NVIDIA Mellanox MSB7880-ES2F Switch-IB 2 EDR 100Gb/s InfiniBand Smart Router, 36-Port, 1U, P2C Airflow: This is a 1U InfiniBand Smart Router based on Mellanox Switch-IB 2 silicon, providing 36 QSFP28 ports of EDR 100Gb/s connectivity. It is built for routing traffic between InfiniBand subnets in HPC and AI clusters at line rate. This is a router product running on Switch-IB 2 silicon, not a managed Ethernet switch and not a transparent crossbar-only switch. This is a new, factory-sealed unit.
Engineering Context
The MSB7880-ES2F uses the Mellanox Switch-IB 2 ASIC with InfiniBand router function. With 36 QSFP28 ports each running at 100Gb/s EDR, the platform provides 3.6Tb/s of unidirectional port-side bandwidth and acts as a Layer-3 IB Router between separate InfiniBand subnets. It includes an x86 dual-core management CPU, supports adaptive routing and congestion control, and ships with two hot-swappable AC power supplies. Airflow is Power-to-Connector (front-to-rear with the PSU side as the cold-aisle inlet).
Deployment & Use Cases
Joining multiple InfiniBand subnets into a single fabric for very large HPC and AI clusters where a single subnet boundary is insufficient. Routing between production HPC training subnets and storage subnets while preserving administrative isolation. Bridging Mellanox EDR fabrics across separate pods or buildings within a campus. Disaster-recovery and storage replication paths that require IB-level routing rather than an IB-to-Ethernet gateway.
Technical Specifications
- OEM: NVIDIA Mellanox
- Part Number: MSB7880-ES2F
- Product Family: Switch-IB 2 Smart Router
- Function: InfiniBand Layer-3 Router (between IB subnets)
- Ports: 36 x QSFP28
- Port Rate: 100Gb/s EDR per port
- Port-Side Bandwidth: 3.6Tb/s unidirectional (36 x 100Gb/s)
- Management CPU: x86 dual-core
- Form Factor: 1U, standard depth
- Airflow: P2C (Power-to-Connector / front-to-rear)
- Power Supplies: 2 x AC, hot-swappable
- Condition: New — Factory-Sealed
Compatibility & Hard Constraints
Designed to interconnect EDR 100Gb/s InfiniBand subnets built on Mellanox Switch-IB 2 (SB7800/SB7890), Switch-IB (SB7000), and ConnectX-3/-4/-5/-6 host adapters. Requires QSFP28 EDR cabling (DAC, AOC, or QSFP28 transceiver+fiber). The MSB7880-ES2F is the P2C airflow variant — it must be deployed in racks where cool air enters from the power-supply side; mixing P2C and C2P units in the same hot/cold aisle row is not supported. This unit is an InfiniBand router and is not an Ethernet (Spectrum) switch; it does not function as an IB-to-Ethernet gateway on its own. Subnet manager (NVIDIA UFM or OpenSM) is still required on each connected subnet. Rail kit is sold separately.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What is the MSB7880-ES2F?
The MSB7880-ES2F is a Switch-IB 2 based EDR InfiniBand router with 36 ports at 100Gb/s, P2C airflow, 1U.
Q. Is this a switch or a router?
It functions as an InfiniBand router, routing traffic between separate subnets, distinct from a standard non-routing switch.
Q. Will T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS confirm the configuration of MSB7880-ES2F before shipping?
Yes. T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS (tes-itsolutions.com) bench-tests each unit where test topology is available, before dispatch from EU stock.
Why Choose T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS supplies factory-new MSB7880-ES2F units with verified packaging and accessory contents prior to shipment. Visit tes-itsolutions.com for global shipping, expert consultation on InfiniBand fabric routing and subnet design, and 1–3 day handling on in-stock inventory.