PSU load test, and management plane check — before shipment. We provide expert consultation on InfiniBand fabric architecture, MLNX-OS configuration, global shipping from Israel, and 1–3 day handling time. Visit https://www.tes-itsolutions.com for the full networking catalog.