Cisco Joins 51.2T Switch-Chip Crowd
![Image](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAtWN66UfrEtu_2FkDufUGThcYhd_wVWQ7UuuGW-6cRyzovO_v4jyHt_0see-J_TtwIRGtEGnMDRvIB9L8tEVTx1ZaVh6DUGv_V42Q7Kj0hpErSTCpZTLvaWmhgNQYMD2Yke5Qno_Xv60KjfbFwiPafDCTIGFBMyWJMN06YtGXBBO8shgfQ4UsPOlj7Ds/w640-h344/Cisco%20G200.png)
Four chip vendors may not sound like a crowd, but in the leading-edge data-center switch segment, it's likely unsustainable over the long term. The problem is the small number of customers for these devices, that is, the hyperscalers. Despite stiff competition, however, Cisco continues to invest in its Silicon One product line, which now includes 5nm switch chips. The new top-end device is the Silicon One G200, a 51.2Tbps chip built around an internally developed 112Gbps serdes. As a refresher, the company announced production of its 7nm 25.6Tbps G100 chip last October along with design wins in new Cisco platforms. As the figure below shows, Cisco makes some bold claims regarding the G200. The most startling is the statement that the G200 is twice as power efficient as its predecessor. In other words, the G200 dissipates the same power as the G100 at twice the throughput. The company's new serdes design must improve power efficiency, as the move from 7nm to 5nm should account f