Broadcom Revolutionizes AI Networking Landscape with High-Performance 400G RoCE/RDMA Ethernet NICs
Broadcom announced a new portfolio of 400G PCIe Gen 5.0 Ethernet adapters aimed at enhancing AI data center networking. These adapters are built using 5nm process technology, making them highly power and thermally efficient. They support passive copper cables up to five meters and low-power optics, enabling higher rack density with air-cooling.
The portfolio features advanced RoCE pipeline, low-latency congestion control, and telemetry, ideal for AI data centers requiring high bandwidth and low latency. Broadcom's adapters are compatible with various CPUs, GPUs, and Ethernet switches, supporting open standards for better ecosystem integration.
These adapters aim to resolve connectivity bottlenecks in growing AI infrastructures, offering scalable, high-performance solutions for future AI workloads. The products are available from multiple server vendors and Broadcom directly.
- Launch of 400G PCIe Gen 5.0 Ethernet adapters addresses AI data center needs.
- First Ethernet adapter using 5nm process technology.
- Support for passive copper cables up to five meters and low-power optics.
- Higher rack density achieved with mainstream air-cooling technology.
- Advanced RoCE pipeline and low-latency congestion control.
- Adapter software is vendor-agnostic, supporting a broad ecosystem.
- Proven heritage of high-performance Ethernet solutions from 1G to 400G.
- High initial investment required for 400G PCIe Gen 5.0 Ethernet adapters.
- Potential market competition from other high-performance networking solutions.
- Adoption of new technology could face integration challenges.
Insights
Broadcom's introduction of 400G PCIe Gen 5.0 Ethernet adapters signals a significant advance in the data center ecosystem, particularly for AI infrastructure. The use of 5nm process technology not only brings power efficiency but also allows for better thermal management. This is important as AI workloads generate substantial heat. Emphasizing open standards, the adapters ensure seamless integration across varied systems, reducing vendor lock-in issues and enabling more scalable solutions.
The move towards high-radix Ethernet switches and the ability to support passive copper cables up to five meters can significantly lower operational costs and improve rack density. This is beneficial for large data centers where space and cooling are at a premium. Broadcom's focus on leveraging their multi-decade expertise in Ethernet solutions positions them strongly against competitors, promising high reliability and performance.
From a financial perspective, Broadcom’s new Ethernet adapters could be pivotal. The shift towards higher bandwidth and low-latency solutions aligns with the growing demand in AI and data-heavy applications. The fact that these adapters are broadly available from various vendors underscores strong market reach and potential adoption. The emphasis on power efficiency and open standards can attract data center operators looking to optimize both cost and performance metrics.
This product launch can potentially lead to increased revenue streams from data center operators and cloud service providers who are the primary customers in this market. Given Broadcom's established reputation, this announcement could positively impact stock performance in the short term and strengthen its market position long-term.
The introduction of 400G Ethernet NICs by Broadcom aligns well with current market trends towards higher data transfer speeds and reduced latency in AI applications. Additionally, the focus on scalability and open standards addresses a critical need in the market: the ability to integrate easily with existing infrastructure. This is especially relevant as companies aim to expand their AI capabilities without overhauling their entire system ecosystems.
Market adoption is likely to be high due to the compatibility and performance enhancements offered. Moreover, Broadcom's collaboration with industry leaders further enhances their credibility and market reach. This approach not only caters to current demand but also positions Broadcom favorably for future technological advancements in AI networking.
Cutting-Edge PCIe Technology Empowers Seamless Integration of Open Standards and Fabric Interconnects for AI Clusters
PALO ALTO, Calif., May 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO) today announced its latest portfolio of highly-scalable, high-performing, low-power 400G PCIe Gen 5.0 Ethernet adapters to revolutionize the data center ecosystem. These latest products offer an enhanced, open, standards-based Ethernet NIC and switching solution to resolve connectivity bottlenecks as XPU bandwidth and cluster sizes grow rapidly in AI data centers.
“At Broadcom, we recognize the significance of fostering a power-efficient and highly connected data center for AI ecosystem,” said Jas Tremblay, vice president and general manager of the Data Center Solutions Group, Broadcom. “Broadcom is prioritizing open standards and fostering collaboration with industry leaders to deliver the most extensive selection of high-performance connectivity solutions for AI infrastructure. Our 400G PCIe Gen 5.0 Ethernet adapters yet again underscore our commitment to enable the network-centric AI infrastructure platform.”
As the industry’s first Ethernet adapter built with 5nm process technology, the new portfolio enables the most power and thermally efficient design in the market. Combined with the device’s ability to drive passive copper cables up to five meters or ultra-low power linear pluggable optics transceivers and Broadcom’s high-radix Ethernet switches, the adapter delivers higher rack density using mainstream air-cooling technology.
