Data Center Star Topology Reduces Cable Count
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional data center networks face challenges with high networking costs and maintenance difficulties due to the need for numerous layout cables and complex device configurations, particularly in the aggregation and core layers.
Innovation Solution
A data center network system utilizing a star network topology with a hub device connected to multiple switches and colored optical modules, which perform wavelength division multiplexing to reduce the number of physical cables and simplify maintenance, while an SDN controller ensures load balancing and efficient signal routing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a decentralized mesh architecture is used to remove aggregation and core layer devices, then the transmission bottleneck problem is resolved and decentralization is achieved, but a large quantity of layout cables is required
Solution Approach 1:
An optical line terminal (OLT) is introduced as an intermediary device to establish a star-type topology structure. The OLT acts as a central hub that connects multiple access layer devices, enabling direct communication between servers without requiring full mesh connections. This intermediary approach resolves the transmission bottleneck while avoiding the need for extensive cable layout between every pair of switches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional mesh connection pattern to a three-dimensional star topology centered around the OLT. By organizing connections radially around a central point rather than requiring direct lateral connections between all nodes, the system achieves efficient signal transmission with significantly reduced cable requirements.
2Productivity
If high performance aggregation layer devices and core network devices are used to meet growing signal transmission requirements, then signal transmission capability is improved, but networking costs and device maintenance difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the aggregation layer devices and core network devices from the traditional three-layer architecture. By eliminating these high-performance but complex devices, the system simplifies the network structure to only include access layer devices and an OLT, thereby reducing networking costs and maintenance difficulty while meeting signal transmission requirements through the star topology.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using expensive high-performance aggregation and core devices, the patent employs multiple standard access layer devices connected through an OLT. This copying approach uses replicated, standardized components rather than unique high-performance devices, reducing costs and simplifying maintenance while achieving equivalent or superior transmission capability through the optimized topology.
3Ease of operation
If a layered structure of hierarchical aggregation is used to organize access layer devices, then network management is simplified, but signal transmission requires multiple forwarding hops increasing latency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional hierarchical approach by placing the intelligence and control function in the OLT rather than in intermediate aggregation devices. In the traditional model, signals flow up through multiple layers; in this inverted star topology, all communication paths converge at the OLT, enabling more direct routing and reduced forwarding hops while maintaining simplified management through centralized control.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces the complexity and cost of network infrastructure, lowers energy consumption, and enhances signal transmission reliability and efficiency by minimizing the number of layers and cables, thereby improving overall network performance and maintenance efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
perform wavelength division multiplexing to reduce the number of physical cables
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention discloses a data center network system and a signal transmission system. Each switch has a hub device that has a communication connection to the switch. The hub device and the switch form a star network topology structure. Compared with a mesh network topology structure, in the star network topology structure, a smaller quantity of cables are laid out between devices, so that a quantity of network layout cables can be effectively reduced, and subsequent network maintenance workload can be reduced. In addition, a signal output by a source server successively passes through a source switch that has a communication connection to the source server, a hub device, and a destination switch that has a communication connection to a destination server, so as to arrive at the destination server, and all signals are forwarded only by the hub device. A signal is forwarded at a smaller quantity of layers, and therefore this helps implement network structure delayering in the data center network system, thereby reducing energy consumption caused by a core layer device and an aggregation layer device, and effectively reducing system energy consumption and device maintenance costs.