Integrated Device Technology have introduced a new high-performance computing solution for telecommunications edge networks that combines their RapidIO technology with IBM’s POWER8-based servers. The computing cluster can be used at the edge of wireless 4G advanced and 5G networks for a variety of data-intensive applications including networked robotics control, network-assisted private/public transportation, and video analytics and caching.
The computing cluster features four dual-socket IBM POWER8-based servers connected with their RapidIO 10xN switch technology, which delivers 100 ns latency, 50 Gbps top-of-rack switching, along with advanced timing devices. The cluster is ideal for designs in 5G, C-RAN, mobile edge computing, high-performance computing, data analytics and financial trading applications, and can be scaled in a 42U rack to connect up to 76 POWER8 sockets with only 300 ns of switching latency.
This industry-first solution, built on OpenPOWER technology, is the result of work conducted by the Open Compute Project (OPC) HPC Project, which IDT co-chairs and which lays the foundation for the edge computing use case in the OpenPOWER Foundation.
The 100 ns latency and energy efficiency of the 50 Gbps RapidIO silicon is ideal for connecting the IBM POWER8-based servers for edge applications. The work with OpenPOWER technology has enabled this collaboration with IBM to advance 5G edge computing. In edge computing, data and services are moved from their traditional centralized location to the edges of the network, enabling data management and analytics to occur at the data source for faster results.
The RapidIO switch appliance ports used in the edge computing cluster can run at 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40 and 50 Gbps using their 50 Gbps RXS2448 silicon, and can be tuned to optimize overall system power consumption, depending on application workload and edge node power budgets. Twelve-port 1U 19-inch solutions are available in production from StarBridge, Inc., while larger radix 50 Gbps per port switches from 48-96 ports can be ordered directly from Prodrive Technologies.
