NVIDIA Quantum CS8500

NVIDIA Quantum CS850

InfiniBand Switch – Ultra-High-Density 200GbE Connectivity for Future-Ready Data Centers

Introduction

The accelerating growth of real-time data processing, artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing (HPC), and mission-critical applications is reshaping modern data centers.

Organizations today require ultra-fast, reliable, and scalable interconnect solutions that not only meet today’s needs but are also future-proof.

The NVIDIA Quantum CS8500 InfiniBand Switch addresses these demands with unmatched capacity and speed.

Featuring up to 800 ports of 200Gb/s HDR InfiniBand connectivity, it provides exceptional performance, ultra-low latency, and advanced in-network computing capabilities.

This switch is engineered for organizations that require the highest levels of throughput, availability, and scalability in large-scale environments such as scientific research, AI model training, and cloud hyperscale deployments.

Key Features and Benefits

1. Massive Port Density

With support for up to 800 QSFP56 ports, the NVIDIA Quantum CS8500 delivers the highest port density in its class. This makes it ideal for:

• Hyperscale data centers
• HPC clusters
• AI training farms
• Research and simulation environments

By consolidating multiple smaller switches into a single large unit, organizations can reduce complexity and improve manageability while maximizing rack space utilization.

2. Blazing-Fast Data Rate: 200GbE InfiniBand

Each port on the CS8500 supports 200 gigabits per second (200Gb/s) of InfiniBand HDR (High Data Rate), ensuring ultra-fast data transfers. This enables:

• Real-time simulation and modeling
• Faster AI training and inference
• Ultra-low latency communication between compute nodes

3. Industry-Leading Bandwidth: 320 Terabits per Second (Tb/s)

The CS8500 delivers an impressive 320 Tb/s of full bidirectional bandwidth, allowing enormous amounts of data to flow through the network fabric without bottlenecks.

Whether managing large datasets, conducting research simulations, or running high-demand cloud applications, this switch ensures optimal application performance.

4. Ultra-Low Latency

Designed with NVIDIA’s advanced silicon and InfiniBand technology, the CS8500 switch minimizes port-to-port latency down to microseconds.

Ultra-low latency is especially important for:

• Financial trading applications
• AI/ML workloads
• HPC simulations
• Data analytics platforms

5. Compact and Scalable Form Factor

Despite its high capacity, the 29U rack-mountable form factor makes the CS8500 compact for large deployments.

It combines space efficiency with high throughput, allowing organizations to scale their networks vertically without expanding physical footprint unnecessarily.

6. Enhanced In-Network Computing with NVIDIA SHARP™

The CS8500 supports NVIDIA SHARP™ (Scalable Hierarchical Aggregation and Reduction Protocol) technology.

By embedding computing tasks directly into the network fabric, SHARP offloads operations from CPUs and GPUs, accelerating data center workloads such as:

• Machine learning training
• High-volume data aggregation
• Collective communication operations in HPC

7. Increased Availability and Reliability

The CS8500 is built with enterprise-grade reliability in mind. Key availability features include:

• Redundant power supplies
• Hot-swappable components
• Advanced airflow cooling systems
• Robust hardware monitoring and management tools

These features ensure 24/7 uptime for mission-critical data center applications.

Technical Specifications

Specification	Details
Model Name	NVIDIA Quantum CS8500
Data Rate	200GbE HDR InfiniBand
Number of Ports	800 QSFP56 ports
Total Bandwidth	320 Tbps full bidirectional bandwidth
Latency	Ultra-low (microseconds range)
Network Interface	QSFP56
Form Factor	29U Rack-Mountable
In-Network Computing	NVIDIA SHARP™ technology
Power Supply	Redundant, hot-swappable
Cooling System	Advanced airflow cooling system
Management Software	NVIDIA Quantum Management Suite
Product SKU	920-9B020-00FH-XD0 (MCS8500)

Product Options

SKU	OPN	Data Rate	Network Interface	Ports	Technology
920-9B020-00FH-XD0	MCS8500	HDR	QSFP56	800	InfiniBand

Real-World Applications

• High-Performance Computing (HPC)

From weather modeling to quantum physics simulations, HPC environments demand extreme bandwidth and ultra-low latency.

The CS8500’s scale and speed make it a natural choice.

• AI and Machine Learning

For training complex AI models, transferring huge datasets across GPU clusters can be a bottleneck.

The CS8500 ensures efficient data transfer between AI nodes without slowing down model training processes.

• Hyperscale Cloud Environments

Cloud service providers hosting multi-tenant infrastructures require networking solutions that deliver performance at scale.

The CS8500 meets these needs with reliability, speed, and simplified management.

Advantages Over Traditional Switches

• Consolidates multiple smaller switches into one ultra-dense solution
• Reduces rack space usage while boosting overall throughput
• Decreases management overhead and operational complexity
• Future-proofs data center infrastructure for evolving demands
• Saves energy compared to deploying many lower-capacity switches

Why Choose NVIDIA Quantum CS8500?

• Unmatched Scalability: 800 ports in a single chassis
• Leading-Edge Technology: Powered by NVIDIA’s latest InfiniBand innovations
• Exceptional Reliability: Enterprise-ready design for always-on environments
• Enhanced Workload Performance: Offloads computing with NVIDIA SHARP™