When we buy optical modules, we often see descriptions such as "compliant with a certain IEEE Ethernet standard" and "compatible with InfiniBand xDR protocol" in the introduction. So, as common communication network standards, InfiniBand (IB) and Ethernet (Ethernet), what are the specific differences?
Design Goal
InfiniBand (literally "infinite bandwidth" technology, abbreviated as IB) is a dedicated protocol originally designed for connections between servers, storage and network devices to meet the needs of data centers. It uses high-speed differential signal technology and multi-channel parallel transmission mechanism, with the main goal of providing high performance, low latency and high reliability.
Ethernet is a general-purpose protocol that is widely used for local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN) communications. It uses the carrier sense multiple access/collision detection (CSMA/CD) mechanism to avoid collisions, and its main goals are simplicity, flexibility, and scalability.
Transmission rate and latency
InfiniBand supports multiple transmission modes, including SDR (single-channel reception), DDR (dual-channel reception), QDR (quad-channel reception), FDR (differential reception), EDR (extended differential reception), HDR (high-density reception), and NDR (narrowband differential reception). These transmission modes have different characteristics and advantages and are suitable for different application scenarios.
Ethernet also supports multiple transmission rates, such as 10Mbps, 100Mbps, 1Gbps, 10Gbps, 25Gbps, 100Gbps, 200Gbps, 400Gbps, etc. However, the delay of Ethernet mainly depends on the performance of network devices and network traffic.
Since InfiniBand uses faster transmission rates and dedicated hardware, it has a clear advantage in terms of latency. In contrast, Ethernet has a higher latency, mainly due to the complexity of the protocol stack and some additional processing steps.
Reliability and Scalability
InfiniBand has the characteristics of high reliability and low power consumption, which can meet the performance and reliability requirements of modern data centers. It uses high-speed differential signal technology and multi-channel parallel transmission mechanism to achieve extremely high data transmission rates and extremely low latency. In addition, InfiniBand also has the characteristics of high reliability and low power consumption, which can meet the performance and reliability requirements of modern data centers.
Ethernet is a general-purpose protocol that is widely used for local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN) communications. It uses the carrier sense multiple access/collision detection (CSMA/CD) mechanism to avoid collisions, and its main goals are simplicity, flexibility, and scalability.
Cost and Maintenance
InfiniBand is a dedicated protocol that requires the use of specialized hardware and software. Therefore, the cost of InfiniBand is relatively high. However, since InfiniBand is designed specifically for data center environments, it has lower environmental requirements and lower maintenance costs.
Ethernet is a universal protocol that can use standard Ethernet switches and network cards. Therefore, the cost of Ethernet is relatively low. However, due to the complexity of Ethernet design and configuration, the maintenance cost is high.
Applicable fields
Based on the characteristics of the two protocols, InfiniBand is mainly used in the field of high-performance computing, such as supercomputers, data centers, and scientific research institutions. Its advantages lie in high-speed transmission, low latency, and scalability.
Ethernet is widely used in enterprise networks, Internet access, home networks and other fields. Its main advantages are low cost, standardization and wide support.
In conclusion, InfiniBand and Ethernet are two different data center network communication technologies, and they differ in design goals, transmission rate and latency, reliability and scalability, cost and maintenance, and applicable fields. Based on the needs and limitations of actual application scenarios, you can choose a suitable protocol to meet specific requirements.
With the development of technology and changes in the market, these two technologies are also constantly evolving and competing. In order to adapt to the growing needs of data centers, both Infiniband and Ethernet are undergoing continuous technological innovation and upgrading. For example, Ethernet continues to improve network performance and reliability by introducing new technologies such as non-blocking network design and switch topology; while Infiniband is also constantly optimizing performance and reducing costs to expand its application scope.
