Mellanox NPTNBBU-FS2F2 — Pre-GA Neptune SX6720 36-Port QSFP+ FDR 56Gb/s InfiniBand Switch, BBU-Ready, 1U
Technical Identity
The Mellanox NPTNBBU-FS2F2 is a pre-production (pre-GA) unit from the Mellanox “Neptune” BBU program, corresponding to the SX6720: a 1U SwitchX-2 based InfiniBand switch with 36 QSFP+ ports at FDR 56Gb/s per port, battery-backup-unit (BBU) ready, with two power supplies. NPTNBBU-FS2F2 is a program part number, not a general-availability catalogue SKU. Protocol: InfiniBand FDR. Condition: Refurbished.
Pre-GA status, stated plainly. This is pre-production hardware built before general availability of the SX6720. It is not a GA SKU, it carries no NVIDIA or Mellanox support entitlement, no manufacturer warranty applies, and the installed firmware may be a pre-release build. It is sold by T.E.S for laboratory, spares and evaluation use only. No specification beyond the verified SX6720 platform and the unit label is claimed here.
Specifications

Brand: Mellanox Technologies (pre-GA program build)
Model / MPN: NPTNBBU-FS2F2
Program name: Neptune BBU
Corresponding GA platform: Mellanox SX6720 (catalogue family MSX6720-xxxxx)
Switch silicon: Mellanox SwitchX-2
Product type: InfiniBand switch, fixed configuration, 1U
Ports: 36 x QSFP+
Port speed: FDR 56Gb/s per port
Aggregate switching capacity: 4.032Tb/s (SX6720 platform)
Protocol: InfiniBand FDR (IBTA)
BBU: BBU-ready platform — battery backup unit not included
Power supplies: 2 per the FS2F2 designation — confirm per unit label
Form factor: 1U rack-mount
Support status: none — pre-GA hardware, no vendor support entitlement
Condition: Refurbished

Engineering Context
The SX6720 is the battery-backup-ready member of the SwitchX-2 36-port FDR family, designed so a BBU can hold the switch up through short power interruptions and protect fabric state. Pre-GA units such as NPTNBBU-FS2F2 were produced during platform qualification, before the MSX6720 catalogue part numbers were released. Hardware at that stage is functionally close to the shipping product but can differ in board revision, component sourcing and firmware. Nothing on this page is presented as a manufacturer specification for NPTNBBU-FS2F2 itself — only verified SX6720 platform behaviour and label-readable attributes.
Use Cases

Laboratory and test-bench InfiniBand FDR fabrics where vendor support is not required.
Non-critical spares pool for an existing SX6720 estate, accepting revision and firmware differences.
Training rigs, protocol development and BBU behaviour evaluation.

What This Is NOT

NOT a GA SKU. NPTNBBU-FS2F2 is a pre-production program part number. The general-availability equivalents are MSX6720 catalogue part numbers such as MSX6720-FS2F2.
NOT covered by NVIDIA support or warranty. No NVIDIA or Mellanox support entitlement, RMA path or firmware-update entitlement applies.
NOT recommended for production fabrics requiring vendor support, guaranteed firmware currency or a supported RMA route.
NOT an EDR, HDR or NDR switch. Maximum per-port rate is FDR 56Gb/s. EDR needs Switch-IB, HDR needs Quantum, NDR needs Quantum-2.
NOT a QSFP28, QSFP56 or OSFP switch. QSFP+ cages only.
NOT an Ethernet switch. The SX6720 platform is InfiniBand FDR.
NOT supplied with a battery backup unit, QSFP+ transceivers, DAC/AOC cables, rail kits or spare power supplies.

Compatibility & Hard Constraints

Typical fabric endpoints: Mellanox ConnectX-3 and ConnectX-3 Pro FDR 56Gb/s QSFP+ host adapters and OEM-branded equivalents.
Typical cabling: QSFP+ FDR passive copper DAC and FDR active optical cable. Verify cable profile recognition in the switch CLI.
Firmware: the installed image may be a pre-release build, and upgrade paths through NVIDIA support channels are not available for this part number.
Management: subnet-manager and management capability must be verified on the unit itself rather than assumed from the SX6720 datasheet.
Pre-deployment verification: board revision, firmware build, management state, PSU population, airflow direction, BBU connector presence.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What is the Mellanox NPTNBBU-FS2F2?
A pre-GA Mellanox “Neptune” program unit corresponding to the SX6720: a 1U SwitchX-2 InfiniBand switch, 36 QSFP+ ports at FDR 56Gb/s per port, 4.032Tb/s aggregate switching capacity, BBU-ready, two power supplies.
Q. Is NPTNBBU-FS2F2 a production part number?
No. It is a pre-production program part number issued before general availability of the SX6720. The GA equivalents are MSX6720 catalogue part numbers such as MSX6720-FS2F2.
Q. Does NPTNBBU-FS2F2 carry NVIDIA warranty or support?
No. There is no NVIDIA or Mellanox support entitlement, no manufacturer warranty and no vendor RMA path for this part number. T.E.S sells it for lab, spares and evaluation use only.
Q. Does the NPTNBBU-FS2F2 include a battery backup unit?
No. The platform is BBU-ready, meaning it is designed to accept a battery backup unit. The BBU itself is not included.
Q. What connector and speed does NPTNBBU-FS2F2 use?
36 x QSFP+ cages at FDR 56Gb/s per port. QSFP28 EDR, QSFP56 HDR and OSFP NDR modules are not compatible with this platform.
Q. Can NPTNBBU-FS2F2 be used in production?
It is a functioning FDR switch, but T.E.S does not recommend it for a production fabric that requires vendor support, firmware currency or a supported RMA route. Use the GA MSX6720 part numbers for that.
Q. What condition is supplied by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS?
Refurbished. The unit is powered up and inspected where test topology is available, with port checks, label and firmware-build verification, cosmetic inspection and anti-static packaging. EU stock, global B2B shipping.
Why T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
Every unit ships with: (1) power-on verification where test topology is available, (2) label, board-revision and firmware-build check, (3) cosmetic inspection, (4) anti-static packaging, (5) global B2B shipping from EU stock, (6) honest disclosure of pre-GA status before purchase.
Condition
Condition: Refurbished, pre-production hardware. Sold for laboratory, spares and evaluation use. No manufacturer warranty, no NVIDIA support entitlement and no vendor firmware or RMA path applies. T.E.S provides its own return terms.