Title :
Gigabit switch using free-space and parallel optical data links for a PCI-based workstation cluster
Author :
Ekman, J. ; Chandramani, P. ; Gui, Ping ; Wang, X. ; Kiamilev, Fouad ; Christensen, Mads ; Haney, M. ; Milojkovic, P. ; Driscoll, K. ; Vanvoorst, B. ; Liu, Yanbing ; Nohava, J. ; Cox, J.A.
Author_Institution :
Delaware Univ., Newark, DE, USA
Abstract :
Communication requirements in high-performance, parallel computing systems continue to increase as the processing nodes within these systems gain processing capability. To support these growing communication requirements, system architecture changes are needed. The use of switched networks rather than bus-based systems and the incorporation of optical interconnects are among proposed solutions to increase overall system performance. Under the VIVACE program, we combine both of these approaches to demonstrate a switched network of 12-Gb/s raw data bandwidth using a 4 Tbit/s bisection bandwidth free-space optically interconnected (FSOI) switch. The optical-interconnect based VIVACE network is accessed by compute nodes through the use of an electrical network interface card (NIC) which provides custom VIVACE protocol conversion in addition to the necessary electrical and optical conversions
Keywords :
computer networks; field programmable gate arrays; multiprocessor interconnection networks; network interfaces; optical interconnections; parallel architectures; protocols; system buses; workstation clusters; Gb/s raw data bandwidth; MIN; PCI-based workstation cluster; Tbit/s bisection bandwidth free-space optically interconnected switch; VIVACE program; communication requirements; compute nodes; custom VIVACE protocol conversion; electrical network interface card; free-space optical data links; gigabit switch; multiprocessor interconnection networks; optical interconnects; optical-interconnect based VIVACE network; overall system performance; parallel computing systems; parallel optical data links; processing nodes; system architecture; Bandwidth; Communication switching; Computer architecture; Computer interfaces; Computer networks; Optical fiber networks; Optical interconnections; Optical switches; Parallel processing; System performance;
Conference_Titel :
Lasers and Electro-Optics Society 2000 Annual Meeting. LEOS 2000. 13th Annual Meeting. IEEE
Conference_Location :
Rio Grande
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-5947-X
DOI :
10.1109/LEOS.2000.893930
