PHOTONIC SWITCHES, PHOTONIC SWITCHING FABRICS AND METHODS FOR DATA CENTERS
Data center interconnections, which encompass WSCs as well as traditional data centers, have become both a bottleneck and a cost/power issue for cloud computing providers, cloud service providers and the users of the cloud generally. Fiber optic technologies already play critical roles in data center operations and will increasingly in the future. The goal is to move data as fast as possible with the lowest latency with the lowest cost and the smallest space consumption on the server blade and throughout the network. Accordingly, it would be beneficial for new fiber optic interconnection architectures to address the traditional hierarchal time-division multiplexed (TDM) routing and interconnection and provide reduced latency, increased flexibility, lower cost, lower power consumption, and provide interconnections exploiting scalable optical modular optically switched interconnection network as well as temporospatial switching fabrics allowing switching speeds below the slowest switching element within the switching fabric.
1 . An optical network comprising:
a plurality of R first transceivers, each first transceiver provides a plurality S input ports and S output ports; and
a modular optical switch architecture (MOSA) comprising a plurality of MOS modules and a plurality of optical shuffles; wherein
each MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules incorporates a 1×N optical switch having a single first port and N second ports;
each optical shuffle of the plurality of optical shuffles interconnects each second port of the N second ports of a first predetermined MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules to a predetermined second port of a second predetermined MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules;
each output port of the plurality of S output ports of each first transceiver of the plurality R first transceivers is coupled to a first port of a third predetermined MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules; and
each input port of the plurality of S input ports of each second transceiver of the plurality R first transceivers is coupled to a first port of a fourth predetermined MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules.
2 . The optical network according to claim 1 , wherein
N=R·S.
3 . The optical network according to claim 1 , wherein
the 1×N optical switch within each MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules comprises:
a substrate;
a microoptoelectromechanical systems (MOEMS) element integrated upon the substrate in a first predetermined position comprising:
a rotatable microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) element;
an optical waveguide formed upon the rotatable MEMS element rotating under action of the rotatable MEMS element; and
a mirror formed upon the rotatable MEMS element optically coupled to a facet of the optical waveguide;
an input waveguide in a second predetermined position relative to the MOEMS element and optically coupled to the MOEMS element;
a plurality of channel optical waveguides integrated upon the substrate, each channel optical waveguide in a third predetermined position relative to the MOEMS element and optically coupled to the MOEMS element; wherein
optical signals propagating within the input waveguide are optically coupled to the optical waveguide formed upon the rotatable MEMS element and are reflected by the mirror formed upon the rotatable MEMS element to a predetermined channel waveguide of the plurality of channel waveguides; and
the predetermined channel waveguide of the plurality of channel waveguides is established in dependence upon an angle of rotation of the rotatable MEMS element.
4 . The optical network according to claim 1 , wherein
the 1×N optical switch within each MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules comprises:
a substrate;
an optical waveguide structure integrated upon the substrate comprising a first predetermined portion formed from a plurality of three-dimensional (3D) optical waveguides for routing an optical signal upon a substrate and a second predetermined portion comprising an input 3D optical waveguide for routing the optical signals from a first subset of the plurality of 3D optical waveguides to or from the input 3D optical waveguide; and
a rotational microoptoelectromechanical (MOEMS) element integrated upon the substrate comprising a pivot and an actuator supporting the input 3D optical waveguide; wherein
a predetermined rotation of the MOEMS element under the motion of the actuator results in an alignment of the input 3D optical waveguide with a predetermined 3D optical waveguide of the first subset of the plurality of 3D optical waveguides.
