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NVIDIA MELLANOX SWITCHING · TPM FOR AI/HPC NETWORKING

NVIDIA Mellanox Spectrum & Quantum Switch Maintenance — vendor-independent service

We service NVIDIA Mellanox switching vendor-independent — Spectrum Ethernet SN series, Quantum InfiniBand QM series and older Mellanox SX/SB switches. With OEM switches, power supplies and optics from our own warehouse, SLA up to 24×7×4. 30 to 60 percent below NVIDIA support, on EOSL SX/SB up to 70 percent. Spectrum switches are the backbone of most DACH AI clusters of the last 24 months, Quantum switches are HPC standard.

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Which Mellanox switch models we service

Mellanox switching addresses two different worlds: Spectrum (Ethernet) for AI cluster backbones and data center fabrics, Quantum (InfiniBand) for HPC clusters. Both use the same Mellanox OS software layer (MLNX-OS) for management. Spectrum SN series has four generations (SN2000 from 2016 with 10/25G, up to SN5000 current with 200/400G), Quantum has two generations (Quantum-1 HDR 200G, Quantum-2 NDR 400G). Older pre-NVIDIA switches (Mellanox SX/SB series, released 2010-2014) are largely EOSL.

Spectrum SN2000/SN3000 · older mid-range Ethernet
SN2010/SN2100/SN2410/SN2700 (10/25G) · SN3000 series (25/100G)
Spectrum SN4000/SN5000 · current generations
SN4000 series (100/200G) · SN5000 series (200/400G)
Quantum InfiniBand · HPC standard
Quantum-1 (HDR 200G, QM8700) · Quantum-2 (NDR 400G, QM9700)
older Mellanox SX/SB · EOSL
SX1012/SX1024/SX1036 (Ethernet, 10/40G) · SB7700/SB7800 (InfiniBand FDR/EDR)

Why TPM maintenance for Mellanox switching

Mellanox switching maintenance has two economic constellations: current Spectrum/Quantum as TPM entry after DGX warranty expiration (synchronous AI cluster stack transition), and EOSL SX/SB as pure TPM maintenance where NVIDIA support is no longer available. A Spectrum SN5600 (400G-capable) with 24×7×4 costs 8,000-14,000 EUR/year with NVIDIA support, 3,500-6,000 EUR with TechCare. Quantum QM9700 (400G NDR) correspondingly 12,000-20,000 EUR NVIDIA, 5,000-9,000 EUR TechCare. For large AI cluster builds with 8-32 Spectrum switches plus Quantum backbone, maintenance savings add up to six-figure amounts per year.

We service Mellanox switches with OEM switches, power supplies and optics from our own warehouse. Spectrum SN series (all four generations) and Quantum QM series (Quantum-1 and Quantum-2) are in active component pool. Older Mellanox SX/SB switches (pre-NVIDIA acquisition) we build from certified refurbishing sources — this generation is EOSL but still widespread in DACH HPC fleets. MLNX-OS on switches continues license-free — all switching functions (RoCE, EVPN, RDMA-over-Converged-Ethernet, InfiniBand SubnetManager) stay active. Code updates to newer MLNX-OS versions require an active NVIDIA contract but are usually uncritical with stable AI/HPC cluster configurations.

30–60 %
Savings vs. NVIDIA support for Spectrum/Quantum
up to 70 %
Savings on EOSL SX/SB switches
AI cluster stack
Synchronous TPM entry with DGX hardware
MLNX-OS stays
RoCE, InfiniBand SM license-free active

Generations timeline & TPM coverage

Per hardware generation: vendor phase (slate) and TechCare coverage window (teal) up to ~5 years post-OEM EOSL.

Generation status of Mellanox switching line

Spectrum generations follow a 6-8 year lifecycle. SN2000 approaches EOSL from 2024-2025, SN3000 in mid-cycle, SN4000 and SN5000 current. Quantum generations both current. Older SX/SB completely EOSL.

Model family Released OEM support ends TPM status
Spectrum SN2000-Serie (10/25G) 2016–2017 2024–2025 Recommended
Spectrum SN3000-Serie (25/100G) 2018–2019 2026–2027 Supported
Spectrum SN4000-Serie (100/200G) 2020–2021 ca. 2028+ Supported
Spectrum SN5000-Serie (200/400G) 2022+ ca. 2030+ Supported
Quantum-1 (HDR 200G, QM8700) 2018 ca. 2026+ Supported
Quantum-2 (NDR 400G, QM9700) 2022 ca. 2030+ Supported
Mellanox SX-Serie (Ethernet) 2011–2013 2021–2023 Recommended
Mellanox SB-Serie (InfiniBand) 2014 2022–2024 Recommended

As of 2026. EOSL data based on official vendor roadmaps and subject to change. Binding case-by-case information available on request.

What we deliver

OEM components

Our warehouse and certified refurbishing sources for DGX and Mellanox.

DGX specialist engineer

German-speaking technicians with NVLink/NVSwitch training, 4-hour response time guaranteed.

Flexible SLA per system

Parts Only, 5×9 NBD or 24×7×4 — freely combinable by location and criticality.

Multi-vendor contract

One contract for DGX, Mellanox and all other vendors. AI cluster stack consolidation.

Risk assessment

Component pool status per model before contract conclusion — honest disclosure.

CUDA & AI software stay

CUDA, AI Enterprise, Base Command Manager independent of hardware maintenance.

Comparison

TechCare vs. NVIDIA Mellanox Spectrum & Quantum Switching

Concrete SLA tiers, OEM comparison, coverage details and source footnotes — on a print-friendly page.

