Providing Performance Guarantees in Data Center Network Switching Fabrics

This paper proposes a novel and highly scalable multistage packet-switch design based on Networks-on-Chip (NoC). In particular, we describe a three-stage packet-switch fabric with a Round-Robin packets dispatching scheme where each central stage module is an Output-Queued Unidirectional NoC (OQ-UDN), instead of the conventional single-hop crossbar. We test the switch performance under different traffic profiles. In addition to experimental results, we present an analytical approximation for the theoretical throughput of the switch under Bernoulli i.i.d arrivals. We also provide an upper-bound estimation of the end-to-end blocking probability in the proposed switch to help predict performance and to optimize the design

High-Capacity Clos-Network Switch for Data Center Networks

Scaling-up Data Center Networks (DCNs) should be done at the network level as well as the switching elements level. The glaring reason for this, is that switches/routers deployed in the DCN can bound the network capacity and affect its performance if improperly chosen. Many multistage switching architectures have been proposed to fit for the next-generation networking needs. However all of them are either performance limited or too complex to be implemented. Targeting scalability and performance, we propose the design of a large-capacity switch in which we affiliate a multistage design with a Networks-on- Chip (NoC) design. The proposal falls into the category of buffered multistage switches. Still, it has a different architectural aspect and scheduling process. Dissimilar to common point-to-point crossbars, NoCs used at the heart of the three-stage Clos-network allow multiple packets simultaneously in the modules where they can be adaptively transported using a pipelined scheduling scheme. Our simulations show that the switch scales well with the load and size variation. It outperforms a variety of architectures under a range of traffic arrivals

High-radix Packet-Switching Architecture for Data Center Networks

We propose a highly scalable packet-switching architecture that suits for demanding Data center Networks (DCNs). The design falls into the category of buffered multistage switches. It affiliates a three-stage Clos-network and the Networks-on-Chip (NoC) paradigm. We also suggest a congestion-aware routing algorithm that shares the traffic load among the switch's central modules via interleaved connecting links. Unlike conventional switches, the current proposal provides better path diversity, simple scheduling, speedup and robustness to load variation. Simulation results show that the switch is scalable with the portcount and traffic fluctuation, and that it outperforms different switches under many traffic patterns

A Clos-Network Switch Architecture based on Partially-Buffered Crossbar Fabrics

Modern Data Center Networks (DCNs) that scale to thousands of servers require high performance switches/routers to handle high traffic loads with minimum delays. Today’s switches need be scalable, have good performance and -more importantly- be cost-effective. This paper describes a novel threestage Clos-network switching fabric with partially-buffered crossbar modules and different scheduling algorithms. Compared to conventional fully buffered and buffer-less switches, the proposed architecture fits a nice model between both designs and takes the best of both: i) less hardware requirements which considerably reduces both the cost and the implementation complexity, ii) the existence of few internal buffers allows for simple and highperformance scheduling. Two alternative scheduling algorithms are presented. The first is scalable, it disperses the control function over multiple switching elements in the Clos-network. The second is simpler. It places some control on a central scheduler to ensure an ordered packets delivery. Simulations for various switch settings and traffic profiles have shown that the proposed architecture is scalable. It maintains high throughput, low latency performance for less hardware used

A Scalable Packet-Switch Based on Output-Queued NoCs for Data Centre Networks

The switch fabric in a Data-Center Network (DCN) handles constantly variable loads. This is stressing the need for high-performance packet switches able to keep pace with climbing throughput while maintaining resiliency and scalability. Conventional multistage switches with their space-memory variants proved to be performance limited as they do not scale well with the proliferating DC requirements. Most proposals are either too complex to implement or not cost effective. In this paper, we present a highly scalable multistage switching architecture for DC switching fabrics. We describe a three-stage Clos packet-switch fabric with Output-Queued Unidirectional NoC (OQ-UDN) modules and Round-Robin packets dispatching scheme. The proposed OQ Clos-UDN architecture avoids the need for complex and costly input modules and simplifies the scheduling process. Thanks to a dynamic packets dispatching and the multi-hop nature of the UDN modules, the switch provides load balancing and path-diversity. We compared our proposed architecture to state-of-the art previous architectures under extensive uniform and non-uniform DC traffic settings. Simulations of various switch settings have shown that the proposed OQ Clos-UDN outperforms previous proposals and maintains high throughput and latency performance

