Reconfigurable Wireless Data Center Network Using Free-Space Optics

Background

Data centers are a critical piece of today's networked applications in both private and public sectors. The key factors that have driven this trend are economies of scale, reduced management costs,better utilization of hardware via statistical multiplexing, and the ability to elastically scale applications in response to changing workload patterns. A robust data center network fabric is fundamental to the success of data centers and to ensure that the network does not become a bottleneck for high-performance applications. In this context, data center network design should satisfy several goals: high performance, such as high throughput and low latency; low equipment and management cost; robustness to dynamic traffic patterns; incremental expandability to add new servers or racks; and other practical concerns such as cabling complexity, and power and cooling costs.

Technology

This technology is a system and methods for developing networks used in data centers. Compared to the current methods used for developing data center networks, this technology drastically cut the switching cost and wiring cost, and decreased the energy used by networking equipment. In addition, it indirectly reduces the air conditioning cost of data centers by eliminating wires and thus increasing air flow. By eliminating wires, it will also reduce the maintenance and management cost of running a data center and reduce construction cost by eliminating the need for sophisticated and expensive wiring schemes.

Advantages

- Drastically cut the switching cost and wiring cost - Decreased the energy used by networking equipment - Reduces the air conditioning cost of data centers by eliminating wires and thus increasing air flow - Reduce the maintenance and management cost of running a data center - Reduce construction cost by eliminating the need for sophisticated and expensive wiring schemes.

Application

Developing low cost and low maintenance data center networks.

Patent Status

Patented

Stage Of Development

10020880

Licensing Potential

Licensing

Licensing Status

Available for Licensing.

Additional Info

https://stonybrook.technologypublisher.com/files/sites/3ezloakrtm29pyyr52ss_high_performance_computing_(hpc)_data_center_(9091835239).jpg Please note, header image is purely illustrative. Source: ENERGY.GOV, Wikimedia Commons, public domain.