Edgecore Networks has unveiled its newest addition to the data center networking market, the DCS511 spine switch, tailored for 400G operations.
Designed with the Broadcom Tomahawk 4 chipset at its core, the DCS511 boasts a robust total switching capacity of 12.8 Terabits per second. Equipped with 32 ports, each supporting 400G, it is ideal for dense 100/400 GbE spine-to-spine or spine-to-leaf setups.
The launch of this device is set to meet the growing needs of advanced computing environments, especially in sectors like cloud computing and AI.
“Powered by Broadcom TH4 silicon, the DCS511 switch is strategically balanced for spine applications within both hyperscale and enterprise data center environments,” explained Gaurav Sharma, principal product manager at Edgecore, in a discussion with Network World.
Sharma mentioned that the foundation of hyperscale architecture often involves Layer-3 functionalities along with BGP. This scalable framework typically sees endpoints connected to a server NIC via VLAN or VXLAN protocols. He highlighted that this method allows the DCS511 to be utilized as a leaf switch with enhanced Layer-3 scalability. Considerably, the Edgecore AIS800G (64*800G) switch is utilized at a higher tier, described by Sharma as a “super spine,” which interfaces with the DCS511 switch fabric within a Clos structure.
The DCS511 integrates a number of sophisticated networking capabilities distinguishing it from other Edgecore products, such as:
Focused on the ethos of open networking, Edgecore actively contributes to various open-source projects.
Additionally, the DCS511 supports the Open Network Install Environment (ONIE), conceived under the Open Compute Project (OCP). This capability permits the installation of multiple network operating systems (NOS), encompassing open-source versions like SONiC. The variety in NOS options offers tailor-made configurations to meet distinct network needs and preferences.
Edgecore actively contributes to the SONiC community, which has seen significant growth to adapt to evolving networking needs.
Sharma explained that recent SONiC updates have incorporated features to enhance support for AI/ML applications and GPU-based networks. Specifically, he mentioned that the DCS511 has adopted new SONiC capabilities such as RoCEv2, which is crucial for lossless communication. RoCE (RDMA over Converged Ethernet) is known for reducing network latency and facilitating increased network throughput.
The DCS511 equipped with SONiC will also handle dynamic load balancing which improves the management of AI-driven data flows. According to Sharma, SONiC has been upgraded with a better PFC (Priority Flow Control) watchdog deadlock recovery feature, primed to support the network demands of AI tasks, including those involving large language models.
“SONiC deployments are accelerating globally as it becomes a staple in data center networking,” Sharma observed. “SONiC delivers all the necessary functionalities to handle mission-critical processes in data centers for both hyperscale and enterprise contexts.”
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