Collaboration with GLOBALFOUNDRIES to extend copper interconnects to 100G bandwidth lowering the cost of high-performance data center connectivity
San Jose, Calif., October 24, 2016 – Aquantia Corp., pioneer and market leader in high-speed Ethernet connectivity solutions for data centers and enterprise infrastructure, today unveiled QuantumStreamTM technology, a new class of high-performance connectivity architecture that has the potential to revolutionize next-generation hyperscale data centers. QuantumStreamTM technology, which is being developed by Aquantia through a strategic collaboration with GLOBALFOUNDRIES, is creating a 100Gbit/s bandwidth all-electrical technology to deliver low latency to networking applications. Aquantia’s technology delivers a quantum leap in bandwidth performance over a single lane of copper previously believed to be solely the realm of optical techniques. The availability of this technology will enable system vendors and data center operators to push towards higher performance and newer topologies in hyperscale architectures while keeping the reliability, low-cost and ease-of-use of electrical-based interconnects. QuantumStreamTM technology is aimed at inter and intra rack connectivity up to a few meters complementing longer reach optical connectivity solutions used in hyperscale data centers.
“As a principal engineer in global infrastructure architecture and strategy at LinkedIn, my focus is on designing next generation data centers. I have long believed that 100G connectivity would be widely deployed when it reaches a price point of one dollar per gigabit per second for optical interconnects,” said Yuval Bachar. “Aquantia has come up with a very innovative 100G technology to deliver on lower cost per gigabit utilizing copper connectivity. Lower prices will transform the economics of in rack connectivity in hyper scale data centers, which obviously is of great interest to everyone looking to achieve below one dollar per 1Gbit/s on an accelerated path within the rack.”
“To date, industry watchers have projected that only optical connectivity will serve the needs of 100Gbit/s and beyond. This presents a huge barrier since optical technologies are intrinsically higher cost,” said Faraj Aalaei, CEO of Aquantia. “Our expertise in complex high-speed copper transceivers, coupled with the legacy of robust SerDes leadership with GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ 14nm FinFET technology will enable a continuous roadmap to the required 100G connectivity and provide our customers with the best combination to differentiate and stay ahead of evolving marketplace demands.”
Strategic Collaboration, Results in Breakthrough 100Gbit/s Interconnect Technology
GLOBALFOUNDRIES has more than 20 years of deep technical expertise in high-speed Serializer-Deserializer (SerDes) design. A SerDes integrated circuit is a fundamental building block responsible for the transport of data between switches, servers, routers and storage equipment in data centers and IT environments, over a variety of channels such as optical fibers, electrical copper cables, and backplanes. GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ FX-14™ Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) platform, designed on the company’s most advanced 14nm Low Power Plus (LPP) process technology, delivers an optimized IP portfolio, including the latest generation of SerDes, which is capable of transporting data at speeds of 56Gbit/s.
Under the collaboration, GLOBALFOUNDRIES provides access to its 56Gbit/s IP core to Aquantia’s team of experts. Aquantia combines the 56Gbit/s IP core with its patented Mixed-Mode Signal Processing (MMSP) and Multi-Core Signal Processing (MCSP) architectural innovations of high-speed interconnect over copper, which it has developed over the past decade to deliver a unique 100G interconnect high-performance SerDes solution. In addition, Aquantia will provide access to its QuantumStreamTM IP to GLOBALFOUNDRIES for incorporation into its customers’ ASICs, therefore expanding the ecosystem of solutions supporting this revolutionary interface.
The collaboration seeks to break through the perceived technical barriers in continuing the current electrical connectivity roadmap to 100Gbit/s bandwidth. In addition, Aquantia’s QuantumStreamTM technology is easily leveraged to deliver multiples of 100Gbit/s of bandwidth on conventional DAC cables, resolving one of the most significant challenges facing the networking and data center industries today.
QuantumStream is Ideal for Short Distance
- 100G over 3m Direct Attach Cable SFP
- 400G over 3m Direct Attach Cable QSFP
- 800G over 3m Direct Attach Cable OSFP
An analysis of the deployment of switch and server connectivity in hyperscale data centers shows that a large concentration of them are within a few meters. According to Crehan Research, the majority of direct server and storage Ethernet network connections in hyperscale data centers are currently within 3 meters. Since interconnect solutions that are optimized for hundreds of meters or even a couple of kilometers would not be adequate for a few meters, this leads to the need for complementary solutions for connectivity over short-reach applications and long-reach connections. Traditionally, electrical interconnects have delivered the lowest-cost and -power options for the short reach space whereas optical solutions have been deployed in longer reach applications thanks to low-loss of optical fibers.
Responding to a sweeping industry trend toward higher density switch and server configurations, a number of optical solutions have already been proposed for 100G. Aquantia’s QuantumStreamTM technology, a complementary 100G solution for mass server and switch connectivity at shorter reaches over copper lane implementations is now possible for the first time.
“To meet the tremendous growth in bandwidth and data demands, GLOBALFOUNDRIES is continuing its commitment to investing in network and technology enhancements including a best-in-class high-speed SerDes solution that will bring tremendous benefits to our customers,” said Mike Cadigan, senior vice president of global sales and business development at GLOBALFOUNDRIES. “Aquantia’s innovative design expertise in high-speed copper interconnect technologies, combined with our world-class FX-14 ASIC platform and SerDes IP portfolio, will enable the continuation of electrical interconnect paradigms for hyperscale data centers.”
