Point2 Technology, a startup launched by industry veterans from the likes of Marvell, Nvidia and Samsung, is changing the game around data center efficiency. They’re doing it through revolutionary cable technology. Established nine years ago, the company has successfully secured $55 million in venture funding, with notable backing from Molex, a renowned maker of computer cables and connections. The need for just the opposite—greater speed and efficiency when sending data—is growing exponentially. Point2 Technology is excited to build a positive change in the data communications industry.
The firm’s e-Tube cables use eight e-Tube fibers, and each of those fibers can carry more than 200 gigabits of data each second. Point2’s unique design is only half the footprint of a typical 32-gauge copper patch cable. In addition to its small stature, it provides an amazing range of up to 20 meters. This incredible efficiency makes Point2 Technology a serious contender in the competition to find faster, cheaper, more reliable ways to transmit data.
Advancements in Cable Technology
Point2 Technology’s e-Tube cable offerings are truly unrivaled in the marketplace with their distinctive size and performance. The cables beat out legacy copper cables by a wide margin and provide an edge over optical technology.
Point2’s cables handle long-distance transmission with ease, extending up to 20m without data degradation. This combination of speed and stability makes them an ideal solution for data centers seeking trusted solutions. David Kuo, the vice president of product marketing and business development at Point2 Technology, emphasized the importance of their innovative approach:
“Customers love fiber. But what they hate is the photonics.” – David Welch
Yet, there are major challenges data centers encounter when adopting optical technologies. This feeling is the driving force behind Point2’s dedication to providing effective solutions.
The e-Tube technology’s unique modular design enables a high degree of power consumption reduction. Relative to existing optical systems, Point2’s cables use a third of the power and cost a third less. In addition, they provide latency that is up to one-thousandth that of optical systems. These types of innovations have the ability to rewire the playing field for data centers by allowing them to be more energy-efficient and cost-effective.
Future Developments and Manufacturing
Looking into the future, Point2 Technology plans to manufacture multi-terabit-of-bandwidth support for one of the industry’s newest cables, a 1.6-terabit-per-second capacity cable. This cable is composed of eight thin polymer waveguides. Each waveguide is capable of handling a staggering 448 gigabits per second, using two frequencies that each operate at 90 GHz and 225 GHz. This new, ambitious project would establish a brand new record-breaking data transmission capability even further.
Point2 Technology just demonstrated an incredible 4-meter at 970GHz. That demonstration was part of the Optical Fiber Communications Conference in San Francisco last April. This event allowed them to demonstrate the potential of their technology and its applicability within today’s data centers.
“Electronics have been demonstrated to be inherently more reliable than optics.” – David Welch
This quote highlights the trustworthiness aspect that Point2 wants to use as a driving force behind its products.
Point2 Technology has rolled out chips that manipulate radio frequencies using normal, run-of-the-mill silicon foundries. This strategy provides them an overwhelming competitive advantage in the market. This approach yields much faster production with fewer costs associated with chip fabrication.
The Competitive Edge
Point2 Technology A bridge between copper and optical technologies. This creative fusion leverages the distinct advantages of each to deliver exceptional features and brand new, cutting-edge functionalities. Their system offers a combination that delivers sufficient bandwidth for at least 224 Gb/s transmission while maintaining a smaller cable size.
This perspective highlights the ongoing reliance on copper technologies while noting the need for advancements that can efficiently bridge gaps in performance and reach.
“You start with passive copper, and you do everything you can to run in passive copper as long as you can.”
David Welch remarked on this transition by saying:
These types of questions are emblematic of the intense and still evolving tech community debate about what the best wavelengths for high-speed data transfer are.
“If I didn’t have to be at [an optical wavelength], where should I be?”
Welch explained how Point2’s technology can offer substantial benefits to optical technology when embedded inside transceiver-processor packages.
This highlights the practicality and scalability of Point2’s offerings to meet the needs of modern infrastructure.
“Happens to be a beautiful distance for scale-up in data centers.” – David Welch
This emphasizes the practicality and scalability of Point2’s offerings for modern infrastructure needs.
