Electronic Switch Card for Transparent Photonic Embedding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data center systems face challenges in integrating photonic switches due to the need for new line cards, which results in high financial costs and loss of investment in existing equipment, as existing line cards do not support photonic functions, hindering the deployment of scalable data center cloud systems with high switching capacity, low energy consumption, and small footprint.
Innovation Solution
An electronic switch card with integrated photonic functions that allows transparent embedding into existing electronic chassis, using a cell switch connected to line cards with main queues, an electronic switch chip, and a photonic switch, along with a cluster central chassis controller for efficient buffer management and bandwidth allocation, enabling photonic cell or frame transfer without requiring changes to existing line cards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If photonic switches are deployed to achieve high switching capacity and low energy consumption, then switching performance is improved, but financial cost increases due to requirement of new line cards
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic switch card is designed to perform both electronic switching and photonic switching functions through a single multi-functional device. The card includes an electronic switch chip that can operate in electronic mode when connected to line cards and in photonic mode when connected to photonic switches, eliminating the need for separate dedicated photonic line cards and reducing financial cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic switch card dynamically adapts its operating mode based on the type of device it is connected to. Through automatic detection of connection type (electronic or photonic), the card switches between electronic switching and photonic switching functions, providing flexibility and eliminating the need for static dedicated hardware configurations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If existing line cards are replaced with new photonic line cards to support photonic functions, then photonic compatibility is improved, but investment loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic switch card serves as a universal interface that can work with both traditional electronic line cards and modern photonic switches. This multi-functionality allows network operators to maintain their existing line card investments while gradually transitioning to photonic infrastructure, as the same switch card can support both types of connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic switch card acts as an intermediary device between legacy electronic line cards and new photonic switches. It provides the necessary interface and protocol conversion, allowing existing line cards to continue functioning while enabling photonic network capabilities without requiring replacement of the line cards themselves.
3Ease of manufacture
If photonic functions are integrated into electronic chassis to reduce costs, then device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The photonic switching functionality is segmented into a separate modular electronic switch card that can be independently installed and managed within the electronic chassis. This segmentation allows the photonic functions to be added as an optional module rather than requiring complete redesign of the entire chassis, thereby managing complexity while enabling cost-effective photonic integration.
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided methods and apparatuses for transferring photonic cells or frames between a photonic switch and an electronic switch enabling a scalable data center cloud system with photonic functions transparently embedded into an electronic chassis. In various embodiments, photonic interface functions may be transparently embedded into existing switch chips (or switch cards) without changes in the line cards. The embedded photonic interface functions may provide the switch cards with the ability to interface with both existing line cards and photonic switches. In order to embed photonic interface functions without changes on the existing line cards, embodiments use two-tier buffering with a pause signalling or pause messaging scheme for managing the two-tier buffer memories.