Zero loss photonic integrated switches for scalable torus mesh network topologies

用于可扩展环面网状网络拓扑的零损耗光子集成交换机

• 批准号: 514644-2017
• 负责人: LiboironLadouceur, Odile
• 金额: $ 3.72万
• 依托单位: McGill University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Collaborative Research and Development Grants
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=719069
• 关键词: Zero; loss; photonic; integrated; switches

This three-year project investigates scalable interconnection network architecture for data centers. A torus network topology can scale to meet the demand for larger data interconnectivity between servers requiring low latency and large aggregated bandwidth. While servers are interconnected optically with point-to-point optical links, the interconnectivity is currently reconfigured using an electrical switch ensuring connectivity between all servers. The signal conversion between the optical domain of the transmission and the electrical domain for the switching is limiting the scalability of the network. Through recent development in photonic integration, practical optical switch matrices proved to be a potentially disruptive solution. The challenges remain in the scalability of photonic circuits in silicon technology platform due to their inherent propagation and fiber coupling losses. The project is in collaboration with an Ottawa-based startup, Rockport Networks, investigating the prospect of photonic integrated switches for data centers interconnectivity exploiting Rockport's innovative control plane. Important research advancements beyond the switch co-design with the controller are solution development for compensating the losses using optical gain elements. Prof. Liboiron-Ladouceur and her students will leverage significant contributions made in the last five years in the area of photonic integrated circuits and switches to investigate system integration feasibility and scalability of integrated optical switch matrices. The benefits of this industrial collaboration will allow Rockport to verify their architectural approach and support their control plane software development effort. At a larger scale, more scalable hardware infrastructure supporting the Internet will allow for more secure communication with greater ability to support the exponential increase in data and its invaluable possibilities.

这个为期三年的项目研究了数据中心的可扩展互连网络架构。环面网络拓扑可以扩展以满足要求低延迟和大聚合带宽的服务器之间的更大数据互连的需求。虽然服务器通过点对点光学链路进行光学互连，但互连性目前使用电气开关进行重新配置，以确保所有服务器之间的连接。传输的光域和交换的电域之间的信号转换限制了网络的可扩展性。通过最近的发展，在光子集成，实用的光开关矩阵被证明是一个潜在的破坏性的解决方案。由于其固有的传播和光纤耦合损耗，硅技术平台中的光子电路的可扩展性仍然存在挑战。该项目与渥太华的初创公司Rockport Networks合作，研究利用Rockport的创新控制平面实现数据中心互连的光子集成交换机的前景。除了开关与控制器的协同设计之外，重要的研究进展是使用光学增益元件补偿损耗的解决方案开发。Liboiron-Ladouceur教授和她的学生将利用过去五年在光子集成电路和交换机领域做出的重大贡献，研究集成光开关矩阵的系统集成可行性和可扩展性。这种工业合作的好处将使Rockport能够验证其架构方法并支持其控制平面软件开发工作。在更大的规模上，支持互联网的更可扩展的硬件基础设施将允许更安全的通信，更有能力支持数据的指数增长及其宝贵的可能性。