InfiniBand is a hit with Hammer Distribution

Storage distributor claims technology will ease up bottlenecks in data-sensitive applications

Storage distributor Hammer has expanded its focus to offer support for high-performance computing technology.

Hammer has thrown its support behind InfiniBand, a high-speed point-to-point interconnect technology designed to deliver greater storage bandwidth. The distributor claimed the technology is capable of removing the bottlenecks in data-intensive applications, such as video streaming and grid computing.

Paul Hickingbotham, solutions manager at Hammer, told CRN that it will offer vendor PathScale’s range of InfiniPath InfiniBand adaptors, as well as end-user advice and consultancy throughout the selection and implementation process.

“InfiniBand is a technically demanding solution that requires a skilled understanding of how to build high-performance clusters,” he said.

“Not only can Hammer offer the high-speed interconnect and the Intel servers, but as InfiniBand-attached storage products become available, we will be able to offer complete end-to-end solutions.”

The distributor claimed that the emergence of InfiniBand is especially important for end-users working in the high-performance computing markets, where the ability to transmit large volumes of data quickly is crucial.

Matthew Wilkins, senior analyst at iSuppli, told CRN: “Any distributor that supports InfiniBand technology will need to target itself at the high end of the market, such as banking or military verticals. In these areas a lot of data has to be moved around or accessed in as shorter time as possible, so a storage distributor [helping VARs] here makes sense.”

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