Broadcom is looking to help enterprise data center operators better support 400G connectivity (commonly used by cloud operators) with the company's new software-programmable Trident 4-X7 Ethernet switch ASIC.

The Broadcom Trident 4-X7 is intended for use inside of enterprise data center top-of-rack (ToR) switches, which is designed to provide the same power that cloud operators already enjoy. A key promise of the new Trident 4-X7 is to support the growing need for 400G connectivity inside enterprise data centers as demand for increasing levels of bandwidth goes up. The Trident 4-X7 integrates advanced hardware capabilities for analytics, diagnostics and telemetry that organizations can leverage to automate their data center operations.

While the new ASIC is hardware, it’s fully programmable, allowing for seamless field upgrades to support emerging data center demands. Broadcom is also enabling the Trident 4-X7 to support the open-source SONiC network operating system.

[caption id="attachment_132992" align="alignnone" width="558"] Trident 4-X7 Ethernet switch ASIC. (Source: Broadcom)[/caption]

Power savings is another key attribute of the Trident 4-X7. Broadcom claims the new ASIC can cut the power needed per 100G port by more than half of what is used in Broadcom's current Trident 3 generation.

Robin Grindley, data center switch product management at Broadcom,told SDxCentral that the new ASIC does not directly replace any other product in the Broadcom portfolio. Rather, he noted that it is an “evolutionary” and “roadmap” chip for the enterprise market.

Currently, the enterprise market is using 25G network interface cards (NICs) and 100G spine/fabric, which is a segment that Grindley said is well-served by Broadcom's Trident 3 line, which tops out at 3.2 Tb/s. He noted that the cloud segment moved to 400G spine/fabric a few years ago, using Broadcom's Tomahawk 3.

"Now that 400G connectivity prices are coming down, and the enterprise market will start transitioning to 400G, Trident 4-X7 enables this transition," he said.

Grindley said that the new ASCI is part of the Trident 4 family, which is fully programmable, by both Broadcom and customers if they choose.

"Our high-end Trident 4 family members go up to 12.8 Tb/s and are used by hyperscale providers," he said. "They push us to develop cutting-edge new technologies, which we can then make available to enterprise customers."

400G fabric is widely used by cloud operators today. Grindley noted that the cloud is essentially almost 100% transitioned to 400G already.

"Enterprise is just starting, but because of their hybrid-cloud strategies, they are essentially frenemies with the cloud," he said. "Enterprises use the cloud, but for various reasons still must maintain some on-prem private data centers [that] must have access to the same technologies as the cloud to stay viable."