One of the interesting aspects of the data center is that the network has become the backplane of the new server.
He previously served as executive editor of Electronic Engineering Times. A vendor such as Cumulus obviates the need to write an operating system from scratch and brings a level of stability and support into the mix. Also, it’s easy to adapt the network to the different types of silicon available from companies like Broadcom, Cavium and Mellanox. To build these modern data centers, HPC and networking hardware and software must go hand in hand.NVIDIA’s approach to creating both the hardware and software for accelerated computing expands deeper into networking software with Cumulus. The acquisition will continue to augment NVIDIA’s approach to creating both the hardware and software for accelerated computing.
The network does, and it needs to be as fast and reliable as a server backplane. Mountain View-based Cumulus already had a previous partnership with Mellanox, which Nvidia acquired for $6.9 billion. Mellanox and Cumulus have worked together since 2013, when the former began its Open Ethernet strategy. Consider what’s happened with servers over the years: What was once a full turnkey product has become disaggregated with storage, processors, memory and other components. Nvidia claims that with Cumulus it will be able to innovate across the entire networking stack from chips and systems to software. The company has about 2,000 customers and is used by about one-third of the Fortune 100. A good way to think about the attitude of a traditional switch from a mainstream vendor versus a Cumulus-supported product is that the buyer of the latter thinks of the network as a competitive asset and needs to customize it to gain an advantage over his/her peers. It’s always strived to deliver an end-to-end experience, and Cumulus is another step in that direction. DAILY VIDEO: Net neutrality has its day in court, and Azure API Management gets preview support...DAILY VIDEO: The FCC investigates wireless coverage cheating by telecom carriers, and IBM and...eWEEK NEWS AND TREND ANALYSIS: Cumulus provides a strategic acquisition for NVIDIA to establish itself a stronger networking vendor.One of the benefits a Linux-based operating system brings is that it’s highly customizable and gives the deploying organization much tighter control over the network. What connects these pools? With the recent acquisition of Cumulus Networks by Nvidia, what does that mean for open networking? Cumulus’ NetQ real-time visibility and lifecycle management product is a good example. This purchase is another shrewd one for NVIDIA, which is proving to be a very savvy networking company.