5 . The optical network according to claim 1 , wherein
the 1×N optical switch within each MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules comprises:
a substrate;
a first non-suspended portion integrated upon the substrate supporting a first optical waveguide;
a second non-suspended portion integrated upon the substrate supporting a plurality of second optical waveguides;
a suspended portion integrated upon the substrate disposed between the first non-suspended portion and the second non-suspended portion comprising:
a first beam having a first end attached to the first non-suspended portion and a second distal end;
a second beam having a first end attached to the first beam and a second distal end;
a third beam having a first end attached to the first beam and the first end of the second beam;
a first joint at which the second distal end of the first beam, the first end of the second bean, and the first end of the third beam are mechanically coupled;
a second joint at which the second distal end of the second beam and the second distal end of the third beam are mechanically coupled; and
a third optical waveguide supported by the first beam and one of second beam and the third beam having a first end optically coupled to the first optical waveguide and a second distal end at the second distal end of the one of the second beam and the third beam; and
a first microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) actuator integrated upon the substrate mechanically coupled to the first joint; wherein
the second joint is translated relative to the second non-suspended portion by flexure of the suspended portion induced by the first MEMS actuator.
6 . The optical network according to claim 1 , wherein
each first transceiver of the plurality of R first transceivers is associated with a predetermined top of rack (TOR) leaf switch of a plurality of TOR leaf switches; and
each TOR leaf switch is coupled to a plurality of servers within a rack.
7 . The optical network according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of X second transceivers, each second transceiver provides a plurality Y input ports and Y output ports; and
a second modular optical switch architecture (MOSA) comprising a plurality of MOS modules and a plurality of optical shuffles; wherein
each MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules incorporates a 1×M optical switch having a single first port and M second ports;
each optical shuffle of the plurality of optical shuffles interconnects each second port of the M second ports of a fifth predetermined MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules to a predetermined second port of a sixth predetermined MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules;
each output port of the plurality of Y output ports of each first transceiver of the plurality X second transceivers is coupled to a first port of a seventh predetermined MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules; and
each input port of the plurality of Y input ports of each second transceiver of the plurality X first transceivers is coupled to a first port of a eighth predetermined MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules.
8 . The optical network according to claim 7 , wherein
each first transceiver of the plurality of R first transceivers is associated with a predetermined top of rack (TOR) leaf switch of a plurality of TOR leaf switches;
each second transceiver of the plurality of X second transceivers is associated with a first predetermined spine switch of a plurality of spine switches;
a predetermined subset of the plurality of TOR leaf switches are connected to a second predetermined spine switch of the plurality of spine switches.
9 . The optical network according to claim 7 , wherein
the plurality of spine switches are interconnected by a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) ring network.
10 . A method of routing data between electronic modules with a modular optical network, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of R first transceivers, each first transceiver provides a plurality S input ports and S output ports within an electronic module; and
providing a modular optical switch architecture (MOSA) comprising a plurality of MOS modules and a plurality of optical shuffles; wherein
predetermined subsets of the MOS modules are each integrated to a first rack unit of a plurality of first rack units supporting integration to an electronics rack;
predetermined subsets of the plurality of optical shuffles are each integrated to a second rack unit of a plurality of second rack units supporting integration to an electronics rack;
each MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules incorporates a 1×N optical switch having a single first port and N second ports;
each optical shuffle of the plurality of optical shuffles interconnects each second port of the N second ports of a first predetermined MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules to a predetermined second port of a second predetermined MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules;
each output port of the plurality of S output ports of each first transceiver of the plurality R first transceivers is coupled to a first port of a third predetermined MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules; and
each input port of the plurality of S input ports of each second transceiver of the plurality R first transceivers is coupled to a first port of a fourth predetermined MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules.
11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein
N=R·S.
12 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein
the 1×N optical switch within each MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules comprises:
a substrate;
a microoptoelectromechanical systems (MOEMS) element integrated upon the substrate in a first predetermined position comprising:
a rotatable microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) element;
an optical waveguide formed upon the rotatable MEMS element rotating under action of the rotatable MEMS element; and
a mirror formed upon the rotatable MEMS element optically coupled to a facet of the optical waveguide;
an input waveguide in a second predetermined position relative to the MOEMS element and optically coupled to the MOEMS element;
a plurality of channel optical waveguides integrated upon the substrate, each channel optical waveguide in a third predetermined position relative to the MOEMS element and optically coupled to the MOEMS element; wherein
optical signals propagating within the input waveguide are optically coupled to the optical waveguide formed upon the rotatable MEMS element and are reflected by the mirror formed upon the rotatable MEMS element to a predetermined channel waveguide of the plurality of channel waveguides; and
the predetermined channel waveguide of the plurality of channel waveguides is established in dependence upon an angle of rotation of the rotatable MEMS element.
