A data center network featuring low latency and energy efficiency based on all optical core interconnect

Abstract

In this paper, we introduce a novel optical interconnect for data center networks (DCNs) with low latency and high throughput. The hybrid architecture features MEMS OXCs for low cost. The low latency is achieved using fast optical switches. We evaluate the performance of the system using simulation by considering different capacities of slow and fast optical switches and also investigate a trade-off between cost and power consumption of our design by comparing it with conventional interconnects. The proposed technique, when only 40% of the interconnect capacity is provided by fast switches, demonstrates performance comparable to that of an interconnect exclusively using fast switches, while the cost of the hybrid architecture is reduced by more than half compared to using fast switches only. The additional CAPEX incurred in deploying our solution instead of traditional architecture is mitigated by reduced OPEX, due to its greater energy efficiency.