# US 2019/0246187 A1 · Data Center Interconnect as a Switch

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- Number: US 2019/0246187 A1
- Document ID: US20190246187A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/888,516
- Filed: 2018-02-05
- Published: 2019-08-08
- Earliest claimed: 2018-02-05
- Assignees: David I-Keong Wong
- Inventors: David I-Keong Wong
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190246187A1

## CPC

- H04Q 11/0005: {Switch and router aspects}
- H04B 10/25: Arrangements specific to fibre transmission
- H04B 10/40: Transceivers
- H04Q 11/0003: {Details}
- H04Q 11/0062: {Network aspects}
- H04B 10/50: Transmitters
- H04B 10/60: Receivers
- H04Q 2011/006: {Full mesh}
- H04Q 2011/0098: {Mesh}
- H04Q: SELECTING (switches, relays, selectors H01H; wireless communication networks H04W)
- H04B: TRANSMISSION

## Abstract

An interconnect module (“ICAS module”) includes n optical data ports each comprising n optical interfaces, and an interconnecting network implementing a full mesh topology for interconnecting the optical interfaces of each port each to a respective one of the optical interfaces of each of the other ports. In one embodiment, each optical interface exchanges data signals over a communication medium with optical transceiver. The interconnecting module may implement the full mesh topology using optical fibers. The interconnecting module may be used to replace fabric switches as well as a building block for a spine switch.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An interconnect module, comprising:
n optical data ports each comprising it n−1 optical interfaces, wherein each optical interface receives and transmits data signals over a communication medium; and
an interconnecting network implementing a full mesh topology for interconnecting the optical interfaces of each port each to a respective one of the optical interfaces of each of the other ports.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The interconnect module of claim 1, wherein one of the optical data ports is provided as an uplink interface for connecting to an external network.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The interconnecting module of claim 1, wherein the interconnecting network comprises optical fibers.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The interconnecting module of claim 1, wherein the optical interfaces each receive and transmit optical signals to and from optical transceiver.

### Claim 5

A data center network having a plurality of data interfaces for receiving and transmitting data signals from and to a plurality of servers, comprising:
A first plurality of data switching units, wherein each of the first plurality of data switching units comprises (a) a plurality of first level interconnecting devices providing a subset of the data interfaces; and (b) one or more second level interconnecting devices routing data signals of the subset of data signals among the subset of data interfaces of the first level interconnecting device and a data interface with an external network, wherein the first and second interconnecting devices are interconnected to implement a full mesh network of a predetermined number of nodes; and
a second plurality of data switching units, wherein each of the second plurality of the data switching units comprises a plurality of third level interconnecting devices, wherein each third level interconnecting device routes data signals received from, or to be transmitted to, a corresponding one of the first level interconnecting devices in each of the first plurality of data switching units.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The data center network of claim 5, wherein the data signals of each data interface are received from or to be transmitted to optical transceiver.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The data center network of claim 5, wherein the first level interconnecting devices comprise “top-of-rack” (TOR) switches.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The data center network of claim 5, wherein the second level interconnecting devices comprise fabric switches, wherein the full network comprises the predetermined number of first level interconnecting devices and the predetermined number less one fabric switches.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The data center network of claim 5, wherein the second level interconnecting devices of each of the first plurality of data switching units comprise an interconnect module, which comprise:
n optical data ports each comprising n−1 optical interfaces, wherein each optical interface receives and transmits data signals over a communication medium; and
an interconnecting network implementing a full mesh topology for interconnecting the optical interfaces of each port each to a respective one of the optical interfaces of each of the other ports.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The data center network of claim 9, wherein one of the optical data ports is provided as an uplink interface for connecting to an external network.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The data center network of claim 9, wherein the interconnecting network comprises optical fibers.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The data center network of claim 9, wherein the optical interfaces each receive and transmit optical signals to and from optical transceiver.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The data center network of claim 9, wherein the second level connecting devices provide communication links for traffic among the first level interconnecting devices.

### Claim 14 (depends on 5)

The data center network of claim 5, wherein the third level interconnecting devices each comprise a spine switch.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The data center network of claim 14, wherein each first level interconnecting device is connected by communication links to each of the spine switches in each of the second plurality of data switching units.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The data center network of claim 15, wherein the communication links in each of the second plurality of data switching units are implemented at least in part by a fanout cable transpose rack.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The data center network of claim 16, wherein each first level interconnecting device is connected by a fanout cable transpose rack to each of the spine switches in each of the second plurality of data switching units.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The data center network of claim 17, wherein the fanout cable transpose rack comprises a fraction of a full-rack, a standalone full rack, or multiple, full racks.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The data center network of claim 14, wherein the spine switch comprises one or more switching elements connected to one or more interconnect modules, each interconnect modules comprising:
n optical data ports each comprising n−1 optical interfaces, wherein each optical interface receives and transmits data signals over a communication medium; and
an interconnecting network implementing a full mesh topology for interconnecting the optical interfaces of each port each to a respective one of the optical interfaces of each of the other ports.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The data center network of claim 19, wherein one of the optical data ports is provided as an uplink interface for connecting to an external network.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The data center network of claim 19, wherein the interconnecting network comprises optical fibers.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The data center network of claim 19, wherein the optical interfaces each receive and transmit optical signals to and from optical transceiver.

### Claim 23 (depends on 19)

The data center network of claim 19, wherein the switching elements and the interconnection modules are each packaged in a stackable, rack-mount chassis.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The data center network of claim 23, wherein the stackable switching device comprises multiple network devices, each being 1U high.

### Claim 25 (depends on 19)

The data center network of claim 19, wherein the switching elements and the interconnection modules are packaged in a printed circuit board-based multi-unit rack mount chassis.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The data center network of claim 25, wherein the multi-unit switching device is multiple rack units high.