Using free-space optics to interconnect a plurality of computing nodes

A system for using free-space optics to interconnect a plurality of computing nodes, comprising:

• a router that is configured to communicate with the plurality of computing nodes via free-space optical communications;
• a plurality of optical modules that do not comprise any light sources and that are electrically coupled to at least some of the plurality of computing nodes, each optical module among the plurality of optical modules comprising a modulator and an optics system;
• a plurality of optical transceivers that are coupled to the router, wherein the plurality of optical transceivers facilitate the free-space optical communications with the plurality of optical modules, and wherein each optical module among the plurality of optical modules has a corresponding optical transceiver that is optically coupled to the optical module;
• a first plurality of light sources that are separate from the plurality of optical modules and that enable the free-space optical communications from the router to the plurality of optical modules;
• and
• a second plurality of light sources that are separate from the plurality of optical modules and that enable the free-space optical communications from the plurality of optical modules to the router, the modulator within a particular optical module being configured to modulate a light beam received from one of the second plurality of light sources to produce a modulated light beam, and the optics system within the particular optical module being configured to direct the modulated light beam toward the router.

A system for using free-space optics to interconnect a plurality of computing nodes that are located within an enclosure, comprising:

• a router that is configured to route free-space optical communications among the plurality of computing nodes;
• a plurality of processing nodes in a first zone of the enclosure;
• a plurality of optical modules that are electrically coupled to at least some of the plurality of computing nodes;
• a plurality of memory nodes in a second zone of the enclosure, wherein each memory node among the plurality of memory nodes is electrically coupled to at least one processing node among the plurality of processing nodes;
• a plurality of optical transceivers that are coupled to the router, wherein the plurality of optical transceivers facilitate free-space optical communications with the plurality of optical modules, and wherein each optical module among the plurality of optical modules has a corresponding optical transceiver that is optically coupled to the optical module;
• and
• at least one light source that is positioned outside of the first zone of the enclosure and that is configured to transmit light beams toward the plurality of optical modules.