Why 25GE is the Best Choice for Data Centers

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Why 25GE is the Best Choice

for Data Centers

Gilles Garcia – Xilinx

Director Wired Communication Business

Santa Clara, CA USA

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Outline - update

 Data center drivers  Why 25GE

 The need for 25GE  Applications  25GE timeline

 25GE ecosystem  Summary

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The Need for More Speed

 Unrelenting IP traffic growth

 Driven by mobile data and video

 WEB 2.0 data handled gigantic

Source: http://www.ieee802.org/3/ad_hoc/bwa/BWA_Report.pdf

3 Santa Clara, CA USA, April 2015 Forum 1A_Garcia_Final

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Service Providers Servers Data Centers Core Networking Doubling ≈18 mos Server I/O Doubling ≈24 mos

- Let’s not forget OPEX and CAPEX of WEB 2.0 companies - Increase server rack capacity and bandwidth

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25Gb/s Ethernet Connectivity

 Enables similar topology as 40Gb/s & 10Gb/s

• Single 25Gb/s SFP28 port implementation or quad 25Gb/s QSFP28 breakout implementation possible

• Maximizes ports and bandwidth in ToR switch faceplate

• Dense rack server

• Within rack, less than 3m typical length

Server Server TOR Switch ASIC 48-port 25G 4-port 100G Server Server Server Server B rea k -o u t ca b le 25G serdes

IEEE 802.3 Call For Interest – 25Gb/s Ethernet over a single lane for server interconnect – July 2014 San Diego

a) 2.5X bandwidth compare to 10G …and still through a single lane b) One lane vs 4 for 40GE (4x10G)

c) Migration path from 10G to 25GE

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Economical Considerations

 Data centers traffic is increasing exponentially, requiring higher bandwidth

• Running out of gas with 10GE

 Upgrading directly to 40G and 100G is cost prohibitive

• Optical modules ‘cost prohibitive’ for WEB 2.0 companies

 25G leverages existing (10G, single port/lane) infrastructure

 2.5x performance per lane of twinax copper wiring between the server and the switch

• Reduces data center CapEx by providing a migration path from 10G to 25G links

 Provides easy migration path to 50GE (2x25GE) & 100G (4x25G)

• Special server

• Uplinks

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 25G Consortium formed July 2014

• Interoperability Ethernet specification for speeds between a server NIC and top of rack switch

• Accelerate rollout of products in next 12 to 18 months • Royalty free

• Xilinx is a member • Founding members:

– Arista, Broadcom, Google, Mellanox and Microsoft

 IEEE 25Gb/s Ethernet Study Group progressing

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25G Ethernet Standards Landscape

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 Nov 2014:

• 25GE Study Group => Task Force  Feb 2015:

• IEEE 802.3by new 25G Ethernet draft standard

 2016: expect standards to be finalized

– Short timeline because of reuse from 10GE, 100GE

– YE 2016

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FPGAs for 25GE

 The official 25GE standard won’t be published until YE 2016

 Robust pre-standard market today, based on FPGA implementations  Broadcom Switch sampling with 128 25GE ports

 FPGA designs can track changes in the standards as it progresses  The following figures shows a typical 1st _{generation implementation}

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MAC/PCS

Server Copper

Cable

25GE

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Xilinx Virtex UltraScale VCU107 Board

Virtex UltraScale 25GE to Ixia Tester

OFC 2015 Demo

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Xilinx Virtex UltraScale XCVU095

3m Direct Attached Copper Cabling

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Application #1:

Nx25G Ethernet to PCI Express Base NIC Card

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PCIe

Block DMA Memory Controller

25 GE MAC #1 25 GE MAC #4 PCIe G3x8

Nx25GbE NIC card for data center applications

• Xilinx 25G low latency solution available today

• Increases system performance enabling chip to chip solutions utilizing world class 25Gb/s serial transceivers Q S F P 28 … 3 to 5m Copper 2Km Optical (Luxtera, Intel) Xilinx IP Integrated Xilinx IP x4 Xilinx IP Xilinx IP

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Application #2:

Programmable NIC

Page 12 _{Redundancy not shown}

Packet processing NIC card for data center applications

• Xilinx Virtex® UltraScale™ enable switchable interface between 4x10G Ethernet, 4x25G Ethernet and 100G Ethernet

• Flexible packet processing IP for customer custom logic

Bypass Path PCIe Hard IP MUX DMUX DMA Eng OFF LOAD Classifier Lookup Prog Packet Parser MUX DMUX 25GbE PCIe G3x8 4x10GE 4x25GE 100GE Xilinx IP Xilinx IP Integrated Xilinx IP Xilinx IP Xilinx IP Xilinx IP Xilinx IP 3rd_{party IP}

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25Gb/s Technologies Readily Available

IEEE 802.3 Call For Interest – 25Gb/s Ethernet over a single lane for server interconnect – July 2014 San Diego Page 13 _{Santa Clara, CA USA, April 2015} _{Forum 1A_Garcia_Final}

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Summary

 Data center bandwidth explosion driving the 25GE

 25GE promoted by large industry players (DC and OEMs)

 25GE demand aligned with technology single lane transceiver  25GE ecosystem is ready for prime time

• Xilinx 25GE pre-standard MAC IP available • Ixia 25GE tester announced at OFC 2015 • QSFP28 copper cables available

• 25GE switch silicon sampling

 25GE standards (25GE consortium & IEEE) ratification: 2016-17

 50GE is around the corner …. 50GE MAC/PCS IP available from Xilinx Santa Clara, CA USA

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Thank You

Santa Clara, CA USA