InfiniBand Cables Buyer’s Guide

Before buying an Infiniband cable, you might want to know the benefits and disadvantages of owning these common cables. There are also some features you should be aware of before buying the cables.

 

This guide has outlined some of the most common features to look for to help you make sure you buy the best one.

Benefits of Infinibands

The benefits of InfiniBands are numerous and really outweigh the disadvantages. One of the main benefits is that you can offload your network. This means all the network operations are managed by one network and not by the CPU. This is why makes InfiniBand cables are so efficient and easy to use because the speed is so high.

 

InfiniBand is also better because they have lower latency than Ethernet. They also use all the different processing engines inside one network so that data processing is much faster and computing is high-performance.

 

So, if you are working in the fields of security or science, InfiniBands are a must. This is because they can do simulations much easier and are more reliable when you need a quick internet connection.

Many Different Uses

You might be wondering if you really need an InfiniBand or not. While there are many different industries that use InfiniBands, everyone can benefit from having one of these cables whether they are in these industries or not.

 

Some notable industries that use InfiniBand are the medical field. These cables had a great impact when it came to COVID-19 and the development of tests.

 

InfiniBand is also used in online learning. If you or one of your children are doing school solely online, InfiniBands are the best way to get a fast connection and never miss deadlines.

Network Speed

InfiniBand boasts some of the highest network speeds around. There are many different speeds of InfiniBands including 100G, 200G, and 400G. The 100G cables are older and less expensive, but they are harder to find since they are the old models and most companies have started making the 400G cables.

 

The network efficiency with 400G cables is phenomenal. There is a 3 times latency and more efficient data processing.

 

While ethernet can achieve these speeds as well, InfiniBand is better because you can get higher network speeds when you are using different switches or when you are connecting the switches together.

Budget

Like ethernet cables and other kinds of cables, there is a wide budget of price ranges when it comes to InfiniBand cables. There is some that start at a few hundred dollars while the higher-end ones are a few thousand dollars.

 

If you are on a tight budget, you can still find high-quality InfiniBand cables that will suit your needs. Some are less than a hundred dollars if you need a simple one that you only use sometimes.

Thickness and Materials

InfiniBand cables are much heavier and thicker than standard ethernet cables especially the category 5e ones and category 6. They are more sensitive to bending so you will need to make sure the person installing it is professional and knows what they are doing.

 

Even if the cable is bent slightly, you risk not being able to have a reliable connection especially as the cable gets older and wears down.

 

Copper wires also have limitations because they confine the size of the cords and the wires inside. Make sure you know whether the cable you are buying is copper or not.

 

Since InfiniBand cables can often be harder to install, you might want to hire a professional when installing them.

 

They will need to disconnect your ethernet cable as the two kinds of cables cannot be used at the same time. Trying to use both at the same time can interfere with signals.

Final Thoughts

InfiniBand cables are extremely useful, especially for those that want to use them for work in the medical or science fields. However, they can still be used at home for simple uses when you want fast connections such as for online learning or working.

 

They are not the same as ethernet cables, but they have many of the same uses. You cannot use ethernet and InfiniBand cables at the same time, so you will need to choose which one works best for you