Google makes its own Ethernet switches

Search giant Google is making its own high-speed switches, it has been reported by Nyquist Capital analyst and blogger Andrew Schmitt.

The company has apparently made 10Gb Ethernet switches to interconnect servers in its datacenters. Schmitt, who based his story on talks with equipment and component industry sources, reported that the switches were based on Broadcom 20-port 10GE silicon, and that the interconnects were based on SFP+. Schmitt said that the switches did not adhere to optical industry standards.

Google’s decision to design its own switches was down to the lack of low-cost commercial options, Schmitt suggested, pointing out that Google had already designed and built its own servers for the same reason.

“The decision, while small in terms of units purchased, is enormous in terms of the disruptive impact it should have on 10GbE switching equipment providers and their component supply chains,” Schmitt wrote, adding, ““This non-standard and very low cost optical format should prove just as attractive to other datacenter customers.”

A spokesman for Google would not confirm the claims, only saying, "I'm afraid that we can't comment on rumour or speculation."