Point2 Technology is collaborating with engineers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. Collectively, they are some of the most impactful forces propelling data center efficiency forward. This collaboration has produced the e-Tube cable. This groundbreaking technology holds incredible potential to transform data transmission in data centers.
Point2 Features & Capabilities
Point2 has a market-leading design and cutting edge functionality. It effectively addresses the growing need for the transmission of data at greater speed, efficiency, and reliability.
Leveraging 28-nanometer CMOS technology, Point2’s e-Tube cables are designed to enhance performance and reduce space constraints. Each cable consists of eight e-Tube fibers, each one able to carry over 200 gigabits of information per second. This extraordinary data capacity is a testament to Point2’s drive to deliver the required bandwidth for today’s proliferating data centers.
Advantages of e-Tube Cables
Point2’s e-Tube technology offers a number of benefits compared to traditional copper cables. The new e-Tube cable occupies only half the volume of a 32-gauge copper cable. At the same time, it maintains up to 20x the range. This modular design makes it easier to supplement areas that have become dense with heat-producing IT equipment, a typical dilemma in any data center’s lifecycle.
Smaller than previous cable systems, Shimano’s e-Tube cable offers space-saving benefits and greater efficiency. If it is built well, it can reach 10-20 meters with good connectivity. Point2’s solution quickly rises to the top as a better option than copper cables. According to David Kuo, vice president of product marketing and business development at Point2 Technology, copper cables are already hitting the wall. Kuo points to what he terms the “copper cliff.” He points out the inadequacies of copper cables in terms of reach and performance.
“We call it the copper cliff.” – David Kuo
Point2’s e-Tube technology isn’t just the leader in reach, but power consumption and economy as well. The deeply-integrated system uses only one-third of the energy usually used by optical alternatives and is one-third of the cost. Moreover, it provides latency that is up to one-thousandth of their current optical technologies. Together, these features position the e-Tube as a highly viable solution for data centers striving for new standards of efficiency and reduced cost of operations.
Future Manufacturing Plans
Point2 is gearing up to go into manufacturing for its nextgeneration products. The firm intends to make chips for a proposed 1.6-terabit-per-second cable, which would use eight of those thin polymer waveguides. This arrest marks a monumental step in Point2’s efforts to improve data center connectivity.
At each end of the e-Tube cable, a single silicon chip converts incoming digital data into outgoing modulated millimeter-wave frequencies. This conversion process is critical for delivering high-speed, lossless transmission and uninterrupted communication among increasingly densely packed devices in a data center.
Don Barnetson, senior vice president and head of product at Credo, lauded Point2’s creative approach. He focused on their commitment to develop cables uniquely suited to the individual needs of data centers. Barnetson stresses the urgency of addressing what he calls the “growing threat” of data transmission and increasingly global connectivity.
“You start with passive copper, and you do everything you can to run in passive copper as long as you can.” – Don Barnetson
Market Reception and Future Implications
The interest expressed by these potential customers shows that the industry is excited about the technology Point2 is bringing to the market. Dave Welch, executive director of the Optical Society of America, points out a remarkable trend. Our customers are big fans of fiber optics, but they often give us credit for photonics. He suggests that users prefer electronics due to their inherent reliability, stating that “electronics have been demonstrated to be inherently more reliable than optics.”
This technical investigation highlights the vital need for breakout, out-of-the-box solutions that can efficiently contend with the heavy capacity requirements of today’s data centers.
“If I didn’t have to be at [an optical wavelength], where should I be?” – Dave Welch
Point2 Technology has closed its $55 million venture round, which should help it continue for the next several years developing and commercializing its technology. Armed with this support, Point2 is poised to scale operations and provide their pioneering e-Tube technology to the market.
Point2 Technology has successfully secured $55 million in venture funding, which will support its continued development and commercialization efforts. With this financial backing, Point2 is well-positioned to expand its operations and bring its revolutionary e-Tube technology to market.