Cisco pumps up data center networking with AI, large workloads in mind

“Coupled with tools such as Cisco Nexus Dashboard Insights for visibility and Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller for automation, Cisco Nexus 9000 switches become ideal platforms to build a high-performance AI/ML network fabric,” Gandluru stated.

New router targets high-performance AI clusters

At the higher end of the scale, Cisco rolled out a new high-density Series 8000 router – the 8122-64EH/EHF – that features support for 64 ports of 800G connectivity.

“This new platform is powered by the Cisco Silicon One G200—a 5 nm 51.2T processor that uses 512G x 112G SerDes, which enables extreme scaling capabilities in just a two-rack unit (2RU) form factor,” wrote Guru Shenoy, vice president, product management, in Cisco’s mass-scale infrastructure group, in a blog about the news.

With 64 QSFP-DD800 or OSFP interfaces, the Cisco 8122 supports options for 2x 400G and 8x 100G Ethernet connectivity, Shenoy stated.

All Cisco Silicon processors can be customized for routing or switching from a single chipset, eliminating the need for different silicon architectures for each network function. This is accomplished with a common operating system, P4 programmable forwarding code, and an SDK.

Core to the Silicon One system is its support for enhanced Ethernet features, such as improved flow control, congestion awareness, and avoidance.