Point2 Technology, a fabless startup, is energized by a team of industry veterans from Marvell, Nvidia and Samsung. Together, they are revolutionizing the data center connectivity space through innovation and ingenuity. The firm, founded nine years ago, has generated a lot of buzz. It raised $55 million in venture capital, led by Molex. This investment is further evidence of the excitement surrounding Point2’s groundbreaking solutions, which could fundamentally change data centers for the better.
Leading the charge of Point2’s smart cities solutions is their e-Tube cable technology. One reason this new product is particularly groundbreaking is its efficiency, cost-effectiveness and unbelievably low latency. David Kuo, vice president of product marketing and business development at Point2 Technology, which developed the system, cites as a measure of that efficiency the e-Tube system’s extreme scalability. It consumes a mere one-third of the energy needed by all-optical systems and is only one-third the cost. In addition to that, it provides information at latencies as low as one-thousandth of what’s possible with optical technologies.
Advanced Cable Design
Point2 Technology’s e-Tube fiber optic cable includes eight e-Tube fibers, each of them able to transmit more than 200 gigabits of data per second. This remarkable bandwidth empowers data centers to process and transmit unprecedented volumes of information with unparalleled efficiency. The cable’s physical design is an impressive aspect. The cable has an outer diameter of only 8.1 mm making it only half the AEC’s usual volume.
The e-Tube cables are 32-gauge copper cables. Cross-section of the e-tube cables. For such enormous megaherbivores, they can jump pretty damn far, up to 20 meters. The smaller form factor combined with the longer reach help improve data center designs. This helps operators get the most out of their existing infrastructure and increases flexibility and adaptability to change.
Point2 Technology uses state-of-the-art 28nm CMOS technology in each of their e-Tube cables. This commitment to innovation makes the company a leader in the market. What makes its solution particularly impressive is that it fits perfectly between legacy copper-based last-mile infrastructure and the game-changing world of photonics.
Addressing Industry Challenges
The data center industry has too often succumbed to the hype of technologies that just haven’t delivered. While performance issues are becoming a serious challenge for traditional copper cables, reliability can be a concern with optical systems. Dave Welch, a key figure in the development of Point2’s technology, emphasizes the industry’s preferences: “Customers love fiber. What they hate is the photonics.”
This discouragement manifests as an industry-wide distrust in optical technologies. Welch adds that “electronics have been demonstrated to be inherently more reliable than optics.” By offering a solution that combines the best characteristics of both electronics and optics, Point2 Technology aims to bridge this gap.
This e-Tube design uses a single silicon chip, which converts incoming digital data streams into modulated millimeter-wave frequencies. Antenna built into the cable itself radiate these frequencies into a specially designed waveguide. This innovative design improves the chunk size transmitted and data transmission efficiency while eliminating the disadvantages of conventional optical systems.
Future Prospects
Point2 Technology’s unique approach has the potential to make a big difference for transceiver-processor packages down the road in data centers. Which brings us to their e-Tube cable technology, which is positioned to deliver massive savings over current optical technologies. “If I didn’t have to be at [an optical wavelength], where should I be?” Welch questions, highlighting the potential for further advancements in data transmission methods.
Point2 Technology is currently busy improving its service and increasing its reach into the changing marketplace. This massive expansion results in substantial ramifications for data centers. The company’s focus on energy reduction and performance improvement follows a larger industry movement toward sustainability and operational efficiency.