Passive Optical Data Center Routing Without Power-Hungry Switches
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional data center networks face performance limitations such as link oversubscription and inefficient load balancing, leading to high power consumption and environmental impact, with existing architectures relying on expensive and power-hungry devices like access and aggregation switches.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a passive optical-based data center network architecture that uses passive optical routing elements and time-division multiplexing (TDM) or wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) to reduce the need for active elements, allowing intra-group and inter-group communication without routing through power-hungry switches, and using hybrid TDM-WDM to enhance bandwidth utilization and reduce congestion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If conventional data center networking architectures are used, then connectivity and routing functionality are provided, but power consumption is high and device cost is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces active electrical switching systems with passive optical routing systems. Optical circuits and passive optical network units provide routing and connectivity functions without requiring powered switches or routers, thereby eliminating the power consumption associated with conventional electrical networking hardware while maintaining full connectivity functionality through optical signal routing.
Solution Approach 2:
The passive optical network units and optical circuits perform routing and connectivity functions autonomously without requiring external power or control systems. The optical infrastructure itself provides the networking functionality through its physical structure and optical properties, eliminating the need for powered devices to maintain connectivity.
2Ease of manufacture
If access switches and aggregation switches are deployed, then network routing and connectivity are achieved, but device cost increases and power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates expensive powered switches by replacing them with passive optical infrastructure. The optical circuits and passive optical network units provide the same routing and connectivity functions at lower cost and without power requirements, directly addressing both the cost and power consumption issues associated with conventional switch deployment.
3Productivity
If conventional routing through switches is used, then network connectivity is maintained, but bandwidth efficiency is low and congestion occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network into multiple passive optical network units, each handling local routing independently. This segmentation eliminates the need for centralized switch-based routing, reduces congestion by distributing traffic locally, and improves bandwidth efficiency while maintaining manageable network complexity through modular architecture.
Data Source
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Figure 3a~3c
AI summary
A data centre network, comprises a first group of optical ports for connection to respective servers of a first group of servers; a second group of optical ports for connection to respective servers of a second group of servers; a first lower passive optical routing element arranged to route optical communication signals between the first group of optical ports and a first lower optical communication path; a second lower passive optical routing element arranged to route optical communication signals between the second group of optical ports and a second lower optical communication path; an upper passive optical routing element arranged to: (i) route optical communication signals between the first lower optical communication path and an upper optical communication path, and (ii) route optical communication signals between the second lower optical communication path and the upper optical communication path.