The Broadcom family of Ethernet adapters meets the growing demand for higher data transfer speeds required in future AI networks. Equipped with a third-generation RoCE pipeline, low-latency congestion control technology and innovative telemetry features, the portfolio is ideal for the high-bandwidth, high-stress network environment that characterizes AI infrastructure.
“As the industry races to deliver generative AI at scale, the immense volumes of data that must be processed to train LLMs require even larger server clusters. Scalable high bandwidth, low latency connectivity is critical for maximizing the performance of these AI clusters,” said Patrick Moorhead, CEO & chief analyst at Moor Insights and Strategy. “Ethernet presents a compelling case as the networking technology of choice for next generation AI workloads. The 400G NICs offered by Broadcom, built on its success in delivering Ethernet at scale, offers open connectivity at an attractive TCO for power-hungry AI applications.”
This leading-edge next-generation portfolio is backed by Broadcom’s long-term, proven execution and multi-decade heritage of high-performance Ethernet solutions, from 1G to 400G. It features Broadcom’s sixth generation-hardened NIC architecture and expands the company’s AI portfolio to fortify its Ethernet data center infrastructure leadership.
The adapter software, designed to be vendor agnostic, supports a broad ecosystem of CPUs, GPUs, PCIe and Ethernet switches using open PCIe and Ethernet standards. In line with Broadcom’s objectives as a founding member of the Ultra Ethernet Consortium, this approach underscores the company’s commitment to a standards-based ecosystem.
Availability
The 400G PCIe Gen 5.0 Ethernet family (BCM57608) is broadly available from multiple server vendors, as well as from Broadcom. For more information on the entire Ethernet adapters portfolio from Broadcom please click here.
About Broadcom
Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO) is a global technology leader that designs, develops, and supplies a broad range of semiconductor, enterprise software and security solutions. Broadcom's category-leading product portfolio serves critical markets including cloud, data center, networking, broadband, wireless, storage, industrial, and enterprise software. Our solutions include service provider and enterprise networking and storage, mobile device and broadband connectivity, mainframe, cybersecurity, and private and hybrid cloud infrastructure. Broadcom is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, CA. For more information, go to www.broadcom.com.
Broadcom, the pulse logo, Connecting Everything are among the trademarks of Broadcom. The term "Broadcom" refers to Broadcom Inc., and/or its subsidiaries. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Press Contact:
Jon Piazza
Broadcom Global Communications
press.relations@broadcom.com
Telephone: +1 310 498 5254
Industry Quotes:
Forrest Norrod, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Data Center Solutions Business Group, AMD
“Broadcom and AMD share a commitment to delivering highly-performant, standards-based technologies that power the modern data center. Our joint work aims to bring together an ecosystem of open networking solutions that are critical to enabling the most demanding workloads like generative AI.”
Martin Hull, Vice President Systems and Platform Product Management, Arista
“Arista and Broadcom continue to work together to deliver industry-leading Ethernet solutions for high performance, cost and power-efficient connectivity,” said Martin Hull, vice president, Systems and Platform Product Management, Arista. “End-to-end performance is critically important. Broadcom’s 400G Network Adapter with high performance SerDes enables us to connect switches and servers using cost-effective cables or ultra-low power linear drive optics.”
Travis Vigil, Senior Vice President, Infrastructure Solutions Group Portfolio Management, Dell Technologies
“Offering a comprehensive portfolio and collaborating with Broadcom is essential to our leadership in AI compute and networking solutions,” said Travis Vigil, senior vice president, Infrastructure Solutions Group Portfolio Management, Dell Technologies. “The Dell PowerEdge XE9680 server with the new Broadcom 400G NIC and Dell PowerSwitch ensures that our portfolio is optimized to provide end-to-end Ethernet AI fabrics, addressing the performance demands of AI solutions.”
Trish Damkroger, Senior Vice President and Chief Product Officer for the HPC & AI Business Unit, Hewlett Packard Enterprise
“We build some of the world’s most powerful and energy efficient supercomputers, which are imperative to enabling an advanced ecosystem for driving scientific discovery and innovation. We’re pleased to see Broadcom investing in Ethernet NIC that is based on open standards.”
Charles Liang, President and CEO, Supermicro
“With Broadcom’s new 400G Ethernet NIC’s extremely low power and support for passive copper cabling and linear drive optics, the BCM57608 fits perfectly with our Green Computing initiative,” said Charles Liang, president and CEO of Supermicro. “Broadcom’s outstanding execution has allowed us to bring the new adapters to production in record time, enabling us to capitalize on the strong growth we’re experiencing in the AI market.”
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