SYSTEMS

Fujitsu 10Gb Ethernet switches provide researchers with a high-bandwidth solution and ultra-low latency to process billions of packets of information: Fujitsu Computer Products of America, Inc., and the University of California (UC), Berkeley today released a jointly-authored paper titled "Fujitsu 10Gb Ethernet Switches Enable Researchers to Study the Universe for Signs of Life," which examines the university's robust information processing demands as part of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) project. The paper outlines the challenges of the SETI project, the use of telescopes to search billions of galaxies for radio signals, and how the Fujitsu XG2000 series of Ethernet switches processes the information and disseminates it to the millions of volunteers working on the SETI@home collaboration. "We have an infinite amount of data continuously pouring in through small packets of information which is routed to millions of different locations," said Dan Werthimer, director of the center for astronomy signal processing and electronics research at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory. "Our switch requirements are very demanding and the XG2000C is working perfectly by handling 300 Gbps data rates continuously and producing spectacular images of our galaxy and beyond." The SETI@home project utilizes volunteers that analyze data and report abnormal radio signals to UC Berkeley. The project uses 42 radio telescopes that can capture millions of frequencies from multiple star systems simultaneously. UC Berkeley required switches that could handle passing large amounts of small packets across the switch fabric quickly without dropping any frames that could hold a significant scientific discovery. The non-blocking architecture of XG2000C coupled with low 300ns latency and a large 3MB buffer, enabled Fujitsu to meet these stringent requirements. This technology can also be applied to other industries requiring similar high-performance networks such as weather forecasting and climate study, genomics and molecular modeling, and high-volume financial trading applications. "Working with UC Berkeley on such an ambitious project demonstrates the XG switch's ability to work flawlessly in a data-sensitive environment," commented Joel Hagberg, vice president of marketing and business development with Fujitsu Computer Products of America, Inc. "We look forward to working closely with the researchers on the SETI project and utilizing XG switches in other HPC applications." The Fujitsu white paper is available for download at its Web site.