It has been a while since the publication of RFC 7938: "Use of BGP for Routing in Large-Scale Data Centers." In this ever-evolving landscape of data centers, it is crucial that we stay up-to-date with the latest technologies deployed within them.
In recent times, there has been a significant rise in the popularity of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, leading to the design of data centers specifically tailored for large-scale AI model training. These advanced networks, dedicated to High-Performance Computing, AI, and ML, demand deterministic high-bandwidth and low latency connections between numerous processing nodes. They also impose unique requirements for network topologies and interconnecting technologies.
Therefore, we plan to organize a side meeting during IETF 117 with the objective of introducing and discussing the new technologies being developed and deployed in these networks. The primary goals of this meeting will be to identify challenges and requirements associated with these advanced data center networks, as well as to explore new research and standardization opportunities.
It is important to note that this meeting will be a brainstorming session and open-ended in nature. The intention is not to arrive at immediate conclusions or define specific tasks but rather to foster discussions that stimulate innovative thinking.