Two infrastructure providers — Zayo and Equinix — have released the AI Infrastructure Blueprint, an architectural framework that Zayo says “defines how next-generation infrastructure powers AI [artificial intelligence] workloads.”
The AI Infrastructure Blueprint gives AI providers and neoclouds a framework that defines the roles of high-capacity networks, interconnection hubs, training, and inference data centers. The plan also provides a model for connecting them.
RTInsights defines neoclouds as AI-focused cloud infrastructure providers.
“AI is transforming the digital infrastructure landscape, but there’s been no playbook for connecting training, inference, and enterprise infrastructure,” Zayo Chief Product and Strategy Officer Bill Long said in a press release about the AI Infrastructure Blueprint.
“Together with Equinix, we’re introducing a network standard and data center best practices that makes AI communication infrastructure scalable, extensible, and ready for what comes next.”
Features of the AI Infrastructure Blueprint:
- Scalable reference designs that focus on the network elements that matter at scale, reducing trial and error and shortening time to market for AI training and inference.
- Practical direction across key network layers and elements, informed by Equinix and Zayo’s cloud connectivity and IP peering experience, to help organizations design for long-term AI growth.
- Common terminology that aligns customers, partners, and vendors across the AI networking stack.
In July, Zayo broke ground on three of its new long-haul dark fiber routes, specifically built to meet the needs of AI. The company also announced the 400 Gbps enablement of its North American core network. The three dark fiber routes are from Chicago to Columbus, Chicago to Minneapolis, and Phoenix to Tucson.
AI clearly is transforming the data center industry, as highlighted by the AI Infrastructure Blueprint. The growth will require a doubling of fiber route miles and an even bigger increase in total fiber miles, according to a white paper released at the end of July by the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA).
