AttoTude and Point2 Technology are leading the charge to make the data transmission fit for today’s data centric world. Further, they are leading the way with their innovative technologies. AttoTude, the brainchild of CEO Dave Welch, was born out of his years of research into photonics, work to improve data center efficiency. The firm originally started out with a basic, narrow, hollow copper tube. Unlike their simpler film ancestors, this foundational product laid the groundwork for its far more sophisticated technology.
As data centers expand and revolutionize, so does the demand for the fastest, most reliable connections. AttoTude’s unique technology, aka application-enforcing circuits (AEC), pairs single Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) with deeply embedded optimizations directly aligned with pairs of network switches. This unique philosophy is what powers scale-out networking. This local development is no small matter. It’s enabling faster data transmission speeds and lower latency within data centers.
Alongside AttoTude’s innovations, Point2 Technology is jettisoning innovations in high-speed data and capital. The company had been using radio technology to connect data centers long before AttoTude came on board. They’re working to produce these cables made of a total of eight e-Tube fibers. These fibers have the capacity to transmit more than 200 gigabits per second, underscoring Point2’s dedication to delivering the fastest data possible.
The Advantages of AttoTude’s Technology
AttoTude’s AECs are a real game-changer in the way data is transmitted. Welch points out that most current flows within the outer 8 millimeters of copper at 60 hertz, indicating that optimizing this area could enhance performance. The infrastructure will primarily be geared towards pluggable connections. As Welch points out, the real innovation is by putting radio transceivers and processors together.
“Customers love fiber. But what they hate is the photonics.” – Dave Welch
This simple statement sums up one of the biggest hurdles the industry faces. Although fiber optic cables are clearly the fastest means of transmission, the customer is often frightened away by the confusing world of photonics. AttoTude’s concerted effort to use passive copper whenever feasible would address a portion of these issues.
Meanwhile, the circuit created by AttoTude re-transmits every stream of data over all eight pairs of wires simultaneously contained in its copper cables. Welch envisions AttoTude’s waveguide as being able to transmit data over distances up to 20 meters, which would increase the potential for in-data center connectivity even more.
“Electronics have been demonstrated to be inherently more reliable than optics.” – Dave Welch
This reliability is important for data center operations, where uptime and dependability are key to the business. By harnessing the power of copper technology, AttoTude’s goal is to deliver a more accurate and reliable solution than the existing optical approaches.
Point2 Technology’s Innovations
Point2 Technology is breaking new grounds through its e-Tube cable system that provides several exclusive benefits compared to standard cables. That’s because Point2’s e-Tube cables consume one-third of the power needed for optical systems. They are one-third the cost and provide much lower latency—up to one-thousandth less than current optical systems.
Notably, Point2’s e-Tube cable occupies half the volume of comparable AEC cables while achieving up to 20 times the reach. These combine to make it a particularly appealing option for data centers seeking to make their operations more efficient while saving money.
Point2 expects to start producing chips for a new 1.6-terabit-per-second cable made up of eight thin, waveguides built from polymers. This announcement represents an exciting step towards really pushing the envelope on data transmission capabilities and improving overall efficiency across the data center.
The Future of Data Centers
Both AttoTude and Point2’s technologies are ushering in a new paradigm for how data centers will connect in the future. As Welch stated, “If I didn’t have to be at [an optical wavelength], where should I be?” This question taps into a booming, industry-wide search for alternatives to conventional, optical-based systems that can produce greater, more efficient performance.
Don Barnetson, another key player in the industry, shared insight into the ongoing debate surrounding copper versus fiber optics:
“You start with passive copper, and you do everything you can to run in passive copper as long as you can.”
This opinion reinforces the feeling that optics definitely have their place in technology. There is still tremendous value in improving existing copper technologies to move data.
Data centers are under increasing pressure to operate with higher speed and efficiency. Innovations from private companies such as AttoTude and Point2 Technology may be critical in addressing these challenges head on. These developments focus on efficiency, reliability, cost-effectiveness and performance. They have the potential to improve on-ground infrastructure and even transform the data center ecosystem in the coming years.
