US 10,873,544 B2Granted

Switching using a power bar pass-through card

AssigneeFacebook, Inc.

InventorsChe Kin Leung, Xu Wang, Hans-Juergen Schmidtke

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Abstract

Low-cost network switches and other computing systems are described herein. A low-cost network switch can operate at a lower ambient temperature (e.g., 55° C.) than conventional switches, thereby enabling the use of lower cost components (e.g., optical components that are not rated for operation at up to 70° C.). The network switch can utilize a power bar pass-through card that provides power from an enclosure bus bar to components of the network switch in lieu of a power supply unit. Additionally, ports of the network switch can operate in a 2×50G mode in which a network switch port capable of communicating at 100 Gbps interfaces with two external ports each capable of communicating at 50 Gbps. Communication in 2×50G mode can be supported by a four-channel Y-cable, in which the four channels are utilized by the network switch port and fan-out to two channels to each of the two external ports.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system, comprising:

a first processing device housed at least in part within an enclosure;
a second processing device housed at least in part within the enclosure;
a network switch housed at least in part within the enclosure, wherein the network switch includes a power bar pass-through card that receives an input direct current (DC) voltage from a bus bar of the enclosure and provides an output direct current (DC) voltage to a component of the network switch external to the power bar pass-through card and the power bar pass-through card conforms to a power supply unit form factor by enabling power to be supplied to other network switch components and is connected to a board of the network switch via a slot for a power component that provides power;
and
a data cable connecting only the first processing device and the second processing device to the network switch, wherein:
the data cable comprises a plurality of data channels for communicating data between the first processing device, the second processing device, and the network switch;
the data cable further comprises a first header for interfacing with the first processing device, a second header for interfacing with the second processing device, and a third header for interfacing with the network switch;
the first header utilizes only a first portion of the plurality of data channels of the data cable by utilizing a first set of two data channels among the plurality of data channels of the data cable in the same combined single first header to interface with the same first processing device;
the second header utilizes only a second portion of the plurality of data channels of the data cable different from the first portion by utilizing a second set of two data channels among the plurality of data channels of the data cable in the same combined single second header to interface with the same second processing device;
the third header utilizes the first set of two data channels and the second set of two data channels to interface with the network switch;
and
each of the first header, the second header, and the third header conform to a Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable (QSFP) form factor and electrical interface standard.

9 more elements

A system, comprising:

a first processing device housed at least in part within an enclosure;
a second processing device housed at least in part within the enclosure;
a network switch housed at least in part within the enclosure, wherein the network switch includes a power bar pass-through card that receives an input direct current (DC) voltage from a bus bar of the enclosure and provides an output direct current (DC) voltage to a component of the network switch external to the power bar pass-through card and the power bar pass-through card conforms to a power supply unit form factor by enabling power to be supplied to other network switch components and is connected to a board of the network switch via a slot for a power component that provides power;
and
a data cable connecting only the first processing device and the second processing device to the network switch, wherein:
the data cable comprises a plurality of data channels for communicating data between the first processing device, the second processing device, and the network switch;
the data cable further comprises a first header for interfacing with the first processing device, a second header for interfacing with the second processing device, and a third header for interfacing with the network switch;
the first header utilizes only a first portion of the plurality of data channels of the data cable by utilizing a first set of two data channels among the plurality of data channels of the data cable in the same combined single first header to interface with the same first processing device;
the second header utilizes only a second portion of the plurality of data channels of the data cable different from the first portion by utilizing a second set of two data channels among the plurality of data channels of the data cable in the same combined single second header to interface with the same second processing device;
and
the third header utilizes the first set of two data channels and the second set of two data channels to interface with the network switch;
wherein the first header is capable of communicating at 100 gigabits per second, and the second header and third header are each capable of communicating at 50 gigabits per second.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.