A Multi-Stage Packet-Switch Based on NoC Fabrics for Data Center Networks

Bandwidth-hungry applications such as Cloud computing, video sharing and social networking drive the creation of more powerful Data Centers (DCs) to manage the large amount of packetized traffic. Data center network (DCN) topologies rely on thousands of servers that exchange data via the switching backbone. Cluster switches and routers are employed to provide interconnectivity between elements of the same DC and inter DCs and must be able to handle the continuously variable loads. Hence, robust and scalable switching modules are needed. Conventional DCN switches adopt crossbars or/and blocks of memories in multistage interconnection architectures (commonly 2-Tiers or 3-Tiers). However, current multistage packet switch architectures, with their space-memory variants, are either too complex to implement, have poor performance, or not cost effective. In this paper, we propose a novel and highly scalable multistage packet-switch design based on Networks-on-Chip (NoC) fabrics for DCNs. In particular, we describe a novel three-stage packet-switch fabric with a Round-Robin packets dispatching scheme where each central stage module is based on a Unidirectional NoC (UDN), instead of a conventional single hop crossbar fabric. The proposed design, referred to as Clos- UDN, overcomes all the shortcomings of conventional multistage architectures. In particular, as we shall demonstrate, the proposed Clos-UDN architecture: (i) Obviates the need for a complex and costly input modules, by means of few, yet simple, input FIFO queues. (ii) Avoids the need for a complex and synchronized scheduling process over a high number of input-output modules and/or port pairs. (iii) Provides speedup, load balancing and path-diversity thanks to a dynamic dispatching scheme as well as the NoC based fabric nature. Extensive simulation studies are conducted to compare the proposed Clos-UDN switch to conventional multistage switches. Simulation results show that the Clos-UDN outperforms conventional design under a wide range of input traffic scenarios, making it highly appealing for ultra-high capacity DC networks

Congestion-Aware Multistage Packet-Switch Architecture for Data Center Networks

Data Center Networks (DCNs) have gone through major evolutionary changes over the past decades. Yet, it is still difficult to predict loads fluctuation and congestion spikes in the network switching fabric. Conventional multistage switches/routers used in data center fabrics barely deal with load balancing. Congestion management is often processed at the edge modules. However, neither the architecture of switches/routers, nor their inner routing algorithms tend to consider traffic balancing and congestion management. In this paper, we propose a flexible design of a scalable multistage switch with crossconnected UniDirectional Network-on-Chip based central blocs (UDNs). We also introduce a congestion-aware routing to forward packets adaptively. We compare the current switch architecture to the state-of-the art previous multistage switches under different traffic types. Simulations of various switch settings have shown that the proposed architecture maintains high throughput and low latency performance

A Scalable Multi-Stage Packet-Switch for Data Center Networks

The growing trends of data centers over last decades including social networking, cloud-based applications and storage technologies enabled many advances to take place in the networking area. Recent changes imply continuous demand for bandwidth to manage the large amount of packetized traffic. Cluster switches and routers make the switching fabric in a Data Center Network (DCN) environment and provide interconnectivity between elements of the same DC and inter DCs. To handle the constantly variable loads, switches need deliver outstanding throughput along with resiliency and scalability for DCN requirements. Conventional DCN switches adopt crossbars or/and blocks of memories mounted in a multistage fashion (commonly 2-Tiers or 3-Tiers). However, current multistage switches, with their space-memory variants, are either too complex to implement, have poor performance, or not cost effective. We propose a novel and highly scalable multistage switch based on Networkson- Chip (NoC) fabrics for DCNs. In particular, we describe a three-stage Clos packet-switch with a Round Robin packets dispatching scheme where each central stage module is based on a Unidirectional NoC (UDN), instead of the conventional singlehop crossbar. The design, referred to as Clos-UDN, overcomes shortcomings of traditional multistage architectures as it (i) Obviates the need for a complex and costly input modules, by means of few, yet simple, input FIFO queues. (ii) Avoids the need for a complex and synchronized scheduling process over a high number of input-output modules and/or port pairs. (iii) Provides speedup, load balancing and path-diversity thanks to a dynamic dispatching scheme as well as the NoC based fabric nature. Simulations show that the Clos-UDN outperforms some common multistage switches under a range of input traffics, making it highly appealing for ultra-high capacity DC networks

F-DCTCP: Fair Congestion Control for SDN-Based Data Center Networks

Network congestion control and management has long been a major issue in providing low-latency, high throughput and high link-utilisation. In particular, Data Center Network (DCN) environments, often dominated by partition-aggregate workloads, suffer performance collapse due to TCP Incast caused by inadequate congestion control parameters. This paper proposes a step in solving this problem. In particular, we describe a novel framework to overcome and control congestion in DCNs based on Software Defined Networking (SDN). We propose a native SDN-based congestion control mechanism, termed Fair Data Center TCP (F-DCTCP). As we shall see, the experimental results show that F-DCTCP outperforms all previous proposals by providing the best combined overall performance in terms of throughout, fairness and flow completion times, making it highly attractive for next generation networks

