Secure and Reliable Optical Interconnects for Next-Generation Data Center Networks
Keywords:
optical interconnects, data center networks, security, reliability, hollow-core fiber, silicon photonics, governance, sustainability, fairnessAbstract
Next-generation data center networks are being reshaped by optical interconnects that promise higher bandwidth, lower latency, reduced energy per bit, and greater architectural flexibility than purely electrical fabrics. This paper examines secure and reliable optical interconnect design as a socio-technical systems problem rather than a narrow device engineering challenge. It argues that the transition from electrical to optical data center fabrics alters threat surfaces, failure modes, governance obligations, and sustainability calculations in ways that require integrated architectural and policy analysis. The discussion covers optical circuit switching, wavelength routing, hollow-core fiber, silicon photonics, co-packaged optics, and reconfigurable topologies, while emphasizing structural trade-offs among capacity, resilience, cost, and control. Security concerns include physical layer tapping, crosstalk, side-channel leakage, control plane manipulation, and supply chain trust. Reliability concerns include component wear, thermal sensitivity, misalignment, software-defined reconfiguration errors, and the difficulty of maintaining observability across hybrid electrical and optical domains. The paper also considers deployment economics, energy governance, fairness in access to advanced interconnection capacity, and the risk that optical specialization may concentrate capability among a small number of operators. Case illustrations from hyperscale computing, high-performance computing, financial trading, and edge infrastructure clarify how optical reliability and security requirements vary by workload. The conclusion proposes a research agenda centered on trustworthy photonic control planes, resilient topology design, standardized telemetry, lifecycle sustainability, and inclusive governance for next-generation data center networks.
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This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
