China completes ultra-fast fiber-optic computer network with latency below 20 microseconds, boosting AI and data services development.
China has made a major leap forward in data transmission technology by completing the super-fast computer network called China Network Environment for Innovation (CENI), Interesting Engineering reported on January 6. This high-tech network is expected to help promote the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and completely change the way Chinese data services operate.
Experts have compared the Internet service provided by CENI to “high-speed rail for computers”. This highlights the new network’s ability to transmit data quickly, efficiently and reliably. It is also touted as being cost-effective, highly efficient and low in energy consumption.
CENI connects major cities in 13 provinces, using a new architectural approach that combines the fast speed of optical communication with the stability of deterministic networking. As a result, the new network has no packet loss, extremely low latency and is stable, regardless of traffic.
“CENI has no packet loss, has a latency of less than 20 microseconds even when the network is fully loaded, covers 13 provinces, 13,000 kilometers, and can handle 10,000 critical network services,” said Liu Yunjie, chief scientist of the Purple Mountain Laboratory, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.
According to Tao Gaofeng, deputy general manager of Jiangsu Future Network Group, CENI has the potential to significantly improve the accuracy and range of data transmission. Gaofeng stressed that CENI can transmit data over 2,000 kilometers without data loss or the need for intermediate signal amplifiers. “The network ensures accurate and timely transmission, even in situations of network congestion or cyber attacks,” he said.
CENI’s main fibre optic cable currently runs 34,000km. However, this is just the beginning, with plans to extend the network by another 10,000km. One impressive test demonstrated the network’s ability to remotely control an autonomous vehicle in a factory 500km away. This was done with incredible precision, with a latency of less than 20 microseconds and a position error of just a few centimetres.
CENI plays a key role in promoting key technologies and supporting national development strategies in China. The network will facilitate the rapid transfer of large data sets for training AI models. It will also enable efficient data transfer from eastern regions to western data centers using renewable energy.
With CENI, China plans to build large data centers in the west, because the west has abundant renewable energy resources. These data centers will be responsible for storing and processing the huge amounts of data generated in the more populated eastern region.
