Programmable on-chip and off-chip network architecture on demand for flexible optical intra-datacenters

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Telecommunications

Background:

• Intra-datacenter communication demands programmable, efficient, and transparent networking solutions.
• Existing solutions may face limitations in flexibility and adaptation for diverse traffic requirements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel network architecture on demand (AoD) approach for intra-datacenter networking.
• To enable programmable, highly efficient, and transparent networking using on-chip and off-chip implementations.
• To facilitate hitless adaptation between different optical network switching schemes.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of an FPGA-based adaptable line-card with an on-chip design.
• Development of an AoD-based off-chip flexible switching node.
• Integration of single chip dual L2-Packet/L1-time shared optical network (TSON) server Network Interface Cards (NICs).
• Interconnection through a transparent AoD-based switch.

Main Results:

• Achieved high throughput: 9.86 Gbps for Ethernet and 8.68 Gbps for TSON.
• Demonstrated high Quality of Service (QoS).
• Successfully implemented hitless adaptation between Ethernet over wavelength switched network (EoWSON) and TSON.
• Provided flexible bitrates meeting strict bandwidth requirements.

Conclusions:

• The AoD approach offers a programmable and efficient solution for intra-datacenter networking.
• The implemented system provides transparent networking with hitless adaptation capabilities.
• The solution meets stringent bandwidth and QoS requirements for modern data centers.