文章认为将无线通信引入数据中心网络(DCN)足构建DCN的一种新选择,可以免除布线烦扰,从而方便维护无线节点;可以便捷地在服务器间建立链接,从而避免多跳传输额外代价;还可以动态改变DCN中的拓扑结构,有效减少“瓶颈”节点的流量。文章介绍了一种将无线通信与有线通信相结合来构建数据中心网络的新颖方法,并从物理构建和全局优化两个方面对相关新技术进行了分析。这些技术包括60GHz无线频段通信技术、3D波束成形、节点布置方法、基于遗传算法的信道分配等。通过这些技术的研究成果,可看出无线通信技术可大幅度提高数据中心网络性能,具有广阔的应用前景与理论研究价值。
Wireless technology is a good option for data center networks (DCNs) because there is no complex cabling, and wireless nodes are relatively easy to maintain. Wireless links can also be easily established between servers in different racks to avoid the cost of multihop transmission. With wireless technology, the topology of a DCN can be dynamically changed so that congestion at hot nodes is reduced. In this paper, we introduce hybrid DCN architecture in which a wireless network supplements the Ethernet infrastructure. We discuss 60 GHz communications, 3D beamforming, node arrangement methodology, and channel allocation based on Genetic Algorithm for hybrid DCN architecture. Research on this architecture shows that wireless transmission improves overall DCN performance.