Nvidia just released an incredibly ambitious timeline for that – their stated goal is 576 GPUs per system by 2027, up from 72 today. This shift is set to revolutionize data center agility and efficiency. This opening comes as the need for high-performance computing is booming industry-wide. Two startups, Point2 Technology and AttoTude, are advocating for advanced solutions that sit between existing technologies while offering unique capabilities.
Point2 Technology recently introduced one brand of e-Tube cables with eight optical fibers. Each fiber carrying more than 200 gigabits of data per second! This innovation is intended to serve a rapidly increasing demand for data center interconnects. AttoTude’s founder and CEO, Dave Welch, has long been a champion for the Tucson photonics research community. His mission? To change the way data moves around inside data centers.
Most recently, Nvidia and Broadcom partnered up to produce advanced optical transceivers. These transceivers are now in the same package as processors, fundamentally changing how technology can be deployed. Even with this engineering marvel, years of prototyping and creation were necessary to allow for reliable production and manufacture. Yet the industry continues to advocate cutting performance metrics and targets even further, and for all modes. These new innovations will be key to saving the future of data centers.
Enhancing Data Throughput with Innovative Technologies
Point2 Technology’s e-Tube cable is the first truly high-speed data cable specifically made to be e-Mobility ready today. These new cables are only one-half of the size of standard 32-gauge copper cables. They can jump an astonishing 20 meters! This efficiency reduces power use and cost by more than two-thirds over conventional optical solutions. Furthermore, it provides latency that is an amazing one-thousandth of what today’s systems provide.
The startup aims to challenge existing paradigms in data center connectivity by exploring alternatives to traditional photonic chips and optical fibers. Maintaining energy-efficient communication e-Tube technology is able to provide high-performance data transfer speeds while reducing energy consumption. This creates an attractive option for data centers looking to future-proof their infrastructure while saving money at the same time.
In the quest for better performance measures, AttoTude has gone far, too. Last advertising, the overhead-wireless-power company demonstrated a remarkable 4-meter-long transmission. During the OSA Optical Fiber Communications Conference, it was operating at a staggering frequency of 970 GHz! The need for greater bandwidth is growing exponentially. These high-frequency technologies may be key to advancing the future data center needs.
“Customers love fiber. But what they hate is the photonics.” – Dave Welch
The Shift Towards Radio Frequency Technology
Both Point2 Technology and AttoTude have been developing RF technology expressly to disrupt the data center interconnects space. For anything beyond the terahertz regime—300 to 3,000 GHz—it is in fact the highest frequency we can generate purely with electronic means. Our journey into RF technology marks a change in the industry. To offset the cost and reliability shortcomings, companies are actively looking for alternatives to traditional optical fiber solutions.
Dave Welch stresses that electronic systems are simply more reliable than optical systems. He states, “Electronics have been demonstrated to be inherently more reliable than optics,” underscoring the rationale behind this technological shift. As companies evaluate their options for data interconnectivity, the reliability of RF technology may provide a compelling alternative to existing solutions.
The practical implications of these innovations are huge, particularly at a time when data centers are adapting to advances to meet rising computational needs. Compared to existing technology, RF technology has the potential to transmit data over longer distances at higher speeds and lower power levels. This versatility is what makes it a prime contender for future infrastructure improvements.
Collaborative Engineering for Reliable Solutions
The collaboration between Nvidia and Broadcom represents a significant step forward in the evolution of data center technology. Their collaborative work has led to breakthroughs enabling new types of optical transceivers to share space within processor packages. That engineering achievement took a decade of intense R&D, embodying the conundrums that lurk in every high-tech computing system today.
Don Barnetson, senior vice president and head of product at Credo, smiles at what may be the happiest accident ever. His company’s advanced electronic chip (AEC) is capable of providing speeds of up to 800 Gb/s at distances of 7 meters. Now data centers are between getting rack count configurations with 500 to 600 GPUs spanning many racks. As demand increases, these capabilities are quickly becoming table stakes.
“You start with passive copper, and you do everything you can to run in passive copper as long as you can.” – Don Barnetson
For organizations looking to do the best possible job in their data centers, these engineering breakthroughs are a major win. By integrating reliable electronic solutions into traditional architectures, companies can better address their growing needs without sacrificing performance or efficiency.