Nvidia Optics Roadmap: Scale-out First as Scale-up Faces Hardware Bottlenecks
BenBajarin · x · 2026-08-12
Analyst Ben Bajarin highlights that scale-out optical connections will deploy first, while scale-up faces significant engineering hurdles.
- Scale-out Priority: Driven by demand for inter-rack connections within clusters, demand for ultra-high-power laser chips will ramp in H2 2027, leading to scale-out deployments in 2028.
- Scale-up Challenges: Serviceability remains unsolved for inevitable laser failures, making scale-up harder and more time-consuming, though it will eventually use vastly more optical components.
- BiDi Technology: Expected to be a mandatory requirement for scale-up optical topologies.
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