H3C Optical Switch

H3C Core Optical Switches are high-performance, scalable switches designed for data center cores, cloud services, and next-generation campus networks, supporting advanced optical transmission and virtualization technologies.OverviewH3C offers several core optical switch series, including the S12500, S10500, and S9827, each tailored for high-speed, high-density networking in data centers and enterprise environments . These switches integrate advanced optical technologies to ensure low latency, high throughput, and reliable connectivity for large-scale networks.Key FeaturesHigh Port Density and Speed: The S12500 series supports multiple models (S12504X-AF, S12508X-AF, S12516X-AF) to meet varying port density and performance requirements, while the S9827 series provides 64 ports at 800Gbps each, achieving full-line speed forwarding .Co-Packaged Optics (CPO): The S9827 leverages CPO silicon photonics technology, enabling ultra-high throughput and low latency, ideal for AI/ML clusters and high-performance computing environments .Virtualization: H3C switches support MDC (Multiple Device Context), allowing a single switch to be virtualized into multiple logical switches, and IRF2, which can virtualize up to two S12500 switches into a single logical fabric for simplified management and high availability .Advanced Networking Protocols: Support for VXLAN, MP-BGP EVPN, and EVI enables scalable Layer 2 connectivity over Layer 3 networks, optimal load sharing, and efficient multi-site data center interconnection .Storage Integration: FCOE (Fibre Channel over Ethernet) and CEE integration allow seamless convergence of LAN and storage networks, reducing infrastructure costs .High Availability: Patented hot standby technology ensures non-stop forwarding on both control and data planes, eliminating single points of failure .Optical Module Compatibility: H3C switches support a wide range of optical modules, including 10G, 40G, and 100G transceivers, DACs, and AOCs, ensuring flexible deployment and reliable optical transmission .Performance HighlightsThe S9827 800G CPO switch achieved a total switching capacity of 51.2T, with single-port transmission latency averaging 1.085 microseconds, 20% lower than previous generations .The S12500 series provides robust cloud data center support, integrating with H3C routers, security devices, and cloud management platforms for end-to-end solutions .The S10500 series uses a CLOS multi-level, multi-plane architecture, supporting TRILL, EVB, and FCOE, and is fully compatible with 40G and 100G Ethernet standards .ApplicationsH3C core optical switches are ideal for:Cloud Data Centers: High-speed, low-latency switching for AI, ML, and large-scale virtualization workloads.Enterprise Campus Networks: Aggregation and core switching with scalable bandwidth and virtualization.Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs): High-capacity optical transmission for multi-site connectivity.Converged Networks: Integration of LAN, storage, and computing networks to reduce TCO and simplify management.ConclusionH3C core optical switches combine high-speed optical transmission, virtualization, and advanced networking protocols to deliver scalable, reliable, and efficient solutions for modern data centers and enterprise networks. Their support for CPO, VXLAN, FCOE, and IRF2 virtualization makes them suitable for high-performance computing, cloud services, and large-scale campus deployments .