
This computer network innovation also uses fiber optics instead of copper wired.
Facebook, the tech giant, is once again first to make a computer network innovation. This computer network innovation will be available for free. This might damage other tech vendors like Cisco who sells their products for a lot of money.
The computer network innovation is called Backpack and it is a computer switch similar to the one they released last year. The previous one, 6-Pack, challenged the existing technology made by other market leaders like Juniper and Cisco.
The difference between the product that was released last year and the one they made now is that Backpack is much faster. Compared to 6-Pack who was a 40G switch, Backpack is a 100G optical switch which means that is almost 3 times faster. This computer network innovation also uses fiber optics instead of copper wired.
Backpack is going to be a companion for the switch that Facebook produced last spring, known as Wedge 100. This switch can connect computer servers to the network. The Backpack can connect all Wedge switches together.
These 2 products are about to hit the market in 2017. Facebook is going to give this computer network innovation to Open Compute Project. OCP was launched by Facebook a few years ago and in these years it gained a lot of popularity. They created hardware and engineers take those hardware designs and change them. OCP makes different designs for servers, hardware, and storage drivers.
For its switches, Facebook has made an agreement with Accton in order for them to mass produce Facebook’s switches. Facebook is also going to help network startups by letting them use those switches.
Facebook is going to do the same with its computer network innovation, Backpack which is going to be used at the end of next year. They have also made a statement when they presented this product this Tuesday.
“We anticipate it will follow the same path. Later in 2017, people will be able to get a Backpack,” mentioned Omar Baldonado, one of Facebook’s engineers.
This computer network innovation can become the best on the market which will make Facebook on the most important tech giants. This might lower the profits of other tech vendors because they don’t have products as good and cheap as this one.
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