High performance network infrastructure vendor QLogic is to build new quad data rate (QDR) InfiniBand switch systems capable of 40Gbit/s through a single port, targeting the burgeoning market for connecting high performance computing clustered systems.

QLogic will launch a fixed configuration series of QDR switches, the 12200 series and a configurable series called the 12800 Director Class InfiniBand, powered by QLogic's TrueScale switch application specific integrated circuit.

The 12800 switches can be expanded using up to 36 extra slot-in modules, which can use fibre channel Virtual I/O Controllers supporting 1/2/4Gbit/s fibre channel speeds, and there is also support for 10 gigabit Ethernet Virtual I/O Controllers.

"We've got two configurations for the 12800 series switch which address firms need to go for maximum performance or maximum connectivity - it's a trade off," said Henrik Hansen, QLogic's EMEA marketing director.

"You could have 864 ports for high connectivity or 684 ports for high performance giving a network throughput of just under 52Tbit/s."

The 12800 series switch will be available in five models, including the low end 96-port 12800-040 to the high end 12800-360 model, which takes up just over 4ft in a standard 19in rack mount system.

Currently the new technology would allow compute-intensive applications, such as physical and biochemical simulations, to take advantage of the high throughput of QDR InfiniBand connections.

QLogic said the 12200 and 12800 Director switches would be available in the first quarter of 2009.