Data Centers Grow to Unprecedented Sizes to Support Artificial Intelligence
Large data centers are getting enormous, with some spanning over two kilometers, according to Gary Smith, CEO of Ciena, a company that makes fiber-optic networking equipment used by cloud computing vendors to connect their data centers.
Enormous Data Centers
"These campuses are getting bigger and longer," Smith said in an interview with The Technology Letter. "The campus, which comprises many buildings, is blurring the line between what used to be a wide-area network and what’s inside the data center."
Strain on Direct-Connect Technology
The increasing size of these campuses is putting massive strain on direct-connect technology, which is used to connect GPUs inside the data center. Smith expects to start selling fiber-optic equipment in coming years that is similar to what is in long-haul telecom networks but tweaked to connect GPUs inside the data center.
Fiber-Optic Equipment
A direct-connect device is a networking device that is purpose-built to let GPUs talk to one other, such as Nvidia’s "NVLink" networking products. Smith’s remarks echo comments by others serving the AI industry, such as Thomas Graham, co-founder of chip startup Lightmatter, who said at a Bloomberg Intelligence conference that there are at least a dozen new AI data centers planned or in construction now that require a gigawatt of power to run.
Power Requirements
"Just for context, New York City pulls five gigawatts of power on an average day, so, multiple NYCs," Graham said. By 2026, it’s expected the world’s AI processing will require 40 gigawatts of power "specifically for AI data centers, so eight NYCs."
Conclusion
As data centers continue to grow to support the increasing demands of artificial intelligence, the need for advanced networking technology is becoming more pressing. The strain on direct-connect technology is a clear indication of the need for innovative solutions to connect GPUs inside these massive data centers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the size of some of these large data centers?
A: Some of these data centers are over two kilometers long, equivalent to over 1.24 miles.
Q: What is the impact on direct-connect technology?
A: The increasing size of these campuses is putting massive strain on direct-connect technology, which is used to connect GPUs inside the data centers.
Q: What is Ciena’s solution to this problem?
A: Ciena is working on developing fiber-optic equipment similar to what is used in long-haul telecom networks but tweaked to connect GPUs inside the data center.
