Network interconnect as a switch
An interconnect as a switch module (“ICAS” module) comprising n port groups, each port group comprising n−1 interfaces, and an interconnecting network implementing a full mesh topology where each port group comprising a plurality of interfaces each connects an interface of one of the other port groups, respectively. The ICAS module may be optically or electrically implemented. According to the embodiments, the ICAS module may be used to construct a stackable switching device and a multi-unit switching device, to replace a data center fabric switch, and to build a new, high-efficient, and cost-effective data center.
1. A multi-unit switching device, comprising one or more of ICAS modules each comprising:
n port groups, each port group comprising n−1 interfaces, wherein n is an integer equal or larger than 3;
an interconnecting network implementing a full mesh topology, wherein each of the n port groups connects one of the n−1 interfaces to another of the n port groups statically, respectively; and
a plurality of first layer switches each configured and grouped into one or more of the n port groups each connects to the n port groups of a different said ICAS module respectively, wherein a number of the plurality of first layer switches is n, wherein the plurality of first layer switches is indexed with an integer from 0 to n−1;
wherein the n−1 interfaces of the n port groups are labeled with the same indexes as those of connected n port groups; wherein an interface with index j of one of then port groups with index i is connected to an interface with index i of one of the n port groups with index j, where i is in the range of 0 to n−1, j is in the range 0 to n−1, wherein i does not equal to j, and wherein the interconnecting network comprises all connections between the n port groups; and
wherein said ICAS modules are implemented on one or more PCBs in an optical media or an electric circuit manner; wherein the multi-unit switching device further comprises a plurality of switching devices, MCU- or CPU-based control cards, power modules, and cooling fan modules, and a multi-unit rackmount chassis, wherein each of the ICAS modules is connected to the plurality of switching devices, such that the ICAS module interconnects at least two interfaces of each n port group each of different switching devices to form a full mesh non-blocking interconnection, wherein the rest of the interfaces of each n port groups for interconnecting different switching devices are configured as interfaces for uplink of an external network; and wherein said ICAS modules and the switching devices are implemented on the one or more PCBs as fabric cards and line cards respectively and housed in the multi-unit rackmount chassis.
2. The multi-unit switching device of claim 1 , wherein said ICAS modules are implemented on said PCBs in an optical media, wherein the optical media is optical fiber or optical devices such as 3D MEMS structured configured to be full mesh topology and housed on said PCBs.
3. The multi-unit switching device of claim 1 , wherein said ICAS modules are implemented on said PCBs in an electric circuit, wherein the electric circuit comprises:
connectors that support high-speed differential signals and impedance matching;
copper differential pairs traces interconnecting the connectors in full-mesh topology; and
an active chip for each pair of the copper differential traces is usually added at the back end of the connector to restore and enhance the signal to increase the signal transmission distance on said PCBs.