Arrcus, a start-up offering an independent, Linux-based network operating system, announced support for multiple 400GbE and high-density 100GbE switching platforms.
ArcOS is a modular, extensible microservices-based networking software for building scale-out networks. A production release is available for switches based on Broadcom’s StrataXGS Trident 3 and StrataDNX Jericho+ platforms.
Arrcus is now adding support for Broadcom’s StrataXGS Tomahawk 3 silicon, with platforms from multiple ODM vendors, featuring 32 ports of 400G (1 RU) and 128 ports of 100G (4 RU).
This enables use cases including hyperscale data center IP fabrics for deep learning workloads, massively distributed and inter-connected edge data centers in telco cloud environments (PoPs, central offices, edge computing clusters, etc.) as 5G networks roll out; and flatter topology of high-radix, low-latency storage environments using high-density 100G and 400G interconnects.
Key features enabled on these platforms include:
- Faster network speeds – 12.8 Terabits/sec line-rate switching (2X the performance compared to previous generation)
- 4X increase in port density compared to existing 100G switches
- Larger switching and routing databases with improved convergence times at global mega-data-center scale
- New high-performance shared buffering and congestion control architecture to reduce tail latencies for AI and machine learning workloads
- Traffic-aware scheduling for elephant flow detection and re-prioritization
- Enhanced ECMP hashing and dynamic load balancing to optimize performance in cloud and HPC environments
- Comprehensive ArcOS feature support with in-built automation and real-time visibility
- QSFP-DD optic support for 50G/100G/200G and 400G speeds with flexibility to support other optics alternatives per market demand
“Immersive, data-intensive applications demand major advancements in network-bandwidth, scale-out performance, and convergence latency. To meet this explosive growth, our customers are looking for faster, smarter, and better networking solutions,” said Devesh Garg, Co-founder and CEO, Arrcus. “ArcOS delivers all of these and our rapid support of Tomahawk 3-based platforms unlocks elastic, open networking, standards-based solutions for building flatter, high-density data center fabrics.”
“With our flagship 12.8Tbps StrataXGS Tomahawk 3 Switch silicon anchoring the current wave of 100GbE and 400GbE cloud network deployments, we are pleased to work with Arrcus to enable their differentiated ArcOS solution”, said Ram Velaga, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Switch Products, Broadcom. “The combined platform addresses the need for flatter, cost-effective, highly resilient networks with lower end-to-end latency while delivering massive bandwidth for distributed, data-intensive applications.”
Arrcus is based in San Jose, California.
Broadcom confirms mass production of 12.8 Tbps Tomahawk 3
Broadcom’s StrataXGS Tomahawk 3 switch series is now in mass production.
The Tomahawk 3 series supports high-density, line-rate 400GbE, 200GbE, 100GbE, and 50GbE interconnect for massive scale-out of software-defined cloud data centers. The Tomahawk 3 switch series features multiple devices at 12.8Tbps, 8.0 Tbps, and 6.4 Tbps based on the industry’s most performant 50G PAM4 / 25G NRZ SerDes technology. All devices in the series have completed extensive functional, performance, and reliability testing and have been qualified for volume production.
“We are delighted and humbled by the widespread adoption of Tomahawk 3 based switching solutions in cloud infrastructure,” said Ram Velaga, senior vice president and general manager, Switch Products at Broadcom. “Our engineering team has executed to the demands of the largest cloud operators globally, including the most rigorous system and network-level qualification requirements – both in our labs and in customer testbeds. Network operators are able to immediately deploy Tomahawk 3 based fabrics, at scale, and with confidence.”
Broadcom announces 12.8 Tbps Tomahawk 3 switching silicon
Broadcom announced commercial shipments of its StrataXGS Tomahawk 3 Ethernet switch silicon boasting 12.8 Terabits/sec in a single device — double that of any other switching chip currently in the market.
Tomahawk 3 paves the way for high-density, standards-based 400GbE, 200GbE, and 100GbE switching and routing for hyperscale cloud networks. The latest gen silicon is expected to be adopted by leading network equipment OEMs as well as by hyperscale cloud companies.
Third party companies cited in the product announcement included Microsoft, Alibaba, Arista Networks, Baidu, Juniper Networks, LinkedIn, Tencent, Accton, Celestica, Delta Networks, Quanta, Applied Optoelectronics, Foxconn Interconnect Technologies, Intel Silicon Photonics, and Luxtera.
The new chip, which arrives 14 months after Broadcom introduced its 6.4Tbps product generation, offers 40% lower power consumption per 100GbE switch port and up to 75% lower cost per 100GbE switch port.
Key features of the StrataXGS Tomahawk 3 Series:
- Supports 32 x 400GbE, 64 x 200GbE, or 128 x 100GbE line-rate switching and routing on a single chip
- Delivers 40% reduction in power per 100Gbps, and up to 75% lower cost per 100Gbps, versus alternatives
- New, state-of-the-art, integrated 12.8Tbps shared-buffer architecture offers 3X to 5X higher incast absorption and provides the highest performance and lowest end-to-end latency for RoCEv2 based workloads
- Broadview Gen 3 integrated network instrumentation feature set and software suite provides full visibility to network operators into packet flow behavior, traffic management state, and switch internal performance
- Supports all packet processing and traffic management requirements for next-gen hyperscale network use cases: >2X IP route forwarding scale, 2X ECMP scale, Dynamic Load Balancing and Group Multipathing, In-Band Network Telemetry, Elephant Flow detection and re-prioritization
- Robust connectivity using 256 instances of the best performing and longest-reach 50G PAM-4 integrated SerDes core, enabling long-reach (LR) East-West optical links and Direct-Attached-Copper (DAC) in-rack cabling in the data center, fully compliant to new IEEE standards for 50/100/200/400GbE
- Implemented on proven, high-volume 16nm process technology node, ensuring fastest time to CY2018 production network deployment for hyperscale customers
