Nvidia has similar lofty plans to supercharge its systems. By 2027, they expect to increase the maximum number of GPUs in a system from 72 to an incredible 576. This action comes amidst rapid growth in the digital infrastructure that requires ever-increasing processing power. Startups Point2 Technology and AttoTude are meeting the challenge. They’re leading the way, creating unique solutions that mix technologies already available while still making themselves unique. Combined with their obsession with maximizing the use of radio frequency technology, they’re bound to change the game in data center energy efficiency.
The quest for efficiency goes further than just refreshing hardware. Point2 Technology has created state-of-the-art e-Tube cables, made up of eight fibers. With these cables, we’ll be able to carry more than 200 gigabits of data every second! These cables are purposely built to slim down and power up. Because they can extend up to 20 meters, they are perfect for today’s modular data centers. Point2 achieved a remarkable step forward with its new e-Tube cable. This 1.6-terabit-per-second cable takes up only half the space of a typical 32-gauge copper cable, while providing a reach that is 20 times longer.
The Transition from Copper to Advanced Fiber
A major change has been sweeping the data center world as enterprises seek options beyond copper cables. Don Barnetson, Senior Vice President and Head of Product at Credo, notes the importance of utilizing passive copper connections as long as possible.
“You start with passive copper, and you do everything you can to run in passive copper as long as you can.” — Don Barnetson
Beeck Center Bandwidth demands are sky-rocketing David Kuo, Vice President of Product Marketing and Business Development at Point2 Technology, illustrates some of the impending limitations of copper technology. He has dubbed this challenge “the copper cliff.” To do that with increasing demand, we’d have to make traditional copper networks thinner and shorter.
“We call it the copper cliff.” — David Kuo
Point2 and AttoTude’s technologies are already well beyond the capabilities of copper cables. They are the best in terms of reach and bang-for-the-buck efficiency. Their new systems can go out to nearly 20 meters with no loss of data integrity. Traditional copper cables just can’t cut it.
The Role of Terahertz Technology
David Welch, founder and CEO of AttoTude David Welch photonics, has a deep vision photonics that photonics could tackle the data tsunami. And honing in on his passion for astrophysics, he preaches the need to go beyond optical wavelengths. He proposes that the terahertz regime, using the highest frequencies made possible through electronic methods, could hold the key to future breakthroughs.
“If I didn’t have to be at [an optical wavelength], where should I be? The answer was the highest frequency that’s achievable purely with electronics—the terahertz regime, 300 to 3,000 GHz.” — Dave Welch
Welch’s simple yet profound realizations reveal what may be the greatest opportunity. By working within this frequency spectrum, data centers can improve their efficiency and reduce energy usage. Point2’s systems are said to require only one-third of the power compared to optical systems. They offer a small portion of the latency, making them incredibly powerful. The incredible efficiency this would create has the potential to change the entire world of data center operations.
Future Applications and Industry Impact
Yet the implications of these technological advancements are nothing short of seismic. As a proof point, Nvidia and Broadcom have in recent months released optical transceivers designed to operate in the same package as processors. This groundbreaking development is a key part of the collaborative effort to enlarge data center technology capabilities to great scale. The first deployment of Advanced Electronic Connections (AECs) will most directly connect discrete GPUs to network switches. This is a crucial step to improve competitive performance in scale-out networks.
Barnetson points out that Credo has developed an AEC that is capable of 800 Gb/s at 7m. This new innovation dramatically increases the efficiency of moving data through data centers. Meanwhile, the demand for bandwidth is increasing at an unprecedented rate. Innovative, new technologies will be key to addressing the challenges we’ll face in the years ahead.
“Pluggable connections will be the technology’s first use, but radio transceivers co-packaged with processors are ‘the real prize.’” — Dave Welch
Businesses such as Point2 and AttoTude are driving the future of data transmission and communication. They look beyond the status quo and in doing so open the door for increased efficiency and reliability throughout their industry.