Developed over several years through rigorous R&D, Point2 Technology is taking data center efficiency to a new level with a revolutionary approach that integrates radio technology. The company’s ambition is to replace long copper cables on road vehicles with its smart e-Tube technology. This breakthrough solution starts to go beyond copper in both scope and capabilities. This creative approach is equally timely. With data needs growing at an exponential rate, an opportunity lies in data centers to apply more efficient, smarter solutions.
Point2’s e-Tube cables transmit data at up to 100 meters with minimal loss and audio/video at up to 20 meters. They are a unique and robust alternative to traditional copper wiring. Each e-Tube cable is made up of eight uniquely designed fibers, each of which is able to carry more than 200 gigabits of data per second. This next generation capability improves the data transfer rates available and vastly improves power consumption and associated costs.
Transformative Technology Behind e-Tube Cables
The shape of Point2’s technology is primarily based on a proprietary cable technology, a.k.a e-Tube. At each end of these cables lies a silicon chip that efficiently converts incoming digital data into modulated millimeter-wave frequencies. An antenna is subsequently employed to convert these frequencies into a guided wave, facilitating uninterrupted data exchange.
The newly developed e-Tube cable has seven benefits compared to previous optical and copper cable technologies. It consumes only one-third of the energy that optical systems need. It is one-third the cost and delivers latency rates that are up to one-thousandth those of current optical technologies. This unmatched efficiency and cost-effectiveness is particularly critical for data centers who are rapidly scaling their operations and need to support this growth efficiently without compromising on performance.
John discussed what this development means with near-unbounded excitement. He noted that with bandwidth demands on copper cables approaching the terabit-per-second realm, “Physics demands that they be made shorter and thicker.” This perspective highlights the challenge of developing new solutions that address increasing data needs while still respecting limited space and energy efficiency.
Unmatched Performance and Design
Point2’s e-Tube cable design presents a compact solution with half the area of a standard 32-gauge copper cable while boasting up to 20 times the reach. This form factor not only enables greater distance but reduces physical footprint in data centers. Point2 hopes to manufacture a next-generation cable. By using eight thin polymer waveguides, this cable will be able to transmit data at speeds of 1.6 terabits per second.
Each fiber in the new configuration measures approximately 200 µm across, aiming to reduce losses to an impressive 0.3 decibels per meter. This 10-fold reduction in loss is nothing to scoff at. Unlike traditional copper cables, which quickly become inefficient at high data rates, this technology excels. Engineers from Point2 and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have partnered together to help push these innovations. They used the most advanced cutting-edge 28-nanometer CMOS technology to achieve it.
As Dave Welch said, “electronics is shown to be more reliable than optics.” He highlighted the benefits of Point2’s emerging technology with this quote.
A Shift in Data Center Paradigms
Moving away from traditional copper and optical systems to Point2’s radio technology is a massive change to how data centers currently operate. As bandwidth demands increase, the drawbacks and limitations of these ageing copper technologies have become evident. Don Barnetson emphasized this point: “You start with passive copper, and you do everything you can to run in passive copper as long as you can.” This feeling is a result of the industry’s constant battle with the restrictions of conventional data transfer approaches.
Liquid cooling systems came onto the scene to address the difficulty of increasing a passive copper solution. This introduction represents a major breakthrough in thermal management technology. “The entire reason people have gone to [liquid cooling] is to keep [scaling up] in passive copper,” Barnetson explained. With the arrival of Point2’s technology, data centers may find themselves with a more efficient and effective means of meeting their needs.
As Point2 Technology expands its technology development and manufacturing processes, the industry is surely keeping a keen eye on them. By providing greater reliability and flexibility, e-Tube technology has the potential to revolutionize industry standards for data transmission. With execution, this innovation could bring about a new age of efficiency to data centers.
