The speed of optical transmission and the inherent "speed-independence" of optical connections—whether 10G, 100G, or 800G—are well-known and widely leveraged advantages. But what if high-capacity, low-latency switching could also be achieved directly within the optical layer, without the need for electrical conversion? Such an approach would enable the design of far more efficient data center networks, reducing the number of devices required, lowering energy consumption, simplifying architectures, and improving reconfigurability.

This presentation will provide an overview of the rapid advances in optical components (both network and interface) that are making these benefits possible. It will also highlight emerging network devices that point toward a coming "revolution" in data center networking.