IBM Flex System IB6131 InfiniBand Switch (90Y3453): This is an InfiniBand switch module designed exclusively for the IBM Flex System blade chassis. It provides FDR (56Gb/s) InfiniBand connectivity between blade servers within the chassis and to external InfiniBand fabric switches. This is a blade chassis switch module, not a standalone rackmount switch and not an Ethernet device.
Engineering Context
The IB6131 is a managed InfiniBand switch module that installs into the I/O bay of an IBM Flex System Enterprise Chassis. It connects the Mellanox ConnectX-3 or ConnectX-3 Pro mezzanine adapters installed in blade servers to the external InfiniBand fabric via uplink ports. The switch supports FDR (56Gb/s) InfiniBand speeds and provides non-blocking connectivity between internal blade servers and external Subnet Manager-controlled fabrics. Configuration is managed through the IBM Chassis Management Module (CMM) and the switch's own CLI/web interface.
Deployment & Use Cases
IBM Flex System HPC Clusters: Connects blade servers with InfiniBand for MPI-based parallel computing workloads.
Storage Fabric Connectivity: Provides InfiniBand connectivity between blade servers and external SAN/NAS storage over RDMA.
Replacement Module: Direct replacement for failed IB6131 switch modules in existing IBM Flex System deployments.
Technical Specifications
OEM: IBM / Mellanox
Part Number: 90Y3453
Model: IB6131
Protocol: FDR InfiniBand (56Gb/s)
Form Factor: IBM Flex System I/O module
Compatible Chassis: IBM Flex System Enterprise Chassis
Condition: NEW
Compatibility & Hard Constraints
IBM Flex System Only: This is a blade chassis I/O module. It does not function outside an IBM Flex System Enterprise Chassis. It is not a standalone rackmount switch.
InfiniBand Only: Does not support Ethernet. For Ethernet connectivity in IBM Flex System, different I/O modules are required.
FDR Speed: Supports FDR (56Gb/s) InfiniBand. Does not support EDR (100Gb/s) or HDR (200Gb/s). Not compatible with newer InfiniBand speed tiers.
Blade Adapter Requirement: Blade servers must have Mellanox ConnectX-3/ConnectX-3 Pro InfiniBand mezzanine adapters installed to use this switch module.