Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) introduced its second generation open module switch platform which it calls “Backpack” on Tuesday.
The backpack is part of the company’s plan to satisfy the need for more scalable and reliable network infrastructure. This is also driven by the demand arising from more immersive experiences offered through Facebook Live, virtual reality, and 360-degree videos. Facebook is already working on production and it has already made a review submission to the OCP. Facebook made the review about the second generation modular switch just a few weeks after the OCP accepted the specifications of the social media giant’s second generation top-of-rack network switch known as the Wedge 100.
“To move from 40G to 100G, there were a lot of challenging hardware and optical and chip-level concerns the team had to address to get that to work,” stated Omar Baldonado, the director of software engineering on networking at Facebook.
Baldonado further added that the company needs to incorporate bigger and faster infrastructure so that it can accommodate Facebook’s apps and services in the future. Backpack has the same level of 6-pack performance as the first platform. However, it offers faster speeds making it a more appealing option. The second generation platform also offers better cooling support or the 100G ASIC chips and optics. It does all this while maintaining a simple and scalable fabric design.
Facebook has also been in talks with Accton, it’s contract manufacturer to make sure that the switches are mass produced so that anyone can purchase them. The social giant has been open sourcing the software used to operate the switches. Baldonado revealed that the company plans to do the same for the backpack. The company has also teamed up with other startups so that their software is compatible with the switches.
“We anticipate it will follow the same path. Later in 2017, people will be able to get a Backpack. We are working with the software eco-system, too. That’s why we are contributing to OCP,” revealed the executive.
Facebook stock closed the latest trading session at $110.88.
