Hybrid Data Center Routing With Electrical and Optical Switching

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional data center networks face high energy consumption, high construction costs, long E2E packet transmission delays, and bandwidth constraints due to optical-electrical signal conversions, particularly in handling diverse traffic types.

Innovation Solution

Implement a hybrid DCN architecture using electrical switches and optical cross-connect devices, with source routing technology on smart network interface cards for dynamic traffic classification and routing, enabling flexible use of electrical and optical channels to optimize data flow management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If optical-electrical signal conversion is performed at each switch hop, then packet switching and routing functions can be supported, but energy consumption increases and transmission delay increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepacket switching capabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The network is segmented into electrical switching domains and optical transmission domains. Electrical switches handle packet switching and routing functions, while optical cross-connect devices handle high-speed optical signal routing. This segmentation allows each component to operate in its optimal domain, reducing unnecessary optical-electrical conversions and lowering energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

An optical cross-connect device acts as an intermediary between electrical switches, providing optical circuit switching capability. This intermediary enables direct optical signal routing between network segments, eliminating the need for optical-electrical-optical conversions at intermediate switches and reducing transmission delay and energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If optical-electrical signal conversion is performed at each switch hop, then packet-level switching can be supported, but E2E packet transmission delay increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepacket switching capabilityVSAvoidtransmission delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The network is segmented into electrical switching domains and optical transmission domains. Electrical switches handle packet switching and routing functions, while optical cross-connect devices handle high-speed optical signal routing. This segmentation allows each component to operate in its optimal domain, reducing unnecessary optical-electrical conversions and lowering energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

An optical cross-connect device acts as an intermediary between electrical switches, providing optical circuit switching capability. This intermediary enables direct optical signal routing between network segments, eliminating the need for optical-electrical-optical conversions at intermediate switches and reducing transmission delay and energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If electrical switches are used for all network nodes, then packet switching functions can be provided, but construction costs increase and bandwidth is constrained by electrical processing capability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepacket switching functionVSAvoidconstruction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The network is segmented into electrical switching domains and optical transmission domains. Electrical switches handle packet switching and routing functions, while optical cross-connect devices handle high-speed optical signal routing. This segmentation allows each component to operate in its optimal domain, reducing unnecessary optical-electrical conversions and lowering energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The network architecture provides multi-functionality by supporting both electrical packet switching and optical circuit switching. Electrical switches provide intelligent packet-level processing, while optical cross-connect devices provide high-speed bandwidth transport. This universal architecture can handle different traffic types efficiently, reducing overall system cost and increasing bandwidth capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4184937B1Method, apparatus, and system for communication in data centre

Publication Date: 2025.10.22 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD

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AI summary

Embodiments of this application disclose a method for communication in a data center, an apparatus, and a system. The data center includes a plurality of servers, a plurality of electrical switches, and at least one optical cross-connect device, and uplink ports of at least two of the plurality of electrical switches are interconnected to the at least one optical cross-connect device. The method includes: receiving network topology information delivered by a topology manager; obtaining a data flow; and configuring a routing policy for the data flow based on the network topology information, where the routing policy includes any one or a combination of the following routing policies: a first routing policy, where the first routing policy indicates to forward the data flow through an optical channel in the at least one optical cross-connect device; a second routing policy, where the second routing policy indicates to split the data flow into at least two sub-data flows for forwarding; and a third routing policy, where the third routing policy indicates to forward the data flow through the electrical switch in the data center.