Corning® GlassWorks AI™ Solutions

The AI revolution is here, offering limitless possibilities—and it all comes to life through the lightning-fast data transmission that only optical fiber can deliver. Corning, the inventor of optical fiber and the industry leader, presents GlassWorks AI: a customized portfolio of solutions and services designed to help you navigate the network-design challenges of artificial intelligence, from long-haul networks to data centers.

Just as Corning Glass Works helped electrify the world with the glass for Edison’s light bulb, today’s Corning draws on its unmatched expertise in glass science to usher in the age of AI with the most advanced optical solutions available. GlassWorks AI is your one-stop shop for Corning’s industry-leading fiber, cable, and connectivity, along with best-in-class network planning, design, and deployment services. With GlassWorks AI solutions, Corning’s global expertise becomes your competitive edge.

Let us help you seize the opportunities of AI. Click here to learn more and connect with an expert from Corning’s GlassWorks AI team.

See Through Challenges with GlassWorks AI™ Solutions

Density

Hyperscale data centers are experiencing increasing density as cluster sizes grow. This presents opportunities for advanced cabling solutions but also poses challenges in managing complexity.

• Complex and crowded infrastructure environment.

• Risks of mis-porting and confusion between source and destination.

• Extended project timelines when testing the additional fiber in dense fiber networks.

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Scalability

The demand for higher density and more efficient network designs is becoming increasingly critical. NVIDIA's Blackwell chips introduced higher density requirements, forcing the use of Very Small Form Factor (VSFF) and smaller Outer Diameter (OD) fibers causing new issues.

• Shuffling of fibers between devices to maintain cluster density when scaling out the network.

• "Flapping" within dense fiber networks can lead to costly disruptions and hinder network performance.

• All in one end-to-end solutions for large-scale deployments.

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Installation Speed

Data center operators are facing numerous challenges as they strive to meet the growing demands of the industry. These conditions give rise to a range of significant problems that need to be addressed.

• Lack of skilled labor and slow deployment processes in dense fiber networks can hinder the generation of revenue.

• The need for multiple trades in managing dense fiber networks adds complexity to power and cooling systems.

• The need to accommodate AI networks in multistory buildings.

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Customization

The need to meet highly customized designs of emerging applications pose challenges for AI data centers. In particular, the variability and customization required in the fiber optic infrastructure present hurdles that need to be overcome.

• Complicated design and implementation process due to the unique requirements for space, power, and architecture in each build.

• Adaptability deploying mixed use multimode and single-mode designs in dense fiber networks.

• Extensive customization to accommodate various connectivity requirements.

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NVIDIA 800G InfiniBand and Ethernet Connectivity AI Cabling Guide

Optical fiber connectivity is crucial for advancing the generative AI revolution by addressing the demands of AI workloads and enabling the rapid scaling of GPU clusters. High-speed connections are imperative for future-proofing hyperscale data centers. A modular design optimized for efficient scaling, along with a multi-layered architecture, helps maintain high performance and reliability. Check out our NVIDIA AI Architecture Cabling Guide for more detailed information.

Download the AI Architecture Cabling Guide here >>

The Different Types of AI

There are many different types of AI, including generative AI, inference AI, and agentic AI. Generative AI creates new content by learning patterns from existing data. It relies on training models, where the AI learns from large datasets to understand these patterns. Once trained, the model uses this knowledge to generate new outputs, functioning as generative AI. Inference AI uses trained models to make predictions or decisions on new data. It applies learned patterns to analyze new inputs and generate outputs, enabling real-world AI applications. Agentic AI refers to autonomous systems that can perceive their environment, make decisions, and take actions independently to achieve specific goals. It often involves reinforcement learning, where agents learn by interacting with their environment to maximize rewards. Learn more about the differences between these types of AI here, and see which AI infrastructure builds GlassWorks AI solutions are compatible with here.

GlassWorks AI Solutions FAQs

Read more about GlassWorks AI Solutions by clicking on the questions below.

Why choose Contour Fibers and Contour™ Cable for your AI Data Center?

