The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) is fundamentally reshaping datacenter network architectures. Presentations at the OFC Summit on Optics for AI Datacenters highlighted a clear trajectory driven by the insatiable demand for data. Three interconnected themes emerged: the sheer scale of future connectivity needs, the ongoing shift from traditional pluggable optics to Co-Packaged Optics (CPO), and the longer-term evolution towards highly integrated Optical I/O (OIO).

Distributed sensing at the access level of the FTTx network could have several benefits, such as notification when digging is done to close to the fiber, when there is tampering with the fiber, structural health of the cable or sensing of geological events (flooding, earth slide, etc…).
However, the cost of full-on distributed sensing is not cost effective, but there are a few alternatives, these techniques leverage standard or specialized optical equipment and analysis of light propagating through the fiber to detect physical changes. They generally offer lower initial cost than dedicated DS systems but may have limitations in spatial resolution or the type of information they provide.  

Rodrigo Amezcua Correa, Relativity Networks, USA
Paolo Dainese, Corning, USA
Russell Ellis, Microsoft, United Kingdom
Kerrianne Harringtone, University of Bath, United Kingdom
Matěj Komanec, CTU, Prague, Czech Republic
Andrew Lord, BT, United Kingdom
Kazunori Mukasa, Furukawa, Japan
Mohammad Pasandi, Ciena, Canada
Pierluigi Poggiolini, Politecnico di Torino, Italy
Yingying Wang, Linfiber and Jinan University, China
YOFC
China Telecom
Sumitomo (Sato)

This report summarizes key insights and trends from several OFC conference sessions, highlighting major shifts in network architecture, optical technologies, and strategic opportunities driven primarily by the demands of AI and escalating bandwidth requirements.

How are you seeing FTTx adapting to meet the demands of automation and digital equality? My latest blog examines how configuration flexibility and adaptability, especially the shift to direct distribution, is playing a crucial role

Is Your RAN Cable Infrastructure Ready to Unlock the Monetization Potential of AI? The other day I watched the webcast of Light Reading on The

Maximizing Space: How Reduced Cladding and Coating Fibers Improve Data Center Efficiency Just the other day, I was reminiscing about some exploits from the past.

In the first three parts of this blog series, we explored various critical aspects of IT cabling for AI clusters, emphasizing the impact of high bandwidth and latency requirements on connectivity solutions, the practical considerations of deployment and installation, and the sustainability implications of different cabling choices.

It has been a while to get part 3 going as I was emerged in the cabling architecture of the NVIDIA H100 and GB200 ultra large clusters and how this impacts the cabling product portfolio. And am glad to share some lessons from that here.

In Part 2 of the blog series on IT cabling for AI clusters, the focus shifts to deployment and installation factors that influence cabling choices. Pre-mounting and pre-cabling racks offsite for faster deployment is common, but several critical external connections—such as ICI switches, FrontEnd, BackEnd, and management connections—require additional consideration. Running cables to a top-of-rack panel offers benefits such as better cable management, reduced risk of damaging transceivers, and the ability to pre-test systems before deployment. Three options for preparing the computer room for AI clusters are discussed: point-to-point cabling, structured cabling with patch panels in the rack, or structured cabling using an Over Head Enclosure (OHE). The choice between these methods is driven by factors like cost, operational risk, and future reusability. The next blog will dive deeper into structured cabling and future bandwidth considerations.