November 11, 2025 — The InfiniBand Trade Association (IBTA) continues to set the standard for high-performance networking with the release of InfiniBand Architecture Specifications, Volume 1 and Volume 2, Release 2.0, and a record-breaking Plugfest event that expanded interoperability testing that include both InfiniBand and Ethernet RDMA-based products.

Delivering Next-Generation Performance with Volume 1 and Volume 2 Release 2.0

Published on July 31, 2025, the InfiniBand Architecture Specifications Volume 1 and Volume 2, Release 2.0, introduce major enhancements that strengthen both InfiniBand and RDMA over Converged Ethernet (RoCE) technologies. Developed collaboratively by the Link Working Group (LWG), Management Working Group (MgtWG), and ElectroMechanical Working Group (EWG), the new releases deliver breakthrough performance, scalability, and physical-layer interoperability for the next generation of AI and HPC data centers.

Volume 1 Release 2.0 Highlights

  • Support for XDR speeds up to 200Gb/s per lane, enabling total link bandwidths of 800Gb/s (QSFP) and 1.6Tb/s (QSFP-DD and OSFP)
  • New Forward Error Correction (FEC) for XDR, improving data reliability at extreme speeds
  • Expanded management capabilities for large radix switches supporting up to 64K ports, paving the way for the next generation of AI and HPC data center fabrics
  • Enhanced network probes and telemetry frameworks designed to provide real-time visibility and congestion control across large-scale, low-latency networks

Volume 2 Release 2.0 Highlights

The companion Volume 2 Release 2.0 specification defines InfiniBand’s physical-layer electrical and optical interfaces, extending support through XDR data rates at 200 Gb/s per lane.
Key enhancements include:

  • Next-generation speed support: up to 200 Gb/s per lane, enabling total link bandwidths of 800 Gb/s (QSFP) and 1.6 Tb/s (OSFP and QSFP-DD for RoCE)
  • Introduction of XDR Forward Error Correction (FEC) mechanisms for improved signal integrity
  • Direct support for CMIS 5.3-based transceiver and cable management
  • Link auto-negotiation leveraging IEEE 802.3 Clause 73 for XDR and previous generation speeds
  • Enhanced management of passive and active cables and transceivers (electrical and optical)
  • Various issue resolutions and physical-layer refinements from earlier releases

These updates solidify the foundation for higher-bandwidth AI networks and optical interconnects, improving both interoperability and manageability at the hardware level.

Plugfest 42: Record Participation and Expanded Ethernet Validation

At the most recent IBTA Plugfest (PF42), hosted in partnership with the University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL), the organization reached new milestones in testing scope and participation with more than 400 devices registered for the event.

  • In April 2025, 14 servers were built, including four new PCIe Gen5 servers equipped with the latest OS and the OpenMPI test suite covering both InfiniBand and RoCE interoperability
  • Ten different work-areas ran in parallel, supported by ~20 UNH-IOL engineers plus ~20 engineers from test-equipment vendors (Anritsu, AresONE, EXFO, Keysight)
  • Over 35 vendor-engineers attended on-site; roughly double any prior event’s attendance
  • The outcomes from PF42 feed directly into the IBTA’s Integrators’ List Program, which has vetted hundreds of cables and devices for compliance and interoperability across InfiniBand and RoCE fabrics

These combined efforts give IBTA members important benefits: participating products earn listing on the Integrators’ Lists (for InfiniBand or RoCE) and gain recognition for meeting rigorous test criteria and interoperability in multi-vendor fabrics. This underpins the value IBTA brings to its members, helping ensure that data-center deployments are built on components that are tested, certified and reliable.

Driving Innovation for Members and the Industry

By integrating faster link speeds, advanced management capabilities, and deeper telemetry, the combined Volume 1 and 2 Release 2.0 specifications set the stage for data centers and AI clusters to scale beyond current limits. Meanwhile, the latest Plugfest highlights how IBTA’s testing programs provide real-world assurance that products built to IBTA standards can interoperate reliably across multi-vendor environments.

Together, these efforts demonstrate IBTA’s leadership in fostering the technologies that enable AI and HPC workloads to communicate faster, smarter, and more efficiently. To learn more:

  • Read more about IBTA’s Integrator List Program and download the latest Integrators lists here
  • Download the latest InfiniBand Architecture Specification Volume 1 and Volume 2, Release 2.0 here

Brian Sparks

IBTA Marketing Working Group Chair