Facebook has joined hands with Intel to develop a new kind of computer network based on the Open Compute Project (OCP) server design.
Facebook contributed designs for the solution, called Yosemite, which will use a server card based on the new Intel Xeon processor Dproduct family, developed on 14nm process technology.
Yosemite will run the software that acts as Facebook’s online front door, while the social media major is expecting that the design will also be used by other companies too, reports Bloomberg.
Facebook believes that two socket design used in web servers are bulky and consume more power, and proposes that the Yosemite design will address the issues.
Yosemite design is based on the Intel Xeon product family with four small circuit boards with each having one chip.
Each Yosemite server node has been designed as a pluggable module, each holding one SoC that targets up to 65W TDP, multiple memory channels with standard DDR DIMM slots, at least one local SSD interface, and a local management controller.
Facebook vice president of engineering Jay Parikh told the news agency, "This is a really, really nice building block for the future."
Separately, Penguin Computing has unveiled Open Compute Project-Driven Tundra Cluster Ecosystem which is based on Intel Xeon Phi Knights Landing-based Motherboard.
Open Compute Project-based design allows third-party motherboards to fit in a Tundra sled so any branded motherboards can take advantage of the efficient space utilization in OCP’s Open Rack standard.
Penguin Computing CTO Phil Pokorny said, "Facebook had the forethought to create the Open Compute Foundation and share IP from designing a highly efficient computing infrastructure at an extremely low cost.
"We are now building on that collaborative development model to bring expanded flexibility with regard to form factors, processors and configurations for a broad range of customer requirements."
Accton Technology announced to open source through the Open Compute Project (OCP) two new data centre switch designs.
Accton’s subsidiary, Edge-Core Networks has unveiled Wedge-16X top-of-rack switch, its first offering from Wedge design that Facebook contributed to OCP.
Open Compute Project Foundation president and chairman Frank Frankovsky said, "Last year, Accton submitted the design of a 10GbE top-of-rack switch to OCP, which became the first network design fully approved by OCP.
"We welcome Accton’s additional contributions of the 40GbE and 100GbE switch designs, and its leadership work within the OCP network community on conformance and interoperability testing, which are important steps to make open switching solutions more broadly deployable by customers."
