The X Series Architecting for High Performance Scale with Xsight Labs
AI Infrastructure Field Day 4
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18m
This section provides a high-level overview of the product roadmap, specifically introducing the X-Series and E-Series lineups. It identifies the six critical chips required to build modern AI Factories and explains the concept of a “Truly Software Defined” stack that operates at full line-rate across layers L1-7. This serves as the technical foundation for the subsequent specialized deep dives.
The X-Series, an Ethernet switch, distinguishes itself through a "truly software-defined" programmable architecture, utilizing 3072 Harvard architecture cores operating on a "run-to-complete" model, unlike competitors' fixed pipelines. This provides unparalleled flexibility, enabling parallel packet operations, recursion, and extensive header processing, including 11 layers of MPLS and various encapsulations. This design is particularly well-suited for emerging AI-centric protocols such as Ultra Ethernet (UEC) and ESON, enabling customizable congestion management and efficient in-flight packet handling. The X-Series boasts significantly lower latency, achieving 450 nanoseconds compared to the typical 800 nanoseconds, and demonstrates exceptional buffer utilization, consistently above 86% even under heavy load.
The X-Series also stands out with its low power consumption, operating at under 200 watts for a 12.8T switch, which is described as disruptive. Its software-defined physical layer supports diverse SERDES speeds (10G to 200G) and modulation schemes, enabling mixed-and-matched configurations that facilitate connections between new and legacy interfaces. The programming model, though initially assembler-based with Python wrappers and libraries, has seen customers such as Oxide develop P4 compilers, with Xsight Labs planning to develop their own. This powerful, flexible, and low-power solution is specifically designed for edge deployments, including half-rack to two-rack configurations, satellites, and base stations, delivering significant reductions in power, rack space, and cost. The X-Series product was generally available in November 2022 and has been in mass production since the summer of 2023.
Presented by Ted Weatherford, Vice President of Business Development, Xsight Labs, and John Carney, Distinguished Engineer, Software Architecture, Xsight Labs. Recorded live at AI Infrastructure Field Day in Santa Clara on January 29th, 2026. Watch the entire presentation at https://techfieldday.com/appearance/xsight-labs-presents-at-ai-infrastructure-field-day/ or visit https://techfieldday.com/event/aiifd4/ or https://xsightlabs.com/ for more information.
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