Contour™ fiber optic cables offer significant advantages for AI-enabled hyperscale data centers. Their 190 µm outer diameter fibers enable more fiber in smaller spaces, optimizing space and weight. Improved bend resilience ensures efficient installations, while the 9.2 µm mode field diameter guarantees compatibility with existing fibers and reliable data transmission. These solutions are eco-friendly, reducing materials and carbon footprint through sustainable designs. Additionally, they simplify installation and handling with finger-peelable subunits and color-coded organization, maximizing duct utilization and reducing storage costs.
Why are MMC Connectors important in Hyperscale Data Centers?

As AI and machine learning applications grow, so does the demand for increased power, cooling, and high-density connectivity in hyperscale data centers. MMC Connectors are a high-density, compact, sustainable data center solution that can efficiently manage scalability challenges while maintaining high standards of quality. Learn more about why the MMC Connector works here.
Do custom GlassWorks AI solutions include EDGE™ or EDGE8® components?

Yes! The cutting-edge innovations of GlassWorks AI are integrated seamlessly with our award-winning EDGE™ and EDGE8^® structured cabling solutions, giving engineers multiple paths to extreme density.
What does “Scale Out and Scale Up” mean and how is it critical for Hyperscale Data Centers?

Scale Out involves adding servers or nodes to a data center for handling increased load or adding capabilities. This horizontal expansion improves task distribution and resilience by spreading the workload across multiple servers. Scale Up involves upgrading existing servers by adding more resources such as CPU, GPU, memory, or storage. This vertical expansion boosts individual server capabilities to manage intensive tasks or larger datasets. For hyperscale GPU-deploying, AI-enabling data centers, both scaling out and scaling up are critical to meet the growing demands of AI workloads and to ensure efficient processing, storage, and analysis of vast amounts of data.
What role do cable trays and other infrastructure components play in managing fiber optic density?

Cable trays and other infrastructure components are crucial for organizing and supporting the extensive network of fiber cables in hyperscale data centers. They help manage the physical layout of cables, ensuring proper distribution and maintenance.
What does mis-porting mean in the context of a Hyperscale Data Center?

Mis-porting refers to the incorrect connection of fiber optic cables to network ports, leading to confusion between source and destination points. This can result in network disruptions and data loss, which affects the performance of the data center. It can also result in increased complexity of maintenance and troubleshooting tasks. GlassWorks AI mitigates the risk of mis-porting with MMC connectors and fully customized, color-coded, labeled ultra-dense assemblies.
What types of Data Center Interconnect Solutions does GlassWorks AI cover?

GlassWorks AI provides comprehensive solutions for various types of Data Center Interconnect deployments including: Rack-to-Rack Interconnect, Multi-Rack Interconnect, Campus Interconnect, and Long Haul Interconnect. See how unique data center needs are addressed within various infrastructures here.
What fiber optic challenges arise from cable tray and other infrastructure component use?

Space Competition with other essential systems such as liquid cooling hoses, Subfloor Pathways and crowding can constrict airflow, Overhead Tray Limitations can cause the cooling systems to work harder, and Top of Rack Space availability is key, to prevent issues such as pinched fibers due to the weight of traditional cabling solutions. Effective cable management strategies are essential to ensure operational efficiency and maintain optimal performance in hyperscale data centers. Our comprehensive GlassWorks AI solutions are here to help.
Why are long haul fiber investments critical for AI data centers?

Long haul fiber investments are essential for AI data centers due to increased Data Transmission needs and the expansion of Data Center buildouts, the necessity to future-proof networks to anticipate future capacity, and the support of Campus Coverage, as demand for interconnecting various campus and distributed infrastructures grow.
What AI application is GlassWorks AI best for? Generative, Inference or Agentic AI?

GlassWorks AI is customized to the AI deployment, meaning the components are structured to be compatible with all of these Generative, Inference, and Agentic AI systems and future AI configurations!

GlassWorks AI is built to handle even the most complex and highly customized projects.

Contact the GlassWorks AI team today to discover how we can transform your data center with our bespoke solutions.

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