Point2 Technology This groundbreaking semiconductor company was started by veterans from Marvell, Nvidia and Samsung. They stand to achieve huge advances in data center efficiency with their revolutionary new radio cable system. The new system takes advantage of the unique capabilities offered by terahertz frequency signals. It holds the potential to surpass the capabilities of legacy copper cables. Point2 Technology has raised an astounding $55 million in venture capital, led by the computer cables manufacturer Molex. This support puts them on the verge of changing the tune played by data centers.
Point2 Technology’s innovation is in the cable—specifically the company’s proprietary cable design. This design includes a digital component that talks directly to graphics processing units (GPUs). This advanced arrangement includes a terahertz-frequency microfabricated generator. It incorporates a signal mixer, which encodes streams of data onto the carrier terahertz wave, enabling fast and high-bandwidth data transfer with low latency. The company alleges that their cables aren’t just higher capacity and more energy efficient than their predecessors, but much cheaper than current optical technologies by orders of magnitude.
Advanced Cable Design and Performance
Point2 Technology’s second-generation cables fanned out into eight e-Tube fibers, each of which can carry more than 200 gigabits of data per second. This high-end design provides ultra-responsive performance over short distances. Their development enables velocity with high bandwidth data transmission over four meters at a frequency of 970 GHz. These e-Tube fibers are remarkably thin, only 200 micrometers wide. This petite size makes them convenient to insert into other existing data center environments.
The company’s high-speed cables feature stunningly low signal loss, with maximum attenuation as low as 0.3 dB/m. That’s a huge advantage over standard copper cables which have a hard time achieving high throughput over similar lengths. David Kuo, the vice president of product marketing and business development at Point2 Technology, discusses why this development is important. He references the “copper cliff,” illustrating the fundamental limitations of old copper cabling.
“If I didn’t have to be at [an optical wavelength], where should I be?” – Dave Welch
Energy Efficiency and Cost-Effectiveness
Along with better performance, Point2 Technology’s system is an energy efficient marvel. It uses just a third of the energy required by existing optical technologies. This efficiency makes it an attractive option for data center operators looking to reduce their operational costs and lower their carbon footprints. Adopting Point2’s technology is one-third less costly than conventional optical systems. This big savings makes it even more attractive.
That decrease in latency provides a key benefit. Point2 Technology asserts that its technology can achieve latencies that are one-thousandth of what is achieved today using optical solutions. This enhanced efficiency makes Point2’s offerings particularly appealing to hyperscalers—large-scale cloud service providers that require high-speed, reliable data transmission to support their operations.
“Customers love fiber. But what they hate is the photonics.” – Dave Welch
Welch’s insight underscores a common sentiment in the industry: while fiber optics are favored for their speed and reliability, the complexities and costs associated with photonic systems often deter adoption. Point2 Technology hopes to address this challenge, giving operators an easier deployment experience with a rugged, high-performance solution that is a proven alternative to traditional fiber optic networks.
Future Prospects and Industry Impact
Point2 Technology is currently gearing up for mass production of the chips. Designed into an astonishing 1.6-terabit-per-second cable, consisting of eight super-thin polymer waveguides. This advancement represents the company’s relentless exploration to extend the limits of data transmission. Don Barnetson, senior vice president / head of product at Credo, recently offered some words of encouragement regarding their newest product development. To solve this, the company has developed an Advanced Electronic Component (AEC) to deliver 800 Gb/s over seven meters.
The implications of improvements brought by Point2 Technology’s innovations go far beyond a performance increase. Overcoming the limitations of legacy copper and fiber optic infrastructure opens the door to new growth potential. This technological advancement continues to lead the way in innovative infrastructure in the data center industry. After all, as hyperscalers keep developing their infrastructures, Point2’s solutions might substantially improve their operational efficiencies and service delivery.
“You start with passive copper, and you do everything you can to run in passive copper as long as you can.” – Don Barnetson
Barnetson’s statement reflects the current industry trend where many organizations rely heavily on copper until it becomes insufficient for their growing needs. Point2 Technology’s innovations offer a new and radically different approach that has the potential to speed deployment away from the legacy passive copper systems.
