Understanding Lifecycle Management Complexity of Datacenter Topologies

Explore the complexities of datacenter topology lifecycle management in this award-winning NSDI '19 conference talk. Delve into the operational costs associated with deploying and expanding different topology families, focusing on Clos and expander graphs like Xpander. Learn about a novel topology that combines the wiring simplicity of Clos with the expandability of expander graphs. Examine key concepts such as packaging, wiring complexity, cable bundling, and the role of patch panels in deployment. Understand the importance of regularity, maximizing intra-rack links, and fat edges in topology design. Discover the constraint-based search approach and evaluation methodology used to develop FatClique, a topology with low deployment and expansion complexity. Gain insights into the challenges faced in datacenter topology design and the potential for future work in this critical area of network infrastructure.