NVIDIA Mellanox MSX1036B-1SFR 36-Port 40GbE Ethernet Switch (SwitchX-2, 1U): This is a 1U SwitchX-2 based managed Ethernet switch with 36 QSFP+ ports, designed for 40GbE leaf or spine deployments. The unit is the standard-depth variant with PSU-side to connector-side (P2C / front-to-back) airflow, ships with a single AC power supply, and runs MLNX-OS. This unit is a refurbished switch only — it does NOT include transceivers, breakout cables, or a redundant PSU. It is NOT a SwitchX-3 (SN/SX2700 series) and is NOT VPI/InfiniBand-capable in this SKU.
Engineering Context. The MSX1036B-1SFR uses the SwitchX-2 ASIC, providing 36 ports of 40GbE non-blocking switching at 2.88 Tb/s aggregate throughput. Each QSFP+ port can run native 40GbE or be split via supported breakout cables into 4×10GbE for higher-density 10GbE aggregation. The platform supports L2 features and basic L3 routing under MLNX-OS, with sub-300ns port-to-port latency typical of the SwitchX-2 generation.
Deployment & Use Cases. Common deployments include 40GbE top-of-rack aggregation for HPC compute clusters, storage backends with NFS/iSCSI over 40GbE, hyper-converged infrastructure clusters (Nutanix, vSAN), and as a 10GbE fan-out switch using QSFP+ to 4×SFP+ breakout cables. It is suitable as a legacy fleet replacement or hot spare in environments already standardized on SwitchX-2.
Technical Specifications.
Model / MPN: MSX1036B-1SFR
Switch family: SwitchX-2 (SX1036)
Form factor: 1U rack, standard depth
Ports: 36 × QSFP+ (40GbE)
Aggregate switching: 2.88 Tb/s non-blocking
Management: Fully managed via MLNX-OS
Power supply: 1 × AC PSU (non-redundant in this SKU)
Airflow: PSU side to connector side (P2C / front-to-back)
Software family: MLNX-OS (firmware as shipped: 3.6.8008)
Compliance: RoHS6
Includes: Switch, rail kit
Compatibility & Constraints. Works with NVIDIA Mellanox QSFP+ DAC, AOC, and optical transceivers, and most third-party 40GBASE-SR4/LR4/CR4 modules. Pair airflow direction (P2C) with adjacent equipment to avoid hot-aisle/cold-aisle conflicts — the C2P (reverse) variant is a different SKU. This is a 40GbE Ethernet-only SKU; it cannot run InfiniBand. Single PSU only — for N+1 redundancy choose the dual-PSU variant. Breakout to 4×10GbE requires supported QSFP+→4×SFP+ DAC/AOC.
Why TES. Sourced and bench-tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS. Each unit is functionally validated, port-tested, and shipped with technical support. Handling time 1–3 business days from our EU stock.
Frequently Asked Questions
What throughput and latency does the MSX1036B-1SFR deliver?
The MSX1036B-1SFR provides 36 QSFP+ ports of 40GbE non-blocking switching at 2.88 Tb/s aggregate throughput, with sub-300ns port-to-port latency typical of the SwitchX-2 generation. Firmware as shipped is MLNX-OS 3.6.8008.
Can the MSX1036B-1SFR run InfiniBand or 100GbE?
No. The MSX1036B-1SFR is a 40GbE Ethernet-only SKU and cannot run InfiniBand. It is not a SwitchX-3 (SN/SX2700 series) platform, and its QSFP+ cages are 40GbE; breakout to 4x10GbE requires supported QSFP+ to 4xSFP+ DAC or AOC cables.
What is included with the MSX1036B-1SFR from T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS?
This MSX1036B-1SFR is a refurbished unit supplied by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS (tes-itsolutions.com) and includes the switch and rail kit. Transceivers, breakout cables and a redundant PSU are not included; the SKU ships with a single non-redundant AC PSU. Handling time is 1-3 business days from EU stock.