Ethernet adapters target AI data centers

Building on its AI network solutions, Broadcom Inc. has unveiled its portfolio of highly-scalable and low-power 400G PCIe Gen 5.0 Ethernet adapters, based on the 400G BCM57608 Ethernet controller, for AI data centers. These network adapters deliver an open standards-based Ethernet NIC and switching solution, claiming to resolve connectivity bottlenecks in AI clusters.

“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, in a statement.

(Source: Broadcom)

Broadcom claims the new high-performance portfolio is the industry’s first Ethernet adapter built with 5-nm process technology, enabling the most power and thermally efficient design in the market. The new BCM57608 family of adapters provides network connectivity using eight lanes of built-in SerDes, each supporting 100/50G PAM-4 and 10/25G NRZ. When combined with Broadcom’s high-radix Ethernet switches and its ability to drive passive copper cables up to five meters or ultra-low power linear pluggable optics transceivers, the adapter delivers higher rack density using mainstream air-cooling technology, reducing interconnect cost and power.

“End-to-end performance is critically important,” said Martin Hull, vice president, Systems and Platform Product Management, Arista, in a statement. “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.”

Targeting the growing demand for higher data transfer speeds required in future AI networks, Broadcom’s adapter portfolio provides a third-generation RDMA over converged Ethernet (RoCE) pipeline and low-latency congestion control technology. It is suited for high-bandwidth, high-stress network environments like AI infrastructures, providing scalability through features such as drop congestion notification, active latency management, high-density flat networks and hardware retransmission.

The Ethernet adapters feature Broadcom’s sixth generation-hardened NIC architecture. 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 support of the company’s objectives as a founding member of the Ultra Ethernet Consortium.

The 400G PCIe Gen 5.0 Ethernet family (BCM57608) is available from multiple server vendors, as well as from Broadcom. Click here for more information on Broadcom’s adapter portfolio.