13 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein
the 1×N optical switch within each MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules comprises:
a substrate;
an optical waveguide structure integrated upon the substrate comprising a first predetermined portion formed from a plurality of three-dimensional (3D) optical waveguides for routing an optical signal upon a substrate and a second predetermined portion comprising an input 3D optical waveguide for routing the optical signals from a first subset of the plurality of 3D optical waveguides to or from the input 3D optical waveguide; and
a rotational microoptoelectromechanical (MOEMS) element integrated upon the substrate comprising a pivot and an actuator supporting the input 3D optical waveguide; wherein
a predetermined rotation of the MOEMS element under the motion of the actuator results in an alignment of the input 3D optical waveguide with a predetermined 3D optical waveguide of the first subset of the plurality of 3D optical waveguides.
14 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein
the 1×N optical switch within each MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules comprises:
a substrate;
a first non-suspended portion integrated upon the substrate supporting a first optical waveguide;
a second non-suspended portion integrated upon the substrate supporting a plurality of second optical waveguides;
a suspended portion integrated upon the substrate disposed between the first non-suspended portion and the second non-suspended portion comprising:
a first beam having a first end attached to the first non-suspended portion and a second distal end;
a second beam having a first end attached to the first beam and a second distal end;
a third beam having a first end attached to the first beam and the first end of the second beam;
a first joint at which the second distal end of the first beam, the first end of the second bean, and the first end of the third beam are mechanically coupled;
a second joint at which the second distal end of the second beam and the second distal end of the third beam are mechanically coupled; and
a third optical waveguide supported by the first beam and one of second beam and the third beam having a first end optically coupled to the first optical waveguide and a second distal end at the second distal end of the one of the second beam and the third beam; and
a first microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) actuator integrated upon the substrate mechanically coupled to the first joint; wherein
the second joint is translated relative to the second non-suspended portion by flexure of the suspended portion induced by the first MEMS actuator.
15 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein
each first transceiver of the plurality of R first transceivers is associated with a predetermined top of rack (TOR) leaf switch of a plurality of TOR leaf switches; and
each TOR leaf switch is coupled to a plurality of servers within a rack.
16 . The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
providing a plurality of X second transceivers, each second transceiver provides a plurality Y input ports and Y output ports within another electronic module; and
providing a second modular optical switch architecture (MOSA) comprising a plurality of MOS modules and a plurality of optical shuffles; wherein
predetermined subsets of the MOS modules are each integrated to a third rack unit of a plurality of third rack units supporting integration to an electronics rack;
predetermined subsets of the plurality of optical shuffles are each integrated to a fourth rack unit of a plurality of fourth rack units supporting integration to an electronics rack;
each MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules incorporates a 1×M optical switch having a single first port and M second ports;
each optical shuffle of the plurality of optical shuffles interconnects each second port of the M second ports of a fifth predetermined MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules to a predetermined second port of a sixth predetermined MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules;
each output port of the plurality of Y output ports of each first transceiver of the plurality X second transceivers is coupled to a first port of a seventh predetermined MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules; and
each input port of the plurality of Y input ports of each second transceiver of the plurality X first transceivers is coupled to a first port of a eighth predetermined MOS module of the plurality of MOS modules.
17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein
each first transceiver of the plurality of R first transceivers is associated with a predetermined top of rack (TOR) leaf switch of a plurality of TOR leaf switches;
each second transceiver of the plurality of X second transceivers is associated with a first predetermined spine switch of a plurality of spine switches;
a predetermined subset of the plurality of TOR leaf switches are connected to a second predetermined spine switch of the plurality of spine switches.
18 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein
the plurality of spine switches are interconnected by a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) ring network.