InfiniBand Cable Guidelines

To prevent InfiniBand cable damage, you must follow these guidelines:

Proper InfiniBand cable installation requires the following:

1. Plan the cable routes and cable length needs, identifying problematic cable route bends, minimizing the length of continuous vertical runs to no more than 2 meters (7 feet), and specifying hardware to support cable routing.

2. Carry the entire cable to the points of connection and unroll the cable from the first connection point to the second, keeping the coil closed and pausing to enable the cable to relax as it is unrolled and moved through turns.

3. Ensure that cable route turns are larger than 85 mm (3.4 inches) radius for optical cables and 127 mm (5 inches) radius for copper cables, finding alternative routes for turns that are tighter.

4. Secure the cable to hard points and bundle it with soft, hook-and-loop fasteners, mediating the slack between securing points to maintain minimal cable tension and proper support.

5. Label the ends of cables to identify their routes, resting the cable connectors on a stable surface when they are not connected.

6. Remove the protective cap from the connector and inspect the condition of the connector immediately before attachment, ensuring that the pins are clean, the shell is straight, and the retraction strap operates correctly.

7. With the cable connector correctly aligned to the receptacle (because it is possible to insert some connectors upside down), insert the connector into the receptacle and verify that it is properly seated. Back out and try the connection again if it seems skewed, tight, or insecure.

8. Verify the cable connectivity by observing Link LED illumination or from the output of InfiniBand diagnostic commands.

Related Information

• InfiniBand Cable Cautions

• InfiniBand Cable Path Lengths

• InfiniBand Cable Bundling

• Floor and Underfloor Delivery of InfiniBand Cables

• Overhead Delivery of InfiniBand Cables

• Connecting InfiniBand Cables