NVIDIA Mellanox MSX6036F-1BRS SwitchX FDR InfiniBand Unmanaged Switch, 36 QSFP+ Ports, 1U: This is a 1U 36-port QSFP+ unmanaged InfiniBand switch built on the SwitchX silicon platform, supporting non-blocking FDR (56Gb/s) port speeds. The 1BRS suffix indicates one PSU, basic/unmanaged (B), short depth (R), and standard airflow (S, connector side to PSU side). This unit does not include the embedded Mellanox switch OS subnet manager and requires an external SM host on the fabric. This is a refurbished unit.
Engineering Context
The MSX6036F provides full bisectional bandwidth across all 36 ports for an aggregate switching capacity of 4.032Tb/s. Per-port latency is in the low-hundreds of nanoseconds, typical of single-chip FDR switches. As an externally-managed switch, an opensm or Mellanox UFM subnet manager must run on a server attached to the fabric. Power draw is on the order of ~120W typical for a single PSU configuration. Short-depth chassis fits in shallower telco-style racks where a standard-depth switch will not.
Deployment & Use Cases
Top-of-Rack InfiniBand aggregation in HPC clusters where opensm runs on a head node. Storage interconnects for parallel filesystems (Lustre, GPFS) running over IB FDR. Short-depth racks (e.g., telco/edge colocation) where chassis depth is constrained. Cost-effective fabric expansion when the SM is already provided elsewhere in the cluster.
Technical Specifications
OEM: NVIDIA Mellanox
Part Number: MSX6036F-1BRS
Form Factor: 1U Rackmount, short depth
Ports: 36 x QSFP+
Port Speed: FDR 56Gb/s (4x14G NRZ) per port
Switching Capacity: 4.032Tb/s aggregate
Management: Unmanaged — requires external subnet manager
Protocol: InfiniBand FDR (back-compatible to QDR/DDR)
Power Supplies: 1 x AC PSU (single PSU configuration)
Airflow: Standard — connector side to PSU side
Chassis Depth: Short depth
Condition: Refurbished — Tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
Compatibility & Hard Constraints
Compatible with Mellanox QSFP/QSFP+ DAC, AOC, and FDR optical transceivers. Pairs with ConnectX-3, ConnectX-3 Pro, and ConnectX-4 IB HCAs. Single PSU configuration: there is no internal redundancy — for redundant power, source a 2-PSU model (MSX6036F-2BRS) or deploy a separate UPS. Standard airflow (connector-to-PSU) must match your hot/cold aisle layout — do not mix airflow directions in the same enclosure. Not Ethernet-capable in this SKU; this is an InfiniBand-only switch. An external subnet manager (opensm or UFM) is mandatory.
Why Choose T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS power-tests every switch and verifies all 36 ports for link-up at FDR rate against a known-good external SM before shipment. 1–3 business day handling, global shipping, and post-sale technical support. Visit tes-itsolutions.com.