Evaluation of Link Failure Resilience in Multirail Dragonfly-Class Networks through Simulation
Neil McGlohon, Robert B. Ross, Christopher D. Carothers · 2020
During long-term operation of a high-performance computing (HPC) system with thousands of components, many components will inevitably fail. The current trend in HPC interconnect router linkage is moving away from passive copper and toward active optical-based cables. Optical links offer greater bandwidth maximums in a smaller wire gauge, less signal loss, and lower latency over long distances and have no risk of electromagnetic interference from other nearby cables. The benefits of active optical links, however, come with a cost: an increased risk of component failure compared with that of passive copper cables.