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Quantum or Spectrum: two different networks
NVIDIA builds two switch families, and choosing between them means choosing the network technology itself rather than a device model.
- Quantum, InfiniBand. A fabric for clusters where nodes compute one shared job. It gives the lowest latency and in-network operations that aggregate results from nodes inside the switch itself.
- Spectrum, Ethernet. The same Ethernet as the rest of your infrastructure, with RoCE support. Easier to operate, because it does not require a separate team fluent in InfiniBand.
How to read the port count
A line like "64 NDR ports, 32 OSFP cages" does not mean 96 ports. It means 64 logical ports brought out through 32 physical cages, each cage split into two ports by a special cable. This is the most common planning mistake: the datasheet says there are enough ports, but physically there is nowhere to plug the cables in.
Managed or unmanaged
The managed version carries its own processor and subnet management. The unmanaged one costs less but needs an external manager on the fabric. For a first cluster that is a noticeable difference in how hard it is to bring up.
Before buying, count three things: how many nodes connect now, how many will be added within a year, and whether the rack has space with airflow in mind. Send us the cluster layout and we will suggest a switch with port headroom for growth.