Mellanox Demonstrates IBM DB2 and WebSphere on a Cluster of InfiniBand Server Blades; Modular Blade Chassis Delivers Data Center Applications Over High-Performance InfiniBand Fabric

Business Wire, Feb 26, 2002

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

Intel Developer Forum 2002

SAN JOSE, Calif. & YOKNEAM, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 26, 2002

Mellanox Technologies, Ltd., the leading supplier of InfiniBand(SM) semiconductors, announced today the first ever demonstration of an InfiniBand(SM) server blade cluster running IBM DB2 Universal Database and WebSphere Application Server. The demonstration of true 3-tier data center applications includes DB2, WebSphere and Ethernet clients connected using standard sockets interfaces. The data center platform is based on Mellanox's Nitro InfiniBand server blade reference chassis and Voltaire's nVigor InfiniBand switch/router. The Nitro InfiniBand server and I/O blade chassis provides a highly available, densely populated form factor for delivering data center applications on high-performance server clusters. The nVigor platform provides seamless connectivity between the InfiniBand server cluster and Ethernet connected clients.

The high-performance DB2 Universal Database and WebSphere Application Server clusters run on InfiniBand server blades entirely housed in a single 4U chassis integrating InfiniBand switching and up to 16 server or I/O blades. The sockets level connections provide a standard software interface to applications such that no modifications are required to the IBM DB2 or WebSphere packages. Providing transparent client connectivity between InfiniBand clusters and Ethernet clients allows data center managers to leverage the performance benefits of InfiniBand technology without having to abandon current technology investments.

"IBM is pleased to partner with Mellanox and the InfiniBand architecture to help our customers build more successful e-businesses," said Lauren Flaherty, vice president of marketing, IBM Data Management Solutions. "Demonstrations of DB2 running on InfiniBand clusters using Mellanox technology validates the performance and cost-effectiveness demanded by businesses today."

"This first-ever demonstration of a 3-tier data center illustrates the true power of InfiniBand technology in an extremely compact package," said Kevin Deierling, vice president of Product Marketing, Mellanox Technologies. "IBM's industry-leading data center applications running on a high-performance InfiniBand blade platform is a winning combination that illustrates how IT managers can lower their total cost of ownership."

The Nitro platform consists of switch blades, diskless server blades, and InfiniBand passive backplane and chassis based on Mellanox's InfiniBridge(TM) and InfiniScale(TM) 4X and 1X (10Gb/s and 2.5Gb/s) InfiniBand host channel adapters and switch semiconductors. The Nitro marks the first-ever InfiniBand-based server blade design and provides a framework that delivers the full benefits of server blades. Only InfiniBand architecture-based designs enable switch, server and I/O blades all in a single 7" tall (4U) chassis.

Demonstrating InfiniBridge Technology

The demonstration of IBM DB2 Universal Database and WebSphere Application Server running on the Nitro InfiniBand server blades and can be seen February 26-27 at Mellanox's booth 720 at the Intel Developer Forum at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

About Mellanox

Mellanox is the leading supplier of InfiniBand semiconductors, providing switches and channel adapters to the server, communications and data storage markets. In January 2001, Mellanox Technologies delivered the InfiniBridge MT21108, the first 1X/4X InfiniBand device to market, and is now shipping second-generation InfiniScale silicon. The company has raised more than $89 million to date and has strong corporate and venture backing from Bessemer Venture Partners, Dell Computer, Intel Capital, Raza Venture Management, Sequoia Capital, Sun Microsystems, US Venture Partners, Vitesse and others. Mellanox currently has more than 200 employees in multiple sites worldwide. The company's business operations are headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif.; with the design, engineering, software, system validation, and quality operations based in Israel.

Note to Editors: InfiniBand is a registered service mark and trademark of the InfiniBand Trade Association.

InfiniBridge and InfiniPCI are registered trademarks of Mellanox Inc.