The Open Compute Project (OCP) has accepted specifications for the Wedge 100, Facebook's second-generation top-of-rack (ToR) switch for its 100G data centers. Facebook has marked the occasion by providing details of the switch in a blog post so that others might deploy it as well. The company says it also will work with the University of New Hampshire's Interoperability Lab to enable optical transceiver vendors to qualify their optical modules for use in the system.
The Wedge 100 switch, a follow-on to the 40-Gbps Wedge 40, is available commercially from Edgecore Networks and its channel partners as the Wedge 100-32X. The model number likely references the fact that the platform supports 32 ports. It leverages Facebook's FBOSS and OpenBMC software platforms; the former is the company's networking stack software, and the latter handles baseboard management implementations.
On the optics end, Facebook says the Wedge 100 used optical transceivers with a case temperature limit of 55 C rather than the standard 70 C commercial temperature range. Advances in thermal design help enable the less stringent temperature parameters. These design features include the adding another fan tray, air baffles that separate the air paths between the PSU and the main switch board, and a front panel opening design that maximizes air flow.
The Wedge 100 accepts CWDM4 optical modules; the system's design therefore had to be adapted to support a different power class, CDR, rate-select features, FEC, pre-emphasis, and others parameters versus the Wedge 40.
Additional details of the Wedge 100 design can be found here.
For related articles, visit the Data Center Topic Center.
For more information on high-speed transmission systems and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer's Guide.
Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher
Stephen Hardy has covered fiber optics for more than 15 years, and communications and technology for more than 30 years. He is responsible for establishing and executing Lightwave's editorial strategy across its digital magazine, website, newsletters, research and other information products. He has won multiple awards for his writing.
Contact Stephen to discuss:
- Contributing editorial material to the Web site or digital magazine
- The direction of a digital magazine issue, staff-written article, or event
- Lightwave editorial attendance at industry events
- Arranging a visit to Lightwave's offices
- Coverage of announcements
- General questions of an editorial nature