Data center architecture utilizing optical switches
AssigneeJuniper Networks, Inc.
InventorAdel Saleh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention describe flexible (i.e., elastic) data center architectures capable of meeting exascale, while maintaining low latency and using reasonable sizes of electronic packet switches, through the use of optical circuit switches such as optical time, wavelength, waveband and space circuit switching technologies. This flexible architecture enables the reconfigurability of the interconnectivity of servers and storage devices within a data center to respond to the number, size, type and duration of the various applications being requested at any given point in time.
Claims20
A method for routing data in a switch network, the method comprising:
- receiving, by the switch network, data packets from a plurality of node devices, the switch network comprising a level of electronic switches and a level of optical switches that are located between the level of electronic switches and the plurality of node devices, the optical switches being configured to change connections between the electronic switches and the plurality of node devices;
- changing connections between one or more of the electronic switches and the plurality of node devices using one or more of the optical switches;
- and
- receiving additional data by the one or more of the electronic switches, the additional data received by the one or more of the electronic switches using the connections changed by the one or more of the optical switches.
A data center system comprising:
- a plurality of nodes devices;
- and
- a switch network configured to receive data packets from the plurality of node devices, the switch network comprising a level of electronic switches and a level of optical switches that are located between the level of electronic switches and the plurality of node devices, the level of optical switches being communicatively coupled to the level of electronic switches and the plurality of node devices, the level of optical switches being configured to change connections between the level of electronic switches and the plurality of node devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.