New analog chip could cut data center power needs

Chip maker Quellan has introduced a new analog IC with the potential to help reduce data center power needs.

Quellan says its forthcoming QLx4000 series Lane Extenders may be used in line cards, switches and blade servers for increased port density, thinner cables and fewer power-hungry optical interconnections.

"Cable weight and compute density have become exponentially critical in next generation data centers," said Joel Goergen, chief scientist at network gear maker Force10 Networks. "Power consumption is a paramount issue, and the industry is devoid of low energy, small form factor solutions for this escalating problem. Quellan's new QSFP ready devices are an innovative answer to this massive problem."

Power consumption and density are paramount issues in data centers. Today's cable interconnect conduits can exceed 12 feet in diameter and weigh up to 3 tons, while interconnect power consumption is heading toward megawatt levels. Data centers have traditionally utilized bulky, conduit blocking cables and connectors or power hungry fiber optics.

Quellan says its new device enables longer, thinner copper cabling, eliminating the need to convert to power hungry fiber optics.

The resultant "active cable" improves data center economics by reducing interconnect power by hundreds of kilowatts and makes room for thousands of additional server ports in the existing footprint, the company says.

The embeddable devices deliver 4 channels of processing in a compact 4x7mm package for easy integration in any cable shell, line card or backplane.

Quellan intends the QLx4800 to be available for trials in Q307.

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