Lightfleet is touting a “breakthrough in multiprocessor computing” with its light based connected processors. Direct Broadcast Optical Interconnect (DBOI) is the technology that uses broadcast light to create a non-blocking architecture. What this means is that multiple processors connected to a DBOI interconnect technology can now broadcast data to all of the others processors, and the data is distributed and it arrives at each processor at the same high speed, and at the same time, and with the same low latency. Now there are no more processor delays and no more bandwidth congestion.
Lightfleet calls this all to all, all at once connectivity. DBOI creates a switchless-fabric of light that eliminates the scalability and performance limitations of older legacy processor interconnects. DBOI’s throughput is only limited by the processor’s ability to upload and process data and not in the processor’s ability to transmit and receive data.
Lightfleet DBO1
Microsoft Research
Over the last seven years, Lightfleet has been working with its BDOI technology to replace cabling and switches that are frequently used to connect various server nodes in a blade server. So they were eager to deliver a product to one of their working partners. Then last December, they delivered their first unit to Microsoft’s Research’s labs.
This product is named Beacon, and it is a 32-node server that uses dual-core Intel processors along with many technology products that are standard and off-the-shelf like memory , disks, and storage in a package that stands about 16 inches tall on a server rack (9U). What plans Microsoft has for this technology is not clear, but they would like to add it to their scope of technologies that will make their next operating system more techno ready. They did that with their touch technology, and have other technologies in the works as well that they hoop to use in their OS.
Source: Lightfleet
