Hollow Core Fiber is Coming to Azure

Microsoft is on the brink of a enhancing the speed and efficiency of AI and business solutions within Azure. The introduction of Hollow Core Fiber (HCF) marks an advancement in cable technology, offering substantial improvements over traditional glass fiber optic cables.

What is Hollow Core Fiber?

Hollow Core Fiber (HCF) is a new innovation in the design of fiber optic cables. Unlike traditional cables that use glass tubes, HCF utilizes focused, air-based channels to transmit data. This change addresses many of the limitations associated with glass, resulting in notable improvements:

• Speed Enhancement: HCF offers up to a 47% increase in transmission speed compared to conventional fiber optic cables.
• Extended Range: These cables can be up to 1.5 times longer without encountering signal degradation issues.

Bringing HCF to Azure

Microsoft has announced plans to integrate HCF cables into Azure regions. This strategic move will not only boost connectivity speeds but also enable new design possibilities for Azure regions.

Why This Matters

Microsoft aims to lead the charge in advanced cable technology. Currently, Microsoft is the only provider offering InfiBand, a high-speed networking technology. The addition of HCF will further enhance network performance, especially for AI applications that demand the highest levels of speed and efficiency.

Key Benefits:

• Enhanced AI Performance: AI applications, including services like Azure OpenAI, will benefit from the increased speed provided by HCF, complementing the already high-speed InfiBand cables.
• Increased Region Capacity: The ability to use longer cables without signal issues means Microsoft can expand Azure region capacity in areas where land constraints previously posed a challenge.

With the integration of Hollow Core Fiber, Microsoft is set to push the boundaries of what’s possible in AI and cloud computing, offering faster, more reliable services to its customers.

If you have questions, please feel free to reach out. We’d love to talk!