Open Compute Project accepts Mellanox 10GbE, 40GbE switch systems

Mellanox SwitchX-2 SX1012

Mellanox Technologies, Ltd. (NASDAQ: MLNX) announced the acceptance of its 10GbE and 40GbE switch systems by the Open Compute Project (OCP). The OCP-accepted switches from Mellanox are as follows: the MSX1710OCP spine switch system, with 36 QSFP+ interfaces, billed as the highest density OCP spine switch on the market; and the MSX1410OCP leaf / top-of-rack (ToR) switch system, with 48 SFP+ interfaces and 12 QSFP+ interfaces, billed as the only non-blocking OCP leaf switch.

Both switch systems are based on the company's SwitchX-2 IC, providing performance and efficiency in 10/40GbE Ethernet switching, with high throughput, low latency, high energy efficiency and scalability. The company says its SwitchX-2 silicon is optimized for cloud and hyperscale data centers, delivering non-blocking 2.56Tb/s full wire speed forwarding with cut-through latency and deterministic zero packet loss performance.

“It is exciting to see organizations such as Mellanox take an active role in shaping the future of open networking through not only its open collaboration and participation in the OCP Networking Project, but through its willingness to open the specs and designs around in its SwitchX-2 product line,” said Amber Graner, operations director for the Open Compute Project Foundation. “The Mellanox switch contributions are another great example of how OCP through member participation is accelerating the future of open hardware in the networking ecosystem.”

Mellanox Open Ethernet switch systems offer customers the choice of Application Programming Interface (API) for fast time-to-market. Further, Mellanox is a co-author of the Switch Abstraction Interface (SAI), which enables applications and Ethernet protocol stacks to operate seamlessly over any Open Ethernet compatible switch hardware platform. Mellanox was the first to integrate the SAI layer and to offer its free download as an open-source.

“Mellanox has been a leading contributor to the Open Compute Project, providing adapters, cables, switches and software to the OCP ecosystem, at the product and specification levels,” comments Kevin Deierling, vice president of marketing, Mellanox Technologies. “Mellanox is committed to Open Ethernet and to provide the freedom of choice of hardware and software for best data center return on investment.”