On the challenges of optical disaggregated data center networking for ML/AI applications
Salvatore Spadaro, Albert Pages Cruz, Fernando Agraz · 2024
The rising of applications with intense requirements in data volumes, storage space and CPU/GPU utilization, such as Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence (ML/AI) applications, imposes different challenges on the Data Center Network design and operation. When compared to traditional data centers infrastructures, the recent explored disaggregated optical data center concept may bring multiple benefits in terms of optimized usage of the IT and network resources. Nevertheless, at the same time, it also brings some technical challenges. In such context, the paper discusses both data and control architectural solutions for optical disaggregated data centers for ML/AI applications, focusing on their benefits but also on the associated complexities.