data center interconnect
{{Short description|Connection between data center buildings}}
A datacenter interconnect (DCI) is a connection between data centers and between the components within them.{{cite journal |last1=Kanakis |first1=Giannis |last2=Iliadis |first2=Nikos |last3=Soenen |first3=Wouter |last4=Moeneclaey |first4=Bart |last5=Argyris |first5=Nikolaos |last6=Kalavrouziotis |first6=Dimitrios |last7=Spiga |first7=Silvia |last8=Bakopoulos |first8=Paraskevas |last9=Avramopoulos |first9=Hercules |title=High-Speed VCSEL-Based Transceiver for 200 GbE Short-Reach Intra-Datacenter Optical Interconnects |journal=Applied Sciences |date=18 June 2019 |volume=9 |issue=12 |pages=2488 |doi=10.3390/app9122488|doi-access=free }}{{cite journal |last1=Yue |first1=Yang |last2=Wang |first2=Qiang |last3=Anderson |first3=Jon |title=Experimental Investigation of 400 Gb/s Data Center Interconnect Using Unamplified High-Baud-Rate and High-Order QAM Single-Carrier Signal |journal=Applied Sciences |date=15 June 2019 |volume=9 |issue=12 |pages=2455 |doi=10.3390/app9122455|doi-access=free }} The goal of a data center interconnect is to provide high bandwidth in order to maximize the utility of the data center. Inter data center interconnects must also be able to transmit over long distances.{{cite web |title=What is DCI? |url=https://www.ciena.com/insights/what-is/What-is-DCI.html |publisher=Ciena Corporation |access-date=24 August 2024}} By using specialized infrastructure such as optical communication and direct connection between datacenters, DCI is able to provide much higher bandwidths than typical networks. This is valuable to large cloud computing companies.{{cite web |last1=Engebretson |first1=Joan |title=Lumen ExaSwitch Rethinks Hyperscale Interconnection with Google, Microsoft - Telecompetitor |url=https://www.telecompetitor.com/lumen-exaswitch-rethinks-hyperscale-interconnection-with-google-microsoft/ |website=www.telecompetitor.com |access-date=24 August 2024}} In 2017, IEEE standards were created to support 400 GbE per wavelength optical communications.{{cite journal |last1=Yue |first1=Yang |last2=Wang |first2=Qiang |last3=Yao |first3=Jian |last4=O'Neil |first4=Jason |last5=Pudvay |first5=Daniel |last6=Anderson |first6=Jon |title=400GbE Technology Demonstration Using CFP8 Pluggable Modules |journal=Applied Sciences |date=25 October 2018 |volume=8 |issue=11 |pages=2055 |doi=10.3390/app8112055|doi-access=free }} For short range connections within a data center, optical DCI can provide the advantage over traditional DCI of not needing cables.{{cite journal |last1=Raza |first1=Aadil |last2=Iqbal |first2=Saeed |last3=Iqbal |first3=Muhammad |last4=Mirza |first4=Jawad |last5=Ghafoor |first5=Salman |last6=Atieh |first6=Ahmad |title=400 Gbps/λ PAM-4 data transmission over FSO link by employing space division multiplexing for data center interconnects using LG modes enabled VCSELs |journal=Optical and Quantum Electronics |date=March 2023 |volume=55 |issue=3 |page=283 |doi=10.1007/s11082-023-04572-8|bibcode=2023OQEle..55..283R }}{{cite magazine |last1=Overton |first1=Gail |url=https://www.laserfocusworld.com/optics/article/16555273/free-space-optical-communication-datacenter-cabling-bottleneck-cleared-via-free-space-optical-interconnects |title=Datacenter cabling bottleneck cleared via free-space optical interconnects |magazine=Laser Focus World |date=2018 |volume=54 |issue=9 |pages=13–14}}