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UK Tech Powers Microsoft's Greener Data Centers
18 Mar
Summary
- MicroLED offers up to 50% lower energy use than current systems.
- Hollow Core Fiber provides 47% faster speeds with 33% lower latency.
- These UK technologies address power, distance, and reliability limits.
Microsoft is leveraging cutting-edge UK technologies to significantly improve the efficiency of its global data centers. Two British inventions, MicroLED optical networking and Hollow Core Fiber (HCF), are now deployed at scale to address the growing demand for AI and cloud services.
MicroLED offers a substantial improvement over traditional optical components, promising up to 50% reduced energy consumption and an extended lifespan. It functions effectively for short- and medium-length connections within data centers, such as linking servers and GPUs.
This technology provides the reliability and cost-efficiency of copper while matching the distance capabilities of fiber optics. Microsoft Research technical fellow Doug Burger noted its potential to revolutionize computing infrastructure, starting with high-bandwidth cables.
Hollow Core Fiber, already deployed across Azure regions, excels in longer-distance applications, connecting customers directly to data centers. By transmitting data through air rather than glass, HCF achieves up to 47% faster speeds and approximately 33% lower latency than standard fiber.
Azure Hyperscale Networking GM Frank Rey highlighted that HCF enables data centers to serve a wider area. Together, these UK-developed innovations are crucial for overcoming current networking infrastructure limitations related to power, distance, and reliability, ensuring faster and more responsive services for users worldwide.
