Fundamental challenges for hybrid electrical/optical datacenter networks

摘要: Recent research proposals on building hybrid electrical/ optical networks as a way of interconnecting the core layer modular datacenter promise reduction in cost, deployment complexity well energy requirement large scale networks. We summarize our two years experience dealing with such interconnects. first show feasibility under homogeneous environments where one application dominates workload through completely functional prototype Helios/c-Through systems. Then we uncover number fundamental challenges and problems, some quite unexpected, which must be addressed for wide adoption these industry settings heterogeneous traffic pattern multi-tenancy. then propose significantly more flexible, fine-grained responsive controlling Observe-Analyze-Act framework is based OpenFlow. Although complete picture how to build particular best circuit scheduling algorithm use still unclear, but that this enables variety future solutions remaining