Dynamique des populations microphytobenthiques couplée à leur composition biochimique au sein du réservoir Allal El Fassi (Maroc)

L'étude du métabolisme des populations microphytobenthiques par le biais des principaux constituants cellulaires à savoir les glucides, les protéines et les lipides a été réalisée du mois d'août 1996 au mois de juillet 1997 au sein du réservoir Allal El Fassi, situé sous climat semi-aride.Les résultats issus d'un échantillonnage sur substrats artificiels permettent de montrer que :- la température, l'oxygène, l'azote et le phosphore influencent l'orientation métabolique des populations microphytobenthiques ;- les plus fortes concentrations en glucides, en protéines et en lipides correspondent à des populations estivales ;- les lipides sont susceptibles de fournir une estimation satisfaisante de la biomasse microphytobenthiques ;- le métabolisme du microphytobenthos s'oriente vers la synthèse préférentielle des protéines.Most of the works achieved so far in semi-arid lakes have been focused especially on the dynamics, structure and metabolic of phytoplankton. However, this issue has not been addressed in term of metabolic microphytobenthic cells activity. With an aim increasing the relative scientific knowledge relating to the functioning of lacustrian ecosystems in the Maghreb for which the data are still very fragmentary, special attention has been granted to the study of the microphytobenthos metabolism, by means of determining essential cellular constituents (carbohydrates, proteins and lipids) of the reservoir Allal El Fassi.The Allal El Fassi reservoir is about 47 km of Fez. It was built in 1992, and is 7 km long, 0.7 km wide and 34 m maximum depth. The reservoir is classed as mesotrophic and used for irrigation, recreation and to supply drinking water.The study was conducted between August 1996 and July 1997. Samples were taken vertically from the deepest point of the reservoir by means of a Van-Dorn sampler from seven depths: Near the surface, - 2 m, - 5 m, - 10 m, - 15 m, - 20 m and close to the bottom. The samples were analysed for physical, chemical and metabolism of Diatom. Analysis of Nitrogen and phosphate was done following Golterman method and oxygen dissolved by the Winkler method.Given the advantage that presents the artificial substrata (polyethylene leaves) for sample of periphyton, we have opted for the utilization of these substrata similar to these already used by WATANABE et al. (1988). These substrata are submerged during four weeks at different depths.The evaluation of the microphytobenthic biomass has been carried out according to the method of LOHMAN (1908) after enumerations to the microscope Olympus following the technique of LECLERCQ (1984).The dosage of the carbohydrates has been undertaken according to the method of MOAL et al. (1985), while concentrations of proteins have been determined according to the method of LOWRY (1951) and lipids have been extracted according to the method chloroform/methanol.The results show that microphytobenthic biomass presents important fluctuations since extreme values are respectively 0.25·104 µg·cm-2 and 14.95·104 µg·cm-z.Carbohydrates and lipids concentrations (mean=4.52 µg·cm-z and 2.27 µg·cm-z, respectively) are clearly less high than those of proteins (mean=81.84 µg·cm-2). This result indicates that the metabolism of the microphytobenthos of the Allal El Fassi reservoir is oriented towards the preferential protein synthesis. The vertical distribution of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids concentrations shows a well marked stratification, maximal concentrations generally recorded between 0 and 5 m. These high concentrations are attributed to the development of Niztchia, Navicula, Cymbella, Cyclotella, Melosira and Cocconeis.Proteins and carbohydrates concentrations were significantly correlated (r=0.84, p=0.01 at 0m and r=0.52, p=0.10 at 5 m). On the opposite, concentrations of lipids have no correlation neither with those of proteins, nor with those of the carbohydrates.The correlation between the lipids concentrations and the microphytobenthic biomass, is highly significant (r=0.48, p=0.10). This correlation results notably into the fact that lipids visualise well the evolution of the microphytobenthic biomass. However, no significant correlation was found between proteins, carbohydrates concentrations and biomass microphytobenthic.Many works prove the influences of some environmental factors namely light intensity and the temperature on the biochemical composition of the microphytobenthic. In this way, we observe that in period of high temperature, the synthesis of lipids is important. The positive correlation between temperature and lipids (r=0.48, p=0.10) support the observed increase in the concentrations of this variable with increasing temperature. Nevertheless, no significant correlation was found between proteins and carbohydrates concentrations and temperature, which suggests that the synthesis of these components is made independently from this factor. Oxygen dissolved and nitrogen intervene equally in the synthesis of lipids