Credo, a leading provider of intelligent, optical-enabled network hardware, has delivered an unprecedented innovation for data centers. They were early adopters of inventive technology that enhances the efficiency of data transmission. Don Barnetson heads Credo as the senior vice president and head of product. Under his leadership, the company recently introduced an Advanced Electrical Connector (AEC) achieving 800 Gb/s at 7 meters. This step forward is a big deal. As data centers don’t get smaller, they are quickly becoming dependent on high-performance computing systems that use hundreds of GPUs in multiple racks.
That urgency for better connectivity is highlighted by the increasing need for bandwidth, especially at data centers. As workloads continue to be more data-hungry, clear communication between components becomes even more important. That 7-meter distance is the perfect size for characters and fun data to fly. This configuration works neatly within the contemporary chassis of data centers, which tend to be a series of highly interconnected racks.
The Rise of Point2 Technology
Point2 Technology is a young company that’s determined to change how we transmit data. They’ve created a remarkable, unique, cable system using eight e-Tube fibers. Each fiber is able to transport more than 200 gigabits of data per second. This extraordinary accomplishment was recently proved out in a successful 4-meter transmission at the record-setting frequency of 970 GHz.
Point2 Technology’s second-generation cable uses optical fibers that are thinner than human hair at just 200 µm in diameter. This small footprint provides the industry’s first margin of flexibility, enabling denser packing and more efficiency. This technology uses a waveguide with extremely low system loss—only 0.3 decibels per meter. This remarkable performance enhances data integrity, especially over long distances.
One leading provocateur, the highly influential Dave Welch, offers this tantalizing prediction. He’s convinced that this new waveguide will greatly increase the data transmission reach to a whopping 20 meters! These improvements are indeed significant. They offer to make up for the reach and speed limitations of legacy copper cables with increases in distance and energy savings.
“Customers love fiber. But what they hate is the photonics.” – Dave Welch
The ongoing evolution from legacy copper cabling towards cutting-edge fiber alternatives is the latest milestone in the fast-paced and ever-changing data center environment. Barnetson’s aim is to keep passive copper connections in place, active and serving customers, for as long as possible before replacing them with fiber-based solutions.
“You start with passive copper, and you do everything you can to run in passive copper as long as you can.” – Don Barnetson
This incremental transition is important because it gives public sector agencies the flexibility to stay on budget while slowly but surely bringing their infrastructure up to date. Copper cabling has its drawbacks. The more recent pandemic-induced shifts have driven even more interest in other solutions, particularly in scenarios where ultra-high bandwidth and reliability are needed.
David Kuo refers to this challenge as the “copper cliff,” where the performance limitations of copper become a bottleneck for growth. As the demands on data centers continue to grow and expand, the urgency for cost-effective, reliable solutions is greater than ever.
Innovations in Power Efficiency and Latency
The innovations introduced by Point2 Technology go far beyond simple big bandwidth first. Shimano’s next-generation e-Tube cable outshines the current optical systems in two important areas. It consumes a third of the energy and only costs a third of the long-term cost. This dramatic decrease in resource consumption reflects the rising importance of sustainability in the tech industry.
Point2 Technology’s system delivers latency with granularity that’s up to one-thousandth as much as optical systems. Such performance metrics are essential for most applications that involve real-time data processing and need for minimal latency.
“Electronics have been demonstrated to be inherently more reliable than optics.” – Dave Welch
This claim scratches the surface, showcasing just how electronic-based solutions can revolutionize and lead the charge in the future smart data center communications environment. AttoTude and Point2 Technology are innovating the cutting edge. If they succeed, in addition to optical technologies being less used, we can hopefully expect electronic alternatives to be more trusted and less maligned.