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FAQ on Mellanox switching maintenance

Which Mellanox switch models do you service?
Complete switching family: Spectrum SN series (SN2010, SN2100, SN2410, SN2700 with 10/25G; SN3000 series with 25/100G; SN4000 series with 100/200G; SN5000 series with 200/400G), Quantum InfiniBand (Quantum-1 HDR 200G with QM8700 family; Quantum-2 NDR 400G with QM9700 family) and older Mellanox switches (SX1012/SX1024/SX1036 for Ethernet 10/40G; SB7700/SB7800 for InfiniBand FDR/EDR). Including all power supplies, fan modules and SFP+/QSFP+/QSFP28/QSFP56/QSFP-DD optics modules.
What does TPM cost for Mellanox switching compared to NVIDIA support?
30 to 60 percent savings. Spectrum SN3700 (32x100G) with 24×7×4 typically 4,500-7,000 EUR/year NVIDIA, 1,900-3,000 EUR TechCare. SN4600 (64x200G) 7,500-12,000 EUR NVIDIA, 3,200-5,000 EUR TechCare. SN5600 (64x400G) 8,000-14,000 EUR NVIDIA, 3,500-6,000 EUR TechCare. Quantum QM8700 (HDR 200G) 9,000-15,000 EUR NVIDIA, 3,800-6,500 EUR TechCare. QM9700 (NDR 400G) 12,000-20,000 EUR NVIDIA, 5,000-9,000 EUR TechCare. For AI cluster configuration with 16 Spectrum switches plus 4 Quantum switches: 80-150k EUR NVIDIA, 35-65k EUR TechCare. For EOSL SX/SB: up to 70 percent savings (NVIDIA often no longer offers support).
When does Spectrum Ethernet vs. Quantum InfiniBand make sense?
Spectrum (Ethernet with RoCE support) is standard for AI cluster backbones, hyperconverged data center fabrics and cloud-native workloads — RoCE brings RDMA performance on Ethernet standard networking, reducing operations complexity (Ethernet tooling, existing operations skills). Quantum (InfiniBand) is standard for classic HPC clusters — lower latency than Ethernet, integrated SubnetManager, standard in scientific computing. From AI cluster perspective: modern LLM training clusters increasingly use Spectrum (NVIDIA's own recommendation for hyperscale AI builds), classic HPC compute stays Quantum. From TPM perspective: both classes with same condition logic.
Do MLNX-OS, RoCE and InfiniBand SubnetManager continue to work without an NVIDIA contract?
Yes. MLNX-OS on Spectrum and Quantum switches continues license-free — all switching functions, RoCE (RDMA over Converged Ethernet), DCQCN (Data Center Quantized Congestion Notification), MLAG, EVPN-VXLAN on Spectrum, plus integrated SubnetManager on Quantum for InfiniBand topology management stay functionally active. NVIDIA Cumulus Linux (for Spectrum as alternative OS option) also continues license-free on hardware. MLNX-OS code updates to newer versions require an active NVIDIA contract but are usually uncritical with stable AI/HPC cluster configurations.
Can you service older SX/SB switches?
Yes. Mellanox SX series (SX1012 12-port 40G, SX1024 36-port 10G, SX1036 36-port 40G) and SB series (SB7700 36-port FDR InfiniBand, SB7800 36-port EDR InfiniBand) are still widespread in DACH HPC fleets, EOSL reached. NVIDIA often no longer offers standard support — TPM is the only remaining maintenance option. We maintain refurbishing pools for SX/SB switches and critical components (power supplies, fan modules). Pool depth varies per model — SX1036 abundantly available, SB7800 somewhat tighter but structured available. We create a risk assessment per model before contract conclusion.
Which SLA levels do you recommend for Mellanox switching?
Spectrum switches as AI cluster backbone: 24×7×4 with German-speaking onsite engineer is standard — switch outage affects AI cluster connectivity, has direct training outage impact. Quantum InfiniBand switches as HPC backbone: 24×7×4 mandatory due to InfiniBand topology criticality (SubnetManager change on switch failure). With dual-redundant spine designs (standard in modern AI clusters), single spine failure can be absorbed — 5×9 NBD per switch theoretically possible, but we recommend 24×7×4 due to cluster performance risks. For EOSL SX/SB switches in stable HPC configurations or as backup hardware: 5×9 NBD or Parts Only sufficient.
Can we get 200G and 400G optics for Spectrum SN5000 and Quantum QM9700?
Yes. SN5000 series and QM9700 support QSFP56 (200G) and QSFP-DD (400G) optics. We supply as certified third-party optics or original NVIDIA/Mellanox optics — both options technically compatible. For InfiniBand Quantum switches we often recommend original NVIDIA optics for maximum compatibility with sub-microsecond latency optimizations. Plus 100G QSFP28, 25G/40G QSFP+, 10G SFP+ and all DAC and AOC cables for older/mid-range connections. Third-party 400G optics typically 50-70 percent cheaper than original.
Can we have Mellanox switching, adapters and DGX in the same contract?
Yes. Multi-class NVIDIA contracts are ideal for AI cluster stacks — DGX AI compute (current and Legacy) plus ConnectX NICs and BlueField DPUs (networking adapters) plus Spectrum/Quantum switches (networking backbone) — all in one contract, one point of contact, one SLA report set. Plus all other vendors (Supermicro AI servers, Dell PowerEdge GPU nodes, NetApp/Pure Storage as AI storage backend) in the same construct. Exactly this consolidation is one of the main pitch arguments for TPM in AI/HPC operations.
Service performance

Real actuals Q1 2026 — straight from our ITIL ticketing.

99,2 %
Tickets resolved within agreed response time
2,4 h
Avg. first response on 4h SLA tier
88 %
First-time fix on initial dispatch
97 %
Spare part on site within 4 h, DACH depots

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