The data center industry is on the brink of a huge paradigm shift. Historic investments in advanced electronic cables (AECs) are primed to increase efficiency and conductivity exponentially. Point2 Technology and AttoTude are the two startups pioneering cutting-edge R&D. They promote AECs that would transform the way data is transmitted inside data centers. These cables will first connect the separate graphics processing units (GPUs) to network switches. This new connection will form the core scale-out network, which will be fundamental to addressing next-gen computing needs.
Credo, a major player in the industry, has developed an AEC capable of delivering data at speeds of 800 gigabits per second over distances of up to seven meters. To that end, Nvidia plans to increase the maximum number of GPUs per system from 72 to 576 by 2027. This dramatic expansion underscored the growing demand for more efficient and higher speed intercity connections.
Innovations in AEC Technology
Point2 Technology has created revolutionary cables that house eight e-Tube fibers. Each fiber, or strand of glass, can carry more than 200 gigabits of data per second. This unique design increases efficiency past levels possible with traditional copper cables. As bandwidth demands continue to increase, copper cables are increasingly unable to meet that need. Each e-Tube cable features the same or less footprint than a typical 32-gauge copper cable. Even though it is so much smaller, in fact it can go 20 times further!
David Kuo, vice president of product marketing and business development at Point2 Technology, illustrates the plight of the legacy copper cable. As bandwidth demands quickly approach the terabit-per-second range, these cables will begin to struggle. He explains how physical constraints mean that to meet these cable pulls we need shorter, thicker cables.
AttoTude’s technology takes things in a different direction, using terahertz-frequency signals in a frequency range of 300 to 3,000 GHz. This innovative technique makes it possible to deliver data in the most efficient way possible, offering the potential to reshape network design within data centers. Dave Welch, a representative from AttoTude, thinks pluggable connections will be the most immediate use case for this tech. He envisions co-packaged radio transceivers with processors—“the real prize.”
“You start with passive copper, and you do everything you can to run in passive copper as long as you can.” – Don Barnetson
Future Prospects for Data Transmission
Faced with the challenge of future-proofing their infrastructures, data center operators have a perfect partner in AEC technological advancements. Credo’s Don Barnetson points out the significance of the first stage in a scale-out network, stating that “it’s the only nonredundant hop in the network.” This further emphasizes the important role that AECs will have in maintaining a stable communication path from GPUs to network switches.
AttoTude’s Welch further emphasizes the benefits of their technology from optical systems that are more commonplace. “Customers love fiber. What they hate is the photonics,” he explains, indicating that while fiber optics have their benefits, they come with complexities that can deter users. He adds, “Electronics have been demonstrated to be inherently more reliable than optics,” suggesting a shift toward electronic solutions.
Beyond speed alone, AECs hold the potential for significantly decreased costs and power consumption as well. With 1/3 the power of traditional optical systems, Point2 Technology’s system is more efficient and sustainable. It’s one-third the price and provides latency as much as one-thousandth that of today’s technologies.
The Shift in Data Center Infrastructure
This expected increase in GPU usage will necessitate major enhancements to data center infrastructure. Nvidia has an ambitious plan to expand its own GPU capacity eight times over by 2027. To empower this transformation, solutions such as AECs will be crucial. High-speed connections that reduce latency will force companies to utilize these up-and-coming technologies even more.
Welch’s waveguide technology, he predicts, should be able to transmit data in excess of 20 meters shortly. This would be a huge advance from existing requirements. This projection, not surprisingly, tracks with the accelerating demands for processing and storage power in today’s data-driven computing environments.
“If I didn’t have to be at [an optical wavelength], where should I be?” – Dave Welch
The move away from copper and towards AECs offers another avenue through which data centers can accelerate their operational efficiency and bottom line. Technology is changing faster than it ever has. As a result, we’re accelerating our reliance on outdated copper infrastructure and forging early paths to more capable and efficient systems.