Add support for Infiniband interfaces

[callumstrubi]

Issue type

[x] Feature request
[ ] Bug report
[ ] Documentation

Environment

• Python version: 3.4.1
• NetBox version: 2.2.10

Description

Infiniband is a commonly used verbs communication protocol that is commonly used for high performance computing. Whilst adapters and connectors follow the same form factor as some ethernet, their available protocols are very different. Another factor is that a single form factor connector may support different protocols, and critically the DAC itself has specific protocol support too, so specifying what the protocol is supported on the NIC is critical.

Proposal:
Add all Infiniband interfaces as their protocols within their own category.

Reference:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InfiniBand

[callumstrubi]

Happy to provide feedback if you need it, though I'm not sure what I'm answering.

[Phhere]

Maybe it is possible to create a new database table for all interface types? so users can add their own interface types. We could also need MPO (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_fiber_connector)

[jeremystretch]

I'm not familiar with Infiniband myself, so a pull request adding the appropriate types to IFACE_FF_CHOICES would be greatly appreciated.

[DanSheps]

This was brought up in IRC as the PR has been put through, and after reviewing some of the documentation, I think this issue should be changed from adding to the form factors to adding to the cable types. My read on Infiniband is that there are two common form factors: CXP & QSFP. The SDR/DDR/FDR/etc are all underlying protocols and cable configurations that are supported by those form factors.

I think it would be a good idea to add "Infiniband" to the form factor list and then add the following form factors:

• CXP
• QSFP

This follows the same vein as FibreChannel where there is a different procotol at work but they use the same form factors.

Then, include the cables as the data rate definers for Infiniband with:

• SDR
• DDR
• FDR
• etc

However, with the recent PR for DAC/AOC cables, we did not define speed there, so that may not be something we want to do with cables either. What is really needed to properly model this is a "module" section where you connect a module, and that module defines the datarate.

My question would be, for someone with an Infiniband switch/device, how does the interface present if you are using a SDR/DDR/FDR etc. Is it defined in the name? If so, then we don't need to worry about the speeds at all.