# InfiniBand

> high-speed, low-latency computer networking bus

**Wikidata**: [Q922437](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q922437)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InfiniBand)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/infiniband

## Summary
InfiniBand is a high-speed, low-latency computer networking bus designed for high-performance computing (HPC) and data-intensive applications. It utilizes remote direct memory access (RDMA) to enable fast data transfer between devices with minimal delay. Developed by the InfiniBand Trade Association, it is widely used in supercomputers, data centers, and cloud infrastructure.

## Key Facts
- **Standards Body**: Governed by the InfiniBand Trade Association.
- **Key Technology**: Employs remote direct memory access (RDMA) for low-latency communication.
- **Manufacturers**: Produced by companies including Intel and Mellanox Technologies.
- **Classification**: A type of computer network and bus.
- **Identifiers**: ITU/ISO/IEC object ID `1.3.6.1.3.117`, Library of Congress Authority ID `sh2002000596`.
- **Aliases**: Commonly referred to as IB or InfiniBand贸易协会.

## FAQs
### Q: What is InfiniBand primarily used for?
A: InfiniBand is designed for high-performance computing, supercomputers, and data centers where low latency and high bandwidth are critical.

### Q: Who develops and manufactures InfiniBand?
A: The InfiniBand Trade Association oversees the standard, while manufacturers like Intel and Mellanox Technologies produce compatible hardware.

### Q: How does InfiniBand differ from Ethernet?
A: Unlike Ethernet, InfiniBand uses RDMA to bypass CPU and kernel involvement, reducing latency and improving performance for specialized workloads.

## Why It Matters
InfiniBand plays a vital role in advancing high-performance computing by addressing the bottlenecks of traditional networking technologies. Its ability to transfer data with minimal latency and high throughput makes it indispensable for applications such as weather modeling, genetic sequencing, and large-scale simulations. By enabling efficient communication between processors and storage systems, InfiniBand accelerates scientific discovery and supports the infrastructure of modern data centers and cloud services. Its impact is evident in its adoption by many of the world’s fastest supercomputers, where performance reliability is paramount.

## Notable For
- **RDMA Capability**: Enables direct memory-to-memory data transfer without CPU intervention.
- **High-Performance Applications**: Powers supercomputers and data centers requiring extreme throughput.
- **Industry Standard**: Backed by the InfiniBand Trade Association, ensuring interoperability across vendors.
- **Low Latency**: Optimized for real-time data processing and communication.

## Body
### Technical Specifications
- **RDMA Support**: Allows devices to access memory on remote systems directly, reducing latency.
- **Speed and Latency**: Designed for high bandwidth and low-latency communication, though specific performance metrics vary by implementation.
- **Scalability**: Supports large-scale networking configurations typical in HPC environments.

### History and Development
- **Standards Governance**: The InfiniBand Trade Association, formed by industry leaders, defines and maintains the standard.
- **Key Manufacturers**: Intel and Mellanox Technologies are prominent developers of InfiniBand hardware.

### Applications
- **Supercomputing**: Used in many of the world’s fastest supercomputers for tasks like climate modeling and particle physics.
- **Data Centers**: Enhances performance in cloud and enterprise data centers for applications such as artificial intelligence and big data analytics.
- **Storage Networking**: Facilitates high-speed data transfer between storage systems and compute nodes.

### Standards and Compliance
- **ITU/ISO/IEC Object ID**: `1.3.6.1.3.117`, ensuring standardized identification in global telecommunications frameworks.
- **Governing Body**: The InfiniBand Trade Association maintains specifications and promotes interoperability.

### Identification and Classification
- **Library of Congress Authority ID**: `sh2002000596`, cataloging its recognition in technical literature.
- **Wikidata Classification**: Defined as a "bus" and subclass of "computer network," reflecting its role in device connectivity.

## References

1. [Source](https://github.com/JohnMarkOckerbloom/ftl/blob/master/data/wikimap)
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. National Library of Israel
4. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)